>> IF EVERYONE COULD TAKE THEIR SEATS; PLEASE?
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CALL THE HOUSE TO ORDER. [INAUDIBLE /
OFF MICROPHONE]
>> HOUSE
SPEAKER HORTMAN: IF WE COULD GET THE
TRIBAL LEADERS IN THE FRONT
WE COULD DO A PICTURE RIGHT NOW OR WE CAN
WAIT
UNTIL AFTER. WHY DON'T WE DO THE QUESTION AND
ANSWER PART NOW. MY UNDERSTANDING IS TH
AT THERE'S A PRETTY THICK STACK OF QUESTIONS
AND REBECCA AND PAT ARE GOING TO GO
THROUGH THOSE. I THINK THEY'RE SORTED
THROUGH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BUT SO DO 30 MINUTES OF THAT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE TRIBAL LEADERS COME UP.
>>
WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY. I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE
[INAUDIBLE] WHO IS CURRENTLY
ACTING EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE MINNESOTA INDIAN AFFAIRS COUNCIL. SO HE'S GOING TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS. [INAUDIBLE] ARE BOTH ENROLLED IN LEECH LAKE AND LEVI IS CURRENTLY THE
TRIBAL LEADER LIAISON FROM
THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR THAT I DID WANT TO
CORRECT A COUPLE THINGS. FIRST OF ALL THERE'S
A PHOTOGRAPH THAT SAYS IT'S PRES. ROOSEVELT IN THE BOOK. TH
ERE'S A PHOTOGRAPH IN THE BOOK THAT SAYS IT'S PRES. ROOSEVELT. IT
IS ACTUALLY HELD
IT IS. REPRESENTATIVE MURPHY WAS KIND ENOUGH TO POINT THIS
OUT. SO IT'S HERALD DICKIES AND THEN
JOHN COLLIER STANDING
HIM BACK. MY FRIEND ED POINTED OUT TO
ME THAT
WE DID NOT MENTION THE INDIAN TRIBE
WELFARE ACT WAS PASSED
IN 1978.. IT'S AMONG THE 5000 OTHER THINGS WE DO
NOT MENTION IN
OUR PRESENTATION. SO I'M GOING
TO ALLOW; I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY REBECCA WILL TAKE THE FIRST COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS AND THEN AS I UNDERSTAND IT WE WILL
HAVE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ACTUALLY ASKED THE QUESTIONS.
ACTUALLY; WE DON'T KNOW LEST
THIS QUESTION.
>> I GOT MY PIECE OF PAPER THAT HAS A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON IT TO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS;
WHICH TRIBES WHY DON'T WHICH TRIBES HELP
OR TRIBES? I THINK WHOEVER ASKED THIS QUESTION PROBABLY
DOESN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT
INDIAN COUNTRY AND HOW WE ALL HELP EACH OTHER OUT..
SHAKA P IS ONE OF THE MORE FORTUNATE TRIBES IN
MINNESOTA AND IT'S PART OF OUR DAKOTA TRADITION TO HELP OTHERS THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE. WE HAVE
GOT SEVERAL I THINK OVER
$360 MILLION WE HAVE DONATED
TO TRIBES ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT INDIAN COUNTRY AND
OUR NEIGHBORS
FOR A VARIETY PROGRAMS OVER THE PAST
20 YEARS. WE ALSO HAVE A
LOAN PROGRAM THAT HELPS TRIBES
TRYING TO GET SOME
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GOING ON ON THE RESERVATION. WE HAVE HELPED FUND
HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN THE
INDIAN COUNTRY AND CASINOS AS
FAR AS; AND SUSTAINABLE
GREEN PROJECTS. OUR PORTFOLIO OF LOANS
REALLY SPANS A HUGE; HUGE FAN OF ENTERPRISES FOR INDIAN COUNTRY. SO I THINK TO ANSWER THE QUESTION SIMPLY; TH
E RICH TRIBES DO HELP THE
POOR TRIBES.
THE 2ND QUESTION I HAVE IS; DO YOU HAVE RENEWABLE
ENERGY PROJECTS
AND IT IS CLIMATE CHANGE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN THE
NATIVE COMMUNITY?
I THINK I'M A CHANGE IS DEFINITELY A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN
NATIVE COMMUNITIES. ACTUALLY; I WAS JUST AS AT THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS WINTER SESSION LAST MONTH AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN
TOPICS. SOME TYPES IN ALASKA AND ON THE COASTS ARE FACING
CLIMATE
CHANGE IMPACTS WE ARE NOT SEEN HERE IN MINNESOTA BUT
I THINK
WILD RICE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND
THE THREAT TO ORIGINAL FOOD IN
THIS AREA BECAUSE OF POLLUTION
AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ARE WILD RICE IS THREATENED. IN MY
COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY;
WE WORK TO PROTECT OUR WATERSHED BY
PRINTING PRAIRIES AND RESTORING
NATURAL HABITAT WITHIN
OUR COMMUNITY WE WORK FOR THE
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
TO REDUCE THE SALT THAT ENDS UP IN
OUR WATERWAYS
. WE HAVE GOT SOLAR ENERGY. WE
HAVE GOT GEOTHERMAL ENERGY. WE HA
VE GOT GREEN ROOFS. SO KNOWING THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE
HERE FOREVER CLIMATE CHANGE AND
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE EARTH
IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
>> REPRESENTATIVE DETTMER HAS
A QUESTION ON VETERANS. I HAVE
GOT THE SECRETARY OF TREASURE
OF WHITE EARTH TO RESPOND. MR.
ALLEN ROY. >> TESTIFIER:
>> REPRESENTATIVE DETTMER: WE
DID SPEAK BY THE AMERICAN INDIAN SERVICES THE UNITED
STATES MILITARY
IS A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T REALIZE PLEASE COMMENT ON WHY;; IF YOU LOOK AT
OUR BROTHERS FROM THE TRIBES
HAVE SERVED AT A HIGHER RATE
PER CAPITA THAN ANY
OTHER GROUP OF AMERICANS. COULD
YOU MAYBE BRIEF US ON THAT; THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU REPRESENTATIVE. I AM ALLEN ROY SEC.
OF TREASURE 2 WHITE EARTH NATION. I'M ALSO A VETERAN OF THE UNITED
STATES ARMY. I'M ALSO A RESERVIST
FROM A CAPT. IN THE
UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE AND WITH
A CIVIL AFFAIRS UNIT 407 OUT OF
ORDER IN OGDEN HILLS MINNESOTA
AND I'VE OBSERVED OVER 10
YEARS CURRENTLY. BEFORE COMING TO
THIS POSITION I ACTUALLY
WORKED WITH
DEED. I WAS A DISABLED VETERAN
OUTREACH PROGRAMAND I WAS EXPOSED TO A LOT OF STATISTICS BEHIND THAT
YOU REFERENCED IT
IS TRUE NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA OF SERVICE
R
ATE AMONG ALL RACIAL AND ETHNIC CATEGORY GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES
. THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
ESTIMATES THAT UP TO 25% OF
NATIVE AMERICANS SERVE AT
SOME POINT IN US
ARMED FORCES. ALSO; I WOULD ADD THAT PART OF THE
REASON WHY
IT RANGES. IT RANGES. FOR
ME; PERSONALLY; THAT'S ALL I CAN SPEAK FOR. FOR ME I HAVE A HERITAGE
OF SERVICE... BOTH MY GRANDFATHER SERVED IN THE ARMY
AND I BELIEVE THEY HAD SOME
OF MY UNCLES ULCERS IN THE ARMY. SO
I THINK THE SAME QUESTION THAT'S BEEN ASKED OF NATIVE AMERICANS COULD ALSO BE ASKED THE
GENERAL POPULATION AND I SAY
THAT BECAUSE AS WE CAN SEE; WE
HAVE A ALL VOLUNTEER
FORCE CURRENTLY AND I BELIEVE LESS
THAN 1% OF THE US POPULATION
HAS SERVED WORK CURRENTLY SERVES THE US
ARMED FORCES AND I THINK THEY
WERE SAYING UP TO 3%
ARE VETERANS IN THE
UNITED STATES. SO WHAT WE FOUND OVER THE YEARS
IS THAT SERVICES IS
AN HONOR BUT
IT'S ALSO; WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THESE
[INAUDIBLE] FATHERS SERVE OR MOTHER SERVE THEIR CHILDREN SERVE IN THEIR
CH
ILDREN SERVE. SO IT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION BUT; TO ME; IT WAS AN HONOR AND
STILL IS.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON IT HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH MYSELF AND THOSE ARE THE SAME REASONS OLIVER SERVE AS I'M A
VETERAN ALSO BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
AS OF 2012 IS OVER 22;000
AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES
ARE ON ACTIVE DUTY CURRENTLY AND
IN 2010 THE
CENSUS IDENTIFIED 150;000 AMERICAN INDIANS AND
ALASKA NATIVES WERE SERVING; OR
VETERANS COULD 27
NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR
.. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SERVICE; TOO;
REPRESENTATIVE DETTMER. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> SO WE HAD
A QUESTION WHY RED LAKE IS DIFFERENT WHICH
LEVI SPOKEN IS GOING TO ANSWER BUT I THINK IT WAS
REPRESENTATIVE LESCH
IS GOING TO SAY. YES; GO AHEAD.
>> REPRESENTATIVE LESCH: PLE
ASE THE PROCESS RED LAKE HAS A DIFFERENT JURISDICTION AND OWNERSHIP OF THE EVENT AND HOW THAT RELATES TO MINNESOTA LAW? >> SO FIRST
[INAUDIBLE] FROM RED LAKE AND
I'M REMINDEDALL THE TIME OF HOW PRIDEFUL
THEY ARE THAT THEY WERE NOT PART
OF THE GENERAL
[INAUDIBLE] ACT IN THAT ALLOTMENT IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY THAT ACT WERE A LOT OF
THE LANDS. RED LAKE RETAINS ALMOST 100% OF THE LANDS IN TACT. SO THEIR LANDS
WERE ALL HELD IN COMMON BY THE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND AT THE
SAME TIME WHEN [INAUDIBLE] WAS ENACTED IN THE 50S THEY WERE NOT PART OF THAT. SO THERE A
CLOSED RESERVATION WITHIN MINNESOTA AND I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT THING
ABOUT MINNESOTA. WE HAVE A DIVERSE
ARRAY
OF TRIBES FROM SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TO
NORTHERN MINNESOTA BUT I KNOW THE
RED LAKEMISSION IS VERY PROUD OF THAT
ASPECT IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO;
-- SO I
TOOK [INAUDIBLE] THIS IS FROM REPRESENTATIVE MCDONALD
AND THE
QUESTIONS IS; DO YOU WANT TO READ YOUR QUESTION?
>>
REPRESENTATIVE MCDONALD: THANK YOU FOR TODAY.
THE QUESTION; I
HAD TO SO I'LL JUST HAVE ONE. I WILL BE BY ONE.
MY SON TURNED 18 THIS
LAST YEAR THE FIRST THING HE WANTED TO DO WAS
TO GO TO GAMBLE AND PLAY A LITTLE POKER IN SHAKOPEE.
SO MY QUESTION TODAY THE
EARTH TODAY AND GENERAL
ASSOCIATES ARE IN THE NATION
WITH GAMBLING AND CASINOS BUT THAT'S WAS
FORTUNATE
AND UNFORTUNATE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>> SO IT'S PRETTY BROAD
QUESTION BUT THE SOCIAL DYNAMICS
WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND ON TR
IBAL COMMUNITIES EVEN AMONG ALL TRIBAL COMMITTEES AS HE
PUSHED BACK FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
WANT TO GET BACK TO NATURAL RESOURCE GATHERING
NATURAL RESOURCE USE AND CHANGING THE DYNAMIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE MADE; I HAVE
WATCHED [INAUDIBLE] IS A
LOT OF
NATURAL RESOURCE ACTIVITIES ARE DOING WITH THEIR USE. WHITE EARTH AND RED LAKE
[INAUDIBLE] HAVE A TALK WITH THEIR CULTURE
SO EVEN IN THE TRIBAL SIDE WE ARE TRYING TO BE MORE
WITH OUR OWN COMMUNITIES TRYING TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE VIEWING THEMSELVES AND GETTING
BACK [INAUDIBLE] I THINK THE OTHER ASPECT IS; HOW DO
WE EDUCATE YOUTH OUTSIDE OF INDIAN COUNTRY. HOW DO WE TELL
THE STORYTHAT WERE TALKING
ABOUT HERE. SO IT ISN'T JUST
ABOUT CASINOS. THAT THERE IS A RICH CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA HAS
AND THAT THE TRIBES
ALL HAVE;; THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO I THINK IT SOMETHING THAT THIS DISCUSSION WE ARE HAVING TODAY
IS THE
FIRST OFTOWARDS ADDRESSING AND TALKING
ABOUT THAT. THEN;
REPRESENTATIVE OLSON FROM ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
>>
REPRESENTATIVE OLSON: THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE TRIBAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE JUST MAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE ROLE THAT OFFICE
. I'M FROM THE DISTRICT
THAT HAS HIGHWAY 23 THE PROJECT AND HOW THE ROLE OF THE WORK OF
THIS OFFICE AND HOW IT CAN BE HELPFUL
IN PREVENTING THINGS LIKE THAT
FROM HAPPENING?
