Prairie Public Television                       Circle of Nations Publishing

207 North 5^th St.                                                         P.O. Box 12017

Fargo, ND                                                                    Grand Forks, ND

 

 

For Immediate Release

 

Janice Jessen

Blue Earth Marketing

Winnebago, NE

(402) 878-2407

jjessen@blueearthmarketing.com

 

Indian Pride Television Series Kicks Off Production During American Indian Heritage Month

 

Fargo, No. Dakota, November 15, 2006 – Production is underway for the highly anticipated Indian Pride, a 13-part cultural magazine series to be aired on PBS stations throughout the United States in February 2007. Indian Pride will spotlight the diverse cultures of American Indian people throughout the country. Prairie Public Television of Fargo, North Dakota, is producing the weekly magazine in cooperation with Circle of Nations Publishing of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

 

As the nation celebrates American Indian Heritage Month in November, a full production crew at Prairie Public Broadcasting in Fargo, North Dakota is busy capturing the essence of Indian Country from in-studio guests for the television series. The first program showcases “A Historical Overview” of Indian Nations, and has a respected scholar from UCLA, Dr. Duane Champagne, as the in-studio guest. Champagne, an American Indian professor, is the author of over 100 articles and books on the history of Indian Country.

 

As Dr. Champagne shares his view of how American Indian history was passed down through oral and written forms of communication, he sets the record straight… “American Indian Nations had carried on the obligations to their sacred teachings for thousands of years before Europeans entered into this land.” What is now called “self-government” was a way of life for the Indian Nations… “A sacred moral code and

Indian Pride

News Release (Cont’d)                                                              Page 2

purpose that fulfilled the sacred teachings and obligations, not only to the nation but, to all the beings and powers in the cosmic order.”

 

JuniKae Randall of Circle of Nations Publishing is the host of the 13-part series. Randall, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa has been traveling the country for several months to bring the stories and scenes of American Indian culture to the television screen. Each 30-minute episode includes three distinct segments: mini-documentaries shot on location, on reservations and around other parts of Indian country; in-studio segments featuring discussion of current issues by nationally-known American Indian guests; and original and cultural performances featuring traditional and contemporary artists, as well as storytellers.

 

Future programs will highlight Indian art, education, traditional healing, storytelling as well as coverage of critical and timely issues of government, economic development and politics. When the topic of “Treaties and Sovereignty” is aired, Randall’s special in-studio guest will be the founding director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), John Echohawk. Echohawk is a major figure in Indian Country and he will share his perspective on the past and current state of sovereignty among Indian nations...the treaties that were signed by the United States Government...and the treaties now forgotten. He will share what these contracts mean between the United States Government and the Indian Nations.

 

“The Indian Pride television series will feature an educational component both on-screen and via the web. Its national broadcast distribution and website will fully integrate with schools so teachers everywhere can share the contents of the series with their students. This is a significant contribution because modern textbooks contain very little material on the culture, history and struggle of the American Indian. This program will help bridge that gap,” stated Randall.

 

Indian Pride

News Release (Cont’d)                                                              Page 3

 

Indian Pride will be distributed to PBS television stations nationwide through NETA. The world premiere of the 13-week series is scheduled to begin February 3, 2007. Contact your local PBS station for local dates and times.

 

______________________________________________

Prairie Public Television is a premiere broadcaster of public television, radio and on-line services throughout the prairie region encompassing the state of North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, southern Manitoba Province, Canada, eastern Montana and northern South Dakota.

 

In addition to a roster of PBS programs, Prairie Public has been a leader in providing locally produced award-winning programs that examine important issues that affect the lives of viewers in the United States and Canada.

 

###