In this powerful and intimate episode of Real Native Roots: Untold Stories, Vickie sits with Ojibwe leader, culture-bearer, and newly appointed President & CEO of First Peoples Fund, Tina Kuckkahn.

Together, they explore the teachings that shaped her: her grandparents’ wisdom, the Seven Teachings, the prayerful reminder of “tobacco first,” and the deep spiritual ties to land, water, and ancestry.

Tina shares the story of the Seventh Fire Jiimaan (Canoe) Journey, a multi-year effort to retrace the Anishinaabe migration by water—a journey of courage, prophecy, relational leadership, and reconnection.

They speak about motherhood, ceremony, free will, and navigating life with faith.

And, in true auntie fashion, Tina brings joy and humor as she talks about rediscovering freedom on her Harley and remembering the dreams we sometimes defer.

This conversation is medicine—gentle, wise, grounded—and an invitation to listen inward, honor your place, and walk your path with intention.

#RealNativeRoots #UntoldStories #NativePodcast #IndigenousPodcast #NativeVoices #IndigenousKnowledge #HarleyWomen #TwoWheelFreedom #NativeRiders #TobaccoFirst #AllCreationStoriesAreTrue #TinaKuckkahn

In this heartfelt and laughter-filled episode, host Vickie Oldman welcomes the magnetic and wise Jack Soto — a Navajo and Cocopah relative whose life journey weaves through wind, forest, and laughter. Together they explore what it means to find healing through pause, place, and presence.

Jack shares stories of his roots — from his parents’ “Beans of Destiny” love story to his own evolution through faith, grief, and grace. He reflects on the medicine of laughter, food as a pathway to healing, and how mentoring young Native leaders continues to renew his hope.

With vulnerability and humor, Jack reminds us that healing isn’t a straight road — it’s a dance between light and shadow, good and bad, joy and ache. Through laughter, love, and the gentle wisdom of land, he teaches us to be present with all that we are.

This episode is a reminder that our stories are our medicine, and sometimes, the most sacred act is simply learning to be gentle with ourselves.

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#RealNativeRoots #UntoldStories #NativePodcasts #IndigenousWisdom #JackSoto #LaughterIsMedicine #GraceAndHealing #NativeVoices #CulturalHealing #BeGentleToYourself #StoryMedicine #SacredPause #NavajoAndCocopah #FoodIsMedicine #NativeStorytelling #SpiritualRoots #IndigenousJoy #HealingThroughLaughter #NativeMenHealing

In this powerful episode of Real Native Roots: Untold Stories, Vickie sits down with Shoshoni Hostler—a Yurok regalia maker, therapist, mother of five, and fashion designer whose viral shell dress stunned the world and sparked powerful conversations about cultural reclamation, representation, and resistance.

From her Northern California homelands, Shoshoni shares what it means to create wearable memory and how every shell, stitch, and silhouette becomes ceremony. With 26 traditional dresses to her name, she is one of the most prolific dressmakers of her tribe. But her work goes far beyond the runway—Shoshoni leads multimillion-dollar behavioral health initiatives, mentors Native youth through her “Dragonfly People” project, and walks boldly in two worlds with both humility and fire.

Together, Vickie and Shoshoni explore:

• The medicine of regalia and the spirit of the dress
• The unlearning of shame and reclaiming of Indigenous beauty
• Navigating lateral violence in Native spaces
• Why “not everyone can wear it, but everyone can feel it”
• And how brushing it off—literally—is ancestral wellness

This episode is a love letter to Native women’s power, creativity, and unapologetic presence in every space—from the ceremony to the spotlight.

#RealNativeRoots #UntoldStories #ShoshoniHostler #IndigenousFashion #RegaliaMaker #YurokStrong #NativeCreatives #WearableMedicine #ShellDress #CulturalReclamation #NativeFashionWeek #IndigenousBeauty #MatriarchMagic #SnakeEaterStrength #BeadworkAndHealing #NARA #DragonflyPeople #NativeVoices #IndigenousArtistry #HealingIsBeautiful #RepresentationMatters