Shows / MinneCulture
MinneCulture
MinneCulture is KFAI’s award-winning audio storytelling program, exploring Minnesota’s art, culture, and history. We tell stories about musical sensations, small town heroes, cultural icons, local lore, and everything in between. We highlight the diverse experiences and lives of the place we all call home. Support for MinneCulture on KFAI is provided by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Episodes
- MinneCulture
Artifact or Artifice: The Kensington Runestone Hoax
In the late 1800’s, European immigrants — mostly German and Scandinavian — flooded Minnesota, and the population boomed like few other times in history. This…
- MinneCulture
Protecting the Common Loon
With its haunting call, distinctive black and white plumage, and intense, almost otherworldly red eyes, the Common Loon is an icon of northern Minnesota…
- MinneCulture
The Modernization of Meat in Minnesota
Historians have argued that the history of America can be told through the history of meat. The meat industry was often the first to innovate and make use of…
- MinneCulture
Season 7 starting January 2023
MinneCulture returns in 2023 with more stories of Minnesota arts, history, and culture. In season 7, we'll get to know some prominent Minnesotan activists…
- MinneCulture
MinneCultured: How Minnesota Invented Blue Cheese
For a few short years, St. Paul was the Blue Cheese Capital of the World. In the season finale of season 6, producer Tony Williams takes us on a tour through…
- MinneCulture
The Feisty Franciscan Who Helped Found Mayo Clinic
Mother Alfred Moes was an immigrant from Luxembourg, a woman religious, and the founder of two Franciscan congregations. She was also the first person to…
- MinneCulture
A History of Fire in the Boundary Waters
A series of wildfires made headlines across Minnesota during the drought-plagued summer of 2021. Among them was the massive Greenwood Fire. This wildfire…
- MinneCulture
The Almost Forgotten but Enduring Impact of Meridel LeSueur
Meridel LeSueur was a writer and activist whose influence has long shaped the Twin Cities' populist movements. Although the McCarthy era blacklist attempted to…
- MinneCulture
Moose Tracks: The Decline and Plateau of Minnesota's Moose
From about 2006 to 2013, the moose population in northeastern Minnesota dropped dramatically, from almost 9,000 animals to about 2,700. And no one knew why…
- MinneCulture
Fanfare, Fire, and Fun: A Tale of Two Local Amusement Parks
When you think about the industrial revolution you may think of trains, factories, and assembly lines. The image of billowing smoke and giant machines cranking…
- MinneCulture
Coming soon: MinneCulture season 6
The MinneCulture Podcast is BACK! On season 6, we'll be riding long-lost roller coasters, meeting a feminist activist, learning about efforts to protect…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 35: The Toonsmith: Dave Mruz, Minnesota’s Cartooning Historian
Superman. Charlie Brown. Donald Duck. The existence of these 'toons all have roots in Minnesota. In this episode of the MinneCulture Podcast, KFAI's Britt…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 34: A Living History of the Boundary Waters
In wilderness settings, there are connections people can make to the land, regardless of their age, race or gender, by walking in the footsteps of those who…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 33: James Garrett Jr. on Why Black Architecture Matters
James Garrett Jr. is an architect at 4RM+ULA architects, one of the only Black-owned architecture firms in Minnesota. Garrett and his family have deep ties to…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 32: Stay Young, Go Dancing
Polka dancing was once a staple of small-town Minnesota, enjoyed by German, Polish, and Scandinavian immigrants who settled in farming communities throughout…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 31: Murder Cliff: The Death of Mary Fridley Price
The plain, uninteresting Mary Fridley Price. Not the sort of girl anyone would notice—except now she'd gone and leapt over a cliff to save her poor dog. The…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 30: The Godfather of Black Space in Minneapolis
Anthony Brutus Cassius was questioned by the FBI, fought to be the first Black person in Minnesota to get a liquor license, and his famous greasy burgers were…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 29: Generation AIDS
In July 1981, the New York Times published an article about a mysterious illness plaguing gay men in New York City. After reading the article, Bruce Brockway…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 28: When the Gay 90's Came Out
This summer on the MinneCulture Podcast, it's all about Minnesota History. As we kick-off Season 5 during Pride month, we celebrate one of the first well-known…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 27: What Do We Do Now?
When George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day, pain and anger blasted like a shock wave across the Twin Cities and the world. Floyd’s…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 26: What Are You Making?
We’re still social distancing and we’re still making stuff. Some artists have changed what they make. Others have changed how they make it. KFAI’s Barb Abney…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 25: How Are You Doing?