>> SO MNDOT HAS BEEN FOCUSING A LOT OF OUTREACH ON DISTRICT
LEVEL INTERACTION WITH TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS;
ROAD; STAFF; TRIBAL STAFF; MAKING
SURE EVERYBODY
SEES THE MESSAGE AND MAKING SURE ART THE DATA WE PAY
FOR IS [INAUDIBLE] IS USED IN THE BEST WAY.
MEANING THAT; IF ANY OF US WANT TO GO LOOK WORK
ON A [INAUDIBLE] CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR
THE [INAUDIBLE]
LONG-TERM TENURE PROGRAM MNDOT HAS; GUESS WHAT WERE NOW SHARING THAT WITH THE TRIBES. THERE WAS SOMETH
ING THAT WAS ALWAYS ONLINE FOR PUBLIC. PEOPLE CAN SEE IT BUT I WAS STARTING TO USE THESE TOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE TRIBAL LEADERSHIP INCLUDING [INAUDIBLE] ARE ABLE TO
ACCESS THAT.
SO WE HAVE MEETINGS. WE GET A REAL MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION AND
DIALOGUE ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE
COMING UP AND THIS CANNOT BE STRESSED ANYMORE THAN WHEN YOU GET TO THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE RIVER VALLEYS. OR MAYBE THEY'RE NOT
ON RESERVATION
BUT OUR PROJECTS MNDOT PROJECTS ARE GOING TO CROSS THE RIVER BOWS AND SOME OF
THESE AREAS THAT ARE DISTINCT TO THE DAKOTA PEOPLE. BUT I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT MY ROLE IN A QUESTION;
WHICH [INAUDIBLE]
THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
THESE GREAT LEADERS OF OUR TRIBAL NATIONS ASKED ME TO SERVE IN A CAPACITY
[INAUDIBLE] AND SLIDING OUT OF THE STATE
GETTING OUT INTO THE
TARGET SPECIFICALLY HIGHWAY 23 IS
A DISASTER OF FEDERAL VERSUS
NONFEDERAL FUNDING. IF WE HAD ONE PENNY OF FEDERAL FUNDING ON
HIGHWAY 23 THE FEDERAL 106 WAS WOULD HAVE APPLIED AND THEN YOU
WOULD'VE HAD A
GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENTIRE
SITE VERSUS THE PROCESS AT THE CORE OF ENGINEERS STUDY.
NOW WITH MNDOT WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY AND HAVE
A PROCESS THAT AFFECTS ALL
STATE-FUNDED ROADS; 100% STATE FUND AROSE; THERE WOULD HAVE
106; LIKE [INAUDIBLE] ONTO WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THIS BODY AND TALK TO YOU
ABOUT CHANGING THE LAW THAT WILL PROTECT
THOSE SITES FOREVER AND EVER. SPECIFICALLY; THOUGH; YOU'LL FIND THAT IN INDIAN AFFAIRS THERE'S 2 PEOPLE
INDIAN AFFAIRS IS 5 PEOPLE; WE HAVE 2 THAT YOU CULTURAL RESOURCES. RIGHT NOW; MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GIVES
THEM ABOUT 1000 PERMITS A YEAR
TO REVIEW. ADD TO THAT; WE ARE
ESTIMATING ABOUT 600
ADDITIONAL 100%
[INAUDIBLE] SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS BASICALLY AN
UNFUNDED MANDATE THIS HUGE VOLUME OF
WORK FOLLOWING BY 2 PEOPLE THAT ONLY HAVE TO REVIEW
THOSE PERMITS BUT ALSO
HAVE TO GO TO INDIAN COUNTRY AND JOE THIS
[INAUDIBLE] AS IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR. NOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE INDIAN AFFAIRS
SITE AND THEIR STAFF
HAS BEEN FOR THE RECORD
MY STAFF - SORRY - PROJECT TO CHANGE OUT TO MY STAFF OF A BUTTON UP THERE
PRETTY MUCH 100% OF
THE TIME. SO WE ARE BECOMING AND ASKING FOR RESOURCES TO THIS BODY TO
HELP US ADJUST IT SO WE HAVE ADEQUATE STAFF AS WELL AS
OUR PARTNER OFFICES
STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST.
IN EFFECT; WE COME BACK AND ASK YOU FOR CHANGING THE LAWS; HELPS 100%
STATE-FUNDED PROJECTS
WE HOPE TO REDUCE THESE BUT WILL NEVER ILLUMINATE THEM BUT WERE DESPERATELY GOING TO TRY TO REDUCE THE. THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION. THIS HAS BEEN
THE MOST
UNBELIEVABLE EMOTIONAL THING I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IN MY 43 YEARS OF SERVICE TO
THE STATE AND
FEDS AND WE WILL TRY TO GET RIGHT. SO;
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A
QUESTION FROM
REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN.. DO YOU MIND PROVIDING IT FOR
US; PLEASE? I HOPE I PRONOUNCE THAT CLEARLY
>> REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN: YOU DID A FABULOUS JOB; THANK YOU. MY QUESTION; OF NATIVE DISSENT MYSELF FROM THE LAKOTA SIOUX AND A LOT
OF PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME WELL HOW MUCH ARE YOU
ARE WHAT IS YOUR QUANTUM AND I
WONDER IF THERE'S
ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE
HISTORY BEHIND QUANTUM
AND WHY NATIVE FOLKS ARE THE ONLY
ONE THAT
; THE ONLY GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY
ARE NATIVE BLOOD. THANK YOU.
>> A COUPLE GROUPS AFTER THE SHARE THEIR PEDIGREE;
PRIZE-WINNING ANIMALS AND
AMERICAN INDIANS.BUT THE BLOOD
QUANTUM IDEA IS NOT AN
INDIAN IDEA. IT WAS STRICTLY A PRODUCT
OF THE BUREAU OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
FOR EXAMPLE; TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBE YOU HAVE TO BE
ONE QUARTER BLOOD QUANTUM
MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBE BLOOD
AND THE QUESTION; WHY
; PROBABLY YOU HAVE TO THINK LIKE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PUTS YOU IN AN AWKWARD SITUATION; BUT
AYES AND SO THEY HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO DIVIDE UP ANY AMOUNT
SERVICE MONIES HOW TO DIVIDE UP
BIA MONIES; SO WHEN THEY WERE
WRITING UP
WITH THE DEFINITION OF AN INDIAN IS AND THIS IS
PRETTY MUCH FEDERAL LAW AS WE
SEE IT; YOU HAVE
TO BE;; -- HAS AN INDIAN
BLOOD [INAUDIBLE] AND BE CONSIDERED BY A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE AS A MEMBER OF THE TRIBE.
NOW BLOOD QUANTUM CAN DIFFER FROM TRIBE TO TRIBE. SO ONE OF THE
FUNDAMENTAL POWERS OF BEING AN
INDIAN TRIBE'S ABILITY TO
DETERMINE MEMBERSHIP. SO IF YOUR TRIBE DECIDES
THEY ARE GOING HAVE A
ONE QUARTER BLOOD QUANTUM CUT OFF
FOR SERVICES THEY COULD DO THAT; BUT IF THEY
WANT TO; MANY TRIBES THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY; HAVE GONE TO A
SYSTEM CALLED LINEAL DESCENDENTS HE; WHERE IF YOU
CAN FIND AN ANCESTOR ON
THE ROLES FROM ONE OF THE ROLES THAT THE TRIBE MAY
TAKE FROM THE 19TH CENTURY OR EARLY
20TH CENTURY; YOU CAN BE A MEMBER OF
THE TRIBE BUT YOU HAVE TO BE
; HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD AND BE RECOGNIZED BY THE TRIBE AS
A MEMBER OF THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITY. BUTWHY CAN
BE DIFFERENT BLLOOD QUANTUM SO YOU MIGHT
BE THINKING? IT IS BECAUSE BEING
AN INDIAN
; AS SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER; IS NOT A
RACIAL CLASSIFICATION. SO 1974 AFTER ALL THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS
PASSED IN THE 60S; SOMEBODY SUED
[INAUDIBLE] WHO WERE TO
THE BIA WAS A CASE CALLED
MORTON CERTAIN VERSUS
[INAUDIBLE] AND UNDER THE INDIAN
ORGANIZATION THAT THE BUREAU OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS HAD INDIAN PREFERENCE
HIRING AND THAT GOES UP TO THE
SUPREME COURT AND
THURGOOD MARSHALL
KIND OF AN AUTHORITY ON CIVIL RIGHTS SAYS;;
DOES THE DECISION AND BASICALLY; HE SAID;
YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE BUT TO BEING
AN INDIAN IS NOT A
RACIAL CLASSIFICATION. IT IS A
POLITICAL CLASSIFICATION.
SO IF YOU'RE 164 THE CHEROKEE YOU CAN
STILL BE A CHEROKEE PERSON AND A MEMBER OF THE INDIAN TRIBE JUST AS MUCH AS A
FULL-BLOODED NAVAJO. SO THE WHOLE QUESTION
OF BLOOD QUANTUM;
SOME THEORIZE; THAT IT IS
TERMINATION BY
FACTIONS. AS I SAID; THE TRIBAL PEOPLE DO NOT DEVELOP IT. THE BUREAU DID
.. SO; IT'S A BIT OF HISTORY WE ARE LEFT WITH AN HAVE TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE NOW
OUR BLOOD QUANTUM IS GETTING
LESS AND LESS AS THE GENERATIONS
GO BY. THEN THE ISSUE WAS WHO GETS
HEALTH SERVICES GETS OTHER TYPES OF SERVICES.
REPRESENTATIVE; YES?
[INAUDIBLE / OFF MICROPHONE] YES; LEVI WAS POINTING OUT
LEVI AND I
ARE ALL MEMBERS OF THE MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBE. THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS. SO THAT'S BEEN ACTIVELY DISCUSSED.
SO I HAVE GOT
[INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS ONE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON;
SONDRA ERICKSON. YES
REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON
.. >> REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON: A THANK YOU
MR. JOHNSON. THIS IS THE ONE ON
FUNDING BUT I THINK HAS TO >> REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON: A THANK YOU. I LIKE THE OTHER ONE ANSWERED; TOO. HOW DO LAWMAKERS NO FUNDING PROVIDED
TO TRIBES ONE OF ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT ENSURE
THE FUNDING RESULTS IN POSITIVE RESULTS? IS
DATA PROVIDED
? BECAUSE IN MY CALLS TO VARIOUS AGENCIES
HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANSWERS TO
MY QUESTIONS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO
HAVE --
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN
[INAUDIBLE] BEFORE I WORKED FOR THE THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR THAT I STARTED MY CAREER WITH
LEECH LAKE RESERVATION DNR
CAN WE TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF FUNDING FROM
THE STATE AND WE HAD REPORTS AND SUCH THAT WE HAD TO DO
BUT MORE APPLICABLE TO THIS
CONVERSATION IS MY TIME WITH THE US ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
24 YEARS AS A TRIBAL LIAISON TO ASSOCIATE
IS A CONTRACT REPRESENTATIVE
FOR THE BUREAU OF LEARNING AFFAIRS FOR
6 YE
ARS. WHEN TRIBES ACCEPT FUNDS THEY ACCEPT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REPORTING.
NOW IF THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN HOW THE REPORTING
COMES IN THE TRIBE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE
FUNDING AGENCY; BUT EVERY
DOLLAR THAT SPENT ON A TRIBE HAS GOT TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR TO THAT AGENCY. SO
USA PA WE LITERALLY HAD TO KNOW HOW MANY
[INAUDIBLE
] IT WE WERE BUYING IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT BUT THAT IS THE PROCESS WE HAD TO DO
IN THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS OUT OF PROGRESS
REPORTS.
