INSIDE PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4988 Page 2 Page 9 Page 5 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Bois Forte NETT LAKE, MINNESOTA - October 2014 VOL. 37 NO. 9 www.boisforte.com Community input aids ricing season On Thursday, September 18, Bois Forte officially then rub the stalks loosely to see how opened its 2014 fall wild rice harvest. That date much rice came off. Their findings was selected with help from the community. were reported to the Conservation Committee. Cold weather, a late spring, and high water had combined to slow the rice’s maturation. By September 11, only one-third So prior to the season’s opening, DNR staffers of the lake’s rice was ripe. The Bill Isham and Mike Connor had been regularly Conservation Committee hosted a assessing the rice’s progress. They would travel community meeting and potluck to various places dinner to provide updates on the rice on Nett Lake, and ask for community members’ select 10 stalks input. Together, the community from each area, decided to postpone the harvest. Conservation Committee Chair Eddie Chavers checks one of the rice samples collected on September 11. The rice on the lake was only one-third ripe and the harvest was postponed for another week. One week later, Connor and Isham took Conservation Committee members and some Elders out on the water to see the crop for themselves. Based on what they saw, the harvest opening date was set for September 18. DNR Water Quality Technician Mike Connors provides an update report on rice conditions to the Conservation Committee and Community members who attended the public meeting in Nett Lake on September 11. be made after the quarterly meeting with Elders on September 23. The first four days were paddles only. On day five ricers were allowed to use poles. As this Duck hunting opens October 4, but hunters must issue went to press, it was undecided if the RTC be off the lake by 10 a.m. so ricers can get back would be buying green rice. A decision would on the water. (cont. on page 4) Bois Forte hosts Summit on crisis facing Indian children Minnesota’s Indian children are four times more likely to live in poverty than the state’s white children. Twice as many Indian babies die before their first birthday, and fewer than half of pregnant Indian women receive adequate prenatal care compared to their white counterparts. Appalling statistics like this are the reason why tribal leaders held a Summit on the Crisis of Indian Children in Minnesota on September 25, 2014 at Fortune Bay Resort Casino. Tribal, county and state officials met to collaborate on ways they can work collectively to improve the lives of Indian children. “Indians are vastly over-represented in the number of Minnesota children who are removed from their homes, or born addicted to drugs, just to name two examples,” said Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Chairman Kevin Leecy. “Taken as a whole, the situation of Indian children has reached crisis proportions, and that means the future of all Indian Country is in peril.” The summit occured after this issue went to press. Look for full coverage next month. BOIS FORTE NEWS • 5344 Lakeshore Drive, Nett Lake, MN 55772 • Visit us! www.boisforte.com • OCTOBER 2014 Page 2 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 State & National News Ira Jourdain is one of six candidates seeking election to the two At-Large seats on the Minneapolis School Board. Jourdain won in a tough primary in August and is asking for support in the November 4 election. No matter who you support, Band members living in Minneapolis are encouraged to vote in the November 4 election. Red Lake Elders translate children’s books Photos and edited story by Michael Meuers A mixture of Elders/ first speakers, teachers, and staff for Red Lake’s Ojibwemowin Advisory Committee met in August to work on translating children’s books from English to Ojibwemowin. One group worked on a book about how different seeds grow into different plants, another was about animals of the world, and the third was a book entitled My First Powwow. Phone Assistance Program Anna Gibbs, Mary Lou Stillday and Susan Johnson translate while Marcus Tyler records with assistance from Elizabeth Strong (hidden) and Sam Strong. Elders sat on one side of the table with a young speaker acting as scribe on the opposite side, pooling their wisdom and knowledge of the language translating each and every word of the book. When there was variation or disagreement as to the translation, both were used. After the young speakers typed the translations - and their English equivalents were projected on a screen, the first-speaker Elders were able to discuss, confirm or modify a translated word. The effort is part of the coming Head Start Immersion Classroom. BOIS FORTE NEWS The Minnesota Department of Human Services have joined with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Wisdom Steps to provide no cost telephone equipment for Minnesota residents who have difficulty using a regular telephone due to hearing loss, speech or physical disability. To qualify for assistive telephone equipment, you must: 1. Have phone service or applied for service 2. Be a Minnesota resident 3. Have a hearing loss, speech or physical disability 4. Be at or below the state median income guidelines For more information contact 1-800-657-3663, visit the website www.tedprogram.org or email [email protected] OCTOBER 2014 Page 3 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 White Earth Chairwoman appointed to MnSCU Board