Prairie Public Television Circle of Nations Publishing
207 North 5th 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
Premiere Party Launches Indian Pride Television Series
Fargo, No. Dakota, January 31, 2007 – JuniKae Randall and Bob Dambach, executive producers of the long-awaited 13-part cultural magazine series, Indian Pride, hosted a Premiere Party for the new television series on January 18, at the Smithsonian, National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. Indian Pride, which focuses on the diverse cultures of American Indian people throughout the country, will premiere nationwide February 3, 2007 on PBS Affiliates. Tribal members from all federally recognized tribes in the United States, as well as other dignitaries and special guests were invited to attend the airing of the first program in the landmark series, “A Historical Overview” of Indian Nations. Prairie Public Television of Fargo, North Dakota, is producing the weekly magazine in cooperation with Circle of Nations Publishing of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Host of the 13-part series, JuniKae Randall, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and founding director of Circle of Nations Publishing, has traveled the country for several months to capture and bring to the American public, the stories and scenes of American Indian culture. Designed around three distinct segments, each 30-minute episode includes: 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.
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Focusing on a specific theme for each episode, the schedule for the first three shows has been finalized. The first installment, “A Historical Overview,” features in-studio guest, Dr. Duane Champagne, respected scholar, author and American Indian professor at UCLA, as well as the mini-documentary with several American Indian Leaders, storyteller Herbert Jim and performer Kevin Locke.
The subject of the second show, “Indian Treaties and Sovereignty,” showcases special in-studio guest and founding director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), John Echohawk, several leaders/experts in the mini-documentary segment, and musical performer, Jim Boyd, producer for the soundtrack, Smoke Signals, from the Colville Tribe, Washington.
“Spirituality” will be the focus of the third program in the series, with in-studio guest Dr. Henrietta Mann, full-blood enrolled member with the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. The performer will be Grammy nominated flute player and maker, Joseph Fire Crow. Both Fire Crow and Mann share a story for the audience. The mini-documentary segment is shared with several Special Spiritual leaders from around Indian Country.
Future Indian Pride programs will highlight Indian art, education, traditional healing, storytelling as well as coverage of critical and timely issues of government, economic development and politics. Indian Pride is creating a buzz in America and educators will soon have some new and important history to share in the classrooms about the American Indian. The essence and stories about Indian Nations are being shared from Indian leaders, Indian storytellers, Indian performers, Indian experts and presented by choice in their own words.
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“As executive producers, JuniKae and I share the excitement of the premiere of Indian Pride, yet we are humbled to be part of a great historical showcase on national television,” said Bob Dambach of Prairie Public Television. “We are grateful for our kind and generous supporter in Indian Country and beyond . . . . The Seminole Tribe of Florida is the headliner of our major underwriters for Indian Pride. Major underwriters include: Forest Count y Potawatomi, Wisconsin, National City, Michigan and Otto Bremer Bank, Minnesota. Other underwriters are Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, North Dakota/South Dakota Marshall BankFirst, Wisconsin and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi,” Dambach said.
“In my wildest dreams I could not have ever imagined that on February 3, 2007 I would be part of Indian Pride’s historical presentation on national television,” said JuniKae Randall, executive producer. “Even though we are having success producing such an intricate show for our Indian Nations, we are a work in progress and learn something new each day. One thing is for sure; we have the heart and soul for our new baby, ‘Indian Pride.’ Our support and help from Indian Country has been fantastic, Randall said.
“I would like to add that Prairie Public’s production crew and professionals are tops in my book and have given ‘their all’ to ensure our success. It is our hope that the public will all come on board and share our dream in progress, help us along the way, and step up to the plate for season two of ‘Indian Pride.’ I am grateful to have a super advisory board, brothers and sisters from 562 Indian Nations who can share the spotlight on American television for ‘Indian Pride,’” Randall said.
Indian Pride will be distributed to PBS television stations nationwide through NETA. Contact your local PBS affiliates for schedule and show time for Indian Pride.
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To locate the PBS affiliate in your state or area, go to PBS.ORG and follow the directions on how to find the nearest station. Type in your zip code and you will find the name and location of the station in your area with schedule information.
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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.
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