Hear stories of Minnesota artists making it work in this time of social distancing. Barb Abney hosts the Season 4 launch from her daughter's bedroom while…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 24: The Purple One
For our Season 3 finale, stories about the late, great Prince Rogers Nelson. You'll hear from the guy credited with "discovering" Prince, what it was like to…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 23: Other Duties As Assigned
There are often parts of a job no one else understands or even knows about. We're talking about the unheralded tasks that are executed in the shadows, after…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 22: Minnesota History, In Their Own Words
Minnesota's oldest auctioneer reflects on rural life, the Kim Loo Sisters face discrimination in the jazz scene during the 1930s and 1940s, and a rusticly…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 21: Pain, Pain Go Away
For some artists, sickness can fuel their creativity. But for others, illness can drain the inspiration right out of them. In this episode, musician P.O.S and…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 20: Minnesota Musicians, In Their Own Words
In this episode, we meet Minnesota musicians that take old music, and put their own twist on it. Host Jumondeh Tweh goes backstage at a Saint Paul jazz club…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 19: Minnesota Eats
Immigrants are spicing up Minnesota food. In this episode of the MinneCulture podcast, host Jumondeh Tweh gets cooking tips from his Liberian mother and…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 18: Our Most Memorable Snowfall
In Minnesota, freezing winters and big snowfalls come with the territory. But three feet of snow on Halloween? That was a day to remember. In the premiere of…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 17: Fresh Fruit: Over 40 Years of Queer Radio
Fresh Fruit is the longest running queer radio program in the US. It has aired on KFAI Community Radio in Minneapolis, Minn. for over 40 years. MinneCulture…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 16: Winter Special
It wouldn’t be a Minnesota podcast if we didn’t take you outside. It’s cold outside, baby, with rabid Minnesota Wild fans and anglers who won’t let a little…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 15: Faith and Dalmar
Despite the sizable Somali community in Minneapolis, Somali art hasn’t broken through to the mainstream. Known as a “nation of poets,” those who seek out the…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 14: Twin Cities Landmarks
Forget the Spoonbridge and Cherry—these are landmarks that have secrets to tell, even when they’re gone. In this episode, we explore one that fell to the…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 13: Breaking the Mold
What does it mean to “break the mold”? A hard-boiled lesbian detective breaks through the lavender ceiling, a Sudanese model refuses to lighten her skin to fit…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 12: Siama and Charanga
How has immigration, migration, and connection to the rest of the world shaped the sights and sounds of Minnesota? Meet Siama Matuzungidi, a Congolese soukous…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 11: All Eyez on Andrew Moore
Andrew Moore’s front yard used to host an enormous political art installation. His front yard installation was steeped in political turmoil and showed images…
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Ep. 10: Dress Codes
Why do people dress a certain way? What does dress say about who we are, and what connects us? People pick their uniforms for various reasons, but often it’s…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 9: Minnesota Love Stories
When is love an art form in and of itself? Like art, true love comes in many forms. A Congolese couple, separated by the ocean, sing to each other over the…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 8: A Chicken Chronicle
Backyard chicken coops are on the rise. But setting up your first egg operation isn’t without its challenges. Our producer Xan Holston found this out the hard…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 7: On Your Marks, Get Set, Mow
These are two features of a Minnesota summer: mosquitos and lawnmowers. Today, a story on each. Theme music by Javier Santiago. Support for Minneculture is…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 6: The Lifecycle Of A Plate
A story about making plates, and one about breaking them — both from producer Xan Holston. Featuring an interview with mosaic artist Michael Sweere, and a tour…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 5: Hit Him Harder!
A dive into the world of independent pro wrestling in the Twin Cities. It’s loud, dirty, and definitely not politically correct. Theme music by Javier…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 4: When The Gorillas Purr
A harpist has been playing for primates at the Como Zoo in St. Paul for almost a decade. We hear how they react, with a beautiful sound of their own. And…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 3: Stolen Childhoods
A new documentary about what’s known historically as the Indian Adoption Project, a US government program designed to place Native American children with white…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 2: An Animal Perspective
Two Minnesotans take very different paths toward a common goal: to dive deeper into the animal world. Featuring interviews with videographer Sam Easterson and…
- MinneCulture
Ep. 1: How Black Lives Matter Got An Anthem
Introducing the MinneCulture podcast, featuring the best arts, culture and history reporting from KFAI in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. On this…