KFAI's MinneCulture Presents

Old Ideas With New Friends  from Joyride Media Leonard Cohen was  well known for the careful attention he gives to his songwriting. Every word the result of a lot of thinking and hard work. That’s one of the many reasons for the deep respect  given to him  by musicians of all stripes. In this one hour  radio special , you’ll hear how Leonard has influenced a new generation of artists such as  Nicole Atkins , Bradford Cox, Madeline Follin and  Brian Oblivion , John Darnielle, Rhett Miller,  AC Newman , amoung others. You’ll also hear a few ideas from  Mr. Cohen  himself.

The Sweetgrass Road by David Kattenburg Industrialized societies have much to learn from the First Nations of the world. In this episode from the Earth Chronicles documentary series, Aboriginal people share their wisdom and perspectives on life and on what it means to be on - and a part of - this earth. Stop and listen  and try to learn to look at the earth as a bible, at the woods as full of spirits, at animals as your brethren, at time as a circular phenomenon...

Stolen Childhoods by Melissa Olson America's attempt to separate Native children from their families didn't end with boarding schools. In the decades after World War II, the U.S. government created the Indian Adoption Project , an effort designed to place Native kids with white parents. In this one-hour documentary, KFAI producer Melissa Olson explores the personal and historical impact of this policy. Her Ojibwe mother, Judy Olson, was raised by a white family as were the mothers of several friends. We will hear and explore how the emotional impact of the Indian Adoption Project — and similar state projects — still  continues  today. Photo by John Other Medicine

An Unlikely Friendship Transforms the Gun Debate from Reckonings In the mid-90’s, Dr. Mark Rosenberg was leading gun violence research at the CDC . Republican Arkansas Congressman Jay Dickey , the NRA’s so-called "point man on the Hill," spearheaded legislation to defund it. Dickey and Rosenberg were on diametrically opposed sides of the gun debate, but fate took a twist. Producer Stephanie Lepp explains how through unexpected experiences, they managed to become friends , create common ground, and are now jointly calling on Congress to restore CDC funding for gun violence research. Their story is a rare source of hope within one of America’s most polarizing issues: guns. A Red State Gun Owner Who's Not so Red from Making Contact We go to Montana, where Making Contact  producer Amy Martin spent some time with a guy that you might think of as the stereotypical American gun owner . Listen closely to this audio portrait, though, and you might find some views that ...

Barbara Jean from Minneculture Both the rugged and softer side of Minnesota’s North Shore are apparent in Barbara Jean's music . She is a fiddle and banjo player as well as a singer and  accomplished songwriter with accolades from the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour Contest and Big Top Chautauqua. This show was recorded live at the Icehouse in Minneapolis by Alex Proctor . Mixed and Produced by KFAI's Tom Garneau . The Last Revel from Minneculture Blending traditional folk harmonies with rocking' up-tempo bluegrass, The Last Revel is a three-piece band that began playing a weekly gig at a dive bar in southern Minnesota. Their wild performances spread by word of mouth until the bar was at maximum capacity -- and when the dance floor was full, folks danced on tables. This show was produced and recorded by Tom Garneau live at the historic Kato Ballroom in Mankato.