By Cary Rosenbaum of the CUJ
MISSION – Tac Maywii Nixyaawii! (Good Morning Nixyaawii!) was named the second-ranking news cast or podcast in Indian country by the Native American Journalists Association.
KCUW’s show, which features BOT members Jill-Marie Gavin-Harvey and Boots Pond earned runner up in General Excellence as part of the 2021 NAJA Awards.
“There was many laughs to be made working on the project with KCUW,” Pond said. “It was very fun to work on this radio program to use another avenue to get information to the public. When something is fun, it really drives ambition to continue, which I hope will happen.”
Gavin-Harvey started the show in 2020, with her first guest being Pond. She said it was a continuation a show she started as a Communications Tech with KCUW, prior to being voted onto the Tribe’s Board of Trustees.
“I had decided to go back to having a show that would focus a little more on Tribal government and have other elected officials on board,” Gavin-Harvey said. “My first guest was Boots Pond and because we had such good on-air chemistry it stuck. Boots agreed to be my co-host and the rest was history.
“I am thankful KCUW, Communications, Jiselle Halfmoon and Lily Sheoships have been so supportive,” she added. “We have had some great guests on and have agreed since day one to suspend once campaign season officially begins. Boots and I look forward to going back on air after elections no matter how it shakes out for either of us.”
The O’odham Action News Podcast, based on the Tohono O’odham Reservation, received first place in General Excellence.
CUJ staff wins 17 awards; CTUIR members lock in seven.
Confederated Umatilla Journal staff garnered 17 awards from the Native American Journalists Association in 2021.
Among the 17, nearly half were won by CTUIR members.
Intern Megan Van Pelt won five awards in the collegiate competition, including Best Sports Photo (1st and 2nd place), Best News Photo (2nd and 3rd place), Best Feature Photo (3rd place).
Freelance Photographer Dallas Dick took home two awards, including Best Feature Photo (2nd place) and Best News Photo (3rd place).
Editor Cary Rosenbaum won awards with the CUJ and his former publication, the Colville Tribal Tribune. He earned Best Feature Photo (1st place), Best Column (2nd place), Best Health Coverage (2nd place), Best Elder Coverage (3rd place), and Best Sports Photo (3rd place).
Rosenbaum and former editor Wil Phinney combined for two awards, including Best Environmental Coverage (1st place) and Best Editorial (2nd place). Non-Tribal members were limited to two award categories in 2021, instead of the former number of eight.
The CUJ was named third place in General Excellence as one of the top Tribal newspapers in Indian country for its circulation level (5,000-10,000).
NAJA award judges included journalists from Indian Country Today, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Arizona Republic, the Journalism Education Association, The Tulsa World. The Association serves more than 900 members, including media professionals working in tribal, freelance, independent and mainstream news outlets, as well as academia and students covering Indigenous communities and representing tribal nations from across North America. 