SO [INAUDIBLE] TED WAS A VERY GOOD AT GIVING HIS PROGRESS REPORTS BUT OTHER THAN TED;
WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY OUT THERE WITH
THE TRIBES WOULD GIVE US THE DATA WE
NEED
ED TO JUSTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING; TO JUSTIFY THE SERVICES THAT WERE PROVIDED
A NUMBER OF HUNTING AND FISHING COURT CASE AND WE HAD TO DO ETC. ETC.
SO [INAUDIBLE] AT MNDOT WHEN WE GET STATE MONEY TO TRIBES THE TRIBES MUST REPORT BACK TO US
IN THE SAME WAY IN THE SAME MANNER AS
ANYBODY ELSE THAT ACCEPTS
THOSE DOLLARS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> SORRY WE DOCK TO YOUR 2ND BUT MAYBE WE CAN TALK LATER.
BUT WE ARE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF
TIME BUT THE QUESTION
; THE PERSON WHO WROTE IT DID NOT SIGN IT; BUT IF
YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF IT WAS ABOUT
THE FUTURE
WAS ONLY ONE THAT SAID FUTURE AS
A TOPIC;; WHAT CAN WE AS A STATE DO TO W
ORK TOWARDS AMELIORATING
THE INJUSTICES INFLICTED ON
NATIVE PEOPLES COU
LD DID ANYONE ASK A QUESTION? YES; CAN YOU
IS YOUR QUESTION; SIR? I THINK WITH THE TRIBAL LEADERS
AND MAYBE I WILL LET THEM RESPOND TO THAT. IF YOU COULD.
>
> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
MY QUESTION HOW WE AS A STATE AS A LOGISTIC AND BE PROACTIVE IN A MILL RATE IN THE HISTORIC
INJUSTICES INFLICTED UPON
THE TRIBAL
NATIONS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE STATE AND
HOW WE MOVING FORWARD CAN
BE EFFECTIVE IN ACTIVE PARTNERS
IN HELPING TO BE PART OF THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S A
GREAT QUESTION I THINK WE HAVE
THE GROUP
THAT'S QUICK TO ANSWER IT
COMING UP. SO WE WOULD DO THE TRIBAL LEADERS
PANEL NEXT.. ANYWAY IF YOU WOULD GIVE THIS PANEL OF FOLKS
SPIRIT AND HAN
G ON. AND ALWAYS WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING.
>> THIS IS MORE PERSONAL.
I THINK WE GLOSSED
OVER IT IN HER ABSENCE IN OUR PRESENTATION.
[INAUDIBLE] OF FOSTER CARE FOR MY TARGET MY WIFE AND I
PROVIDED
SOME 32 EMERGENCY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
DURING OUR TIME AS
FOSTER CARE. WE RAISE FOR FOSTER KIDS AS OWN. THE
FIRST 2 WE
RE MY MOTHER'S BROTHERS; STEPDAUGHTER'S
CHILDREN. SERIOUSLY. BUT BECAUSE OF FOR THE RECORD
I WAS ABLE TO CLAIM AS MY
EXTENDED FAMILY. SO WE RAISED
THESE KIDS AND THE ROUTE TAKEN OF OUR TRIBE
THE LOVE YOU LOOK ME GOING
WHOSE THAT [INAUDIBLE] THEN
UP THERE MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY 5
YEARS AGO AND EVERY DAY UP UNTIL HER DEATH BED
DO YOU WANT ONLY
REMEMBER [INAUDIBLE] LOOKED A LOT LIKE
THE MILKMAN MY
POINT BEING THOSE KIDS WOULD BEEN TAKEN OFF THE RESERVATION
AND OUT OF
OUR COMMUNITY. TO THIS DAY; ALL 4 OF
THOSE CHILDREN ARE
DOING EXCEPTIONALLY AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE DOING
EXCEPTIONAL. WE HAVE TO TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME. SO WHEN YOU READ THIS
NONSENSE ABOUT AQUA AND HOUSE BEEN BAD TO OTHER PEOPLE CAN TRUST ME THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THAT STORY.
IF YOU TAKE THE CHILDREN OUT OF THEIR COMMUNITY IF YOU TAKE THEM OUT OF THE VILLAGE AND THE PEOPLE THAT
WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND AS LEVI IS DOING TAKING A KID
CAMPING; TAKE A KID
DEER HUNTING TAKE A KID
WHILE RACING IF YOU TAKE THOSE KIDS OUT OF THAT IF YOU TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THEIR LEADERS AND TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THEIR ELDERS;
THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND AND THEY
WILL REBEL. THE ONE THING THAT NATIVE CHILDREN HAVE THE WE
CAPITALIZE ON IS THE NEED
TO SURVIVE. AND TO BE PART OF
THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IF WE
WORK TOGETHER YOU; THIS WONDERFUL BODY WITH OUR ELECTED LEADERS; WE COULD DO MUCH BETTER
THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU. >> SO I DO WANT
TO THANK ALAN ROY AND THE
WHOLE PANEL ARE WE DONE? OKAY; THANK YOU.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> HOUSE SPEAKER HORTMAN:
SO BEFORE WE START THE TRIBAL PANEL WHICH WILL BE ON THE PAGE
BENCH IN THE FRONT WILL HAVE ALL THE TRIBAL
LEADERS WILL COME BACK WE WILL DO A QUICK PICTURE AND THEN ONE OF
TRIBAL LEADERS
ON THE PAIGE BENCH ON THE FRONT AND
THEN REPRESENTATIVE DEAN URDAHL AND
REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN
FOR BOTH
APPOINTED TO THE MINNESOTA INDIAN
AFFAIRS COUNCIL WILL NARRATE THE PANEL.
IF I COULD HAVE THE TRIBAL LEADERS APPEAR FOR A QUICK PICTURE. THANK YOU.
>> >> [PAUSE FOR PHOTOGRAPH]
>> REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL: IS
IT ANNA? I AM REPRESENTATIVE
DEAN URDAHL.
ON THE INDIAN AFFAIRS COUNCIL FOR 4 YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LEARNING
HERE TODAY AND FOR THOSE OF YOU
MAYBE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET ANSWERS
TO TODAY; I
URGE YOU; YOU GUYS CAN ALWAYS CONTACT THEM
YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT
OF READING THROUGH
A CONSULTATION WITH
MR. JOHNSON COULD I'VE SOME BOOKS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN. WELL; COME
ON NOW. THE RIGHTS OF
INDIAN LEADERS; BY STEPHEN OF OUR
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT INDIANS BUT WERE AFRAID
TO ASK BY ANTON TROYER
. THROUGH DAKOTA EYES BY
CLAYTON ANDERSON COULD OVER THE YEARS I COME
THE GREAT UPRISING OF 1862 BY DUANE
SCHULTZ AND THERE'S AN UPPER
CALLED UPRISING BY MY FAVORITE
AUTHOR
REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN
>> REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN: THANK YOU REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL AND THANK YOU MEMBERS
FOR SPENDING THIS REALLY TRULY HISTORIC
DAY HERE IN THE CAPITAL
OF MINNESOTA FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME;
I'M A
DESCENDENT OF THE LAKOTA SIOUX FROM STANDING ROCK.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN
OUT ON STANDING ROCK RESERVATION AND HIS MOTHER BROUGHT HIM HERE
IS A
YOUNG MAN. THE HISTORY THAT YOU HEARD TODAY
IS THE HISTORY OF MY FAMILY. WHEN
MY GRANDFATHER
WAS YOUNG BOY HIS 2 BROTHERS WERE TAKEN FROM THE FAMILY AND SENT TO
[INAUDIBLE] THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO
RETURN UNTIL HIS ONE BROTHER
FELL OFF THE TRAIN THAT THEY WERE RUNNING AWAY ON AND HOW DOES
LIKE CUT OFF AND THEY LET HIM GO HOME. THEN LET THE BOYS GO HOME. HE GREW
UP; THERE YOUNG MAN WHO LOST HIS LEG; WA
S AT CARLISLE WITH YOUNG WOMAN NAMED
JOSEPHINE GATES
KELLY. SHE WAS MY GREAT AUNT
SHE WAS THE FIRST STANDING
ROCK DESCENDENT OR MEMBER TO GRADUATE FROM
CARLISLE BOARDING SCHOOL
BUT SHE WAS ALSO THE FIRST AND
ONLY WOMAN CHAIR OF THE STANDING
ROCK TRIBE
AND SO I AM PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY
. THAT WOMAN TRAVELED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN
WASHINGTON DC OFTEN HITCHHIKING
AND BEGGING A PLACE TO STAY
IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF
HER PEOPLE. I'M
NOT GOING TO LIE WHEN I SAY THAT ONE OF
THE REASONS I RAN TO BECOME
REPRESENTATIVE OF MY COUNTY FOR
MY DISTRICT WAS ALSO TO BE
A REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA
AND OF ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
SO I AM VERY PROUD TO BE
HERE TODAY
. I'M GLAD YOU ARE ALL LISTENING. I HOPE IT OPEN UP YOUR HEART AND EARS AND YOUR THOUGHTS TO WHAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY
BECAUSE WE ARE A ONE MINNESOTA;
AND IT'S REALLY TIME WE LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GO BACK AND MAKE
IT ONE MORE ONCE
AGAIN. SO RIGHT NOW; WE ARE GOING TO DO IS ASK
EACH ONE OF OUR
LEADERS HERE TO ONCE AGAIN STAND UP
; INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND MAYBE IF YOU
WOULD SHARE
ONE OR 2 OF YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY
. MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK
YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO
IN COLLABORATION
WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS AND YOUR
OWN DISTRICT OR AS A STATE
OR JUST ONE OR 2 THOUGHTS OF HOW
YOU FELT THIS EVENT WENT HERE TODAY.
SO LET'S START RIGHT HERE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS
KEITH ANDERSON VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE SHAKOPEE
DAKOTA OH WHICH IS [INAUDIBLE] SUE
COMMITTEE FORMALLY ON THE HOOKS
. MY TAKE FOR TODAY
AND I APOLOGIZE I WAS NOT HERE EARLIER
THAT I GOT IN
ON A LOT OF THE BROADCAST AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS
TALKED ABOUT. I'
M NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THE SUBJECTS
THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY. I SEE A
RESPECTFUL ALLEGIANCE
OF RECOGNITION
. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES HAVE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE
WHO LIVE LESS THAN 5 MILES
FROM US AND A MEMBER GONE BY
OR HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE GOT THERE
; AND I THINK THIS
FORMAL RECOGNITION AND RESPECT
WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I HOPE FOR
. ACTUALLY; ANOTHER THING I HOPE FOR; TOO; IS THAT ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR CHILDREN
AND ANYTHING IN EDUCATION THAT
COULD GET OUR CHILDREN TO
A LEVEL TO COMPETE ON A
SCHOLASTIC LEVEL; WHICH WOULD
GREATLY UPLIFT A LOT OF THIS
GENERATIONAL TRAUMA WE ARE
ALL SLOWLY
PIECING TOGETHER AND GETTING OVER WITH. SO THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING
AND ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.
>>
>> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] AGAIN MY NAME IS KEVIN JENSVOLD.
[INAUDIBLE] FEDERAL INDIAN NAME OF THE SIOUX COMMUNITY. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MY
VICE CHAIRWOMAN MARISSA WRIGHT IN
MY COUNCILMAN [INAUDIBLE]
MY SECRETARY
WHO ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY. I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEM THIS MORNING. I APOLOGIZE TO THEM AS WELL AS TO
[INAUDIBLE] ON; DREW BROCKMAN;
WHO BROUGHT IN A TRIBAL FLAG;
SERVE TO TOURS OF
COMBAT IN IRAQ AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU AS
DECISION-MAKERS AND
[INAUDIBLE] TO OUR PEOPLE. LI
KE I SAID THIS MORNING; THE DIFFICULTY
THAT THIS DAY PRESENTED FOR ME IS
STILL THERE. MY MOTHER TOLD ME
ONE TIME DON'T EVER
LEAVE ANYTHING
ON SAID ZONE GOING TO OFFER ONE MORE OBSERVATION THAT
IS TROUBLESOME I DIDN'T NOTICE
BUT THERE'S A SEAL OF
MINNESOTA IN TH
E FLAG REPRESENTS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU NOTICE WHAT IT DEPICTS; BUT
DO MY PEOPLE IT COULD BE CONSTRUED AND TO MYSELF MAYBE
I'VE HAD TOO MUCH TIME TO THINK BUT
IT SHOWS THE EUROPEAN PLOWING
THE LAND AND THE GUN THAT HE HAS
NEAR HIM IS POINTED DIRECTLY AT
THE INDIAN WAS RIDING OFF INTO
THE SUNSET. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT
SITUATION THERE
AND ALL THAT SHOWS IS MISTRUST. IT SHOWS
A LINE THAT WAS CUT INTO THE LAND
THAT SAYS THIS IS
NOW MINE AND WHAT USED TO BE YOURS NO
LONGER EXISTS.
