Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous community, culture, and conversation. Host Rosanna Deerchild takes you straight into Indigenous Canada, from Halifax to Haida Gwaii, from Shamattawa to Ottawa, introducing listeners to the storytellers, culture makers and community shakers from across the country.
“Not Black enough to be Black, not red enough to be red,” Julian Taylor’s music hasn’t always leaned into all parts of the singer’s Black and Mohawk identity. Rosanna sits down with Julian and his lifelong friend (and drummer) to talk about race, identity and the power of friendship as they make music out of it all.
A big pipe shoots constant fire and thick smoke into the sky above Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario. As a child, Beze Grey thought clouds were made in their backyard because of those flares and smokestacks. A decade later and they’re part of a group of youth taking the government to court over its failure to protect the environment around them. This week Rosanna speaks with climate warriors, including Beze Grey, who are leading the next generation of action, informed by tradition and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Canada’s Arctic was the only place the new comedy series North of North could be shot – because there’s no other way to capture the humour, culture and modernity of the people there. Rosanna speaks to four creators behind two new productions that put community at the centre of their storytelling. The documentary New Blood takes us into Blackfoot Territory and North of North gives us a glimpse of Inuit Nunangat through the fictional town of Ice Cove.
How will you be bringing Mino-Bimaadiziwin into 2025? Four friends of the show gather to share gifts of poetry, song and wisdom – all to get us thinking about what it means to be “living the good life.” Whether you celebrate the solstice or a new calendar year, join Rosanna for a time of reflection, resolution and rejuvenation.
In Cree they are called wawataywin. In Inuktitut, atsaniq and in the Dene language, the northern lights are called ya’ke ngas. But don’t whistle at them, or you might attract unwanted attention out in the wilderness! Rosanna speaks with Indigenous people who are encouraging others to look at the Northern lights with a new perspective taking in lessons that have been passed down through generations.
In many Indigenous communities hockey is a BIG deal! It teaches teamwork, leadership, and brings together family and fans. This week Rosanna speaks with Indigenous hockey fanatics and learns that the game has also been a beacon of healing and hope.
The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair started writing letters to his granddaughter shortly after she was born. They are filled with lessons and love, and now they’re being shared with a nation. This week Rosanna explores the legacy of a great Indigenous leader, guided by his granddaughter, Sarah Fontaine-Sinclair.
Áísínai'pi (where the pictures are) holds more than 200 petroglyphs and pictographs that tell the story of the Blackfoot in southern Alberta. They help tell a different story of a province known for its hikes, ski slopes and dinosaur bones. This week Rosanna heads to Alberta to explore popular tourist destinations through an Indigenous lens. From the Rockies to the Badlands, take the road less traveled with our Indigenous guides.
We live on the back of a great turtle, according to the stories of many nations. The turtle represents the teaching of truth, and is a healer of the land and waters. This week Rosanna speaks with turtle protectors and land defenders who are safeguarding our shell-dwelling friends, and passing on their stories and songs.
From Arizona to Alaska, the Indigenous vote is the sleeping giant. The U.S. presidential election is over for another term, and activists say the results could have been drastically different if more Native Americans showed up to vote. This week Rosanna sits down with three voter rights activists and organizers to talk about the power of the Indigenous vote and what it will take to harness it.
In one of Canada’s oldest and largest cemeteries, clerks get multiple calls a day from people looking for loved ones. This week Rosanna takes us on a personal journey to Brookside Cemetery, in search of her grandfather Stanley McLeod. Along the way we learn how others are finding new and meaningful ways to honour our veterans and mark Remembrance Day.
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