Native America Calling: A view from the Iditarod trail and other winter sports competitions

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Native America Calling: A view from the Iditarod trail and other winter sports competitions

Friday, March 20, 2026

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A view from the Iditarod trail and other winter sports competitions

Jody Potts-Joseph is the first Hän Gwich’in woman to compete in Alaska’s famed Iditarod sled dog race.

The musher and cast member on the reality TV show “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans” says she was raised in the basket of a dog sled. She has raced in more than a half-dozen pro dog sled competitions, but this was her first attempt at the grueling 1,000-mile Iditarod.

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Tune into Native America Calling to hear about the race and Potts-Joseph’s work raising sled dogs.

Also, hear from athletes who competed in the annual Arctic Winter Games, held this year in Whitehorse, Yukon. In addition to common winter events like curling and figure skating, the games include traditional Indigenous competitions including single foot kick, knuckle hop, and stick pull.

Guests on Native America Calling

Jody Potts-Joseph (Hän Gwich’in), Iditarod musher, environmentalist, traditional tattooist, and athlete

Kyle Worl (Tlingit, Deg-Hit’an Athabascan, and Yup’ik), traditional games coach and athlete

Candice Parker (Nome Eskimo Community), Arctic sport coach for Team Alaska, representing Alaska at the Arctic Winter Games

Joanna Hopson (Iñupiaq), Arctic games coach and athlete for Team Alaska, representing Alaska at the Arctic Winter Games

Emelia Maring (Gwich’in First Nation from the Inuvik Native Band), member of Team Wainman, representing Inuvik in the Northwest Territories at the Arctic Winter Games