of Trustees On August 21, Governor Mark Dayton announced the appointment of White Earth Nation Chairwoman Erma J. Vizenor to fill one of six vacancies on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees. The 15-member Board is responsible for governing MnSCU’s system planning, academic programs, fiscal management, personnel, admissions requirements, tuition and fees, and rules and regulations. New Jersey closing casinos, looking to sports betting Three Atlantic City casinos have closed this year so far, including the two-year-old, $2.4 billion Revel. About 5,900 jobs were lost due to the closures, representing about 20 percent of the city’s casino workforce. Two more casinos have also announced they will close. New Jersey State leaders are looking at sports betting as a way to end Atlantic City’s losing streak. Indian Country wins historic tax victory in Congress In mid-September, both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate passed the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act to end unfair taxation of tribally provided benefits. The bill now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law while this issue of the newspaper is at the printer. White Earth Nation Chairwoman Erma J. Vizenor The governor also appointed Kelly CarpentierBerg - Coon Rapids, Minn., Jay Cowles - St. Paul, Robert Hoffman - Waseca, Minn., Maleah Otterson Chanhassen, Minn., and Louise Sundin - Minneapolis. “This is an outstanding group of Minnesota leaders who will help guide the future of MnSCU, and ensure its students receive world-class educations,” said Governor Dayton. “I expect these new members, and the entire Board, to enhance transparency and accountability in the governance and operations of the MnSCU system, and build upon progress which has been achieved.” Vizenor was elected Chairwoman of the White Earth Reservation in 2004 and has worked her entire career in education on the White Earth Reservation. She holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education; a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling; and a specialist degree in Education Administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead. As a Bush Leadership Fellow, Vizenor earned a Master’s degree in Community Decision-Making and Lifelong Learning, and a doctoral degree in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard University. Her term expires on June 30, 2020. OCTOBER 2014 For years, the Internal Revenue Service has taxed programs and services provided by tribal government to tribal members, such as housing, health care, and education. Local and state governments provide they same type of services, but the IRS does not tax them. The new law will mandate that tribal government programs, services and benefits for tribal members and their spouses and dependents will not be considered income, and therefore will not be taxed by the federal government. The law also includes provisions that respect tribal self-determination and native cultures. “This is something we have fought hard for, on our own and in collaboration with Minnesota Congressman Rick Nolan, who cosponsored the legislation in the House,” said Bois Forte Chairman Kevin Leecy. “It is a victory that will benefit every tribe for many, many years because it corrects a financial inequity to our members and also includes a number of provisions that respect local tribal government decision-making authority and the policies supporting Indian Self-Determination and respect for tribal culture.” One important part of the new law is a requirement that the IRS reform how it works with Indian Country. The U.S. Treasury Secretary will be tasked with setting up a Tribal Advisory Committee that will develop a mandatory training program to educate IRS field agents about federal Indian law, treaties and trust obligations. BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 4 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Nett Lake (Ricing cont. from page 1) There’s still time to rice Band members still have time to participate in this year’s wild rice harvest. Permits are available at the Nett Lake Store. The cost is $5 for Band members and resident tribal members, and $1 for students and Elders. Stop by the store between 8-11 a.m., and please bring cash if you can. The permit requires ricers to stay out of green rice, and to not break the heads of rice. Remember to be careful when harvesting, and get advice if you are uncertain how protect the rice stalks from damage. Although the overall crop has been fair, the ricing was good behind Big Island and down in Lost River Bay. There were alto good patches on each side of the mouth of Wood Duck River. Ricers were warned that high water had pushed out log jams and scattered them in some rice beds. DNR staff reported that insects and rice worms did not seem too bad this year. For updates on the rice harvest, visit boisforte.com. Mii gwech Thank you to the conservation committee: Eddie Chavers, Chair Travis Morrison, Vice Chair Bill Isham, Secretary/Treasurer Peggy Connor, Elder Advisor Marcella Connor Marybelle Isham Mary Strong Stan Day Tom Spears, Alternate Darren Landgren Nett Lake needs two reading/math tutors Nett Lake School and Head Start has an immediate need for a math and a literacy tutor for the 2014-2015 school year. Minnesota Reading Corps and Math Corps Executive Director Sheila Piippo explained that they are seeking both full and part time tutors to begin a year of paid service almost immediately. Reading Corps and Math Corps tutors commit to 11 months