In this episode of The Sentinel, we explore the Land Back movement, an effort led by American Indian and Alaska Native people to restore traditional homelands to Tribal Nations. The goal of this movement is not only to reclaim property stolen from Native communities, but to restore stewardship and sovereignty over ancestral lands. While we share recent successes and highlights, we also examine the deep historical roots and ongoing struggles of this movement.

Raphael Wahwassuck, Tribal Council Member and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, joins us to discuss the recent return of 1,500 acres of land, remedying two centuries of injustice and dispossession for his tribe. He shares the long history of this issue for his tribe and how other Tribal Nations can learn from the Prairie Band Potawatomi’s advocacy and experience on this issue.

In this episode of The Sentinel, we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act. Enacted on January 4, 1975, this pivotal piece of legislation marked a major shift in federal Indian policy. It authorized Tribal Nations to enter into contracts with the federal government for the provision of essential services. The goal was to shift control and autonomy of those services from Washington, D.C., to the tribes themselves. Join us as we explore the history and ongoing significance of this legislation to Indian Country.

Part two of Episode 20 continues our exploration of NCAI’s international advocacy work and examines further how NCAI’s advocacy for Indigenous Peoples on the global stage ties into its larger mission of promoting tribal sovereignty.

In this expanded conversation led by Rochelle Morgan-Verdin, NCAI’s Policy Lead for International Issues and citizen of the United Houma Nation, we hear from two additional experts who have been deeply involved in the organization’s advocacy for decades. They shed light on the history of NCAI’s international work, what progress is being made today, and what we can expect in the years to come.