A Minnesotan rock band is in the national spotlight. Plus, a new text message scam is targeting your personal banking information, and Minnesota expands legal cannabis sales.
—–Executive Producer: Victor Palomino Producer: Jamad JamaAnchor: Chantel SinGsReader scripting: Victor Palomino Fact checking: Joel Glaser, Victor Palomino Editorial support: Emily Krumberger Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
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HOST: This is North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live. Today in Minnesota...
ANCHOR: …A new text message scam is targeting your personal banking information. Then, a rock band from Minnesota is in the national spotlight. And, Minnesota expands legal cannabis sales.
I'm Chantel SinGs.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue is warning residents about scam text messages. The messages claim to be from the department and ask people to click a link to update banking information and claim a refund. Officials stress these texts are fraudulent and that the department systems and taxpayer data are not at risk. Anyone receiving the texts should not click the link, report the message as junk, and delete it. If you entered personal information, contact your bank immediately. The Department of Revenue says it never asks for financial details by text.
In today's main story, Minnesota's own rock band War Bonnet recently won best live music performance video at the 2025 Native American Music Awards. Reporter Jamad Jama talks with the members of the band about their music and future goals.
Chaz Wagner: I've always been around our tribal drums. I had an interest when I was really young, and I'd watch some of my elders sing at the drum, and I always wanted to do that. Decades later, we created War Bonnet.
Jamad Jama: That's Chaz Wagner, the founder of War Bonnet, a Native American rock band from Northern Minnesota. They blend traditional rhythms with modern sounds and compose original and compelling music.
Chaz Wagner: A war bonnet is like a Native headdress. I wanted a name too that spoke to the band, about the band, about who we are.
Jamad Jama: And this year, the talent got them a big win, best live music performance video at the 2025 Native American Music Awards.
Chaz Wagner: I was shocked. You know? I didn't think we'd have a chance, because it's highly competitive.
[Song: "Bigfoot" by War Bonnet.]
Jamad Jama: That's the song "Bigfoot" sung by Leah Lemm, which won them that award in July. Leah and Chaz also produce separate Ampers programs. The music video features the band performing the song together with strings, lights illuminating their faces.
Chaz Wagner: What we created that day in there was magic. The song was more about internal struggling, but in a mysterious kind of a way.
Jamad Jama: Storytelling is a huge aspect of War Bonnet's sound particularly, weaving Indigenous languages and folk tales into their music.
Chaz Wagner: So our third album, it was called Aki Manidoog, and then that's the album that the song "Bigfoot" was on. So that whole album was like a revitalization. It was a preservation of language. The titles were in Anishinaabemowin, the Native language.
Jamad Jama: Aki Manidoog translates to earth spirits. War Bonnet also uses their music as an opportunity to tell traditional legends in a new, unique way.
Chaz Wagner: There are songs that are influenced by our legend stories, "Jingabiz" for example, which is the hell diver or a grebe. We write the music that comes through us.
Tony Parson: My name's Tony Parson. I'm the keyboardist for War Bonnet. The band started around 2017. Chaz Wagner asked me. We got started, and we've been getting more into it ever since.
Jamad Jama: Tony thinks about the way the music can reach people, particularly his community.
Tony Parson: I hope that when people hear it, they'll feel pride and empowered, want it to connect with our Indigenous communities, and, of course, reach others who aren't aware of the culture.
Jamad Jama: And in the eyes of Chaz Wagner, War Bonnet's journey is just starting.
Chaz Wagner: I want to get my music out there. I mean, I hope it goes nationally and I and I hope it goes globally.
Jamad Jama: For North Star Stories, I'm Jamad Jama.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management says adult-use cannabis sales are expanding statewide. Since June, the state has issued 37 business licenses, including 23 microbusinesses now stocking products through Tribal partnerships. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe became the second of Minnesota's tribal nations to sign an agreement with Gov. Tim Walz allowing the tribe to open recreational marijuana dispensaries outside of tribal lands. In addition, 13 medical cannabis dispensaries, including locations in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Rochester, are now selling adult-use products.
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HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.