THE ONLY REASON I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE I TALK A LOT
AND YOU HONESTLY KNOW THAT BY
NOW HERE TO TALK A LOT SCHOOLS.
SO I WENT TO THE SCHOOL AND THEY WERE TALK ABOUT
BULLYING AND RACISM IN THIS
AND THAT AND HE ASKED ME ABOUT
OUR FLAG IF YOU LOOK AT MOST OF THE
NATIVE FLAGS
HERE THEY ARE SOME COMPONENTS OF THE SACRED
MEDICINE WHEEL
THAT MEDICINE WHEEL CONSISTS
OF THE 4 COLORS OF THE 4 RACES THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE ON MOTHER EARTH
. SO I TOLD THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE
I SAID LOOK AT THIS FLAG
. IT SHOWS THAT ALL OF US SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
THAT TOGETHER WE MAKE THE
CIRCLE COMPLETE. I SAID; THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE
OF THE FATHER REPRESENTS MY STATE AND YOU CAN SEE THE LINE AND THE DISTRUST
AND THE VIOLENT HISTORY THAT
ARE REPRESENTED
I JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T TROUBLE ME AS THIS ONE TRIBAL MEMBER THERE'S YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT
WONDER WHY IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY. THE YOUNG LADY
TO USE THIS YOUNG GENTLEMAN
FROM CANTRELL COME I BELIEVE
TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND
CANNOT DO TO CHANGE TODAY
OR YESTERDAY AND THIS
AND THAT NOTHING WE COULD DO
HISTORY JUST SITS THERE. IT IS WHAT
IT IS.
NO MATTER HOW WE CAME TO THIS DAY WE CAN ONLY LOOK FORWARD TO A FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN
AND IF THE DAYBREAK SOME GOOD FOR THAT I'M HONORED
THAT YOU ENTERTAINED ME TODAY.
USUALLY HOSPITALITY AND
MY PEOPLE >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE] IQ SO MUCH.
>> I
LEARNED TODAY I SHOULD SIT ON THAT END OF THE TABLE.
SO I CAN GATHER MY THOUGHTS.
>> [LAUGHING] I'M
CHAIRMAN CHARLIE BAKK FROM THE
SIOUX COMMUNITY. I THINK KEVIN SAID A
LOT OF WHAT I WANT TO
SAY ABOUT COMING FULL CIRCLE. OUR PEOPLE
HAVE SUFFERED
. I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO BECAUSE DECISIONS
BEING MADE WITHOUT CONSULTATION
. I THINK TODAY IS THE START OF
SOMETHING WHERE HOPEFULLY
WE WILL BE ASKED
MORE OF WHAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF ITS.
I THINK; TALK TO US. I WAS
TELLING SOMEBODY THE OTHER
DAY ABOUT OUR POLICE CHIEF CALLED ME
WHICH IS A WONDERFUL
THING BECAUSE THAT SHOWS
WE ARE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE COUNTY IN OUR
WAS IN OUR POLICE CHIEF. SORRY. IT'S
OUR SHERIFF. HE ASKED ME
WHAT I FELT; HOW I FELT ABOUT PIPELINE
UP NORTH
IN THE NORTHERN NATIVE AMERICANS AND MY ANSWER IS; ALWAYS BEEN THIS. WE
SUPPORT WHATEVER THE TRIBES
ARE SUPPORTING. WE WANT TO BE
WITH THEM. THEY'RE THE ONES LIVING THROUGH THE ISSUE
; NOT ME. I'M NOT LIVING UP TO THAT
PIPELINE ISSUE RIGHT WHERE I'M AT. B
UT I THANKED HIM FOR CALLING BECAUSE THAT'S A STEP OF SHOWING ME WE ARE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP
AND WE ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ALL
THE TIME TO HELP EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE
AND THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE.
SO; THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING
LETTING US BE HER TODAY.
>> HI. I'M SHIRLEY BUCK I'M IN
THE [INAUDIBLE] PRAIRIE ISLAND COUNCIL. I THINK
TODAY DOES A GOOD JUSTICE OF WHAT
WE ALL HAVE TO OFFER THIS IS JUST A
TIP OF THE ICEBERG AT ONE THING YOU ALL NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT EACH TRIBE IS DIFFERENT.
WE ARE ALL SEPARATE SOVEREIGN
NATIONS BUT
YOU ALL HAVE OUR OWN FORM OF
GOVERNMENT TO OUR OWN CONSTITUTION; OUR OWN
FINANCES;
POLICIES; EVERYTHING. A LOT OF THINGS THAT
MAY PERTAIN AND BE ONE WAY FOR ME IN OUR TRIBE
IS NOT THE SAME FOR THE OTHER
DAKOTA TRIBES OR EVEN THE OJIBWE TRIBE. SO JUST BECAUSE ONE TRIBE
SAYS ONE THING DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY WHEN I GO TO A SCHOOL THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAY.
OUR HISTORY IS ORAL HISTORY BUT IF I WERE TO START A SENTENCE APPEAR
BY THE TIME IT MADE BACK TO THE END OF
THE ROOM IT WILL CHANGE SLIGHTLY TO
A LOT. THERE'S A
LOT OF DIFFERENCES WITHIN TRIBES AND I THINK YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
I MEAN NO DISRESPECT BY ANYTHING I SAY HERE. SO PLEASE;
NO ONE INCLUDING YOU GUYS OF YOUR TAKE THAT THIS WAY BUT
YOU ALSO HAVE
TO REMEMBER THAT THE DAKOTA TRIBES IN THE STATE
AND WE ARE STANDING ON
DAKOTA PROPERTY THIS IS DAKOTA
LAND COULD MY ANCESTRAL HOMELAND.
SO I LOVE THAT YOU SAY
[INAUDIBLE] I LOVE THAT YOU SAY >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] BUT YOU ALSO HAVE
TO REMEMBER THIS IS DAKOTA
LAND THEREFORE; FOR ME IT
WOULD BE >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] FOR
WOMEN IT'S
>> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] TO SAY THANK YOU >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE].
IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO ONE YOU NEED TO DO ESPECIALLY THE ONE PLAN YOU ARE HERE ON. I THINK TO GET THE
REAL MEANING OF WHO WE ARE
AS PEOPLE
WOULD TAKE MUCH LONGER THAN JUST ONE DAY
GET A GOOD WAY TO DO IT WOULD BE TO HAVE A DAY OF DAKOTA AND A DAY OF
OJIBWE AND OF EACH
INDIVIDUAL TRIBE TALK TO YOU ON THEIR OW
N BECAUSE SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE OTHER TRIBES ENDS OF THE OTHER
RUSSIANS THE ANSWERS YOU HEARD FROM THE QUESTIONS IS DIFFERENT FOR US.
[INAUDIBLE] BLOOD QUANTUM IS DIFFERENT
FROM US.
WE DON'T HAVE BLOOD QUANTUM IN OUR TRIBE. WE ARE LINEAL DESCENDENTS A TRY. WE
HAVE [INAUDIBLE] WE
CAN ANSWER THAT OUR [INAUDIBLE] DOES
BOSTON TALK ABOUT
THE 23. 4.3 WAS 101 PROJECT. WHEN ONE PROJECT
DESTROYED 709 BURIAL MOUNDS
MY PEOPLE THAT SET OUT
IN THE RAIN AND IN THE SNOW IN ABOUT WHETHER
FOR 4 YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE
REPATRIATED. SO EACH TRIBE
HAS THEIR OWN STORIES TO TELL AND THEIR OWN ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL
AND I THINK TO HEAR FROM EACH OF
US INDIVIDUALLY
WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE HELPFUL FOR YOU
AND WE LEARN A LOT MORE. THIS IS A GOOD START BUT I HOPE THIS IS JUST THE START. >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> ROBERT LARSON
FROM THE LOWER SIOUX INDIAN COMMUNITY
IN MINNESOTA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY. WE HAVE GOT INTO
THE SPECTRUM. THAT WE'VE COVERED ALREADY BUT THIS WAS;
FOR ME;
I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY. SO I'M
MORE INTERESTED WHAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING AWAY
FROM TODAY THAN WHAT I AM. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS
FOR ME. TO TRY TO SHARE
; I DON'T IS A EDUCATE; BUT SHARE WHO WE ARE SO
YOU KNOW BETTER WHO YOU ARE DOING WITH
IT I CAN GLADLY SAY WE'VE GOT A
GREAT RELATIONSHIP W
ITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE TORKELSON. WE APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
I THINK FOR ME THE BIGGEST
THING IS WE ALL CAME TOGETHER TODAY
WE WERE TOGETHER THE BEST WE CAN
GET LIKE SHELLEY SAID;
THIS IS DAKOTA TERRITORY. WE
APPRECIATE THAT BUT EVERYONE
IS DIFFERENT AS MUCH AS WE ARE RELATED
AND SIMILARITIES THAT WE
ALL HAVE YOUR
INDIVIDUAL NATIONS. WE HAVE OUR OWN
; SOME THINGS ARE SHARED; SOME THINGS
ARE INDIVIDUALIZED. SO I HOPE
YOU TAKE THAT AWAY
[INAUDIBLE] RELATIVE TO THE APPRECIATE YOU ALL DRIVING DOWN ALSO AND >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE].
>> >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> AGAIN MY NAME IS SAM STRONG
SECRETARY OF THE RED LAKE
NATION AND
[INAUDIBLE] HOSTED US ON DAKOTA LAND
AND I HAVE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HISTORY LESSON CAN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
WHY IS REALLY DIFFERENT. I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK LESSON AS TO WHY I SEE IS
AS DIFFERENT.
SO RED LAKE IS A NORTHERN MINNESOTA. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GEOGRAPHY THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OCCURS
RIGHT NEAR THE RED LAKE
ACTUAL RED LAKE. ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF
BRADLEY. SO EVERYTHING 7
MILES SOUTH IS THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER BASIN
EVERYTHING NORTH IS FLOATING TO THE HUDSON BAY SO ESSENTIALLY
THE WAY WERE LOOK AT IS WE ARE AT THE TOP OF
THE MOUNTAIN. OR THE MIDDLE OF
THE CONTINENT. SO WHAT ENDED UP
HAPPENING WAS THROUGH ALL
THESE DIFFERENT ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED; THROUGH ALL THESE BROKEN TREATIES WE SAW
ALL THE NATIONS BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. WE SAW THE LAND BEING TAKEN
. I DID SOME RESEARCH WHEN I
WAS YOUNGER SO
ME HISTORICAL RESEARCH COULD I WENT TO SOME OF THE ARCHIVES AND SOME OF THE STORIES OF HOW LAND WAS TAKEN
IS INCREDIBLY PREPOSTEROUS.
TO SAY THE LEAST. THERE'S INSTANCES WHERE THEY ARE SELLING LAND
FOR TOKENS THAT CAN ONLY BE REDEEMED AT
LIQUOR STORES. THEY ARE TAKING DEAD
AND DOWN TIMBER AFTER THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GO IN AND HARVEST
THIS TIMBER AS LONG AS IT'S ON
THE GROUND. SO THEY WENT THROUGH
IN A DOWN
ALL THE TREES. THEY BURN THE FOREST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND WE SAW ALL THIS
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE
OJIBWE NATION IS THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE LARGEST
LAND-BASED NATIONS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY
AND SO WE
HAD CONNECTIONS. NOT ONLY WITH AMERICA BUT ALSO WITH
THE FRENCH; WITH
LAWYERS AND ALSO WHEN WE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND SO WHEN WE STARTED ENGAGING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE ALLOT
MENT ACT WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO STAY AWAY FROM ALLOTMENT
AND WE NOT ONLY THOUGHT THAT BUT WE HAD TO FIGHT FOR 13 YEARS SO
IN 1889
WITH THE AGREEMENTS. BUT WE HAD TO FIGHT UNTIL 1902 AND
A 1903 WE HAD LAWYERS
REPRESENTING US AND WE
WORKED WITHIN THE LAWS OF THE
UNITED STATES
. WE WORKED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE SYSTEM
AND EVENTUALLY WE
WERE GRANTED SOVEREIGN STATUS. THE STATUS OF BEING A CLOSE RESERVATION.
