Radio Bilingüe launches a special feature series in celebration of American Indian Heritage Month

San Francisco, CA.- In an effort to recognize the contributions that First Americans have made to the hemisphere, Radio Bilingüe is launching a series of news feature reports with the first segment airing this Friday, November 25th.

The series will be distributed via satellite and live webcast as part of Edición Semanaria (Weekly Edition), a 14-minute news segment that goes on the air on Fridays at 4:00 PM PST and repeated on Saturdays at 9:00 AM PST on Satélite Radio Bilingüe and the national public radio satellite system.

The voices and sounds for these stories were recorded at the National Mall in September, 2004, when thousands of indigenous people gathered for the Native Nations Procession and the First Americans Festival to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian.

The following is a broadcast schedule for the series of 5-6-minute feature reports:

Nov. 25. FLUTES AND DRUMS. Thousands of indigenous peoples from all over the Americas gathered in Washington for the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian. They celebrated the ocassion all week long with festivals and concerts where the sounds of drums and flutes provided the ambiance for joyous dancing.

Dec. 2. THE FOUR BOULDERS. The National Museum of the American Indian, repository of the largest collection of cultural and historic objects from the First Americans, opened its doors at the National Mall on the fall equinox, a time of traditional festivities that pay tribute to the earth. Large boulders located at the four cardinal directions are a reminder of all of the indigenous peoples of the hemisphere.

Dec. 9. THE FIRST AMERICANS. The rise of an indigenous president in a Latin American country, a Cheyenne Indian in the U.S. Senate, growing Indian movements in Bolivia and Mexico attest to the emergent political power for American Indian peoples in the hemisphere. This political reawakening is spawning new initiatives in areas such as Indian law and rights, Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and Indian literature.

Dec. 16. WE ALWAYS SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE. Centuries of opression and prohibition have wiped out dozens of American Indian languages from the continent and more are in danger. Indian communities are resisting the devastating effects of globalization, as they struggle to maintain their mother language and pass on the wisdom of their grandparents.

Dec. 23. MY SOUL. For centuries, American Indian communities have been forced to integrate, assimilate into the dominant society and deny their cultural identity. But a new generation is intensely searching for their lost identity, reconnecting to their past, and connecting with their communities.

Dec. 30. HEALING SONGS. American Indian healers draw on the wisdom of their ancestors to keep the spirits of their peoples alive and give strength to younger generations. Through song and ceremony, American Indian communities cleanse their souls, maintain good health and provide healing to the rest of the world.

The series is narrated by Tiburcia Yocupicio, a Mayo Indian, founding director of XEETCH, The Voice of the Three Rivers, station serving the Mayo, Yaqui and Guarijío Indian peoples in Northern Mexico. She is currently a human rights promoter in Tucson.

This project is possible through a partnership between the National Museum of the American Indian – Smithsonian Institution, and Radio Bilingüe, the Latino public radio network in the United States. Radio Bilingüe owns five non-profit stations in California and through its satellite service, Satélite Radio Bilingüe, distributes news, information and musical programming to affiliates throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and Mexico. Radio Bilingüe also has a live audio service online at www.radiobilingue.org.