- Boozhoo, I'm Rita Karppinen.

Welcome to the 20th season of "Native Report."

- [Announcer] Production for "Native Report" is made possible by grants from the Blandin Foundation, the generous support from viewers like Jack and Sharon Kemp, and viewers like you.

(bright folk music) (bright folk music continues) - In this episode, we celebrate the innovative ways Indigenous individuals are sharing their culture and making an impact.

First, we travel to Salt Lake City, Utah to meet a talented Indigenous musician using their artistry to inspire change and strengthen their community.

Then we head to the Northland of Minnesota and Wisconsin where one man is bringing a galaxy far, far away closer to home by voice dubbing "Star Wars" in the Ojibwe language, blending pop culture with language revitalization.

Check this out.

- [Honey] My name is Honey.

All right, if you didn't know, now you know.

(lively upbeat music) Here in Salt Lake City, I'm an inspirational advocate, an R&B artist, a community member, a community advocate, definitely for our Native youth.

Within our community, there's a lot of work that needs to be done, so with that being said, our youth are my main priority, our elders are my main priority, as well as adults in our community, trying to build that family representation within the community, but also within our households.

(Rhonda speaking in foreign language) (Rhonda speaking in foreign language) Thank you very much.

Hello everybody.

My name is Rhonda "Honey" DuVall, I'm an inspirational advocate and R&B artist in our community.

("I'm Praying For You" by VoiceOfHoney) ♪ Open your eyes to all the beauty in the world ♪ ♪ It's not about the money, the diamonds, the drama ♪ ♪ Or the world What drew me to music at first, and I just kind of learned over time where it's taking me, what I'm doing.

At the time when I started, which was back in junior high, elementary, I used to do a lot of, I'd say karaoke, of other people's songs.

And that's something that I absolutely love to do.

I just love to sing, pretty much.

I just love to sing.

But now that I've grown and I've had a lot of years of experience within the music scene, I've really noticed that what is drawing me back to music is the opportunity to express myself in a very healthy way, being able to be vulnerable in a good setting where it's a safe space, and having that opportunity where nobody can come back and say, "Well, I thought this," or "I thought that."

It allows people to really understand the true, authentic person that I am, and that's what continues to bring me back to music, is being able to express myself in the best way that I know how.

I am half Navajo and I'm also half Black.

So with that, I always think there's a little bit of soul that's with a little bit of calmness, and there's a little bit of fire with it also.

So I always think about how can I represent myself or how can I express myself in the best way if I am deluding it?

And because of my background, I'm able to bring that smoothness or those feelings of what my people endured from both parts of my background.

And with that, I'm able to kind of bring it to the forefront and really break it down and help us understand what it is I'm going for.

I'd say my main inspiration right now is trying to get the right message across.

The process begins with, of course, the education, the education standpoint of having to know what type of program to use, what kind of technology that's needed for recording.

I had to get the education first.

So I started out at Salt Lake Community College under the music technology program, as well as a certificate under, I think it's music composition.

And when I transferred to Utah Valley University, I was more in depth in the program.

So I was really engaged in the hands-on learning of how to record, how to write, how to understand the formulations at which songs are made.

I didn't know there was a formula to it.

I thought that people were just coming, making a song, expressing themselves, and then over time they put it into a song, but there's an actual layout to it.

So having that education really helped me understand that there is the point where there's mathematics within everything, not just music, but everything.

After the education, I learned how to write poetry, and through poetry I was able to utilize words in which I was never capable of using before, which is really awesome.

After learning the songwriting techniques, I was able to learn the actual technology portion.

So what I'm comfortable with is Pro Tools, that's more like industry standard in majority of the studios around the United States.

Having to learn those things within the program and then buying my own cute little MPC, and I started to just make these different sounds.

So I would sit in front of my computer for hours and I would just go through the different sounds that I could hear.

There's millions of different sounds on the computer or whatever program it is that you're using, or you could even incorporate your own new sounds.

So the first process that I did was learn those different sounds that I had available to me.

And then what I learned is in the community, there's sounds that maybe we're not familiar with or maybe we're not really listening to.

Those types of sounds I started to incorporate in my music.

So I would just get like a pill bottle and start shaking it in front of a microphone, or I would get just a quick snap and do something just simple like that.

And then I would build on top of building, on top of building, and soon, all of those different sounds kind of fit in their own place, they have their own home within an actual track.

