'There's a lot of ground to make up': Indigenous radio host Karl Dockstader hopes to hear more stories

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Karl Dockstader said he feels fortunate to have found a career in radio.

Dockstader, a member of Oneida Nation, Bear Clan, started One Dish, One Mic" as a podcast with Sean Vanderklis about six years ago.

The pair were acquaintances initially, and after starting the show, they hit it off.

That went pretty well," he recalled. Especially because there wasn't really anything like it and we didn't realize that we were sort of paving new ground with that. There are great Indigenous podcasters ... but something in the conversational tone that Sean and I have made it distinctive."

A few years later, 610 CKTB, a local newstalk radio station, was looking to fill a two-hour segment on the weekends, and a radio phenomenon was born.

Dockstader believes part of the reason the show has been so successful is because he and Vanderklis rarely agree on things.

We disagree on a lot of stuff that's pretty fundamental," Dockstader said. But that actually makes for a really strong reason for us to be friends. Because we disagree, we sort of make a point to keep our relationship going. We actually think that the things that we disagree on make us better people. And it's an important part of both what makes the show successful, but also our friendship."

Now Dockstader and Vanderklis host their show weekly, and Dockstader has been added to the station's regular rotation of hosts.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't hesitate to say publicly for whatever reason, I just love making that show," he said. It's never been about money or fame or accolades ... it really fills a niche. Like when we're not on air, people text in and they reach out. If we tape a show suddenly, they'll ask if we're okay. We've built a little community out of the show."

Radio itself has a rich history with Indigenous people, Dockstader said, as was the only means of mass communication around for some communities.

My friend Jan Rogers made a whole podcast called Indians on the Airwaves' with CBC. It was fantastic, and it talks about how in communities of 300 people, the radio might be the only means of mass communication that people have," he said. But then you also get people that are asking someone to pick up a loaf of bread on their way home. Like, it is just amazing the legacy and the history."

While Canada has done a better job at elevating Indigenous voices, Dockstader said there is work that can still be done.

I think Canada has gotten much better at finding and elevating Indigenous perspectives and First Nations voices and hearing from people that we don't normally hear from," he said. But I still think that there's a lot of ground to make up. So with I mean, with this show, it's still filling a void, but also it's entertaining. And I think that's the key."