FOR US; THAT'S VERY UNIQUE.
WE ARE THE ONLY GROUP
THAT DIDN'T SEIZE CONTROL OF THEIR
ENTIRE TERRITORY CEDE CONTROL
THE ENTIRE
TERRITORY UNDER THAT WAS ONE OTHER TRIBE
THAT'S A CLOSE RESERVATION ONE IN OREGON AND THEY WERE GIVEN THAT
THROUGH CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS WITHOUT RED LAKE IS THE ONLY
CLOSE RESERVATION
THAT HOLDS THAT THE STENCH AND THE REASON BEING IS THAT WE WERE
GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED TO WHERE WE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING
TO ALL THESE OTHER TRIBES. WE SAW HOW
THEY WERE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND WE WORKED WITH THE LAWS OF THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT KIND OF GOES AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY HERE. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO; IS TO WORK
WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES; TO WORK
WITHIN THE LAWS OF MINNESOTA AND PART
OF THAT IS RECOGNIZING
THE TREATIES
. PART OF THAT IS RECOGNIZING THE
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
THAT IS OCCURRING IN RED LAKE. I WAS THINKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY
IT WAS A MEETING A COUPLE DAYS AGO WE SAW THIS YOUTH COALITION
AND WE'RE TALKING TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB BUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THE HOMES. WE WERE LARGE NUMBER
OF KIDS THAT ARE ONLY EATING
IN SCHOOLS AND AT THE BOYS AND
GIRLS CLUB. THIS IS AN AMERICA
THIS IS IN A THIRD
WORLD COUNTRY. THIS IS THE HEART
OF AMERICA. WE HAVE KIDS
THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
RUNNING WATER AND ELECTRICITY. WE
HAVE KIDS
THAT ARE FACED WITH DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS IN
THEIR HOMES
WE HAVE A HUGE CRISIS WHEN IT COMES TO FOSTER CARE
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC HAS
HIT HER RESERVATIONS HARD TO
HISTORICAL TRAUMA HAS CREATED
FOR A VOID IN OUR PEOPLE AND WE ARE TRYING TO FILL THEIR CULTURE AND IDENTITY BUT WE ALSO NEED
YOUR HELP. WE PASSED A
BONDING BILL THAT HELPED US EXPAND
OUR SCHOOL AND I SAY
>> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] BUT WITH US FOR NATIVE HELP FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER BUILDINGS TO HELP US
SERVE
THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE.
AND DURING SOME OF THE BRAKES I TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE AND THEY ARE GONNA COME UP TO RED LAKE AND TAKE ME UP ON MY OFFER
OF INVITING YOU GUYS TO RED LAKE
AND I WANT TO AGAIN EXTEND
THAT OFFER. THAT'S WHAT I THINK CAN REALLY CHANGE
THE MENTALITY
TO COME UP TO RED LAKE AND SEE THE GOOD THINGS BUT ALSO SEE
THE CRISIS THAT WE ARE DOING WITH WHEN YOU SEE
THOSE KIDS THAT ARE
STRUGGLING BUT DID NOT
KNOW RON TO ANY PERSON YOU SEE THE STRUGGLE
THEY ARE IN YOU WILL SEE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO WITH
THESE RESOURCES TOWARDS THESE KIDS. IF THE RIGHT THING
TO DO; NOT ONLY LEGALLY BECAUSE WE
ARE BOUND
BY THE TREATIES BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AS A HUMAN BEING.
BECAUSE THESE KIDS DESERVE BETTER
SO ANYTHING CAN BE
COMMITTED TO THE GROUP HERE IS THAT WE NEED
YOUR HELP
AND TOGETHER WE REALLY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
THAT WE CAN CHANGE
A GENERATION OF KIDS AND PROVIDE
A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THE FUTURES AND SO
WITH THAT I SAY >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] >> I'M ALLEN ROY WHITE EARTH
NATION SECRETARY OF TREASURY. WHAT I LEARNED TODAY IS THAT WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS
. WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY TO CONVINCE THE
TURNING POINT
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY
. IT CERTAINLY IS A TURNING POINT FOR THESE TRIBES AND TRIBAL LEADERS TO BE SITTING IN HIS CHAMBERS
SPEAKING TO THE GOOD REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INDULGE
BECAU
SE I FORGOT TO DO IT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I INTRODUCED MYSELF EARLIER; IS THAT WE DO
HAVE ANOTHER
REPRESENTATIVE HERE; REPRESENTATIVE OGDEN NASH. HE IS HERE
CHAIRMAN TIBBETS WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY BUT I DO WANT TO SEND OUT
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO
HIM. ALSO OUR COUNSEL GOODWIN AND
TIBBETS WERE ALSO ON THE TRIBAL
COUNCIL. ALSO
WHAT I'VE ALSO LEARNED IS THAT WE HAVE
WHITE EARTH HAS A LOT OF MEMBERS ALL OVER THE STATE. WE
ACTUALLY HAVE ONE THAT'S
ACTUALLY REPRESENTED HERE REPRESENTATIVE
DEHN IS A MEMBER WHITE
EARTH. HEAVY
PEGGY FLANAGAN IS A MEMBER OF WHITE EARTH
AND [INAUDIBLE] IS A
DESCENDENT OF WHITE EARTH THAT SHE'S ON THE
SUPREME COURT TO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT TRIBAL PEOPLE
ARE EVERYWHERE WE ARE
EVERYWHERE AND WE'VE LEARNED
OVER TIME CERTAINLY WHATEVER
BY SERVING
ON THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AND IN THE MILITARY
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
YOU START WITH A DISCUSSION.
WE START FROM A GOOD PLACE TO START
WITH OPENNESS AND YOU START
WITH DIPLOMACY AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE
YOU TODAY. IT'S
ABOUT CONSULTATION COORDINATION
AND COOPERATION AND I SEE THAT IN
THIS ROOM AND HOPE TO CARRY IT FORWARD. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> KATHY CHAVERS [INAUDIBLE] I
LIKE WHAT
ARE MY FELLOW TRIBAL LEADERS HAD TO SAY HERE
THIS AFTERNOON. ONE THING
THAT I LEARNED HERE TODAY IS THAT THIS
IS A HISTORIC EVENT AND I HOPE
IT'S THE FIRST OF MANY MEETINGS WE WILL HAVE TOGETHER
BUT MAYBE NOT AS HAS TROUBLE LEADERS BUT OTHER TRIBAL LEADERS
AND EDUCATORS THAT CAN COME TOGETHER
SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM. ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON THE ADVISORY BOARDS FOR THE GOVERNOR
YOUR WOMAN'S INITIATIVE
AND THE RESULTS FIRST ADVISORY TASK FORCE I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO YOU GUYS HERE TODAY
IS; PLEASE; INCLUDE TRIBES
IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU THINK ABOUT
OR DISCUSS.
YOU INCLUDE COUNTIES; YOU INCLUDE THE
STATE OFFICES
. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE TRIBES. WHEN I SAT
ON THE RESULTS FIRST ADVISORY COMMITTEE
IT WAS MIDWAY THROUGH THE STREAM OF THE COMMITTEE AND I
CAME IN ON THE CHILD
WELFARE PROGRAM AND MINNESOTA I
S THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT; NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN NOT OF
PLACEMENT AND THEN THE CHILD
WELFARE ACT
WAS ADOPTED IN 1978 AND WERE STILL
THE HIGHEST OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT FOR
CHILDREN. THAT'S MANY LAWS THE LAW HAS BEEN ENACTED BUT HAS NOT BEEN
ADHERED TO. WHEN I SAT ON
THE COMMITTEE FOR THE RESULTS FIRST
ON THESE NUMBERS THEY
WERE GIVING I ASKED HIM; I SAID
HAVE YOU ASKED ABOUT TRIBAL DATA
AND THEY SAID; NO.
THE TRIBES KEEP OUR OWN DATA BUT WE HAVE OUR OWN TRIBAL
COURT TO HAVE OUR OWN SOCIAL SYSTEM. WE HAVE OUR
OWN DATA THAT
[INAUDIBLE] WITH A WILD RICE TASK FORCE THAT WE KEEP OUR OWN DATA WE EVER OWN PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR NUMBERS
WHEN YOU GET SOME DATA. AMAZING
NATIVE AMERICAN MIGHT BE
OFF RESERVATION NATIVE AMERICAN. IT MAY NOT BE
ON RESERVATION NATIVE AMERICAN. SO PLEASE; WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THINK ABOUT TRIBES
THE SAME AS YOU WOULD THINK
ABOUT ANY
COUNTY OR ANY AGENCY BECAUSE WE ARE BEEN FORGOTTEN FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW TODAY I THINK IS THE START OF A
FIRST TIME THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY
LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THE TRIBES. THEY WERE
HERE TODAY WE GOT A LITTLE EDUCATION
ON THEM AND WE NEED TO INCLUDE THEM
. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REPORTING
SOME OF THE RESULTS FIRST COMMITTEE WANTED
EVIDENCE-BASED REPORTING.
TRIBES DON'T DO EVIDENCE-BASED REPORTING WE DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES. SOME OF US DO; SOME OF US DON'T. I'M FROM A SMALL TRIBE AND
OUR STAFFING WE WERE MANY MANY HATS BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A
STAFFING CAPACITY CAN WE
HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COUNTY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND THOSE TYPES OF
SERVICES; BUT WE DO
THINGS DIFFERENTLY
. AN EXAMPLE IS A NON-INDIAN SOCIAL WORKER
COMES INTO A NATIVE HOME AND SHE SEES
THAT SOMEWHAT MESSY
OR DIRTY SHE MAY REMOVE
THAT CHILD THAT'S HOW SOME OF US LIVE. WE
DON'T HAVE
THE PICKET WHITE FENCE AND THE CLEAN HOUSES LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE FAMILY MEMBERS LIVING
WITH US. WE'LL EXTENDED FAMILY.
WE OF COUSINS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES LIVING WITH US BUT WE ARE 5-7 VERY MEMBERS AT HOME.
WE DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY. SO PLEASE; UNDERSTAND THAT BUT
JUST REMEMBER; PLEASE INCLUDE
THE TRIBES. VERY ON TO BE HERE
BEFORE YOU AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
NONIE BENJAMIN TROUBLE CHAIR OF THE
MILLE LACS
[INAUDIBLE] I'M REFERRED TO AS A
CHIEF EXECUTIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS
; MY TAKE WAY OF LEADERS FROM
MCDONNELL WE TALKED ABOUT HIS 8-YEAR-OLD GOING TO SHAKOPEE
TO GAMBLE AND THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TRIBES IS THE GAMBLING
AND I LOOK AT OUR HISTORY
MY LOOK AT OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
AND I THINK
THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE REALLY ABOUT
OJIBWE OR THE
DAKOTA TRIBES IN OUR EVERYDAY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
WE MIGHT OF INDIAN MONTHS WE MIGHT LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT
. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS
THINKING ABOUT
INTERCONTINENTAL IS OWNED BY THE
MILLE LACS BAND AND OJIBWE SO
[INAUDIBLE] MINNESOTA AT A CONFERENCE THERE WERE THEY OPENED UP
FIND YOUR TRUE NORTH AND IF YOU LOOK AT
WHERE ARE THE TRIBES OF THE
WHOLE DISCUSSION?
WE HAVE A LOT TO OFFER. WE WERE
RICH HISTORY
. IF YOU GO THROUGH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
A LOT OF THE TOWNS AND CITIES ARE NAMED
BY DAKOTA OR OJIBWE
BUT YET OUR CHILDREN DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH
ABOUT THAT.
