New Native-led podcast joins Indigenous media community

MISSOULA, Mont. – A new Indigenous-made podcast showcases special guests and humor from across Indian Country. The show, CafAYE Native, is the creation of DeShaun Keeble and Alyxandria Sunchild, both psychology students at the University of Montana.

The pair cracks an inside joke that they’re twins: They spend most of their time together hanging out, doing homework, or in this case, recording content for their podcast.

The two brought their idea to life after brainstorming content for a different podcast. Keeble, Dakota Sioux, is the host of that show, The DeShaun Don Podcast. Sunchild, who is Cree and Pawnee, has assisted with each episode’s technical responsibilities behind the scenes.

Keeble wanted his show to feature a new Indigenous guest each day of November as a way to promote and celebrate Native American Heritage Month. However, the audience that Keeble hoped to reach with the project didn’t quite match his show’s demographic.

Keeble intended his first podcast to reach beyond a specifically-Native audience. This prompted him to narrow the programs’ reach to Indian Country, in both urban and rural Indigenous communities.

Recognizing that most Natives in the United States do not live in their tribal jurisdictions, Keeble emphasized the need to address them. “The reservation I’m from I’ve only been on four times,” he said.

Keeble, who is from the Lake Traverse Reservation – it spans North Dakota and South Dakota — grew up in Billings, which is the largest city in Montana. Sunchild, who is from the Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana, brought in her contrasting point of view.

CafAYE Native’s first episode aired Nov. 2 and now has over 1,500 listeners in audiences from Montana to Canada. The podcast is a dedicated exclusive platform for Indigenous voices that aims to boost representation of Native contributions to mainstream society, according to the podcast’s mission statement.

Keeble and Sunchild stayed true to their show’s purpose and stuck with their original idea of bringing on new and different Native guests for each episode, a special they named, “Thirty Days of Indigenous-mas.”

Now, they both can be found sitting at the dining room table in Sunchild’s house, devising future episodes. Their process? It typically begins with coffee, moves on to mic checks, and winds up with question prep for their guests. These sessions may take up to hours at a time, Sunchild said.

“We don’t want to have boring questions, so we always think of questions depending on the guest and what they do,” said Keeble. Even though both creators are current students at the university, their podcast is independently created, recorded, and edited with their own equipment.

So far, CafAYE Native has featured guests ranging from Indigenous students who are pursuing higher education, to Native singers, artists and fashion designers, to entrepreneurs and other media creators.

The first guest, TaNeel Filesteel, who is Aaniiih, Apsaalooke, Nakoda, talked about being a mother while pursuing her law degree. Another guest, Coco Moore, who is a member of the Nakoda Nation, visited about her independent business in nutrition and healthy living.

The podcast succeeds in finding a balance between funny and professional. The show is meant to have a relaxed and easy tone like that in a cafe, as described by Keeble and Sunchild. “Diversity is what separates our guests with all different futures, pasts and ambitions,” the podcast’s social media platform states.

CafAYE Native’s listeners range from 18 to 27 years old. Some sensitive topics that might be considered taboo in other circles are welcome here. Frank discussions include everything from trauma and addiction to polyamory and abuse. The show challenges stereotypical expectations of how young Native people should look and act, while encouraging Indigenous unity within mainstream society.

For Keeble and Sunchild, CafAYE Native’s goal is to inspire, specifically the younger kids. Despite the podcast’s occasionally explicit information, they view their platform as a safe space for all Indigenous people. They and encourage listeners to explore their own personal resources and be creative.

“Aboriginal individuals are breaking barriers and creating new movements, and so we as a whole community have an obligation to uplift and connect one another,” says the podcast’s mission statement.

To listen to CafAYE Native Podcast, you can check out its availability on several streaming platforms here.

JoVonne Wagner is a journalism student at the University of Montana. You can reach her at jovonnewagner@gmail.com