Auntie Up! for sharing truths, laughs

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This article was published 16/01/2022 (1073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Writer and award-winning producer Kim Wheeler has spent much of her career passionately sharing stories and giving voice to relevant issues of the day.

Now, she’s focused on giving others a voice and an opportunity to share their stories.

Auntie Up! is a new 10-part podcast, described as a celebration of Indigenous women talking about important stuff. Launched in November, the series brings Indigenous voices to the masses at a time when reconciliation has taken a more prominent role in many news stories. The programming offers a space for building connections, learning and understanding.

As one of the three creators of the project, Wheeler’s lived experience makes her an ideal contributor. The producer and journalist is Anishinaabe, Mohawk, a member of Sagkeeng First Nation, and a Sixties Scoop survivor.

The podcast grew of out of the time she and collaborators Jolene Banning and Tanya Talaga spent working together on another project.

“I had never worked with them,” said Wheeler. “We’d been in mainstream media for 20 to 25-plus years. We really hit it off.

“We needed to create a platform for Indigenous women’s voices. That’s how we started it, to have stories told by Indigenous women. We have a lot of very important things to say and we’ve not had the platform before without editing, with an Indigenous lens,” she said.

“I think storytelling comes into it, for sure; there are women who share very personal stories, share traditional knowledge, storytellers who are guests or hosts. They are individuals committed to lifting Indigenous women’s voices.”

Episodes ranging in length from 36 minutes to an hour explore a number of topics. The first featured land defenders and water protectors.

“Mother Earth is so incredibly important to everybody who lives on this planet. Our women are on the front lines and doing this work. It’s important to hear their perspective, it’s been their life’s work for so long,” Wheeler said.

“When we hear those voices, they’re a 30-second sound bite on the news. We wanted to give them a space where they would have more of a voice, what it really looks like, instead of the two-minute segment. The whole premise is to be able to give them the space to tell their stories.”

Another episode explores cultivating the business landscape, and includes talks with entrepreneurs who strategically employ Indigenous women and make space for people who may not traditionally be able to work a 9-to-5 job.

For an opportunity to learn about how tradition, personal stories, and food are connected with culture, the “From Bannock to Boujee” episode looks at how traditional food has evolved to being served in high-end restaurants across the country.

From beading as a political statement, climate change, to lateral violence versus lateral kindness, Auntie Up! offers thought-provoking discussions with women who’ve made it their life’s work to champion Indigenous issues. Created to encourage thinking, discussion and ultimately social action, the podcast’s tone affords non-Indigenous listeners the opportunity to hear things not often portrayed in media.

“Instead of having a curated seven-minute conversation, we have open and honest conversation. It’s like visiting with your auntie around the kitchen table. We say that Auntie Up! is by, for and about listeners, and others who want to get a window into our world view,” Wheeler said.

Auntie Up! will be back for a second season, with a rotating cast of guest hosts.

“We wanted to give space to other Indigenous women to have an opportunity. Some of them have more expertise on different subjects. We will be doing the same thing in the second season,” Wheeler said.

“It’s been really exciting… There are moments of humour in all of them. As Indigenous, we deal with our heaviness with levity and with humour, so even though we may have a heavy topic, there’s always gonna be someone who throws in a zinger, everybody laughs, we can breathe, it breaks the tension,” she said.

“We did an episode where we paid tribute to (poet and author) Lee Maracle, with host Rosanna Deerchild, to discuss Lee’s influence. We still found the beauty and laughter in her legacy, and I think she would have wanted it that way, laugh and feel joy.”

Wheeler hosts her own show on SiriusXM Radio Channel 167, Indigiverse, airing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Kim Wheeler Show presents conversations with artists, newsmakers and tastemakers from across Turtle Island.

“Aunties,” a term of endearment and respect, can be counted on to tell it like it is, sharing truths without mincing words. Indigenous women have often been overlooked in mainstream media but Auntie Up! shines a bright light on their intelligence, drive and wisdom to bring insightful and real conversation about what is important to Indigenous women.

“We have partnered with Antica Productions on some of the productions and distribution and Know History is one of our sponsors who invested financially. We were so incredibly grateful,” Wheeler said.

Auntie Up! is looking for sponsors for Season 2 and encouraging those interested to be in contact.

“I know that there are people out there who on this road to reconciliation want to partner with people to help drive that conversation. Let’s have that conversation.”

Episodes can be streamed wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also find Auntie Up! on Facebook and Instagram.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca