Supporting social changemakers to engage Indigenous planning methods as they remediate contaminated and neglected land and make way for healthy communities.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Publisher
Dr. Theodore Jojola, Indigenous Design and Planning Institute
Over the past three episodes, we’ve visited people and communities who are dealing with the long shadow cast by the 2015 Gold King Mine spill: a disaster that sent 3 million gallons of toxic waste straight into the Animas and San Juan Rivers, contaminating land, water, and trust within the Southwest Four Corners region and specifically Navajo Nation.
Today, in our final episode of the series, we visit with Zach Ben who is founder of Bidii Baby Foods. Zach is a sixth-generation Diné farmer, an artist, a father, and someone who’s not afraid to challenge broken systems while creating something better.
What started as a way to feed his son during the pandemic has grown into a whole movement rebuilding local food systems from Shiprock, New Mexico, in full view of the poisoned river. Zach talks with us about what it means to farm through trauma and redefine wealth in the form of healthy land, water, and community-led business.
Bidii, by the way, is a Navajo word for “belly” and it’s also a way to recognize someone who knows how to hunt, how to grow, and how to feed a family. And that’s exactly what Zach and his partner Mary are doing as they feed their children and neighbors.
As always, PlaceKnowing is brought to you by the Intermountain West Transformation Network. And big thanks to our production partners at The Aunties Dandelion for walking with us on this series.
Okay. Let’s head to the farm.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
2 Jul 2025
Dr. Lanni Tsinnajinnie, UNM (Navajo) and Gloria Lane Navajo Ethno Agriculture (Navajo)
Dr. Lanni Tsinnajinnie and Gloria Lane discuss Indigenous communities' resilience and collaborative water resourcing and farming efforts after the Gold King Mine spill, as interviewed by host Dr. Ted Jojola.
4 Jun 2025
Dr. Brandon Francis and Dr. Karletta Chief on Indigenous Teachings and Community Science
Dr. Karletta Chief discusses blending Diné knowledge with Western science to aid community healing and adaptation in an interview with Kahstoserakwathe Paulette Moore.
7 May 2025
Dr. Brandon Francis on a Foundation of Navajo Values
DR. TED JOJOLA: Heno Mathenwe. Greetings Everybody. I’m Dr. Ted Jojola and welcome to Season 2 of our PlaceKnowing podcast series. We’re building on the stories we shared in Season 1 about how and why we engage Indigenous Design and Planning methods to heal damaged lands and waters called brownfields.This season, we turn our attention to the 2015 Gold King Mine spill disaster - where a crew from the Environmental Protection Agency ruptured a plug of rock and soil near Silverton, Colorado.
That incident released three million gallons of acidic mine waste into the Animas River, on the northeastern edge of Navajo Nation and still impacts farmland and sacred waters in the San Juan River basin.
In the coming episodes, you’ll hear how Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists, farmers, and community members are coming together through cultural resiliency to restore and protect their places.We begin with Diné research scientist and farmer Dr. Brandon Francis whose family has stewarded corn in the Black Mesa, New Mexico area for generations. Brandon works with New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Center in Farmington, New Mexico - and takes the time to set both the cultural and scientific tone for the rest of this series.
DR. BRANDON FRANCIS: Every decision that you make as a researcher and as a scientist you have to analyze it in terms of how is this going to benefit people. And not just you. That’s not going to advance your career. As an Indigenous person you are trying to move along the five fingered people. The people who live on the Earth as the human people.
DR. TED JOJOLA: Brandon and his organization were key in providing much needed information about the status of the spill as it was unfolding – and critical testing for farmers on the health of land and water in the aftermath of the spill.
A big thank you to The Transformation Network for sponsoring this season, and to our production partners at The Aunties Dandelion. And don’t forget to find us and follow us on your favourite podcasting platform! Matuwen
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 Jun 2024
EP 6: The Making of First Americans Museum Oklahoma
Ted Jojola's Metropolis (https://metropolismag.com/projects/first-americans-museum-design/)magazine article on First Americans Museum
12 Jun 2024
EP 5: Golovin Alaska Part 2
INTRO:
(Welcome in Tigua)
WELCOME BACK TO PLACEKNOWING – OUR PODCAST SERIES ABOUT USING INDIGENOUS DESIGN AND PLANNING METHODS TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED OR ABUSED LANDS CALLED BROWNFIELDS.