of service, during which they earn a biweekly living allowance of $526 (full-time)and an education award of up to $5,645 to help pay for further education. Full-time tutors may also receive health insurance. “Our math and literacy tutors fill a critical need for students struggling with math and reading,” Piippo explained. “Studies show that reading success by third grade and math success by eighth grade are key indicators for further academic achievement.” Math and literacy tutors are fully trained by Reading Corps and Math Corps. Tutor candidates come from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from high school graduates to retirees. Mid-career individuals considering a professional change are also excellent candidates, Piippo said. Parents also find serving as a tutor is a great way to support their child’s school. She encourages anyone interested in learning more about Reading Corps or Math Corps, or to apply to serve as a tutor, to visit www.MinnesotaReadingCorps.org, www. MinnesotaMathCorps.org, or contact 866-859-2825. BOIS FORTE NEWS Bois Forte Town Meeting NEW DAT E! Bemidji, MN Monday, October 20, 2014 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Hampton Inn & Suite – Mississippi Room 1019 Paul Bunyan Dr. South Bemidji, MN 56601 More information contact Louise Isham at 218-757-3261 Second Cobell Settlement checks delivered Bois Forte Band members who are eligible for reimbursement under the historic Cobell decision recently began receiving their second checks. The money is part of a massive settlement to reimburse American Indians for the federal government’s faulty management of individual trust accounts and assets. Altogether, the settlement will pay Elouise Cobell $1.5 billion to Individual Indian Money account holders and landowners, and to the heirs of deceased IIM account holders and landowners. The IIMs were the accounts that the U.S. government was supposed to fund with revenue from mining, grazing, farming and timber harvesting on Indian trust lands. The Cobell settlement, which was signed by President Obama nearly four years ago, also includes millions of dollars for land buy-backs and educational scholarships. Individual payments from the Cobell settlement are being made by Garden City Group (GCG), a claims administrator appointed by the court, not by the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Special Trustee. The money will not be taxed, and it will not affect eligibility for government benefits. If you have an IIM account and you expect to receive a payment from the Cobell settlement, make sure GCG has your correct mailing address and other contact information. Call GCG at 1 (800) 961-6109. Make sure you have your IIM account number or tribal enrollment number when you call. You can also visit www.indiantrust.org for more information, or email [email protected]. OCTOBER 2014 Page 5 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Miigwech Manomin Powwow By Donald Chosa This year’s Miigwech Manomin Powwow turned out great. The weather was perfect and we had a good turnout. The first of this year’s Manomin was used for the opening ceremony and Saturday’s feast. The ceremonial Manomin was harvested by Mike Connor and myself, kettle parched by Gene Goodsky, Brian Lumbar and Ashley Goodsky and thrashed by Cathy Chavers. There were two delicious feasts served both Saturday and Sunday cooked by Rose Chosa, Phil Collard and helper Chesley Knott. Robbie Goggleye and his crew did an awesome job with the upgrades to the powwow grounds and the bleachers and the new flag stand. Shirley McNey and the powwow staff worked hard all weekend to make sure everything went smooth. We had two new young Co MC’s in training with MC Terry Goodsky. The new MCs were last year’s Bois Forte royalty, Saa Gii Ba Gaa Princess Tea’ Drift and Saa Gii Ba Gaa Brave, Leon Chosa. We had a new Arena Director in training, Harvey Goodsky Jr. who did a great job. Spiritual advisors Gene Goodsky, Calvin Ottertail and Darrell Kingbird were there to make sure everything and everyone was taken care of in the right way. We were honored to have one of our Bois Forte Band members active duty U.S. Army attend, Anthony Juliano in uniform, who carried the U.S. flag. Before each of our Bois Forte powwows we have powwow planning meetings that are posted so if you want to help or have input anyone is welcome to attend. Your help, donations, and input is appreciated. Couch Potato organizers offer Gitchii-Miigwech Gitchii-Miigwech to all those who helped make our second annual Couch Potato 5K Walk/Run a great day for the community. A special thank you to our friends at the Mesabi Daily News for donating the printing of the flyer and also to KGM Construction out of Angora for use of the construction cones to mark our route. KGM also loaned us stakes for the beautiful program signs and posters created by the Nett Lake School children. The artwork and encouraging messages about exercise and keeping healthy really encouraged our runners/walkers to keep going! There were 147 participants in this year’s event, up slightly for the inaugural year total of 141. Together we raised $322 that will go toward offsetting expenses for next year’s event. Gitchii-Miigwech to all the participants and our sponsors, including: Tobacco Education/Policy, Victim Services, Indian Child Welfare, Native Heart Fitness Center, Environmental Service, Maternal Child Health Age to Age, Nett Lake Elementary School, Nett Lake Parent Activity Club, Department of Natural Resources, Community Nutrition Program, Water