{"id":10979,"date":"2021-05-03T11:56:47","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T15:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=10979"},"modified":"2021-05-03T11:56:47","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T15:56:47","slug":"cronkite-news-native-women-represent-in-the-running-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/05\/03\/cronkite-news-native-women-represent-in-the-running-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Native women represent in the running community"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bobFNv3L9jk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Cronkite News Video by Ike Everard: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/bobFNv3L9jk>Native Women Running<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Run the land: Native women across the U.S. take to the roads and trails<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, May 3, 2021<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Joseph Perez<\/div>\r\n<DIV class=source>Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n<DIV class=source-website><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nTUCSON \u2013 \u201cGetting lost is the best part of trail running,\u201d Marlinda Bedonie said with a chuckle as we shielded our eyes from the morning sun, searching for our cars.<P><\/P>\r\nWe spoke on a recent morning while trekking through Tucson Mountain Park on a mostly flat, single-track loop trail. Dipping in and out of washes and brushing against the creosote along the trail, the Tohono O\u2019odham and Navajo mother and I chatted \u2013 out of breath \u2013 as we shared our running journeys and spoke about our families.<P><\/P>\r\nWhen we came to what we thought was the end of our loop, we realized that although we\u2019d learned a lot about what we share in common, neither of us had any idea where our cars were.<P><\/P>\r\nSometimes, getting lost can be part of finding yourself. In the past four years, Bedonie, 41, has found a passion for running and representing her culture in the sport. She often is featured on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/native_women_running\/\">Native Women Running<\/a> Instagram page highlighting her half-marathons, 10Ks and other races.<span id=\"more-127375\"><\/span><P><\/P>\r\nEven when she\u2019s jogging Arizona trails solo, she\u2019s far from alone.<P><\/P>\r\nIn 2018, Verna Volker, who&#8217;s Navajo, launched Native Women Running on Instagram. Just more than three years later, her account has more than 19,000 followers and she\u2019s an ambassador for the running shoe company Hoka One.<P><\/P>\r\nVolker had started running in 2009 and soon realized something was missing in the community \u2013 representation by non-white runners.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cAs I got more into running, I realized how little diversity there was,\u201d she said. \u201cI remember going through Instagram and I saw the same type of runner: the cute, white, blonde, fit (woman) who just ran Boston, and I just felt like I couldn\u2019t relate.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2386\" height=\"1340\" data-attachment-id=\"10981\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/05\/03\/cronkite-news-native-women-represent-in-the-running-community\/marlindabedonie\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/03\/marlindabedonie.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2386,1340\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Marlinda Bedonie has found a passion for running and representing her Indigenous culture on social media, highlighting her half-marathons, 10Ks and other races. (Photo by Ike Everard\/Cronkite News)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1619449093&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"marlindabedonie\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Marlinda Bedonie has found a passion for running and representing her Indigenous culture on social media, highlighting her half-marathons, 10Ks and other races. (Photo by Ike Everard\/Cronkite News)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/03\/marlindabedonie-1024x575.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/03\/marlindabedonie.jpg\" alt=\"marlindabedonie\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10981\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Marlinda Bedonie has found a passion for running and representing her Indigenous culture on social media, highlighting her half-marathons, 10Ks and other races.  Photo by Ike Everard \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThe Boston Marathon may be considered \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/news\/a23481338\/boston-marathon-qualifying-times\/\">the holy grail for distance runners<\/a>\u201d but for Volker, running isn\u2019t about being invited to legacy races, it\u2019s about creating a space for people like her.<P><\/P>\r\nNative Women Running restores an Indigenous perspective to running and gives Indigenous women a platform to showcase their cultures and their passion for this ancient celebration of life.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cNative people once had messengers who would run to the next tribe over to carry a message, so it\u2019s kind of ingrained in Native people to run,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a physical part of (running), but I think that, a lot of times, running was used for prayer runs and still today, it\u2019s a spiritual exercise for Native people.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nRunning also represents a spiritual connection to the land for Volker.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cI always encourage my women to run the land wherever they are,\u201d she said. \u201cSome of us are not on the reservation, we\u2019re in the middle of Chicago or Minneapolis, and I just encourage them to run where you are, because running it acknowledges who you are as a people.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nMy run with Bedonie reflected that spiritual aspect. During our 4.5-mile trek through Tucson Mountain Park, she stopped occasionally to tell me about her daughters, her experiences running and her connection to the land we were on.<P><\/P>\r\nWhen she was a girl, her aunt used to bring her out early in the mornings to this area to harvest the fruit of the saguaro (or bahidaj, as it\u2019s known by the Tohono O\u2019odham) that stood tall and proud all around us.<P><\/P>\r\nOn the day we got lost, she looked at ease, comfortable, and said later that she knew her late aunt was there watching over her.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cRunning for us is celebrating life,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re not just running for us, we\u2019re running for our people, we\u2019re running for those who can\u2019t, we\u2019re running for prayer.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><p><\/p>\r\nDirk Whitebreast, founder of Native-owned Red Earth Running Co., which organizes runs, sells clothing for Indigenous runners and uses proceeds to benefit Indigenous causes, said he sees hope for Native people in such events as the upcoming virtual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CN5llZHL7Ax\/\">Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women National Day of Awareness Run<\/a>, hosted by Native Women Running.