Demystifying ThanksTaking: Three Indigenous Women’s’ Cultural Perspectives on Giving Thanks

American Indian Airwaves

Part: 1 Kawisente McGregor and Melody Talcott joins us to discussing the demystification and deconstruction of the violent settler colonial holiday, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and what is means to give thanks from cultural perspectives. Guests: • Kawisente McGregor, Kanien’kehá:ka (People of the Spark or Flint), meaning ‘Icicle Melting’ is a long-time supporter of nature connection programs on the native reserve she calls home, Kahnawake (meaning – by the rapids), a mother of two and an avid supporter of social and native justice issues, the site director for Coyote Programs’ camp in Kahnawake, and a regular visitor to the youth and adult programs. • Melody Talcott (Seneca, Cherokee and Patawomeck descent) graduated from Cambridge University and has worked to support Indigenous ceremonial leaders, such as Donna Augustine (Mik’maq), in repatriation and traditional ways of life. She is a member of an international effort on Indigenous repatriation and assisted with the organization of an international conference on ceremonial leaders at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2018, with Diane Longboat (Mohawk). She is an author and runs a business with her family in Maine and dedicates her time to the continuance of traditional ways of life. Part: 2 Donna Augustine (Mi’KMaq Nation) joins us in the second half of today’s program as part of our continuing conversation on the demystification and deconstruction of the violent settler colonial holiday, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and what is means to give thanks from a Mi'kmaq perspective. Guest: • Donna Augustine “Thunderbird Turtle Woman” is a Cultural Educator and a Ceremonial Leader. She has been involved with reclaiming the Traditional Ways of her people since the age of twenty-three. Her main work is on Repatriation; reclaiming and reburying ancestors, burial items and Sacred Objects from museums and institutions throughout Canada, the U.S. and now Internationally. Her current writings will be featured as a chapter in a book on International Repatriation that will be read internationally. She is acknowledged as a spiritual leader of her own People, but she is regularly invited by other tribes of Turtle Island (North America) to Opening Prayers and conduct Ceremony. Her spiritual ceremonial work has brought her to lead and be involved in ceremony with spiritual leaders throughout the world; including his holiness the Dalai Lama and others. Donna has seven children and nineteen grandchildren. Mi’kmaq is her first language and she speaks it fluently. She is a strong advocate for her culture and her people. American Indian Airwaves regularly broadcast every Thursday from 7pm to 8pm (PCT) on KPFK FM 90.7 in Los Angeles, CA; FM 98.7 in Santa Barbara, CA; FM 99.5 in China Lake, CA; FM 93.7 in North San Diego, CA; FM 99.1 KLBP in Long Beach, CA (Tuesdays 11am-12pm); and on the Internet at: www.kpfk.org.