Quality, Bois Forte Police Department, Chemical dependency Program. Enthusiastic runners prove they’re no Couch Potatoes. OCTOBER 2014 BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 6 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Vermilion New Moon now accepting applications New Moon Supportive Housing—located at 1224 White Pine Circle in Tower, MN is accepting applications for future openings and is designed to benefit low and moderate income families. This housing community is designed to meet the needs of individuals and families who are experiencing long-term homelessness. New Moon has 1,2, & 3 Bedroom units, including fully accessible units. Ruby Boshey leads the noon hour language table at the Heritage Center and Cultural Museum. The day this photo was taken, Ruby’s students included (seated right to left) Tracey Dagen, Martha Anderson and Kathy Sam. Standing in back are Barb Kaluza, a Museum visitor from Minneapolis and the Tom and Dawn Brennan family with children Katie, Kiera and Joe of Cottage Grove who were visiting the Heritage Center and Cultural Museum as part of their family vacation. Counseling, case management services, advocacy, support services and cultural activities on-site. Income Restrictions apply and we accept Section 8 Vouchers. For more information and an application please contact D.W. Jones Management, Inc at 218-326-5314, 888-326-5314, MN Relay 711 or www.dwjonesmanagement.com<http://www.dwjonesmanagement.com> Equal Opportunity Housing REMINDING EVERYONE TO “LOCK IT OR LOSE IT!” There has been a recent escalation in property crimes in communities to the north. Many of the incidents involve vandalism to vehicles and thefts. The public is asked to contact police if they observe suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. One of the keys to protecting property and vehicles is in your hands. Keep yourself from becoming an easy target by removing all valuables from your vehicle and take the time to properly secure your vehicle and/or park in well-lit areas. Remember: Lock It or Lose It! Police are asking the public to report all mischief or theft incidents to the police. At minimal, if police recover stolen property, then officers can ensure property is returned to the rightful owner. Crime Stoppers always has cash rewards of up to $2000.00 to pay for information that helps solve this or any other unsolved crime. Our guarantee: “Contact with Crime Stoppers is totally anonymous, safe, and secure.” Find us at tipshelp.com or call us at 800-222-8477 BOIS FORTE NEWS This past summer Elders visited Lake Vermilion State Park in June, Wolf Island (pictured) in July and Lake Namakan in August. The trips were intended to look at sites where remnants of former camps have been found. State and Voyageur National Park archeologists and staff will take steps to protect areas where artifacts and graves have been identified by the Elders. OCTOBER 2014 Page 7 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Elders A Minute with Millie October, the Harvest Moon. Days of sunshine, rain, wind blows with the cold of winter coming. Time for the battening down the windows, making the home warm, clearing the fields. Checking the supplies for winter, getting ready for short days and long nights. Millie Holmes When I walk around the village, I see the leaves dancing in the wind blowing from the north, swirling around, stopping here, there, coming to rest against trees. I hear the branches of the trees moving in the wind as the leaves desert them for the last dance of the summer. When I look around the house, I see blankets piled, ready to be snuggled into when the winter wind blows. There are books ready to read, food ready to be cooked, teas and coffee ready for brewing. When I hear the wind blowing through the trees outside, see the clouds piling up in the sky above, I’m glad to be sitting, surrounded by all these things. For days like this, I sit in near the window, waiting for the sun to warm the air. Happy October Birthdays, Elders! Gaynard Strong Mary Chee Roger Toutloff Josephine Chavers Helen Wykstra William Isham Loretta Knutson Mary M. Strong Rita Vidal Terrie Morrison Gordon Adams Jr. William Day Dennis Kenny Lillian Boshey (Lac la Croix) Chester Graue Michael Mihelich Elizabeth Hackey Fletcher 10-1 10-2 10-2 10-5 10-8 10-10 10-11 10-11 10-13 10-14 10-15 10-16 10-20 10-22 10-23 10-23 10-26 My Mother Dances By Helmi Gawboy I watch her dance so serious and grave Beyond what words can say Dressed in jingles; bells sewn on, Stepping the right from the wrong. Red and blue and black and gold. Around and around she dances Along the circle of life. She’s lost among the crowd of women Within the sound of the jingles Like a million tiny birds Singing in the windy rushes And the drums, the drums Bring the ancient ways to here, now. Because my mother dances I am Good 75 years ago... Seventy-five years ago, in 1939, the average cost of a new house was $3,800. Annual wages averaged $1,730. You could buy a gallon of gas for 10 cents, a loaf of bread for 8 cents, and a brand-new car for $700. “Gone with the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz” were released in theaters. OCTOBER 2014 BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 8 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Culture Linda Grover’s new book earns Native Writers award Linda LeGarde Grover’s connection to the Bois Forte Band flows like an undercurrent in her writing, and has made a memorable connection with readers. Her book The Dr. Linda LeGarde Grover Dance Boots, a series