And by understanding that, I really got to learn that there's more to it than just words, there's more to it than just having a sound, there's an actual process that goes with it.

So learning the technology, learning how to write your poetry, your songs, learning the in-depth programs and then making it happen.

Those are I'd say my four main sacred steps to producing music for myself.

I used to go through somebody else, but I felt like I was missing something at the end of my album.

There was something that I was missing that I just could not find.

So this is the first year that I'm actually taking the initiative to produce my own stuff.

The process is very long.

It takes anywhere from, I'd say an hour to maybe two to three weeks to complete one song.

And for that reason, there's a lot of adding things in, taking things out, I critique myself constantly, and then I eventually get to writing to that actual song.

So it's a long process.

For me, it's a very long process.

I kind of want it to be exactly how I hear it or see it or feel it in my brain, in my ears, in my whole aura.

I want it to be exactly how I feel it, how I see it.

I want the right people to be included in it.

But at this moment, because I'm producing it and making it my own, I guess my own infants, shall I say.

I'm the main person, I'm the songwriter, the producer, the person who continues to engineer it, mixing, mastering it.

And then I go to a second person, which I say, "Here's the baby.

I've listened to it a million times.

You put your touch on it and let's make it together."

So usually there's I'd say 98% me and then there's a 2% at the very end where there's an hour of somebody else coming in and moving the different knobs and whatnot to make it sound whole.

That's the process that I go through when it comes to music.

And even then, once I'm complete with that, I still go back and I'm like, "Mm, there's some things we can tweak.

There's some vocals we can add in."

Right now, I'm really learning not to dub my voice.

And when I say dub my voice, I'm not adding that second.

So I'll sing a tune.

Normally when I dub it, I'll come back with the same voice over and I'll stack it.

I'm learning not to do that anymore.

And so that's something that I'm trying to get comfortable with, is utilizing the one voice and being okay with it.

So with my previous album, which is the "Polyphenols" that just came out this end of 2023, beginning of 2024, that album I was more intended on dance music and making sure that people were moving, a little bit of hip hop, a little bit of extra, extra honey, a little extra dose of honey.

Whereas this newer album that I'm working on, it's more calmer.

It's more intended in a different outlook where I'm trying to say, "This is what I experienced, here's what you can learn from it.

What are you going to do with it, and how are you going to move forward with it?"

That's what kind of gives me the inspiration to make the music that I'm making, is not everybody understands what this life is that we're living.

Not everybody's going to understand that as an adult, these are the kinds of things that we experience.

For the youth, I really try to make sure that the music that I am intending is for them to take and to grow with.

So they can listen to it, they can say, "Huh, I never thought about it like that.

Huh, I didn't even know that it was going to be like that but now that I've listened to it and I've lived it, you're right, but let me try it a different way."

It sort of gives a different context of how they can go and move or maneuver about their own lives, the listener, of course, or for my sake, I'd say the youth or the elders, they can find different ways to maneuver through this unfamiliar world that we're living in.

I'd say writing music, it just depends on the song, of course.

And majority of the songs that I write are not as dancey as they used to be.

So they're a lot more, I'd say, center to home, which is my heart.

When I'm writing a song, I feel like all of my emotions, from my feet, all my toes, my toenails, from my toenails all the way to the ends of my hair, the emotions, the rush of emotions, it's like I've been holding it in all this time.

And it's about that time where it's a safe space and I can say, (exhales) "Let me just tell you what I've been experiencing and going through."

So that's how I write my music.

I just kind of wait till it's all been bottled up a little bit, and then I just (jabbers).

And even when it comes to performing, it's the same way.

It's like I'm done singing an hour performance or a 30 minute performance and I'm like, (inhales) I needed that.

I totally needed that.

And then I just start crying and bawling my eyes out and then I'm good again, maybe for like another month, maybe for like three months, maybe for a year.

But just that one moment, the amount of stress that releases from us is amazing.

It's amazing.

Just being able to express yourself takes all of that depression, that anxiety, all of that stress, it completely takes it away and resurfaces the real you.

That's what I do when I write music or when I'm performing or when I'm preparing.

I'm constantly thinking of everything that I've been feeling that's been bottled up and I'm ready to release it.

It's great being Indigenous in the city.

It's great because people think that you're no longer, like the people around us, people around us Natives think that we as Natives no longer exist.

So when I come out and I say, (speaks in foreign language) "Hello everybody, ladies and gentlemen," then it's like, "They still exist."

