S9, E2, Pt 1: Ghost Dances & Court Battles: Native Religion & the Law: Professor, Richard W. Garnett, Choctaw

In this powerful 3-part episode, we dive into the tragic legacy of the Wounded Knee Massacre and its connection to the ongoing fight for Native American religious freedom. 

 

My guest, law Professor, Richard Garnett - a Choctaw citizen and expert in religious freedom at Notre Dame - helps unpack what the law *actually* says about Native religious rights, sacred land use, and the balance between tribal sovereignty and U.S. legal systems. 

 

From the Ghost Dance to peyote use in the Native American Church, and from religious Acts and the Constitution, we explore how Native faith practices have been criminalized, protected, and misunderstood throughout U.S. history.

 

We also discuss the painful irony that Native communities often need specific legislation just to practice their traditions, unlike many other faiths in America. Professor Garnett shares why religious freedom isn't just about individual rights - it's also about land, language, and the deep communal connection to sacred spaces.

If you’ve ever wondered how law students and Professors at places like Notre Dame are shaping the future or how land rights like those at Oak Flat and beyond are tied to religious liberty, this episode is for you.

 

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