of interconnected stories about an Ojibwe community, won the 2009 Flannery O’Connor Short Fiction Award. Now Grover, an associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota Duluth, has published The Road Back to Sweetgrass, a novel about the lives of three American Indian women in northern Minnesota. Moving between the past and the present, Grover weaves together love, loss, hardship, historical events, relationships and tensions about “real Indian-ness.” The book has already been awarded the Native Writers Circle of the Americas First Book Award. Press blog. “Recreating small iron-mining towns, reservation border towns, and Mozhay Point homes in the Sweetgrass stories is a task that is not difficult at all but rather a pleasurable visit.” Amazon.com praises Grover’s ability to evoke a “sense of place and home [that] is both tangible and spiritual” as she tells the story of individuals coming of age, and of tribes striving for selfdetermination. Bois Forte Band members who read The Road Back to Sweetgrass will find much that is familiar. She went on to write, “The characters in The Road Back to Sweetgrass represent many Ojibwe people of their time, but they are fictional. The federal Indian policies and historical events, however, are real, and their effects on individuals, families, and communities profound and longlasting. Having lived during those times, I have found that capturing and containing these events through fictional storytelling is the least painful and, possibly, the only way to recount them that maintains the dignity of the characters.” “The mythical Mozhay Point Indian Reservation is in northern Minnesota, a place of deep snow and shaded green summers; of wild rice, maple sugar camps, and duck hunting; of the lakes and land allotments of the Bois Forte, Grand Portage, and Fond du Lac reservations, to which the Mozhay people and terrains have similarities,” Grover recently wrote on the University of Minnesota An excerpt from The Road Back to Sweetgrass By Linda LeGarde Grover The Odissimaa Bag Today the opening day of the Mozhay Point Ojibwe Reservation’s wild rice harvest, cumulus clouds drift slowly over the boat landing on Lost Lake, bringing with them the scent of sweetgrass. Among the ricers who pause to inhale the blessing are a teenage boy and his father who park at the side of the road in a gray-primed Ford truck faded to the near no-color of glass, a young married couple who argue as they carry her parents’ canoe toward the water, and an elderly woman who has just placed a pot of coffee to boil on an old car grill over a campfire. On this western end of Mozhay it happens that way occasionally when the wind comes from the northeast, the scent of sweetgrass edging and swirling from the LaForce family allotment land, its source somewhere near the maple sugarbush, making its invisible way past the cabin and down the driveway to the road, where it dissipates and fades when it reaches the boat landing. The Mozhay Point ricers, who know that sweetgrass grows on the LaForce land, even in the swamp on the far side of the allotment, occasionally stop in their work to wonder about this; the scent reminds us that we have been blessed by the Creator in all ways, understood or otherwise, here during our time on Mother Earth, and so we accept the mystery for what it is. BOIS FORTE NEWS “I do believe that they should be recounted,” Grover concluded. “Surely the stories exist to be told.” How to Order The Road Back to Sweetgrass can be purchased by calling 1-800-621-2736 or ordering online at www.upress.umn. edu. It is also available through major online book vendors and bookstores everywhere. For an opportunity this fall to enjoy a reading from The Road Back to Sweetgrass and obtain the author’s autograph, readers should visit: Wednesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. Bockley Gallery 123 West 21st Street in Minneapolis Signing will immediately follow readings at Birchbark Books, 2115 W 21st St. Minneapolis Saturday, November 15 at 1 p.m. Barnes & Noble-Miller Hill Mall 1600 Miller Trunk Hwy L25, Duluth (218) 786-0710 OCTOBER 2014 Page 9 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Anishinaabe mural on display in Virginia The long awaited Anishinaabe mural is completed and was formally blessed and revealed to the community in a ceremony on August 27. The new mural on the Department of Public Utilities Building, located on 6th Avenue near the Virginia High School includes faces, names and symbols familiar to Bois Forte. Artist Sue Martinsen used a combination of historical and contemporary images of people and scenes, including Bois Forte veterans, clan symbols, Powwow dancers and a Spirit Tree. The blessing ceremony was led by Harvey Thompson and included songs by Oshkii Giizhik Singers. The Bois Forte Band donated historic and contemporary photographs as well as $1,000 to the mural project which is the seventh annual mural the city has created. Several individual Band members and families also made personal donations of $50 in support of the project and to have the names of those they wished to honor painted below the mural. Visit Atisokanigamis this fall In August, over 200 visitors toured Atisokanigamis – the Legend House on the grounds of Fortune Bay. Come see what they did and enjoy the informative exhibits, beautiful artwork and great values in the gift shop. Atisokanigamis – the Legend House is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission is free to Band members. OCTOBER 2014 Newlyweds Clementine and Michael Robert of Goncelin, France