<P><\/P>\r\nWhitebreast said he and his company, which coordinated the virtual run with Native Women Running, want to let groups like Native Women Running take a more active role in these pushes for awareness and action.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cWe decided to take a step back on this issue and let others lead,\u201d he said. \u201cNative Women Running is a really sound platform. Verna does a really good job of bringing attention to the issue.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nAnd the issue is huge. The Urban Indian Health Institute found that in 2016, the most recent year data are available, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uihi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-and-Girls-Report.pdf\">5,712 Indigenous women<\/a> were reported as missing or murdered in 71 U.S. cities.<P><\/P>\r\nInterior Secretary Deb Haaland, two weeks after being sworn in, created a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/news\/secretary-haaland-creates-new-missing-murdered-unit-pursue-justice-missing-or-murdered-american\">Missing and Murdered<\/a> Unit within the Bureau of Indian Affairs dedicated to finding justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women, highlighting the urgency of this pandemic of violence against Native women, girls and Two Spirit individuals.<P><\/P>\r\nNative women are up to 10 times more likely to be murdered than the national average, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao\/page\/file\/1362691\/download\">U.S. Department of Justice<\/a>, and murder is the third leading cause of death for Native American people ages 10 to 24.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cI really have a heart for that,\u201d Volker said, \u201cbecause through this work that I\u2019m doing and these virtual runs, I have had women who messaged me their stories and real incidents where they\u2019ve lost their mother or they have a niece who was never found. What we\u2019re supporting and bringing allies to help us raise awareness around this is really important to me.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COZ_QIrLPDg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COZ_QIrLPDg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COZ_QIrLPDg\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Native Women Running (@native_women_running)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nFor Bedonie, running in prayer for the protection of her people and family is important as well.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cI have family who I keep in prayer\u201d while running, she said. \u201cAnd everybody is going through a lot right now during this pandemic. We\u2019re losing our family and we\u2019re losing our friends. We have to say those prayers, we need them to be protected.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nAnd as she and I ran through washes and jumped over rocks, a silence fell over us, leaving the crunch of our shoes on gravel as the only sound. When the silence ended and she talked about her college-aged daughter\u2019s first half-marathon, it became clear that she was thinking about her family even as we were just a bit lost in the Tucson Mountains. Her children were at the front of her mind, her prayer in motion.<P><\/P>\r\nVolker\u2019s experience running is similar.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cI am so thankful that running has found me,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are times when I run and I\u2019m just bawling. When I started doing ultra races, I would write family members\u2019 names on my shoe to give me that motivation of running in honor of my brother or my sister or running in honor of my dad.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\nShe said that her running helps her deal with loss, and it has become a healing ritual for her and countless others.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cIn Native Women Running, I have women who run for their husbands or their sons and it\u2019s in that way that we relate so much,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s why people gravitate toward Native Women Running.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CNFKQ5sDPDD\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CNFKQ5sDPDD\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CNFKQ5sDPDD\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Native Women Running (@native_women_running)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut this commonality alone isn\u2019t what makes Native Women Running so special \u2013 it\u2019s also the safe space and community that she has built.<P><\/P>\r\nWhen Benodie was featured in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CNFKQ5sDPDD\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\">Instagram ad<\/a> for Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods, she told Volker that she likely wouldn\u2019t have gotten that chance without Native Women Running.<P><\/P>\r\nVolker was humbled and joyful.<P><\/P>\r\n\u201cShe messaged me and she said, \u2018Verna, if it wasn\u2019t for you, I would have never gotten that opportunity,\u2019 and that almost makes me cry because that\u2019s what I do,\u201d Volker said. \u201cIt brings me much joy to do that, and I\u2019m thankful for how much these women inspire me, too.\u201d<P><\/P>\r\n<STRONG>For more stories from Cronkite News, visit <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=client\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A>.<\/STRONG>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<HR><EM>Note: This story originally <a href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2021\/04\/27\/run-the-land-native-women-across-the-u-s-take-to-the-roads-and-trails\/\">appeared on Cronkite News<\/a>.  It  is published via a <A href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative  Commons license<\/A>. Cronkite News is produced by the <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkite.asu.edu\/\">Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication<\/A> at <A href=\"https:\/\/www.asu.edu\">Arizona State University<\/A>.<\/EM><HR>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Native Women Running restores an Indigenous perspective to running and gives Indigenous women a platform to showcase their cultures and their passion for this ancient celebration of life.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,13,1,14,21],"tags":[42,117,46,88,1473,118,362,1471,197,1422,572,1472,44],"class_list":["post-10979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-trust","category-law","category-national","category-politics","category-sports","tag-arizona","tag-bia","tag-cronkite-news","tag-deb-haaland","tag-dirk-whitebreast","tag-doi","tag-doj","tag-marlinda-bedonie","tag-mmiw","tag-running","tag-uihi","tag-verna-volker","tag-women","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/03\/marlindabedonie.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-2R5","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}