I’M DR. TED JOJOLA AND I’M THE FOUNDER OF INDIGENOUS DESIGN AND PLANNING INSTITUTE – OR ID+PI - BASED AT UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO.
IN THIS EPISODE WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT GOLOVIN, ALASKA – A REMOTE COASTAL INUPIAT VILLAGE STRUGGLING WITH THREE BROWNFIELDS SITES – WHICH ARE MADE FAR WORSE BY THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE CAME TO THIS PROJECT IN 2023 THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRIBAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM - OR TRIBAL TAB. THE ORGANIZATION IS AN EPA INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES CULTURALLY-INFORMED ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO INDIGENOUS NATIONS DEALING WITH BROWNFIELDS SITES.
TODAY, WE INVITE YOU INTO OUR CONVERSATION WITH UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO LANDSCAPE DESIGN PROFESSOR TONY FETTUS TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE WITNESSED WHEN WE VISITED GOLOVIN - AND OUR PROCESS FOR MOVING THIS ONGOING PROJECT FORWARD USING AN INDIGENOUS LENS AND METHODOLOGY.
MANY THANKS TO OUR PROGRAM SPONSORS – KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BROWNFIELDS – AND TO OUR PRODUCTION PARTNERS – THE AUNTIES DANDELION MEDIA ORGANIZATION.
29 May 2024
EP 4: Golovin Alaska Part 1
IN PREVIOUS EPISODES WE’VE INTRODUCED YOU TO OUR INDIGENOUS DESIGN AND PLANNING METHODS-- AND A CASE STUDY DESCRIBING WAYS WE’RE SUPPORTING A NAVAJO VILLAGE - CALLED ROUND ROCK. THIS COMMUNITY IS RESTORING ITSELF AFTER A DEVASTATING FIRE AND CONTAMINATION ON THE SITE OF A HISTORIC TRADING POST.
IN THIS EPISODE WE INVITE YOU TO TRY OUT OUR P.L.A.C.E.S. METHODOLOGY AS WE ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH AN ELDER NAMED CAROL OLIVER – KNOWN AS OXIE - FROM GOLOVIN, ALASKA. GOLOVIN IS A REMOTE INDIGENOUS VILLAGE DEALING WITH GROUND CONTAMINATION - MADE MUCH WORSE BY VERY REAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CRISES.
SO, AS YOU LISTEN TO THIS INTERVIEW, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY INTO INDIGENOUS DESIGN AND PLANNING– AAAND YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET A PENCIL:
P.L.A.C.E.S. IS AN ACRONYM FOR KEY WAYS WE BEGIN CONVERSATIONS AND SUPPORT COMMUNITIES. AND HERE’S HOW TO USE IT:
P – STANDS FOR POPULATION – ASK WHO IS IN THIS VILLAGE OF GOLOVIN? HOW BIG IS IT? WHAT IS THE HISTORY AND IDENTITY?
L – IS LAND USE AND TENURE – WHAT ARE THE WAYS GOLOVIN INHABITANTS RELATE TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT?
A – IS ASSET MAPPING – THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE LISTEN FOR WHAT THIS COMMUNITY LOVES – AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT.
C – IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – WHOSE VOICES ARE BEING HEARD? WHO IS NOT AT THE TABLE? WHO IS RECENTLY COMING TO THE TABLE?
E – IS EMPOWERMENT – HOW IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGING WITH THE INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM OUR VISIT THERE? CAN YOU IDENTIFY TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENTS?
AND -S- STANDS FOR STORYTELLING. WHEN YOU ARE DONE LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE – WHAT ARE KEY STORIES AND ANECDOTES YOU WOULDTELL OTHERS ABOUT THE GOLOVIN COMMUNITY AND WHY?
LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PART IN THIS EXERCISE.