visited the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center during their honeymoon in the United States. You should too! BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 10 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Youth & Education Update from the Superintendent The first few weeks of school got off to a great start. This year we had more students enrolling at Nett Lake Elementary than last year, which is always a good sign. I hope you were able to make it to our school Open House Thursday, August 28. Parents and members Superintendent and Principal Steve Thomas of the community were treated to a tasty lunch and were able to visit the classrooms of all our teachers. If you couldn’t make the Open House, we will have many opportunities throughout the year for you to stop by and visit. By the way, you don’t have to be a parent or guardian to visit the school. Volunteers are welcome… just call me! has been refurbished and is vibrant with color. We said goodbye to the weeds and hello to mums, petunias, and other plantings. We have such a beautiful building here in the community, we should have the entrance to the school look just as beautiful, so expect to see more flowers planted in the island this coming spring, and also along the mural in the front of the building. Thanks to Ken Villebrun, George LaRoque, Donald Chosa and especially to my wife, Angela, for the many hours they spent on the project. School at Nett Lake can actually begin before kindergarten. We have a very fine Early Childhood Family Education program for all children ages birth to kindergarten enrollment. Our program provides parent discussion groups, parent-child activities, School Readiness, and many special events. If you have questions or would like to be more involved in our program, please call the Those who have visited the school recently have director, Terry Gilbertson, at the school (218-757likely noticed that the island in front of the school 3102 X118). If you haven’t heard already, The Elite Eagles Fourth Grade Boys Basketball Team worked themselves into a State Championship this spring. They took first place in the Minnesota Youth Athletic Services State Championship and received championship rings for their successes. Way to go Eagles! And thanks to their coaches for all their efforts! Just a couple of dates to remember: In October, the 7th is picture retake day, the 13th is the next school board meeting at 5:00 p.m., there is no school on the 16th and 17th for MEA days, and the 23rd is our Recycalypso! Program from 1:15-2:15 where students will discover the magic of the steel drum (you’re invited! Just call ahead). Planning for November, we have Parent-Teacher Conferences November 11 and, of course, Thanksgiving holiday the 27th and 28th. Don’t forget, you are always welcome to visit the school; I always appreciate your thoughts. UMD to offer new undergrad major in Tribal Administration and Governance Starting next fall, the University of Minnesota Duluth will become the first institution of higher education in the country to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Tribal Administration and Governance. The new Tribal Administration and Governance (TAG) major will combine business classes with the specific study of tribal governance, said UMD Professor and Bois Forte Band member Tadd Johnson, who helped create the program. “We wanted to develop a resource for running a reservation and help tribes develop best practices. TAG offers an outline of what students might run into in their careers.” The TAG major will be offered completely online, allowing students with busy lives to fit their studies in around work and family. TAG is modeled after UMD’s Master of Tribal Administration and Governance program, which began in 2011. Johnson says the two degrees have complimentary curriculums and don’t overlap. BOIS FORTE NEWS OCTOBER 2014 Page 11 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 The rights of the world’s indigenous peoples The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes that indigenous people throughout the world have a permanent right to exist. Here are some interesting facts about the declaration: • It was not adopted until September 13, 2007. • Only four countries opposed the declaration – the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They eventually endorsed the declaration; the US was the last to do so, in 2010. • It outlines rights to lands, territories, resources, tribal jurisdiction, economic development, culture, language and more. • Efforts to secure a declaration started nearly a century ago, when Deskaheh of the Cayuga Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy traveled to the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to protest Canada’s actions against his people. It’s not too late to get a great HEAD START for FREE! The Bois Forte Head Start is accepting applications for the current program year. Head Start is located in both Tower & Nett Lake. FREE program for ALL children age 3 years old by October 1, 2014 to 5-years old. FREE healthy breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. Open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. Creative Curriculum & Curiosity Corner Curriculum. Safe, healthy, enjoyable learning environment. Prepares your child for Kindergarten. FREE child transportation For more information contact the Head Start at (218) 757-3265. OCTOBER 2014 BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 12 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Tribal