Tribal trio starts social media weekly cultural talk show

Modern America is obsessed with youth and beauty, but the continent’s first inhabitants valued age and wisdom.

And still do.

A prime local example can be found weekly on Facebook as part of what users of the social networking service refer to as “Throwback Thursday.”

That is when three Native American men gather in Shelter Bay for live broadcasts designed to honor the teachings of tribal elders, share cultural insights and reinforce traditional lessons handed down through the generations.

The first edition of “Rezs Talk” was launched last Thursday night at the home of Jay Bowen. Bowen, a globally recognized Native artist, was joined by his cousin Tony Cladoosby and Dr. Wil James.

The trio plans to address a wide range of topics among themselves and with program guests 6 p.m. Thursdays.

“We will be sharing old stories and talk about current Native issues,” Bowen told the Weekly News.

The idea for a live broadcast format grew out of a series of conversations between Bowen, an enrolled member of the Upper Skagit Tribe and Cladoosby, a Swinomish Indian Tribal Community member and older brother of former Tribal Chair Brian Cladoosby.

“Tony and I get together a lot and share stories of our people and with losing so many of our elders the stories take on much more value,” said Bowen.

“We discuss a lot of fundamental values but have been fearful that wisdom rooted in tradition might not be imparted to our young people.

“After a while, we decided that we were preaching to the choir and needed to have an audience,” he added. “I said to Tony, ‘this is bigger than you and I.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, which for nearly a year has nixed large in-person events, necessitated a broadcast forum to get the word out, Bowen said.

The intent is for their audiences to be cross-cultural.

“There is a message here for the entire community,” said Bowen, who serves newly elected Skagit County Commissioner Peter Browning as a cultural liaison with Native Americans.

“The world,” Bowen stressed, “is one family and we’re all related.”

Bowen and Cladoosby enlisted James –a La Conner and Stanford University alum who tutors young doctors on communication skills from a Native perspective – to join the project.

They are developing guest lineups for the broadcasts.

“There are lots of people we’d like to interview,” Bowen said. “I have a list, Tony has a list and Wil has a list. These are long lists. We want to invite everybody.”

“There is always a barrage of questions about our way of life,” he said, that wherever he travels, he finds interest in Native American culture.

A key aim of the broadcasts is to answer those questions.

“The struggles and questions people have are universal,” said Bowen.

Bowen, Cladoosby and James believe that given widespread societal anxiety related to COVID-19, the timing could not be better to launch “Rezs Talk.”

“It’s a great time for this,” Bowen said. “There is a great need for it.”