LANDBACK For The People

NDN Collective

Raised by the movement, President and CEO of NDN Collective, Nick Tilsen (Oglala Lakota) delves into past and present LANDBACK struggles across Turtle Island and the Indigenous world. LANDBACK FOR THE PEOPLE is dedicated to lifting up the revolutionary strides within the liberation movement for Indigenous Peoples and our homelands. read less

Our Editor's Take

LANDBACK For The People is a podcast about indigenous rights in the US. The host of the show is Nick Tilsen, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation. He is also president and CEO of NDN Collective, a social justice organization. The indigenous resistance movement has existed since the early days of European colonization. Like the people it serves, it has grown and evolved with the times. Today, its focus is on LANDBACK, a push to reclaim ancestral lands from the US government. LANDBACK also works to combat exploitive resource extraction and climate change.

On LANDBACK For The People, Tilsen introduces listeners to issues that the movement addresses. He talks about Leonard Peltier, the activist who went to prison for the murder of two FBI agents. Detractors claim that the charges were false. In another episode, Tilsen talks about LANDBACK in Hawaii. 'Aina Back challenges are unique and steeped in Hawaiian culture.

Some of the episodes of LANDBACK for the People focus on the changemakers. Tilsen interviews Madonna Thunder Hawk, a longtime crusader for indigenous rights. She participated in the 1971 occupation of Mount Rushmore and the 1972 takeover of BIA HQ. Thunder Hawk was in the Wounded Knee siege in 1973. In 2016, she was at Standing Rock. Tilsen talks to activists who are fighting back through legal means. Philip Katzen is an Osage attorney specializing in tribal sovereignty. Nicole Yanes is an Opata citizen and community organizer.

Tilsen likes to talk about resistance strategies with podcast guests. He discusses creative resistance, which wields art and performance to demand justice. Reclaiming traditions and cultural practices can sometimes be an act of defiance.

Listeners interested in indigenous rights may enjoy LANDBACK For The People. The podcast showcases the diversity within the movement and the unity of purpose. Listening is an inspiring experience. New episodes arrive monthly.

read less

Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Start Here

Independent artist Benjamin Hammond Haggerty – better known by his stage name Macklemore – is the featured guest on this episode. He speaks vulnerably about his journey to understand the intertwined nature of white supremacy, colonization, oppression, land theft, and more. On the episode, Nick Tilsen and Macklemore delve into how they met at a rally for Palestinian liberation, politically educating their children, reckoning with past cultural appropriation, the fear white people have of losing power, landback movements across the globe, and more. Links Mentioned: https://www.lakotanationvsus.movie/ https://linktr.ee/palestinianyouthmovement https://landback.org/ https://macklemore.com/ Episode Credits: Hosted by: Nick Tilsen Produced by: Willi White Co-Producer: Steph Viera Edited by: Willi White Original Music by: Mato Wayuhi

Episodes

Independent artist Benjamin Hammond Haggerty – better known by his stage name Macklemore – is the featured guest on this episode. He speaks vulnerably about his journey to understand the intertwined nature of white supremacy, colonization, oppression, land theft, and more. On the episode, Nick Tilsen and Macklemore delve into how they met at a rally for Palestinian liberation, politically educating their children, reckoning with past cultural appropriation, the fear white people have of losing power, landback movements across the globe, and more. Links Mentioned: https://www.lakotanationvsus.movie/ https://linktr.ee/palestinianyouthmovement https://landback.org/ https://macklemore.com/ Episode Credits: Hosted by: Nick Tilsen Produced by: Willi White Co-Producer: Steph Viera Edited by: Willi White Original Music by: Mato Wayuhi

In Season 2 Episode 1, Nick Tilsen talks with Demetrius Johnson, Kiley Guy and Jennifer Marley from The Red Nation and Red Media. They discuss Indigenous liberation and continued solidarity with our Palestinian Relatives, the history of The Red Nation and the work they’re engaged in as community organizers, and why they started the Red Media podcast and more. Links Mentioned: https://indigenousforpalestine.org/ Episode Credits: Hosted by: Nick Tilsen Produced by: Willi White Co-Producer: Steph Viera Edited by: Willi White Original Music by: Mato Wayuhi

In this episode, Nick Tilsen visits with longtime mentor Dune Lankard, who shares stories and knowledge from his fight to protect his homelands in southcentral Alaska. From protecting millions of acres, to standing up for the bears, to fighting climate change while feeding the people with kelp, Dune shows what it means when he says, “ocean back.” As Dune says, “if it’s not regenerative then just don’t do it.” Dune Lankard, Eyak Athabaskan of the Eagle Clan from Cordova, Alaska, has been fighting to protect his homelands in the Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta his entire life. He waged successful battles in protecting over a million acres in the Copper River Delta, was lifted up by Times Magazines as one of the Heroes of the Planet, selected by Asoka as one of the world's leading social entrepreneurs, won numerous awards for this work, and has mentored many in this movement just by being a warrior fighting for mother earth. His work has influenced Nick, many we work with, and the creation of NDN Collective. On this episode: Dune Lankard, Eyak Athabaskan, President and Founder of Native Conservancy https://www.nativeconservancy.org