Gov’t News & Reports Band foster homes are smoke-free Forte Band members from secondhand smoke, starting with tribal buildings going smoke-free indoors. The groundwork for this and subsequent community change has been spearheaded by champions including Cathy Chavers, Daanis But it’s not just adults whose health is at stake. Chosa, Donald Chosa Jr., Karlene Chosa, Lester Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects Drift, Jeneal Goggleye, Donna Hoffer and of secondhand smoke because they are still Marybelle Isham. developing physically, have higher breathing rates than adults, and have little control over To enact this change, they and others: their indoor environments. Children exposed to • Brought the issue to the attention of the larger high doses of secondhand smoke are much more community in a forum on tobacco sponsored by likely to experience serious health conditions Tribal Tobacco Education and Policy (TTEP) or consequences such as weak lungs, asthma, • Investigated policy options infections, SIDS and diabetes. • Educated tribal members about the dangers of secondhand smoke, and the growing concerns To help protect Band children from the dangers about third-hand smoke, the toxic residue from of tobacco, Bois Forte passed a resolution last cigarettes that clings to materials in homes and summer making all foster homes smoke-free, cars becoming the first tribe in Minnesota to have • Worked with Bois Forte Indian Child Welfare foster care protection in place. The resolution (ICWA) staff to give smokers in foster families also put the Band ahead of the state of Minnesota, time to adjust to the change whose legislators were just beginning to consider • Communicated with the Public Health Law regulations on smoke-free homes in April 2014. Center and the Band’s attorney Mark Anderson November will be National Smoking Cessation Month, as well as Lung Cancer Awareness Month, when adults across the country try to tame their tobacco addiction. This policy change was part of a larger arc of Many thanks to everyone involved in making action that began in the early 1990s to protect Bois foster homes smoke-free! WATER & SEWER RATE CHANGES The Bois Forte Water and Sewer Systems Services rates have increased as of September 1, 2014. This increase was implemented to satisfy the requirements of USDA loans and funding. Below is the breakdown that can be expected: **All employees of the Bois Forte RTC and its entities are encouraged to make the necessary changes to any payroll deductions you may have in place.** *If you signed a Repayment Agreement with the Bois Forte Public Works, it is YOUR responsibility to make the necessary adjustments that reflect what amount you agreed to repay.* NETT LAKE 2014 2015 $15.00 $38.00 $53.00 $18.00 $40.00 $58.00 WATER SEWER TOTAL VERMILION WATER SEWER TOTAL INDIAN POINT WATER SEWER TOTAL BOIS FORTE NEWS 2014 2015 $15.00 $38.00 $53.00 $18.00 $40.00 $58.00 ALL AREAS 2014 2015 $13.00 $40.00 $53.00 $18.00 $40.00 $58.00 SOLID WASTE 2014 2015 $20.00 $20.00 Time to renew Purchased/ Referred Care - formerly “Contract Health” The Health and Human Services Department is reminding all Band members it’s time to renew your Purchased/Referred Care application, which was formerly known as Contract Health. Application forms are available at the Clinics or on the Band’s website, boisforte.com There are two forms to choose from. The initial application should be completed if you have not been on Contract Health since last year. If you were part of the Contract Health program (now called Purchased/Referred Care) last year, you need to complete the renewal application. If you need more information, please contact Cathy Chavers, Patient Benefits Case Manager or Ericka Cote, Patient Benefits/CHS Assistant at 218-757-3295 or 1-800-223-1041 (in MN only). 2014 Hunting Seasons Deer Bucks: Jul. 1 - Dec. 31 Does: Sept. 1 - Dec. 15 Shining: Oct. 18 – Oct. 31 Limit 4 Bullmoose NO SEASON Waterfowl Reservation: Aug. 19 - Dec. 31 No limit Off-Reservation: Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 Limit 5 daily Bear NO SEASON Trapping Oct. 1 - Sept. 31 No limit OCTOBER 2014 Page 13 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Bois Forte Development Corp. Band Member Deb Pender Fortune Bay’s new HR Director Fortune Bay Resort Casino has been fortunate itself in hiring Bois Forte Band member Deb Pender as its new Director of Human Resources. Pender has decades of experience in human resources working with companies of 200 to 5,000 employees in business environments spanning financial, insurance, real estate, medical technology, manufacturing, franchising and retail operations. “‘Black and white’ is policies and procedures needed for people to understand ground rules, and to see their importance in protecting the organization. But the world isn’t black and white; there is a lot of grey. Especially in human resources, you need to be able to see all aspects of situations.” “Deb is one of the most talented, engaging HR professionals that interacts well with all levels of an organization,” said Stephen Spain, the chief operating officer at Allianz’s personalized brokerage services. “[She] truly possesses great people skills.” Besides being an HR pro, Pender is a north woods girl. She was born and raised in northeastern Minnesota by her parents, the late Ronald Allen “Pete” Rolando and his wife Patricia (Koski) Rolando, and she has warm memories of her grandparents James and Ellen (Toutloff) Rolando. “As a Bois Forte Band member and a passionate, customer-centric leader, I love having