Tending Our Roots

About Tending Our Roots

Tending Our Roots is a conversation-based podcast that uplifts Indigenous voices, knowledge, and ways of being as pathways to well-being. Hosted by Dr. Miigis Gonzalez (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Dr. Jill Fish (lineal descendant of the Tuscarora Nation), the podcast creates space for stories grounded in relationships—to land, to community, to spirit, and to self. Each episode brings listeners into conversation with guests whose lives and work reflect Indigenous approaches to living well. From artists and scholars to knowledge holders and community leaders, these conversations move through story, humor, and reflection—rooted in everyday practices of care, responsibility, and connection. Whether speaking about language revitalization, ceremony, land, or creative expression, guests share how wellbeing is lived, not defined. Rather than seeking to define or measure Indigenous systems of health, Tending Our Roots listens to and learns from those who carry them forward. The podcast invites listeners to sit with stories, reflect on their own relationships, and reconnect with the teachings that continue to sustain Indigenous communities across generations.

Publisher

Jill Fish & Miigis Gonzalez

Category

health & fitness · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Apr 2026

Latest episode

3 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Jul 2026

   Sean Sherman — “Taking the Power of Food Back”

   Join us for our season finale of Tending Our Roots with chef, author, and food sovereignty visionary Sean Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. Sean is transforming the landscape of Indigenous cuisine. Through his work with the nonprofit NATIFS and his award-winning restaurant Owamni (soon-to-be known as Indígena by Owamni), Sean is helping communities “take the power of food back” — restoring connections between land, culture, and health. When we spoke, Owamni was preparing to move into a new home at the Guthrie Theatre, a reminder that Indigenous foods belong everywhere — from backyard tables to center stage. We also talked about his new book, Turtle Island, and how food can be a story, a memory, and a pathway toward collective healing. Interested in learning more from Sean after our conversation? You can purchase his book Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America (https://birchbarkbooks.com/products/turtle-island) here. Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

2. 

   26 Jun 2026

   Shakara Liddelow-Hunt — “The Ancestors Are Reflected in Them.”

   Our guest this week is Shakara (Shak) Liddelow-Hunt, a researcher, advocate, and community builder centering the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ young people. Shak is Wajarri Yamatji and grew up on Noongar Country. Their work challenges Western research norms, making space for Indigenous methods that honor community and story. Our conversation was a reminder that research environments can — and must — be crafted with care, humility, and cultural safety. Shak’s work uplifts youth voices, showing that the ancestors are reflected in them and that their brilliance shapes the futures we’re all moving toward. Interested in learning more after our conversation? You can explore Shak’s project, Walkern Katatdjin (Rainbow Knowledge) here (https://www.rainbowknowledge.org/). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

3. 

   19 Jun 2026

   Shawn Wilson — “It’s a Way of Life”

   Listen as we visit with Shawn Wilson, a researcher, teacher, and storyteller from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Canada. Shawn reminds us that research itself can be ceremony. Now based on Syilx territory in British Columbia, Shawn’s work spans continents — from Turtle Island to Australia — grounded always in relationships and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems. In this conversation, he reflects on what it means to live a life of ceremony, to see the universe as a web of relationships, and to change the world by changing how we relate to one another. We also laugh about “big words” like epistemology and ontology and celebrate his joyful self-proclaimed title: IndigiNerd. For Shawn, research is not just a method — it’s a way of life. Interested in learning more after our conversation? Check out more of Shawn’s work, (https://drshawnwilson.com/) and grab copies of Research is Ceremony (https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/research-is-ceremony-shawn-wilson) and Research and Reconciliation (https://canadianscholars.ca/book/research-and-reconciliation/). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

4. 

   12 Jun 2026

   Susan Beaulieu — “Re-membering: The Pathway to Healing”

   This week we’re Tending Our Roots with Susan Beaulieu, an Anishinaabe woman and citizen of the Red Lake Nation who has spent two decades working with Indigenous communities and the last decade supporting healing from collective, ancestral, and individual trauma. A facilitator, teacher, and student of Life, Susan reminds us that healing begins within, where we hold the most power and responsibility. In this episode, Susan offers tools for reconnecting body, mind, heart, and spirit, guiding us toward re-membering — bringing ourselves and our communities back into balance. Her teachings call us to the ongoing, courageous work of healing, not only for ourselves, but for the generations yet to come. Interested in hearing more from Susan? Hear more from her here (https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/podcast/s6e8-susan-beaulieu/). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

5. 