15 May 2024
EP 3: Round Rock Navajo Nation Case Study Part 2
THIS EPISODE CONTINUES DETAILING OUR STUDENT AND FACULTY COLLABORATION WITH THE ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IN WESTERN NAVAJO NATION. IN 2014 THE REMOTE FARMING COMMUNITY LOST THEIR HISTORIC TRADING POST TO A DEVASTING FIRE. THE TRADING POST HAD BEEN OPERATING SINCE THE LATE 1800’S AND WAS ONE OF A FEW THAT WERE NAVAJO-OWNED AND RUN.
OUR TIME WITH ROUND ROCK RESIDENTS REVEALED THE COMMUNITY WAS GRIEVING FAR MORE THAN THE LOSS OF A BUILDING AND CONTAMINATION OF THE LAND AROUND IT. THE NAVAJO ARE EXPERTS AT RAISING SHEEP AND THEY’D LOST THE PLACE WHERE THEY COULD PROCESS AND TRADE LIVESTOCK, BUY GROCERIES AND JEWELRY-MAKING SUPPLIES, AND RECEIVE THEIR MAIL.
BUT THE BIGGEST SURPRISE TO US WAS THAT ROUND ROCK RESIDENTS REPEATEDLY SPOKE OF LOSING THE BENCH THAT SAT OUT IN FRONT OF THE TRADING POST. THIS WAS THE PLACE WHERE THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT CEREMONIES, AGRICULTURAL NEWS, HOW THEIR AUNTIES AND UNCLES WERE DOING. WE REALIZED RESIDENTS WERE MISSING THE HEART PLACE OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND THAT FACT INFORMED OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
REMEMBER AS YOU LISTEN THAT INDIGENOUS WAYS ARE RELATIONAL WAYS AND STORY WAYS. INDIGENOUS DESIGN AND PLANNING ENGAGES GENERATIONS PAST AND FUTURE. WE RECOGNIZE AND RESTORE FOUNDATIONS THROUGH ROBUST, AGES-OLD WISDOM THAT IS VITAL IN THIS TIME OF UPHEAVAL – AND THIS CAN BENEFIT INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ALIKE.
WE BEGIN WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. TONY FETTUS, PROFESSOR OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FROM UNM. LATER IN THE EPISODE WE TALK WITH NAVJO NATION DELEGATE CARL SLATER AND ROUND ROCK RESIDENT AND ONE OF OUR KEY ADVISORS ON THIS PROJECT - KAYLA JACKSON.
1 May 2024
EP 2: Round Rock Navajo Nation Case Study Part 1
In this episode we’re discussing an ongoing project we have at Round Rock, Arizona, which is located on the traditional homelands of the Diné Nation, also known as Navajo. In 2014, a devastating fire destroyed their historic trading post. At the time of the fire, the structure had been abandoned for two years. It had served the community in a unique way as it was one of the only trading posts that had been Navajo-owned and operated. Since then, the community members of the Round Rock Chapter have been struggling to rehabilitate the site and repurpose it for the benefit of their people.
You’ll be hearing from iD+Pi’s program manager Michaela Shirley, our program coordinator Chelsey Begay, and Iseult Sheehy, a graduate student and Fulbright scholar from Ireland who works closely with our organization. We’ll also hear from Francisco Uviña who an assistant professor of landscape architecture at University of New Mexico, a world-renowned expert in earth materials and historic planning who assisted in our community engagement.
11 Apr 2024
EP 1: Introduction to PlaceKnowing
Indigenous Design and Planning Institute (https://idpi.unm.edu/?_gl=1*1qe5t4q*_gcl_au*MTEwMjI5NjQ4OC4xNzA4MzAwOTA3)
KSU Tribal Tab (https://www.ksutab.org/tribal-tab)
16 Mar 2024
Welcome to PlaceKnowing Podcast - Premiering April 17, 2024
Who has been a guest on PlaceKnowing with Dr. Ted Jojola
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Lanni Tsinnajinnie
Gloria Lane
Dr Brandon Francis
Dr Karletta Chief
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 14 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
16
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact PlaceKnowing with Dr. Ted Jojola
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of PlaceKnowing with Dr. Ted Jojola?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