SO MY SOLUTION TO THAT IS THAT THERE'S A GROUP
OF US IT'S AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED; NATIVE AMERICAN TOURISM; AND
WE KNOW THE
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS LOVE AMERICAN INDIANS
AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO EXPERIENCE
WHAT GOES ON ON RESERVATIONS
. SO BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO HAVING
THEM DONE TOO MUCH ABOUT WE
TALKED TO
LIEUT. GOV. TINA SMITH ABOUT IT WHILE BACK IN
THAT SORT
BUT WHEN I LOOK BACK THAT'S ONE WAY WE COULD CHANGE THE PERSPECTIVE HERE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
WITHOUT TOURISM IN THE PROPOSAL WITH A
LEGACY FUND TO ASSIST US
WITH THAT. WISCONSIN IS A BEAUTIFUL
DOCUMENTS AND ALL THE TRIBES
ARE INVOLVED IN THEIR TOURISM.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE CAN
DO THAT AND GET
SOME EDUCATION FOR OUR CITIZENS AND VISITORS
AND I THINK OUR VISITORS WOULD BRING A LOT OF THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOP INTO THE RESERVATION TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
BUT THEN WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT
WE DO INVITE PEOPLE TO OUR RESERVATIONS. WE WANT THEM TO
BE SAFE. MILLE LACS BAND
OF OJIBWE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WITH MILLE LACS COUNTY. WE DID THAT IN 1991. A COUPLE YEARS AGO THEY DECIDED
WE ARE DONE WITH AFTER THEY ENDED IT
SO FOR 2 YEARS WE DO NOT HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH MILLE LACS COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT
WITH THAT TURNED OUT TO BE IS THAT
THEY DECIDED THAT ARE
FEDERALLY TRAINED HIGHLY T
RAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; AND 32 AT A TIME; THE PATROLLED
[INAUDIBLE] MILLE LACS COUNTY;
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO
ARREST THEM IF THEY TRIED TO BE LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
. SO WE ASKED THE STATE FOR HELP YOU WE ASKED THE ATTY. GEN. FOR HELP
. WE DO NOT
GET IT. WHAT HAPPENED IS SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
SHOWED UP
ON THE RESERVATION AND WITH THAT HE BROUGHT SUPPORT
OF THE BIA OFFICERS. SO FOR 2 YEARS WE HAD NO LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT WHICH
SENT THE MESSAGE OUT TO GAIN MEMBERS; DRUG DEALERS; THAT MILLE LACS
IS A POLICE FREE ZONE. SO WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT STARTED TO GET ADDICTED TO
THE OPIOIDS THAT WE HAD A LOT
OF CHILDREN GO INTO OUT OF
HOME PLACEMENT.
IT JUST RAISED HAVOC ON THE RESERVATION AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS THAT CAME ABOUT. JUST A COUPLE
MONTHS AGO
WE DID GET A NEW AGREEMENT WITH MILLE LACS COUNTY. SO HOPEFULLY; NOW WE HAVE MANY YEARS OF NEGATIVITY
ASSOCIATED WITH NO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CORRECT
; AND WE CAN HAVE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE CAN EVER HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE OTHER
TRIBES SOMETIMES
IT HAPPENS TO ONE TRIBE IT HAPPENS TO ANOTHER.
THE ONE THING I WANTED TO END WITH IT
IS THAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE TRIBE
WE BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE. NOT ONLY ARE
RICH HISTORY
AND ALL OF OUR GREAT THINGS WE HAVE ON THE RESERVATION WE ALSO HAVE
FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS
LIKE MILLE LACS COUNTY WAS A LITTLE CITY
OF GARRISON; WE WANTED TO DO A
WASTEWATER TREATMENT FUND AGAIN MILLE LACS COUNTY
THOUGHT US ON THAT AND IT WAS A COUPLE OF
YEARS OF JUST RUNNING
WATER THROUGH OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE WE
WERE IN THE COURTS AND LEGAL FIGHT OVER THAT.
BUT UNDER THAT ARRANGEMENT; WE BROUGHT IN
$21 MILLION OF FEDERAL MONEY TO
HELP US IN THAT
IMPROVING THE LAKE. SO THAT JUST
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE
; BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL; THE STATE LEVEL; AND THE
TRIBAL FUNDING; THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS. I THINK A LOT OF GOOD THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WITH TRIBES
IN THE STATE. I WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR HAVING
THE STATE. I THINK
IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ADDRESS YOU AND ALSO SIMPLY THE
PRESENTATION; WHICH
I CAN SIT AND LISTEN TO THAT ON
MANY OCCASIONS I
REALLY ENJOY TAD AND REBECCA AND
THE OTHERS AND IT'S GOOD EDUCATION
. I HOPE WE HAVE MUCH MORE
LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL
OF YOU. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> THANK YOU AGAIN. I'M A
RECENT SPRITE
THE VICE CHAIR OF THE
[INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL ON THE INTERIM CHAIR AND WE HAVE OUR
NEXT ELECTION. IT SHOULD NOT BE
HERE TODAY NORMAN SHOULD
BE HERE AND I KEEP LISTENING
TO EVERYBODY
AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND I THINK IT'S GREAT
THE WAY CAN TALK AND I'VE GOT A LOT
TO LEARN. I'M HE
RE THOUGH AND I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE AND I'M GLAD
I'M JUST NOT GOING TO SAY TOO MUCH
BECAUSE I MIGHT CRY. ANYHOW; THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> MY NAME IS
KAREN JACKSON SENIOR TRIBAL CHAIRMAN FOR
LEECH LAKE MY OJIBWE NAME IS
>> [NATIVE LANGUAGE] WHICH WAS MY DAD'S NAME AND THE MEANS
OF NORTHWIND. I'M FROM LEECH LAKE. I LIVE IN THE VILLAGE
OF [INAUDIBLE] WE USED TO CALL
WHERE WE STAYED
OUR VILLAGE WE NEVER REALLY CALLED IT A COMMUNITY AND [INAUDIBLE] MEANS
THE VILLAGE ACROSS THE WATER
OR DIRECTLY ACROSS
FROM WATER BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY
AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS
HISTORICAL MEETING.
YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. A LOT OF THINGS THAT
WE DISCUSSED AND
WE SHARE; WE SHARE IN COMMON. WE DON'T
REALLY THINK
AT LEAST I DON'T THINK IN A SQUARE BOX WITH A KIND OF LOOK AT OUR LIFE AS
A CIRCLE FROM A CIRCLE OF
OUR LIFESTYLES. WE NEVER
EXCLUDE ANYBODY IN
OUR CIRCLE AND WHEN YOU REFER TO PEOPLE
OF COLOR; I KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK
WE ALL HAVE A SPECIFIC
PIGMENTED SKIN COLOR. SO NOBODY 6 LOOTED
FROM PEOPLE
COLOR. JUST WANT MAKE A POINT THIS MORNING HERE.
YOU KNOW
; OTHERS USE TO TALK WITH US A LOT.
WE IS ONE OF A LOT OF ELDERS ON A
RESERVATION TO RESTORE THE HIGHEST
MORTALITY RATE OF
ANY RACE I BELIEVE IN THE WORLD. A LOT OF
THE ELDERS
WOULD COME TO US AND THEY WOULD TALK WITH US AND THEY WOULD SHARE THE LANGUAGE
WITH US. A LOT OF IT WE RETAINED COULD A LOT OF
THE LANGUAGE
[INAUDIBLE] LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER
THROUGH THE BOARDING SCHOOL
ARE THAT THERE'S A SPECIAL WORD THE
ELDERS USED TO SHARE IN THIS
WORD IS; >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE].
MY OTHER USED TO SAY THAT TO ME A LOT WHE
N WE WOULD GO OUT AND DO THINGS.
WHETHER WE GO OUT AND HUNTING
OR WE WOULD GO OUT AND GO RACING OR WE WOULD
GO OUT AND GO
PICK WILD BERRIES OR TAKE OUR FAMILIES AND WE GATHER AT A POWWOW
AND YOU WOULD SAY THAT >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
FINALLY ASKED HIM ONE DAY I SAID
ONE TIME I SAID WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? I
DON'T UNDERSTAND. HE SAID; FAIR
AND TRANSPARENT
MEANS IT'S A GOOD THING TODAY WHAT WE
ARE DOING.
I THINK THAT WOULD APPLY HERE AS WELL. AS WE EDUCATE
EACH OTHER
AND WE WERE TO HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP
IT'S NOT ABOUT POINTING A
FINGER OR PANICKING BLAME
ON ANYBODY. EVERYBODY HAS
MADE MISTAKES. EVERYBODY MIGHT
THAT IS JUDGMENT AND ONE TIME
I TEACH MY GRANDCHILDREN THE HISTORY THAT I KNOW. I'VE SOME
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN
I'M BLESSED WITH. MY WIFE IS THE BACKGROUND; LAUREL; MY
WIFE LAURA. HER MOTHER WAS FROM
TURTLE MOUNTAIN. HER FATHER WAS
A DECENT NORWEGIAN MAN
IN A VERY RESPECTED MUSICIAN FROM
NORTH DAKOTA. SO I GOT
NORWEGIAN IN MY FAMILY AND I'M PROUD OF IT. I
DON'T DISCRIMINATE. SO I THINK LIKE
I SAID
THE MORE WE EDUCATE AND TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS
AND WE TALK WITH HIM IN A GOOD WAY WE
TRY TO
SPIRIT AND I TRY TO LOOK AT THINGS IN A POSITIVE WAY
I NEVER INTENDED TO
DISRESPECT ANYBODY
BECAUSE MY DAD WASN'T THE WAY. MY FATHER WAS VERY
WELL RESPECTED.
HE HAD FRIENDS; NATIVE; NON-NATIVE AND MET NEIGHBORS AND YET SO MANY FRIENDS THAT
I WANTED TO BE LIKE THAT; TOO. I WORK DOWN
IN MINNEAPOLIS
FOR EXCEL ENERGY FOR 31 YEARS BEFORE I RETIRED
AND ONE NIGHT AFRICAN-AMERICANS; CAUCASIANS; ASIANS JAPANESE WE ALL GOT ALONG.
WE CALLED OURSELVES THE UNITED NATION BROTHERS
IS WHAT WE CALLED OURSELVES AT WORK.
IT WAS A GOOD FEELING. IT'S
GOOD FEELING WHEN YOU
RUN OFF POSITIVE ENERGY. I THINK WE CAN GET A LOT MORE DONE
TAKING A LOOK AT IT THAT WAY AS OUR YOUNG KIDS ARE WATCHING WILL BE DUE. IN CASS COUNTY MR.
LEVI BROWN [INAUDIBLE]
WE GOT TOGETHER WITH CASS COUNTY
WHETHER SOME RACIAL ISSUES THAT
WERE THERE
WERE WORKING THROUGH THEM AND WE HAVE AN
MOU ESTABLISHED AND WE
HAVE MEETINGS AND IT'S
VERY PRODUCTIVE AND THERE'S
GOOD FEELINGS I
N THE ROOM. WE SIT DOWN AND WE EAT TOGETHER.
WHEN YOU BREAK BREAD WITH PEOPLE
IT'S LIKE TO BECOME PART OF
THE FAMILY.
WE SHARE OUR WILD RICE BUT WE SHARE OUR WILDLIFE IT
TOWERS IT BELONGS TO EVERYBODY.
IT WAS THE DIET OF
OUR ANCESTORS. WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH HOW WE TREAT OUR
NATURAL RESOURCES. THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. YOU
KNOW THE ZEBRA MUSSELS
HERE AND NOW WITH CHRONIC WASTING LISA WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. W
E ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT. THAT'S
OUR DIET. THAT'S WHY WE ARE
HERE TODAY. MY CAR DAKOTA
LAKOTA BROTHERS WITH THE BUFFALO
THE SIGNIFICANCE WHAT THE BUFFALO MEANS TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT WE
TALK ABOUT WE HAVE CEREMONIES
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WERE ONLY HERE FOR A SHORT TIME.
SO LET'S KEEP IT POSITIVE AND KEEP IT REAL.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IN THIS
MEETING TODAY. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO SAY. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
I THINK MY BIGGEST THING IS
TO SHARE A LITTLE STORY.
THE FIRST TIME I EVER WENT TO WASHINGTON DC; ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES IS TO SIT IN FRONT OF THE SENATE
INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. WE GOT THERE AND SUPPOSED TO SEND IN A JET A WEEK OUT AND WE SET THE AGENDA OUT.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TELL HIM WHERE WERE ARE LOCATED OUT; RESOURCES AND POPULATION. SO WE GET TO
THE COMMITTEE AND WE GOT THERE AND THERE'S A LITTLE CLOCK
; LITTLE GREEN LIGHT AND RED LIGHT.
THEY SAID YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO TALK
AND [INAUDIBLE] THE CIRCLE
LIGHT PROGRAM WAS OUT THERE DOING
WITH OUR WILD RICE AND ESTUARIES AND [INAUDIBLE]
WE HAVE ON FARMLAND. SO WE
SAT THERE AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED THE CHAIRMAN AT THE TIME SAID
THIS IS THE PROTOCOL THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND GO FORWARD. SO
THE CHAIRMAN
THAT I WAS WITH PETE BF AND I WAS THE
SECRETARY TREASURER. THE GYM AND PUT
HIS HAND ON THE AGENDA AND I ASKED
IS IN VERY
KNOW WHERE FOND DU LAC IS LOCATED; AND EVERY ONE
OF THEM PUT OUT
THEIR AGENDA BECAUSE THEY NEVER LOOKED
AT IT. THEY LOOKED AT ONE TIME.
