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Tending Our Roots

Tending Our Roots

Written by: Jill Fish & Miigis Gonzalez
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About this listen

 Tending Our Roots is a conversation-based podcast that uplifts Indigenous voices, knowledge, and ways of being as pathways to well-being. Hosted by Dr. Miigis Gonzalez (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Dr. Jill Fish (lineal descendant of the Tuscarora Nation), the podcast creates space for stories grounded in relationships—to land, to community, to spirit, and to self. Each episode brings listeners into conversation with guests whose lives and work reflect Indigenous approaches to living well. From artists and scholars to knowledge holders and community leaders, these conversations move through story, humor, and reflection—rooted in everyday practices of care, responsibility, and connection. Whether speaking about language revitalization, ceremony, land, or creative expression, guests share how wellbeing is lived, not defined. Rather than seeking to define or measure Indigenous systems of health, Tending Our Roots listens to and learns from those who carry them forward. The podcast invites listeners to sit with stories, reflect on their own relationships, and reconnect with the teachings that continue to sustain Indigenous communities across generations.Copyright 2026 Tending Our Roots Hygiene & Healthy Living Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Charlie Amáyá Scott — “Choosing and Loving Ourselves”

    Charlie Amáyá Scott — “Choosing and Loving Ourselves”
    May 1 2026

    Note: This episode was recorded when Amáyá was using the name Charlie. You’ll hear us refer to her as Charlie throughout the episode; however, she now goes by Amáyá, as reflected below.

    We're kicking off this season of Tending Our Roots with guest Amáyá Scott, a Diné scholar, writer, and creator who is dedicated to inspiring joy and justice.

    Amáyá reflects and celebrates what it means to be Diné, queer, and trans in the 21st century — sharing her brilliance and humor with thousands online as @dineaesthetics. When we met with Amáyá, a summer storm rolled through, thunder shaking the walls as we laughed and talked all afternoon. In this episode, she speaks about leaving academia, living in community, and the daily practice of choosing and loving herself. For Amáyá, love is abundance — found in quiet mornings, soft laughter, and the courage to be fully who you are.

    Interested in learning more after our conversation? Check out more of Amáyá’s work at https://dineaesthetics.com/

    Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation).

    This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

    Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN.

    Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles, a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist.

    The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner.

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    40 mins
  • Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Indigenous Methodologies

    Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Indigenous Methodologies
    Apr 28 2026

    Welcome to Tending Our Roots with Indigenous Methodologies, a podcast exploring Indigenous approaches to research, evaluation, and community practice. Come join us each week as we visit with guests to talk about how Indigenous Knowledges and ways of being support the health, healing, and futures of Indigenous communities.

    Tending Our Roots is co-hosted by Drs. Miigis Gonzalez (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) and Jill Fish (lineal descendent of the Tuscarora Nation).

    This podcast was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and supported by the CIRCLE P50 Center of Excellence funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number P50DA058619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

    Production was completed by Solar Powered Studios in St. Paul, MN.

    Podcast artwork was completed by Marlena Myles, a Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee artist.

    The song, “The Best of Me” is used with the permission of Anishinaabe and First Nations singer-songwriter, Leonard Sumner.

    Show More Show Less
    3 mins
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