Free Leonard Peltier

Free Leonard Peltier

For nearly 50 years, Indigenous organizers, activists, and allies have dedicated themselves to fight against the unjust incarceration of Indigenous movement leader, Leonard Peltier. In Episode 6 of the LANDBACK For The People, Nick Tilsen delves into the complexities of the longest serving Indigenous political prisoner alongside trusted legal and government affairs partners fighting for Leonard Peltier’s freedom. On this episode: Holly Cook Macarro, Red Lake Ojibwe, NDN Collective Government Affairs Bruce Ellison, Criminal Defense Attorney Read More: "I am still here": Leonard Peltier's Letter to SupportersIndigenous Leaders and Allies Arrested at White House Rally in Support of Clemency for Native American Activist Leonard Peltier

Creative Resistance

Creative Resistance

Creative Resistance requires the collective force of creativity that lies within Indigenous people to interpret the messages of the movement, leaving behind unforgettable artwork. In Episode 5 of the LANDBACK For The People, Nick TIlsen sits with members of NDN Collective's Creative Resistance team to unpack the significance of how art carries our movement forward. On this Episode: Cy Wagoner, Diné, Creative Resistance Director Jaque Fragua, Pueblo of Jemez, Creative Resistance Coordinator Tytianna Harris, Diné, Creative Resistance Action Coordinator

Legal Warriors and the fight for Land Liberation

Legal Warriors and the fight for Land Liberation

When Indigenous people say that we are fighting for LandBack by any means necessary, we aim to address the multi-pronged approach we take within the movement. We know that not one tactic alone will liberate the people and our land. In episode 4 of the LANDBACK For the People podcast, NDN Collective President and CEO Nick Tilsen and guests speak to how the legal system, although colonial, is still a viable avenue to fight for LandBack. Our esteemed guests of Episode 4: Phillip Tinker, Osage attorney at Kanji & Katzen, specializing in the matters of tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, and powers of government Nicole Yanes, NDN Collective Director of Grantmaking and citizen of the Opata Nation, bringing over 10 years of experience in community organizing and nation building for Indigenous people.

'Āina Back for the Hawaiian Kingdom

'Āina Back for the Hawaiian Kingdom

In episode 3, host Nick Tilsen invites André Perez and Camille Kalama to unpack the ongoing fight for ‘Āina Back. As we know, #landback is a global Indigenous fight to liberate the land, the people, and in this episode we’re reminded about the importance of leaning into our kuleana – or “responsibility” to collectively partake in healing our relationship with mother earth. FOLLOW HULI: https://hulinvda.org/ Instagram: @huli.nvda

Fighting Racism in the Hesapa

Fighting Racism in the Hesapa

In this episode, Nick Tilsen sits down with Sunny, Hermus and Anissa, local organizers to Rapid City, SD working on NDN Collective's #RapidCityVsRacism campaign. Together they start to unpack the linkage between racism and LANDBACK. The trio share personal stories of Indigenous power building as they fight against racism in the Hesapa. CALL TO ACTIONS: Text: "rapidvracism" to 50302 Local to Rapid City: Rapid City vs Racism Town Hall, June 8th, 2023

Madonna Thunder Hawk: a Matriarch of the Movement

Madonna Thunder Hawk: a Matriarch of the Movement

In this first episode of LANDBACK FOR THE PEOPLE, Nick Tilsen sits at the table with matriarch Madonna Thunder Hawk (Oohenumpa Lakota). Madonna jokingly calls herself the Forest Gump of Indigenous resistance, since, over the last 55 years, she's been at almost every focal point in the fight for Indigenous liberation. Through numerous decades of resistance efforts, from the occupation of Mount Rushmore in 1971 and the takeover of the BIA headquarters in 1972, to the siege at Wounded Knee in 1973 and unforgettably Standing Rock in 2016, Madonna exemplifies what it means to be a true Warrior Woman. Nick and Madonna lay bare how generations of Indigenous people have met across politics and places for the sake of LANDBACK, revealing moments in the movement that were unimaginable. In this conversation, we are reminded of the blood and ancestral memory of our deep connection to land and water, inheriting the movement knowledge and stories of those before us in preparation for a liberated future. Madonna continues to honor the matriarchs of the Red Power Movement through the Warrior Woman Project, a collaborative of matriarchs, storytellers, and archivists who “bring to light the radical impact of Indigenous women” throughout history. https://www.warriorwomen.org/