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Native America Calling: Encounters with Little People
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
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Encounters with Little People
Yup’iks know them as Ircenrraat.

Poncas refer to them as Gadázhe. Cherokees call them Yunwi Tsunsdi.

In some cases, they are caretakers or protectors. Other times they are tricksters or menacing goblins.

Most tribes have traditions that fit under the umbrella of “little people” — some of whom bear resemblance to fairies in other cultures. They are elusive supernatural beings that show up in stories or are invoked to explain good luck or misfortune.

Yup'ik mask
A Yup’ik mask on display at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., in 2009. Photo: Steve Lew

Guests on Native America Calling
Mark John (Yup’ik), cultural adviser and elder with Calista Elders Council

Cliff Taylor (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska), poet, storyteller, and author of The Memory of Souls

Kathi Littlejohn (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), storyteller

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Native America Calling
Listen to Native America Calling every weekday at 1pm Eastern.
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