Unreserved51:06Our recommendations on how to celebrate NIPD all summer long
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. To celebrate, Unreserved gathered some friends of the show and put together a list of recommendations that will add a sparkle to your day — and your whole summer.
For even more Indigi-tips, tune into the full episode.
What to watch: Movies
“I’ve loved movies my entire life,” said Cheryl Kary, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. A few years ago, Kary started The Red Gaze podcast with other members from her community.
The podcast offers a counter-narrative to what Kary calls the “white gaze” in media. The Red Gaze uses an Indigenous lens to dissect movies and television shows – from classics like Thunderheart to newer productions like Reservation Dogs and Killers of the Flower Moon.
Here are The Red Gaze’s top picks to watch this summer.
Prey
In Prey (2022), a warrior named Naru fights to protect her tribe against a predator. Prey is a prequel to the 1987 Arnold Schwarznegger classic, Predator, it was filmed west of Calgary and had a mostly Indigenous cast.
“Great acting, great perspective. It was Indigenous-centered,” said Kary of Prey.
WATCH | Trailer for the film Prey:
War Pony
War Pony (2022) tells the story of two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
“It showed the reality of reservation life but it wasn’t about poverty porn,” said Kary. “It was just a story about a young man trying to survive in his environment, and trying to make good by his family.”
Frybread Face and Me
Frybread Face and Me (2023) is a quirky film about two teenage Navajo cousins who bond one summer while herding sheep on their grandmother’s ranch.
“We called it the Native Stand By Me story,” said Kary, referring to the 1986 coming-of-age drama. “At the end of the movie you just really feel like ‘Hey, I’ve been there. I’ve been on that journey, as well.'”
What to eat: Food
Unreserved asked Aicha Smith-Belghaba, a Mohawk chef and entrepreneur from Six Nations, to share some of her regional summer food favorites.
Here are her top picks for your plate.
Strawberries
“A traditional drink that we have here in Six Nations is strawberry juice. So, we just mash up some fresh strawberries, add some sugar in there and water, and then we have strawberry juice,” she said.
Garlic scapes
Smith-Belghaba says to keep an eye out for garlic scapes, the green tops that grow out of garlic bulbs, this summer.
“They’re so, so, so good as a pickle because they have all that super strong, pungent garlic flavor,” she said.
Rosanna Deerchild, host of CBC’s Unreserved, joins producer and chef Aicha Smith-Belghaba as she demonstrates how it can be simple to incorporate Indigenous foods back into your diet.
Peaches
“I absolutely adore peaches. I just think they’re so delicious. You can eat them in so many different ways,” Smith-Belghaba said. She suggests grilling peaches and serving them with fish or chicken.
You can also use peaches in your next vinaigrette. “Just throw some fresh peach in a blender with some olive oil, a little vinegar, salt, pepper, maybe basil,” she explained. “Blend that up and then, with no time, you have a vinaigrette.”
What to read: Books
Melissa Blair is a queer Anishinaabe writer from Treaty 9 territory. In her writing, Blair puts an Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+ spin on the fantasy-romance genre.
She self-published her first novel, A Broken Blade, in 2021 and its success landed her a publishing deal. The fourth and final book in her series The Halfling Saga will be out in early 2025.
Here are Melissa Blair’s top picks for what to read this summer.
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
The Truth According to Ember is a rom-com about a secret office romance and Indigenous identity. This debut novel by Danica Nava, an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, will hit the shelves on Aug. 6, 2024.
“[It’s] perfect for that late summer beach read,” said Blair.
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
Warrior Girl Unearthed is a young adult novel about the power of discovering your stolen history.
“A fantastic book for young readers. With really great themes about the missing and murdered Indigenous women’s movement and the impact it has on our people,” Blair said.
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
Heart Berries is a poetic memoir about Indigenous identity and a woman’s coming of age, Blair explained.
“A beautiful, beautiful little book,” said Blair. “It’s not very long but it will definitely stay with you for a long time.”
What to listen to: Podcasts
Falen Johnson is the host of CBC podcast The Secret Life of Canada. She’s Mohawk and Tuscarora from Six Nations.
Here are a few of Falen’s must-listen-to pods from Indigenous creators.
Actors and Ancestors
Actors and Ancestors is a podcast about Indigenous film and TV, hosted by Cree actor Joel D. Montgrand. The podcast’s tagline is: “We’ve come a long way from cowboys and Indians.”
“I love the tagline,” said Johnson. It just “says it all.”
In the show, Montgrand, who had a role in the latest season of True Detective, talks with Indigenous performers, from up-and-coming stars to trailblazing elders.
Reel Indigenous
Reel Indigenous is another podcast that pulls back the red velvet curtain, and explores the movie and TV industry from an Indigenous perspective.
“I love the interview style. It gives lots of space for whoever they’re interviewing to speak. So you really feel like you’re hearing them,” Johnson said.
Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s
“In making a list like this, I would be remiss to not include Connie Walker’s work,” Johnson said.
Walker, a Cree investigative journalist from Okanese First Nation, has hosted and produced numerous award-winning investigative podcasts about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the child welfare system and residential schools.
Johnson recommends listening to Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s, the second season of Walker’s podcast series, Stolen.
Surviving St. Michael’s is a deeply personal season, Johnson explained. In it, Walker explores how her family’s story fits into one of the darkest chapters in Canadian history, the residential school system.
“She gets to take what she does so well, which is that personal journalism with a mix of investigative and really push them together,” Johnson said.