   5 Jun 2026

   Melinda Adams — “We Burn the Things We Want Back”

   Join us as we sit down with Melinda Adams, a cultural fire practitioner and scholar from the N’dee San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Tohono O’odham Nation. Melinda brings together ecology, ceremony, and Indigenous science in her work. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas, she studies and practices the revitalization of cultural fire — working alongside Tribal nations in California, the Great Plains, and beyond. When we recorded this conversation, wildfires burned across the region — a reminder of both the urgency and the wisdom in Melinda’s work. In this episode, she helps us understand solastalgia — the grief we feel for lands in distress — and reminds us that fire is not only renewal but relational. She teaches that we must burn the things we want back, doing so slowly, intentionally, and together. Interested in learning more after the conversation? Check out more of Melinda’s work (https://scholarmelinda.com/). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

6. 

   29 May 2026

   Linda Tuhiwai Smith — “Family, Community, and Land”

   On this week’s episode of Tending Our Roots, we sit down with Māori scholar, Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou) — the grandmother of Indigenous research. Linda’s guided generations through her groundbreaking book Decolonizing Methodologies. In conversation, she speaks with warmth, humility, and humor — reminding us that revolution begins in how we live our everyday lives. Rather than chasing grand gestures, she teaches us to nurture our relationships with family, land, and community, and to let our Indigeneity breathe through daily practice. Looking ahead, she imagines the next twenty-six years of Indigenous research shaped by care, balance, and joy. Interested in learning more from Linda? Purchase Decolonizing Methodologies (https://birchbarkbooks.com/products/decolonizing-methodologies). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

7. 

   22 May 2026

   Leanne Betasamosake Simpson — “The Coexistence of Creation and Grief”

   This week we’re Tending Our Roots with Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, a Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg writer, musician, and scholar. Leanne teaches through story, song, and movement — reminding us that knowledge lives in relationships. In her newest book, Theory of Water, she writes through creation and grief, showing how both are part of life’s continuous flow. Our own conversation with her moved like water — joyful, nurturing, and deeply rooted in Anishinaabe thought and Anishinaabe way of life. Leanne calls on us to skill up in care, accountability, and conflict resolution, teaching that deep care is a precursor to world-making. For her, creation and grief coexist, guiding how we build, live, and love together. Interested in learning more after our conversation? You can purchase Leanne’s latest book Theory of Water at Haymarket Books (https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2533-theory-of-water) and listen to her latest album Live Like the Sky on Bandcamp (https://leannesimpson.bandcamp.com/album/live-like-the-sky) or any streaming service. Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

8. 

   15 May 2026

   Michael Migizi Sullivan — “Speaking Our Languages Shamelessly, Unapologetically, and Fearlessly”