Actually, we've been here the whole time, the entire time.

So I really love to acknowledge myself in my native language.

And I'm not completely fluent, but I do know who I am.

I do know where I'm going, I do know what family I come from.

And with that, I'm able to acknowledge all of that through my verbiage, through my introductions.

And I'm hoping that at some point in time, somebody will take that and say, "Nah, they've been here this entire time and they're going to continue to be here forever."

I also work locally here in our community as a cultural specialist.

So what I believe that means for me is soaking in as much knowledge as I can of all of these various tribes and all of the various people that I'm coming in contact with.

That way I can better understand what it is that we are experiencing or what we have experienced so that I know how how to respond to situations and certain things and certain people.

By being the best me, I can encourage somebody else to be the best them.

And so in five years, I hope that all these kids in this community that I'm working with succeeds by watching what it takes over here.

So I'd say whoever it is that is listening out there, just be you.

Just be your authentic self.

It doesn't even matter what anybody else thinks, as long as you feel good inside.

That is it.

Just do it.

(bright folk music) - Onychocryptosis, or ingrown toenail, is a common condition where the sides of the toenail grow into the skin of the toe.

It can be painful and cause inflammation or infection.

It usually affects the big toe, but any toe can be affected.

Some common symptoms of an ingrown toenail are redness, swelling, and tenderness.

This leads to pain when pressure is applied to the toe, fluid buildup around the toe, skin overgrowth around the toenail, and bleeding or puss.

Common causes of ingrown toenails include cutting nails too short or rounding the edges, wearing shoes that are too tight or don't fit well, stubbing your toe, repeated kicking activities like soccer, toe deformities, and picking or tearing at the corners of your toenails.

Ingrown toenails can be painful but usually aren't serious, and you can typically treat them at home.

If you have diabetes, nerve damage, or circulation problems or think it's infected, you should see a healthcare provider.

Soaking your feet in warm soapy water or Epsom salts twice daily and using cotton to elevate the corners of the toenail can be very helpful and may calm this down.

You should cut your toenails straight across and not peel off the edges.

You should wear roomy shoes and Tylenol or ibuprofen will help.

If it's chronically infected, antibiotics might be necessary.

If there's lots of skin buildup and inflammation, it might be necessary to remove part or all of the nail.

This is a procedure that uses numbing medicine like when you go to the dentist.

The nerves to the toe will be anesthetized.

You shouldn't feel anything other than some pressure during the procedure.

The part of your toenail that's causing the problem will be cut away, and sometimes the entire nail needs to be removed.

It can take months for the nail to regrow, and that allows time for the nail bed to heal.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions.

A good relationship with them will always be in your best interest.

And remember to call an elder.

They've been waiting for your call.

I'm Dr. Arne Vainio, and this is Health Matters.

(bright folk music) - [Niigaanii] For me and my understanding, our language is our connection to our ancestors.

So as we learn and speak our language, we better understand how our ancestors see the world.

It's very important for us to continue revitalizing, strengthening, growing our language into the future so that future generations can also understand how our ancestors see the world.

Boozhoo, boozhoo.

(speaks in foreign language) So I say my name is Niigaanii-Animikii Inini, I'm Bear Clan and a member of the Sault Ste.

Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

I'm a filmmaker.

I'm also serving the Red Cliff tribe as their language culture coordinator.

And thirdly, I'm a researcher, mostly with the Ojibwe language revitalization.

And I saw a posting on Facebook calling for applications to audition for roles in "Star Wars: A New Hope," Ojibwe dubbing.

And I felt like it brought everything in together for me.

And my experience is mostly in film production and direction, and I've been wanting to expand into acting and voice acting.

So this was an excellent opportunity.

I'm honored to give voice to Red Leader, played by the late Drewe Henley.

Ever since I was a kid, I was a big fan of "Star Wars," and I'm very passionate about Ojibwe language revitalization.

It just made perfect sense to apply.

And thankfully, they wanted me.

Like many Ojibwe families, I did not grow up speaking or hearing our language.

It hasn't been spoken for at least four generations in my family.

That said, I did grow up in a Native neighborhood just down the street from my tribe's main reservation.

And many of my neighbors, classmates, family members, friends were Native.

I thought that most people were Native.

Until the age of 18 when I began my studies at Michigan Tech, where there were students from around the world, some of whom told me I was the first Native person they had ever met, and they let me know that we're actually only 2% of the United States population.

From thinking that we're the vast majority to 2% was mind blowing.

