Public TV 13 to celebrate Native American Heritage Month Programming for November, 2000: Spirit of the Land Thursdays at 2 p.m., November 2-16 From Eskimos to Native Hawaiians, this three-part series examines how the indigenous peoples of North America have had an intimate relationship with their natural environment, deriving from it spiritual fulfillment as well as the resources necessary for survival. Viewers will see how Native Americans in vastly different environments meet the common challenge of maintaining ancient traditions while keeping in step with the modern world. Kinaalda: A Navajo Rite of Passage Sunday, November 26, at 4 p.m. An inside look at a tradition that has remained unchanged for generations. This documentary follows 13-year-old Tanya Sheperd’Äôs initiation into womanhood during a rite of passage that also connects her to her Navajo community and culture. Produced by Lena Carr, who was denied her own kinaalda ceremony because of her parents’Äô desire to integrate her into mainstream culture. Hopi Quilts Monday, November 20, at 2 p.m. Since missionaries introduced the American craft of quilting to Hopi women in the remote mesas of northern Arizona more than 100 years ago, simple patchwork bedcoverings have evolved into contemporary works of art. This special program visits quilters, showing how Hopi artisans have adopted the American quilting tradition and made it uniquely their own. Warrior in Two Worlds Tuesday, November 21, at 1 p.m. The story of Ely S. Parker, a 19th-century Seneca Indian who defied racial barriers to rise in power in both white and Indian worlds. He was a Seneca chief, federal engineer, Civil War secretary to Ulysses S. Grant, and the first Native American commissioner of Indian Affairs. And yet, his successes would be tainted with controversy ’Äì his quest of the American dream turned tragic. Lost Bird of Wounded Knee Tuesday, November 21, at 2 p.m. Lost Bird was born somewhere on the prairies of South Dakota in 1890. Fate took her to Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation on December 29, that tragic day when some 300 Lakota men, women and children died in a confrontation with U.S. troops. Four days later, a rescue party found her. She was adopted by a prominent white couple, only to endure a life of racism, abuse and poverty. This special tells her story. Singing Our Stories Wednesday, November 22, at 1 p.m. The stories and songs of Native American women link the past to the present as they trace the voices of their ancestors. This film profiles the "First Ladies" of indigenous song ’Äì rock icon Rita Coolidge, Tuscarora singer Pura Fe, Blackfoot composer Olivia Tailfeathers and the traditional music of the Zuni Olla Maidens. Electronic Smoke Signals Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. Native Americans across the nation are communicating to educate, to inform, to unite the community. This special looks at four Native American-operated radio stations in South Dakota that broadcast a mix of contemporary music, native music and lore, news and announcements. For listeners in remote areas, these stations are an integral part of life. Spirit: A Journey in Dance, Drums and Song Thursday, November 23, at 3:05 p.m. This special, featuring more than 70 performers, merges the rich, mythical fabric of Native American artists and their culture with the electrifying sound of contemporary music and the power of Broadway choreography. These divergent art forms join together brilliantly to tell the story of one man’Äôs journey back to the serenity of another time, as emotional restraints are stripped away from body and soul. On and Off the Res with Charlie Hill Friday, November 25, at 1 p.m. A one-hour documentary that delivers a knock-out punch to the stereotype of the silent, stoic Indian by highlighting the life and career of America’Äôs foremost Indian comedian, Charlie Hill. It’Äôs a straight-ahead, inspiring story that will not only make viewers laugh, but will raise their consciousness in the process. Earl's Canoe: A Traditional Ojibwe Craft Friday, November 25, at 2 p.m. In the summer of 1997, Earl Nyholm, a member of the L'Anse-Baraga band of Ojibwe and master of traditional techniques, set out to build what he said was to be his last birch bark canoe. Few people know how to build these traditional crafts ’Äì the main mode of transportation for the region for centuries. The Return of Navajo Boy Sunday, November 26, at 4 p.m. Since the 1930s, members of the Cly family have lived in Monument Valley, Utah, and appeared as subjects in countless photographs and postcards. In 1997, a man brought a silent film called Navajo Boy to Monument Valley; when the family matriarch watched the film, she was delighted to see the faces of her late mother and infant brother, John Wayne Cly, who was adopted by white missionaries and never heard from again. As a result, John Wayne Cly discovered his past and was reunited with his family. Editor’Äôs note: This program courtesy Carole La Pointe, Native American Outreach Coordinator at Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich. Carole works with recruitment and retention of Native American students at MTU.