   Join Tending Our Roots with Michael “Migizi” Sullivan Sr., a linguist, researcher, educator and storyteller from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Nation. Migizi is a leading practitioner devoted to the revitalization of the Ojibwe language and a father of four proficient Ojibwe speakers. He reminds us that language is more than words — it’s ceremony, humor, and connection. In this episode, Migizi inspires us to speak our languages shamelessly, unapologetically, and fearlessly. At the heart of the conversation is our asemaa, the spiritual currency of Ojibwe People, and the sacred responsibility language carries. Through laughter and story, he calls on us to re-normalize our languages in daily, fun, and communal ways. Interested in learning more after our conversation? Listen to Migizi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sullivan-phd-a993a683/) talk about his book Plums or Nuts: Ojibwe Stories of Anishinaabe Humor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi2ap6byawo), which can be purchased here (https://shop.mnhs.org/products/plums-or-nuts). You can explore more of his work below: Montana OPI Indian Education Division.  Reclaiming of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) with Dr. Michael Sullivan. https://youtu.be/IInjIxKlxmw?si=hedCaTk1zMbuVtyl (https://youtu.be/IInjIxKlxmw?si=hedCaTk1zMbuVtyl). 2025. NPR How to do Everything: Yes we pecan with Martha Stewart. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/12/1256914738/martha-sun (https://www.npr.org/2024/11/12/1256914738/martha-sun). 2024. Native Lights: Where indigenous voices shine. Teaching language learners in the modern-day classroom. https://minnesotanativenews.org/dr-michael-migizi-sullivan-teaching-language-learners-in-the-modern-day-classroom%ef%bf%bc/ (https://minnesotanativenews.org/dr-michael-migizi-sullivan-teaching-language-learners-in-the-modern-day-classroom%EF%BF%BC/). 2024. Enweying- Our Sound. S2E4: Dr. Michael Migizi Sullivan Sr. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e4-migizi-dr-michael-migizi-sullivan-sr/id1569993387?i=1000661143487 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e4-migizi-dr-michael-migizi-sullivan-sr/id1569993387?i=1000661143487). 2024. Bkejwanong Anishinaabemowin.  Da-bi-azhegiiwemagak Gegaa Gaa-wanising: The Reclaiming of Anishinaabemowin. https://youtu.be/y4U47dRbZ64?si=keQ_CxrP4CHytiIE (https://ttps//youtu.be/y4U47dRbZ64?si=keQ_CxrP4CHytiIE). 2022. KAXE/Northern Community Radio: The power of story in Ojibwe language and culture. https://www.kaxe.org/show/91-7-kaxe-90-5-kbxe-morning-show/2022-02-25/the-power-of-story-in-ojibwe-language-and-culture-michael-migizi-sullivan (https://www.kaxe.org/show/91-7-kaxe-90-5-kbxe-morning-show/2022-02-25/the-power-of-story-in-ojibwe-language-and-culture-michael-migizi-sullivan).  2022. The Celtic Junction.  The Power of Indigenous Languages. https://youtu.be/5IDG6mgJsuE?si=EkqkdQeCrJbEPCZI (https://youtu.be/5IDG6mgJsuE?si=EkqkdQeCrJbEPCZI). 2022. Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

9. 

   8 May 2026

   Sharon Day — “The River Talks to Me”

   Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Sharon Day, a two-spirit elder from the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe. Sharon is a water walker, artist, and activist whose life’s work is rooted in ceremony and love for all our relations. As the longtime Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Task Force, she’s spent decades nurturing community health and Indigenous resurgence through culture and prayer. She’s led more than twenty water walks across Turtle Island — carrying water from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Superior. She finds deep joy tending to her chickens and all forms of life at her farm. In this episode, Sharon shares what it means to walk with the water — to listen, to pray, and to move through the world as a force for life and renewal. Interested in learning more about Sharon’s work after our conversation? Check out the Indigenous Peoples Task Force (https://indigenouspeoplestf.org/) and Nibi Walk (https://www.nibiwalk.org/). Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

10. 

    1 May 2026

    Charlie Amáyá Scott — “Choosing and Loving Ourselves”

    Note: This episode was recorded when Amáyá was using the name Charlie. You’ll hear us refer to her as Charlie throughout the episode; however, she now goes by Amáyá, as reflected below. We're kicking off this season of Tending Our Roots with guest Amáyá Scott, a Diné scholar, writer, and creator who is dedicated to inspiring joy and justice. Amáyá reflects and celebrates what it means to be Diné, queer, and trans in the 21st century — sharing her brilliance and humor with thousands online as @dineaesthetics (https://www.instagram.com/dineaesthetics/). When we met with Amáyá, a summer storm rolled through, thunder shaking the walls as we laughed and talked all afternoon. In this episode, she speaks about leaving academia, living in community, and the daily practice of choosing and loving herself. For Amáyá, love is abundance — found in quiet mornings, soft laughter, and the courage to be fully who you are. Interested in learning more after our conversation? Check out more of Amáyá’s work at https://dineaesthetics.com/ (https://dineaesthetics.com/) Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

11. 

    28 Apr 2026

    Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Indigenous Methodologies

    Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Indigenous Methodologies, a podcast exploring Indigenous approaches to research, evaluation, and community practice. Come join us each week as we visit with guests to talk about how Indigenous Knowledges and ways of being support the health, healing, and futures of Indigenous communities. Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (https://cih.jhu.edu/team/miigis-gonzalez/) (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (https://www.fishpsychotherapy.com/) (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation). This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (https://www.rwjf.org/) and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence (https://cih.jhu.edu/circle/) funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN. Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles (https://marlenamyl.es/), a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist. The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner (https://www.leonardsumner.com/).

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