EXCEPT SEN. -- AND SEN. --
CAMPBELL SO
THE POINT WAS TALKED ABOUT HERE EARLIER;
RESONATES PERSONALLY.
WE ARE ON OUR OLYMPIA WE ARE ON LAKOTA
ATLANTA NAKED
THIS CONTINENT BELONG TO US AT ONE TIME
WE INHABITED IT AT ONE TIME
BUT OURSELVES. SO WE HAVE TO GO TO DC AND ASK FOR FUNDING; WHICH
WE PRETTY MUCH ARE THE ONLY GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE
UNITED STATES. SO WE HAVE TO
LEARN PROTOCOL WE HAVE TO
LEARN RESPECT. WE HAVE TO LEARN
THEIR WAYS THAT ARE SET IN WASHINGTON DC; BUT AT THE TIME
NOBODY HAD TO LEARN OUR WAYS. NOBODY HAD
TO KNOW WHERE WE LIVED
; WHAT PART OF MINNESOTA WE CAME FROM
; OUR POPULATION OR OUR
CONCERNS COULD
I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY HERE. SO EVERY TIME WE GO TO DC OR STATE LEGISLATION
IT'S A POINT OF REEDUCATING ALL THE TIME.
REEDUCATING [INAUDIBLE] I'M NEW. I'M NEW
AT IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I AM NEW.
THE PERSON I TELL A
STORY [INAUDIBLE] PUTS IT IN A HEARING
AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON US WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. SO WE LOOK
AT THINGS
CONCERN. BY THE WAY THAT ROMAN THING; IT STARTED
IN EUROPE
IT WAS APPLIED TO THE FIRST COLONY BETWEEN
17-1710. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH US.
IT STARTED IN EUROPE.
THAT'S INFORMATION CAME ALL THE
WAY ACROSS A LARGE BODY OF WATER
TO HEAR. SO IT'S A CONCERN WE HAVE.
I SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I'M
GLAD TODAY IS WHERE IT IS TODAY.
I CAN LOOK OUT HERE I CAN SEE SOME OF YOU THAT ARE KNOWN FOR
MANY YEARS LIKE THAT LITTLE
ELDERLY LADY OVER IN THE BACK
WHO KNOWS
ABOUT FARMLAND AND THOSE WERE THE GOOD THINGS THAT
FOND DU LAC HAS DONE GET THE WAY WERE ABLE TO PUT
OUR [INAUDIBLE] IN PLACE EVERYBODY SAID WE CANNOT DO IT.
WE LOOKED OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAD IN
THE PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] INITIATIVE
LOOKED OUTSIDE THE BOX AND DID SOMETHING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST
COMMITTEE COLLEGES IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW. SO
WE HAVE ONE OF US LAW
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS AND ONE OF THE BEST
NURSING PROGRAMS AND WE ARE TRYING TO EXPAND IT EVEN MORE;
BUT THESE ARE THINGS WE DO. WE DO VERY WELL.
I'VE GOT TO ASK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM;
DOES EVERYBODY
KNOW WHO ADOLF HITLER WAS? IS YOUR HAND IF YOU DON'T.
DOES EVERYBODY KNOW WHO DR.
MANGEL WAS? OKAY.
THE STUFF THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER
IS A THING THAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA CALLED THE
[INAUDIBLE] AND PROBABLY MOST OF YOU IN THE ROOM DON'T KNOW WHAT
BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF YOUR HISTORY COULD IT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY. WHAT THEY DID
WAS MEASURE OUR FEET IN OUR CRANIUMS
JUST LIKE THE GERMANS DID WITH
THE JEWS
JEWISH PEOPLE AND THEY TOOK A PIECE OF METAL
KIND OF LIKE A PAPERCLIP IN
YOUR SKIN THAT WAS CLOSEST TO THE BONE ON
YOUR STERNUM MAY SCRATCH IT
THE MORE BLOOD YOU BLED
MORE INDIAN BLOOD YOU HAD IN YOU THE LESS
YOU BLED
LESS INDIAN BLOOD YOU HAD IN YOU.
SO FOR STUFF THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT TODAY BUT THE
HOW THE LAND WAS TAKEN AWAY;
AND THE MANY WAYS THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT; IF
A NON-NATIVE INDIAN MAN WAS MARRIED TO A NATIVE WOMAN
HE HAD ALL TIES TO THE LAND
. HE HAD ALL TIES TO THE LAND. IF A
NATIVE MAN WAS MARRIED TO A
NON-NATIVE WOMAN SHE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY TIES TO THE LAND.
THE 11 PROCESS OF 1887 AND THE
NELSON ACT OF 1889
; WHEN THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND IT WAS
BLOOD QUANTUM. PER SE.
SOPHIE 180 ACRES OF LAND YOU SAY YOU ARE
THREE QUARTERS
BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE CONFIDENT TO OWN LAND
THAT YOU HAD TO BE COMPETENT TO
B
TO OWN LAND. SURE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE CONCEPT OF
OWNING LAND BUT
THEY KNEW THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM IS BEING
TAKEN AWAY. SO FOR SOME IT WAS A
SURVIVAL MECHANISM
THAT I NEED LANDED I CAN PROVIDE FOR
MY FAMILY. SO THEY PUT THEIR
X ON THERE AND THE NAME
AND A PERSON WHO IS A FULL-BLOODED
[INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE HE O
R SHE GOT TO 40 ACRE LOTS. SO WE DO
NOT START
WITH THESE OTHER PRINCIPLES THAT ARE THERE.
MOST RESERVATIONS ON EACH ONE OF THE
TREATIES DISALLOWED SPIRITS
OR ALCOHOL; CORRECT.
YES; THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. SO THEY WOULD
INDIAN PEOPLE TRANSFER
THE LIQUOR WITH THE MONEY ON TO
THE RESERVATIONS AND IF THEY
GOT CAUGHT WITH A END UP DOING
SIGNING AWAY THEIR LAND
. WE LOOK AT ALCOHOL TODAY IS NO
BIG DEAL
. IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY
WRITTEN IN THE TREATIES; SPECIFICALLY
. SO WE SIT AND LOOK THINGS WHICH ARE THE THINGS THAT WERE TAUGHT
IN SCHOOL IS VERY VERY LIMITING
BUT
IF YOU GO TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM IN CHICAGO
OR THE MORMON CHURCH; BELIEVE IT OR NOT; OR
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS; THAT'S HOW
I LEARNED I CAME HOME FOR THE
MARINE CORPS IN 1992
OR 1990 - EXCUSE ME - HAS BEEN 8
YEARS THERE
GOT INTRODUCED THE 1854 TREATY AND THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE MINNESOTA CHIPPEWA TRIBE AND I GOT HOOKED
AND WE WOULD TAKE UP MONEY TO GET THERE;
SO THERE AND BY FEDERAL LAW BOOKS
EVERY YEAR EVERY NEW VOLUME SIT
AT SOMEBODY'S HOUSE UNTIL 3 AM;
4 AM
READING FEDERAL UP YOU HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANT
WHERE IT WAS GOING BUT APPARENTLY THERE WAS A REASON FOR IT. SO I COULD DO THAT EVERYBODY ELSE CAN
DO THAT.
BUT IT'S TIME WE REALLY LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF
ONE ANOTHER
AND WHEN I SAY IN THAT MANNER I MEAN IT THAT
LAWS; LEGISLATION; THAT
AFFECT US AND WE ARE NOT PART OF IT
; FUNDING PRINCIPLES THAT COME IN AND WERE NOT IN THE STREAM OF THE FUNDING
; IT'S NOT DIRECT FUNDING GOES TO THE STATE
AND THIS DETERMINES HOW MUCH WE GET. WHICH ISN'T FAIR. WE ARE
UNIQUE PEOPLE. WE HAVE
OUR LAND; OUR CULTURE; OUR LANGUAGE
OUR IDENTITY
. SO WITH THIS FOR ME TODAY WHAT I GOT FROM IT IS
THE START
A START OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULD'VE HAPPENED A VERY VERY LONG TIME AGO
AND AS LONG AS PEOPLE CAN SIT AT THE TABLE
AND LOOK
EACH OTHER IN THE EYE WE CAN MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE
. WE CAN OVERCOME THE THINGS THAT
HURT US BEFORE. REMEMBER; OUR PAST IS OUR PAST.
WE REMEMBER TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN TODAY SO WE CAN SEE
A SECURE FUTURE OF OUR PEOPLE. THAT'S NOT JUST US NATIVE PEOPLE. THAT'S EVERYBODY. THAT'S EVERYBODY. SO WE START HERE
. I BELIEVE IT'S THE START OF
EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY
MOVES FORWARD AND WILLING TO LEARN
AND HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE IS. >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> WE HAVE A
>> REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL: WE HAD ABOUT 6 MINUTES LEFT SO WE COULD TRY A LIGHTNING ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
SO YOU HAVE LIKE 15; 30 SECONDS TO ANSWER AND IF YOU
HAVE ONE ATTAINABLE
ACHIEVABLE GOAL FOR YOUR TRIBE WHAT WOULD
IT BE?
>>
REPRESENTATIVE WHY DON'T YOU START ON THERE.
>> HE TOLD ME TO START
DOWN THERE.
>> >> [LAUGHING]
>> REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL: IF YOU HAD ONE ACHIEVABLE
ATTAINABLE GOAL THAT YOU COULD DO IN THE FUTURE FOR YOUR TRIBE
WHAT WOULD IT BE?
>> TOTAL RECOGNITION OF WHO THEY ARE AS A PEOPLE.
WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTION; WITHIN
OUR CONSTITUTION AS RECOGNITION WHO
THEY ARE AS
THE [INAUDIBLE] PEOPLE AND TO
RECOGNIZE THAT AND TO ENSURE THAT
THE FUTURE OF OUR PEOPLE
IS BOUND TO WHO THEY ARE IN THE WAY
OF LIFE AND NOT A PRINCIPLE OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT.
COMPLETE RECOGNITION OF SOVEREIGNTY..
>> WE TALKED ABOUT UNDERSTANDING
ONE ANOTHER BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO OUR
RESERVATIONS UNDERSTAND JUST WHAT A SOLID
TRIBE IS ALL ABOUT. HOW IT WAS ESTABLISHED
WE CANHAVE THESE SOVEREIGN
ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND WHAT A SOVEREIGN
TRIBE SIGNIFIES. SO GETTING
BACK TO RECOGNIZING PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE; WHAT
THEY REPRESENT AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND NOT ASKING TO BE TREATED
ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN
ANYBODY ELSE BUT JUST TO
BE RECOGNIZED AS A COMMUNITY PERSON
THAT LIVES IN THESE COMMUNITIES AS
OUR CHILDREN
GO TO THE SCHOOLS ON THE RESERVATION
AND DON'T HAVE TO
FACE RIDICULE FROM CERTAIN KIDS THAT MIGHT
NOT UNDERSTAND BECAUSE; LIKE I SAID;
WHEN PEOPLE ACT OUT IN ANGER;
IT'S A LOT
OF TIMES THE DECISIONS DON'T COME OUT WAY
THE ACTIONS THE WAY WE LIKE TO
SEE IT. SO JUST KIND
OF A MORE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION IN
OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> I HAVE A LOT
OF THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO FOR
OUR PEOPLE IN GRAND PORTAGE. LOTS
OF THINGS. ANYWAY ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ON
A RESERVATION'S
FOSTER CARE. SO WHEN
SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THE PARENTS OF A CHILD HAS TO BE
TAKEN AWAY
OUT OF THE COMMUNITY. THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
THERE'S JUST SO MANY OTHER
THINGS; TOO;
BUT I CAN'T THINK OF THEM RIGHT NOW; BUT THAT WILL INSTRUCT THE WHEN I
HEARD ABOUT SOMEONE WAS
TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN GETTING TAKEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES. I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN THESE KIDS
ARE TAKEN RIGHT OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND PUT INTO A SCHOOL
AND CHANGE THEIR
WHOLE BEING; THEIR CLOTHES; THEIR TALK HER
SPEECH; EVERYTHING. SO HOW HORRIBLE
FOR THEM.
