Unreserved

CBC Radio

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.

  • 54 minutes 9 seconds
    Springtime traditions and teachings, from the land

    Spring is here and the warmer weather welcomes us out to the land to learn and pass along traditions from tanning hides in Whitehorse to harvesting maple sap in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario. Guest host Falen Johnson hears from communities all across Turtle Island, who are getting their first glimpse at a changing season and preparing for the lessons that come with it.

    28 March 2025, 4:10 am
  • 51 minutes 5 seconds
    Three Juno nominees on the role of family in their music

    A recording of her mother’s ECG heartbeat leads Kym Gouchie’s song “Heartbeat” off her Juno nominated children’s album. It’s a nod to her Secwépemc ancestors. This week Rosanna speaks with three Juno nominees who credit their success to a history of music and storytelling passed down through their families.

    20 March 2025, 5:10 am
  • 50 minutes 19 seconds
    Changing the conversation around menstruation

    From berry fasts to the Flower Dance, Indigenous communities are returning to ceremony and teachings that honour a menstruator’s Moon Time. Rosanna hears from three women who are changing the conversation around menstruation from what is often talked about as “dirty” or “shameful” to something sacred. It is a time of rejuvenation, selfcare and celebration.

    14 March 2025, 5:10 am
  • 54 minutes 8 seconds
    Shrinking sea ice and the Inuit response to a climate crisis

    Along the northern coast of Labrador there are holes in the ice where Inuit could once travel freely and access the things they need to survive. A warming planet means sea ice is disappearing and Inuit are grappling with dramatic impacts on their way of life. Rosanna speaks with elders and researchers on the significance of ice in the North and how Inuit are adapting and building resiliency in the face of a climate crisis.

    28 February 2025, 6:10 am
  • 49 minutes 19 seconds
    Creating safe spaces in unexpected places

    Whether it’s inside a mall in downtown Winnipeg or on a farm beneath Toronto’s hydro lines, Indigenous helpers are creating safe community spaces that offer care, knowledge and connection. Rosanna speaks to three of these helpers who are transforming these unexpected places.

    21 February 2025, 5:10 am
  • 51 minutes 1 second
    Balancing our lives with Indigenous wellness practices

    Indigenous wellness experts are changing the way we think about health and beauty, challenging us to look beyond ourselves and ditch the shame. Try adding a cup of nettle tea to your day, dedicating a workout to a family member or playing a game with an elder. Rosanna speaks with three women approaching wellness in new ways, guided by Indigenous knowledge.

    14 February 2025, 5:10 am
  • 49 minutes 9 seconds
    Forging culture, history and land into Indigenous jewellery

    Have you ever heard of ammolite? It’s a rare gemstone made of fossilized ammonite shells that can be found in Canada’s Rockies. The stone is processed by lapidary artists like Bert Tallman, who cut, shape, sand and shine it up to be set in silver or gold jewellery. Rosanna speaks with jewellery makers who are creating wearable art inspired by culture, history and their traditional territories.

    7 February 2025, 5:10 am
  • 50 minutes 30 seconds
    Harnessing the power of children’s programming

    Mahsi’ choo means “thank you” in the Gwich’in language. It’s one of hundreds of Gwich’in words that are being brought into homes around the world through Molly of Denali. Rosanna speaks with creators who know the power of educational programming and are using it to share important teachings from an Indigenous perspective to the next generation.

    31 January 2025, 5:10 am
  • 37 minutes 3 seconds
    Horses as healers

    A horse’s movements can stimulate 300 of our own muscles at once, just by us sitting in a saddle. It’s one of the reasons these animals make incredible physical therapists for those with mobility challenges – but their power encompasses the emotional and spiritual parts of our health as well. Rosanna hears from two women who have built their ranches around the understanding that horses are medicine, and they’re using that healing power to help youth in their nations.

    24 January 2025, 5:10 am
  • 44 minutes 48 seconds
    Julian Taylor’s music explores all parts of his Black and Mohawk identity

    “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.

    17 January 2025, 5:10 am
  • 54 minutes 9 seconds
    Next Generation of Climate Warriors

    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.

    10 January 2025, 6:10 am
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