And it helped encourage me to dig more deeply into what does it mean to be Native?

And that led me to the importance of revitalizing the Ojibwe language, learning the Ojibwe language for myself, bringing it back to my family.

I'm not a fluent speaker, but I've been learning off and on for more than a dozen years.

Our language is not just alive, but it's growing, it's strengthening.

And I think with continued hard work, we'll get to a place where many if not all films are dubbed or produced in Ojibwe.

If you've seen "A New Hope," you know you have the rebel forces, and they're trying to take on the evil empire and protect themselves.

And I've been thinking lately about how my ancestors, our ancestors have been rebels themselves, protecting the language against an onslaught, and taking our ceremonies underground, taking our language underground when necessary to protect them.

And even when it was dangerous, even when it was illegal, and today, now that it is not illegal and it's welcome, we can bring it out into the open more.

We're living in Ojibwe country, Anishinaabewaki, and it wasn't that long ago that anybody who lived here whether there're Ojibwe or not, Native or not, to get things done, they had to know and speak Ojibwe.

And I want to see the Ojibwe language be in an everyday space again.

I personally would really love to see people be able to shop in Ojibwe, to be able to go to school in Ojibwe, to watch films in Ojibwe, in addition to ceremony.

So it all started with the application process.

First, we had to apply using their software that they provided us.

My application was accepted and I was invited to audition.

I auditioned for several characters.

And doing so, I had to record in my own home and speak the lines in Ojibwe.

What they provided was a translated script, as well as clips from the film in English as well as dubbed Ojibwe.

An elder had provided some pronunciation guide, if you will, and that helped us who are auditioning to pronounce the Ojibwe.

And so I sent my recordings in, they asked me for a second audition, this time live over Zoom with a director and one of her assistants.

And I did that interview over Zoom and I read the first line that she asked me to, and she gave me a few suggestions on what to do and a second go.

I took those suggestions to heart, I read the line again, and she said, "I've seen enough.

I've heard enough.

I like what you're doing here.

I'm gonna give you a role."

Soon after, they gave me instructions to the studio.

So it's an eight hour drive from where I'm currently living in Washburn, Wisconsin.

So I made it to Winnipeg, I studied my lines intensely, and I thank my friend Sarah for offering a little guidance along the way.

and I made it to the studio, and we had a one hour slot.

Time is money with Disney.

And I made it into the sound booth.

And in the room next door listening in on their headphones were an audio team, the director, as well as a first language fluent elder so in case there was need for guidance in my pronunciation, he could offer it.

The director was there, of course, to help with any emotional intonation, guidance in that realm.

So I gave my lines, it was a fun time.

We laughed hard.

And then before I knew it, the time was done.

And after the recording, I went and I talked with some of the production team and learned about the distribution process and the need for news pieces to help drum up support, drum up interest in this incredible milestone of a project.

I really hope that this grand milestone, this huge milestone in Hollywood history, in Ojibwe revitalization, our journey of revitalizing Ojibwe language, that it really strikes people because it's the first Disney film dubbed in Ojibwe, and I believe the first major Hollywood film dubbed in Ojibwe.

And I hope that "Star Wars: A New Hope" can inspire more people, including young people, to continue learning the Ojibwe language or to begin learning the Ojibwe language.

So anybody who is interested in re-watching or watching for the first time "Star Wars: A New Hope" but in the Ojibwe language, this will be a great opportunity for them to introduce themselves.

So I hope audience members can appreciate how our ancestors worked so hard to get us to this point right now, and we can take what we have and run with it.

I hope to see all future films either dubbed or produced in the Ojibwe language.

(Niigaanii speaking in Ojibwe) May the force be with you.

- Thank you for joining us on this episode of "Native Report."

From the inspiring music and activism in Salt Lake City, to the creative efforts in Minnesota and Wisconsin to preserve the Ojibwe language, we've seen how Indigenous individuals are using their talents to honor tradition and shape the future.

Stay tuned for more stories that celebrate the resilience, culture, and innovation of Native communities.

If you missed a show or wanna catch up online, find us at nativereport.org and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for behind the scene updates.

Drop a comment on social media if you enjoyed the show.

Thank you for spending your time with your friends and neighbors from across Indian Country.

I'm Rita Karppinen.

We'll see you next time on "Native Report."

(bright folk music) (bright folk music continues) (bright folk music continues) (bright folk music continues) (bright folk music fades) (bright music)