I GUESS WE ARE PRETTY LUCKY
HER BUT THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD LIKE. THANK YOU.
>> I MENTIONED THIS DURING
MY INTRODUCTION
THIS MORNING.. MY MISSION AND
MY GOAL IS [INAUDIBLE] WHICH IS THE GOOD LIFE FOR MY MEMBERS
AND THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING IN
LIFE. SAFETY OUR LANGUAGE OUR TRADITIONS ARE EDUCATION;
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT;
CLEAN WATER MAKING SURE OUR CHILDREN HAVE A FUTURE. MAKING SURE THAT WILL BE DO TODAY HAS A GOOD
LASTING IMPACT FO
R THE NEXT 7 GENERATIONS AND EVERYTHING I DO I KEEP THAT IN MIND
AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WORK HARD FOR THE
MORE EXPANDABLE
OJIBWE [INAUDIBLE]
>> I WOULD LIKE THE PEOP
LE OF [INAUDIBLE] OF THE TRIBE TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING TO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND ALSO HAVE OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS TRAINED IN
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SO THEY ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON
GOVERNMENT JOBS THROUGH
THE RESERVATION. THEY CAN LIVE AND PROSPER OFF
THE RESERVATION AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD I WOULD LIKE.
>> >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE] >> I
LIKE TO DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR. CERTAINLY;
REALLY SHORT AND SWEET.
I THINK PERHAPS NEXT YEAR WE
GET MAYBE 15 MINUTES FOR EACH TRIBAL LEADER TO COME UP AND PRESENT
TO THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ON THE PROBLEMATIC PERSON
ABOVE ALL.
BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AS I SAID BEFORE;
I DO HAVE A SPECIFIC ASK. IT'S A
TAX ISSUE
. IN 2016 THE TAX BILL HAD
A PROVISION GIVING ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF THE FOLLOWING:
$1 MILLION TO WHITE EARTH TO
REIMBURSE THE [INAUDIBLE] HUMAN
SERVICES TRANSFER. I
BELIEVE WERE ONE OF
THE ONLY TRIBES AND IS A DOES
HUMAN SERVICE. $1 MILLION FROM WINONA COUNTY HOSPITAL IN ONE $9 TO THE WINONA COUNTY
[INAUDIBLE] A PASS IN THE 2016 TEXTBOOK WITH THE GOVERNOR DID NOT SIGN THE BILL AT THE TIME AND
WE PLEASE REQUEST THIS PROVISION BE PLACED IN THE 2019 TAX BILL.
LIKE I SAID; WILL WORK CLOSELY
TOGETHER WITH [INAUDIBLE] IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION HOPE TO SEE THAT IN THE
TAX BILL. >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>>
AS I SPOKE TO EARLIER ALVEOLI TO SEE A BONDING BILL
FOR OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES BUILDING AS WELL AS A
RESOLUTION STATING THAT THE
STATE RECOGNIZES THE
TREATY RIGHTS OF THE
11 TRIBES OF THE FAILURES OF THE PAST TO ONE OF
THOSE TREATIES AND
A COMMITMENT IN
THE FUTURE TO HONORING THOSE TREATIES AND WORKING WITH
TRIBAL NATIONS
ON MAKING THE ROUNDS OF THE PAST RIGHT.
>> ONE THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
JUST THAT WE COULD
WORK TOGETHER LET'S PUT
OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND LET'S WORK TOGETHER FOR EACH OTHER.
LIKE I SAID AT
THE BEGINNING TH
AT WE'VE ADOPTED WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER WE ALL LIVE WELL AND I THINK THEY'LL BE SOMETHING
I WISH YOU; ALSO. I KNOW THERE ARE DIVISIONS AND WHATEVER BUT
I LOOKED AROUND AND SEE
EMPTY SEATS. AGAIN; TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE'S HERE AND STAY
THROUGH THROUGH THE WHOLE DAY.
WAS EMPTY SEATS ALSO MAKE LAWS THAT AFFECT US BUT MAYBE THE NATIVES IN THOSE AREAS BUT IF THIS WAS
AN IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE HER I HOPE YOU TELL THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
HERE TO LISTEN TO US. THANK YOU.
>>; DAKOTA WOMAN SO
I'M HARDHEADED.
I'VE A COUPLE OF ASS. I ASK RESPECT RECOGNIZE
OUR SOVEREIGNTY AS SOVEREIGN
INDIVIDUAL NATIONS AND YOU SEE
OUR TRIBAL POLICE OFFICERS
AS EQUAL TO
EVERY OTHER POLICE AGENCY IN THE STATE INCLUDING
THE AIRPORT AND
TRANSIT POLICE. OUR
OFFICERS GO THROUGH THE EXACT SAME POSTERBOARD EDUCATION AND EVERYTHING.
THEY CAN WORK ANY AGENCY IN
THE STATE AND DO THE SAME THING THEY CAN ON OUR LAND IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT
COUNTY AGREEMENT. THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE
WANT TOG
IVE THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COUNTY. WE WILL CONTINUE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
AND THOSE
MOU'S WITH OUR AREA BUT THAT SHOULD
NOT BE A REQUIREMENT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE OUR SOVEREIGNTY AND BE ABLE TO USE OUR SOVEREIGNTY.
THE 2ND QUICK ASK WOULD BE THAT
YOU HELP PASS OUR NET ZERO PROJECT WHICH WOULD
MAKE US ONE OF THE FIRST REVELATIONS TO BE
NET ZERO EQUALLY NOT ALL
THE EMISSIONS THAT WE PRODUCE IN THE LAND CURRENTLY. >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> THE ONE THING I WOULD
ASK AGAIN IS FOR OUR KIDS TO
BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR LANGUAGE AND PROBABLY THE BIGGER PART
IN WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS GOING
TO SCHOOL THE KIDS HAVE TO TAKE A
LANGUAGE CLASS. IT SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO BE A
DAKOTA LANGUAGE AND NOT SPANISH OR WHATEVER.
THAT ALSO; THE BIGGER PIECE I
GUESS IS FOR THEM TO NOT
HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR EXISTENCE
OR EXPLAIN WHO WE ARE; WHY WE
ARE HERE. BECAUSE WE SPENT A LOT
OF ENERGY
WITH OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES
AND COUNTIES WITH THE STATE AND EVEN FEDERAL
EXPLAINING TO THEM OR
EDUCATING THEM. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. THAT'S WHAT I
WOULD ASK.
>> I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE
A WATCH BECAUSE I KNOW 30 SECONDS
IS UP. YOU PUT ME ON THE SPOT
REPRESENTATIVE URDAHL AS FAR AS
PRIORITIES BUT
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK LIKE I SAID THIS
MORNING ABOUT
THIS KNOWLEDGE THAT ISN'T
OUT THERE IS THINGS THAT ARE FACTS. OF MAYBE THIS
WOULD THAT WOULD COMPOSE BODY OF GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT THE CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE
IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES. I
KNOW COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IT WAS
REVISED FROM A PAGE ENOUGH
TO MAYBE 7 PAGES OR SO
AND THAT WAS A STEP IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION BUT TO ENCOMPASS THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE AND
OUR NATION TO LIVE IN
THIS LAND IT DOESN'T
DO JUSTICE SO MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING YOU COULD
ALL DO IN THAT WAY WHEN
THE GOVERNOR LEADS A DELEGATION TO WALK ABOUT THE DAKOTA PEOPLE
TO MINNESOTA HE WILL
REALIZE THAT HE PASSED BY 3 NATIONS ON HIS
WAY OVER SO I COULD TAKE
A PICTURE AT THE
BORDER AND WAS A GOOD GESTURE AND DON'T GET ME
WRONG; BUT THEY FAILED
TO KNOWLEDGE. THAT THERE ARE SOME DAKOTA BANDS THAT DESPITE THE BOUNTIES AND
THE PERSECUTION WE NEVER LEFT HER HOMELAND IN
THE [INAUDIBLE] RIVER VALLEY AND
WE LIVED HERE 10;000 YEARS AND WE WILL LIVE YOUR 10;000 MORE. SO
WE ASK THAT OUR TO OUR COMMUNITY AND LANDED ON OUR
NEIGHBORS. AGAIN; YOU CHANGE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT'S OUT THERE
AND MAKE FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR
OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WONDER
WHY. THEY WILL KNOW AND BE ABLE TO
OVERCOME THOSE MISTAKES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST. THAT MIGHT BE THE ONE THING
I COULD SEE THAT I'VE BEEN HERE
14 YEARS THINGS MOVE SLOWLY
IN GOVERNMENT.. I KNOW
THAT BUT IF IT'S ACHIEVABLE IT WOULD HAVE TO START IN THIS ROOM
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN TO BRING FORTH THE KNOWLEDGE WE
BROUGHT TODAY THAT YOU CAN MOVE THAT FORWARD TO
OTHER RACES. >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> >> [NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>> I SAY THANK YOU
. IT IS A GOOD DAY AND WE ARE HAPPY
WE ARE ALL HERE. I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO ADD THE WORD; RESPECT AND I THINK THAT
SUMS UP A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE
TO KEEP AT THE VERY MINIMUM WHAT WE
HAVE TODAY AND THAT TO MAYBE
MAKE THAT GROW IN SEARCH FOR
NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS BEGINNING. >>
[NATIVE LANGUAGE]
>>
REPRESENTATIVE KUNESH-PODEIN: WELL WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE IN YOUR WISE WORDS
AND YOUR
GOOD STORIES. YOU KNOW; 2 YEARS AGO I CAME TO
THE LEGISLATURE AND JOINED 3 OTHER
NATIVE AMERICAN
WOMEN TO CREATE THE FIRST EVER NATIVE
AMERICAN CAUCUS
SUSAN ALLEN WHO IS NOW RETIRED
TO MY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR; PEGGY
FLANAGAN; REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN WHO
NEVER FORGETS TO
REMIND EVERYBODY AND ASKS
THAT SO IMPORTANT QUESTION; HAVE YOU CONFERRED WITH THE TRIBES
AND SHE NEVER FORGETS TO ASK
THAT QUESTION
AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT QUESTION IN YOUR MINDS
. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU
TO LOOK THROUGH THE LEGISLATION; LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION
TO INDIGENOUS THROUGH
INDIGENOUS LENSES WHEN WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENT; ABOUT EDUCATION;
ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE
.. BECAUSE LIKE OUR CULTURE SAYS; WE ARE NOT JUST
LOOKING AT THE NOW OR THE NEXT
GENERATION COULD WE ARE LOOKING AT 7 GENERATIONS
FROM NOW
IT IS OUR LAND GOING TO BE CLEAN AND FREE THE
POLLUTING OIL
? IS OUR WATER CAN BE CLEAN ENOUGH TO DRINK?
ARE OUR LAND AND AIR GOING TO BE THERE
FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN? IF I HAVE
ONE ASK
AND IT'S ONE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE
SIGNED ON TO HOUSE
FILE 70 TO CREATE A TASK FORCE FOR THE MISSING
AND MURDERED
INDIGENOUS WOMEN.. THAT HAS BEEN HISTORIC SINCE
THE MINUTES AWAY PERSON STEPPED ON THIS CONTINENT.
IT CONTINUES TO THAT SEX TRAFFICKING; THE
HORRORS AROUND THE MAN-CAMS THAT COME WITH PIPELINES
AND PROGRAMS LIKE THAT. I JUST ASK
THAT YOU REMEMBER TO
THINK ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND HOW IT AFFECTS NOT JUST OUR
OWN CONSTITUENTS IN OUR
OWN COMMUNITIES
AND ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO
MANY GENERATIONS. THANK YOU.
>> HOUSE
SPEAKER HORTMAN: LET'S THINK OUR TRIBAL LEADERS.
>> [APPLAUSE]
>>
>> >> [MUSIC] >> [CHANTING]
>> >> [MUSIC] >> [CHANTING]
>>
>> HOUSE SPEAKER HORTMAN: THANK YOU; MEMBERS AND
THANK YOU GUESTS. WE
WILL HAVE THE RECEPTION DOWN IN THE
CAPITAL HALL WHICH IS ON THE TUNNEL LEVEL OF THE CHAPEL
FOLLOWING WHEN WE GAVEL OUT THE SESSION.
IT SHOULD TAKE US JUST ABOUT
10 MINUTES TO FINISH OF OUR BUSINESS FOR
THE DAY AND I GUESS CAN
FEEL FREE TO REMAIN IN THE CHAMBER OR MEET
US DOWN IN THE VAULT.
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