In episode (#ESTN002) of Alternative Radio, host David Barsamian speaks with professor Nick Estes, historian, writer, and activist, and Associate Professor in the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. Estes, an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, traces the ongoing struggle of Indigenous peoples from the 1973 Wounded Knee occupation to the recent Standing Rock protests, situating these acts of resistance within the enduring realities of settler colonialism, sovereignty, and cultural survival.
The Legacy of the Red Power Movement
The 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee marked a defining moment in Native American activism. Estes emphasizes that the movement’s legacy continues today, as younger generations lead protests at Standing Rock, the Line 3 pipeline resistance, and campaigns to reclaim sacred lands such as the Black Hills.
Elders and Intergenerational Knowledge
Elders from Wounded Knee, including Clyde Bellecourt, Madonna Thunder Hawk, and Bill Means, played active roles in Standing Rock. Estes highlights the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer, showing how strategies, wisdom, and resilience are passed down, sustaining Indigenous movements across decades.
Surveillance, Policing, and Federal Oversight
Estes critiques the FBI’s persistent surveillance of Indigenous-led movements, while critical issues such as the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women remain under-addressed. Understanding these systemic pressures is central to both the scholarship and activism of Indigenous resistance.
Cultural Expression as Resistance
Art, music, and storytelling have long served as tools of Indigenous resistance. The episode closes with “Bring Him Out” by Eneas Lacy, featuring John Trudell and Steve Robideau.