Native America Calling: Testing the limits of religious freedom in Indian Country

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Native America Calling: Testing the limits of religious freedom in Indian Country

Thursday, August 6, 2026

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Testing the limits of religious freedom

Two separate instances are putting Native authority related to religious freedom to the test.

The Northern Arapaho Tribe demands the Christian ministry, Foundations Nations Church, leave the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. The demand comes after video circulated on social media showed one of the church’s pastors characterizing Native sacred practices — including the Sun Dance — as “idol worship” and “demonic.”

@cwrelentless Foundations for nations church in Wyoming. #nativeamerican #indigenous #awareness #christianity #church ♬ original sound – CW I am I can I will

Top tribal leadership calls the comments “despicable” and link them to past abuses of Native Americans at the hands of Christian church officials. The Foundations Church leaders say they’ll fight the tribe’s efforts to remove them. Tune in to hear about what’s next in the dispute.

At the same time, Native American inmates in a Nebraska state prison scored a victory in securing access to religious ceremonies. In a settlement of a federal civil rights lawsuit, corrections officials lifted a temporary ban on accessing a place where Native men conducted ceremonies like sweats and smudges.

Corrections officials had instituted the ban affecting Native ceremonies after finding contraband at the site. Tune in to hear about the legal principles behind the outcome.

Guests on Native America Calling

Keenan Groesbeck (Northern Arapaho), chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming

Jesse Crispin (Northern Arapaho), council member of the Northern Arapaho Business Council on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming

Andi Snowball (Muscogee and Winnebago), associate attorney with Big Fire Law and Policy Group LLP

Carter Matt, staff attorney with ACLU Nebraska