First Voices Radio

It is our honor this week to spend the full hour with Robbie Thorpe (Gunai/Mara), one of the most outspoken, well-known and respected Aboriginal rights activists in Australia. He is a former volunteer worker at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in the Australian capital of Canberra. Aboriginal Tent Embassy has been a permanent protest occupation site since 1972 and is a focus for representing the political rights of Aboriginal Australians located.

Robbie is the host of two radio programs at 3CR 855 AM Community Radio - "radical radio, community radio" - in Melbourne, Australia. "Bunji's Fire" is a historically informed, critical analysis of Aboriginal affairs and the ongoing political movement for land rights, treaty, sovereignty and the cessation of genocide, which also features the best of blak music. It's heard Wednesdays in Melbourne, from 11 am to 2 pm. "Blak 'n Deadly" airs Fridays from 11 am to noon in Melbourne. The show informs listeners about the latest news in Indigenous music and theatre with First Nations presenters.

When 3CR Community Radio hit Melbourne's airwaves in 1976, it was Australia's first community-owned and community-run grassroots radio station. Outspoken and independent, the station still gives voice to issues that would otherwise go unheard, and to people striving for political and social justice. Listen to 3CR online at 3cr.org.au. Both of Robbie's shows can be streamed live on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 7 pm Eastern Time in the US.

In closing, Tiokasin talked about Akantu Institute, an organization that he recently founded. Akantu Institute "contextualizes original wisdom for troubled times." Visit https://akantuinstitute.org/ to find out more and consider joining Tiokasin's Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/Ghosthorse.

Production Credits:
Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), Host and Executive Producer
Liz Hill (Red Lake Ojibwe), Producer
Malcolm Burn, Studio Engineer, Radio Kingston, WKNY 1490 AM and 107.9 FM, Kingston, NY
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Audio Editor

Music Selections:
1. Song Title: Tahi Roots Mix (First Voices Radio Theme Song)
Artist: Moana and the Moa Hunters
CD: Tahi (1993)
Label: Southside Records (Australia and New Zealand)
(00:00:44)

2. Audio: We Will Not Let Exam Results Decide Our Fate
Artist: Suli Breaks
Spoken Word Single Release, 2013
(00:22:42)

3. Song Title: Treaty
Artist: Yothu Yindi
CD: Tribal Voice (1991)
Label: Mushroom Records
(00:42:30)

4. Song Title: Society
Artist: Eddie Vedder
CD: Into the Wild (2007)
Label: J
(00:46:05)

5. Song Title: Šunka Waḳan Manunpe Olowan Wan
Artist: Common Man Singers
CD: Spirit of Song (1996)
Label: Makoché Music
(00:56:24)

What is First Voices Radio?

“First Voices Radio,” now in its 32nd year on the air, is an internationally syndicated one-hour radio program originating from and heard weekly on Radio Kingston WKNY 1490 AM and 107.9 FM in Kingston, New York. Hosted by Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), who is the show's Founder and Executive Producer, "First Voices Radio" explores global topics and issues of critical importance to the preservation and protection of Mother Earth presented in the voices and from the perspective of the original peoples of the world.