this chance to support Fortune Bay’s future endeavors,” Pender said. Happy employees are vital to success Pender described her human resources philosophy as looking at the “human capital” of an organization. “Employees must be treated as an important asset – a vital part of an equation,” she said. “If the employees are happy and satisfied and they love where they work, that will equal a great customer experience and strong bottom line. It’s a simple equation, but a challenge to balance all the pieces and make it work.” Another talent that Pender brings to Fortune Bay is an understanding of what she calls “the grey, and the black and white.” human resources at HomeServices of America, the parent company of Edina Realty and 18 similar firms; and vice president of human resources at Amplifon USA, formerly known as Miracle-Ear. She also served on the executive board of Human Resource Professionals of Minnesota, and she has taught diversity classes. Pender earned a BA in business administration and human resource management from Metropolitan State University in the Twin Cities, and a mini MBA from the University of St. Thomas. Deb Pender is eager to assist Band members with employment in any of the Bois Forte Development Corporation businesses. Glad to be home When she’s not working, Pender very much enjoys holistic yoga, meditation, crafts, gardening, and Extensive experience her two yorkie dogs. She and her husband David, who hails from Chisholm, are the parents of three Before joining Fortune Bay, Pender ran her grown sons and four grandchildren. own management coaching and consulting firm, offering clients leadership coaching, “David was raised to enjoy the outdoors. ,” she transition coaching, team strategy, organizational said, “and I was raised doing that kind of thing, development, and career guidance. Prior to that, too – my grandfather and father exposed me to she was a strategic business partner to senior all of what nature had to offer growing up as a management at Allianz Life Insurance, coaching child.” and consulting on all areas of human resources. Pender said she is “forever grateful” to her father, whom she called the ultimate story teller, for Pender’s impressive resume also includes sharing Bois Forte history and culture with her, positions as director of human resources at a as well as his knowledge about the growth and leading international manufacturer of advanced expansion of Fortune Bay. “Being here is part of medical technology devices; vice president of my heritage.” EXPRESS LUBE Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fall is the perfect time to stop into the Nett Lake Store! Box lunch specials for hunters: Sandwich, fruit, chips for $5.99 Lube, oil and filter for $20.99 Pizza: Take-and-bake pizza or fresh-made pizza 10% discount for online orders using www.boisforte.com Brakes, struts and bearings Check out the Produce Cooler full of fresh fruits and veggies OCTOBER 2014 BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 14 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Community News & Announcements October Bulletin Board h H a ppy 8t iK i ! K , y a d h Bi rt Blueberry Maple Scones Ingredients: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 3/4 cup buttermilk 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen Method: The ideal scone is made from just a few ingredients: eggs, milk, fat, and flour. Scones adapt well to different fruits, such as raisins or fresh or dried cranberries. This recipe, packed with blueberries, goes nicely at breakfast or snack time. 1. In a mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In separate bowl, mix together the egg, maple syrup and buttermilk. 2. Add the blueberries to the dry ingredients, if using frozen blueberries, use directly from the freezer and dust with flour. Using a fork combine the liquid with the dry ingredients. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 10 to 12 times. Roll out the dough or pat out with your hand to form a square, 1/2 inch in thickness. 3.Cut into squares to the size of your choice. Cut each square to make 2 triangles. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Correction: In the September issue of the Bois Forte News, new baby Neko Bucholz, son of Nicolis Buchholz Isham & Racheal Howe, was incorrectly introudced as Nicolis Bucholz. We apologize for this error. L o ve , G r am p ie Save the Date Elders in the Twin Cities are invited to join the Elder Activity Day at the Urban Office on Saturday, October 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call Jacque Wilson if you have questions: 612-747-5247. Do You Need to Enroll in MNsure? Approximately 14,000 adults with health care coverage through MinnesotaCare have recently received a “Referral to MNsure” letter stating the need to renew health care coverage through MNsure. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT), located one mile south of Cass Lake, MN, employs two (2) MNsure Navigators who can provide assistance with the MinnesotaCare renewal application process. Appointments may take place Monday through Friday in Cass Lake at the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe building, or Tuesday afternoons in Bemidji at Northwest Indian OIC. Please bring your “Referral to MNsure” letter with you to your appointment, as it contains important information to access your MNsure account. MCT MNsure Navigators are also available to schedule Enrollment Events at any of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe reservations, i.e., White Earth, Leech Lake, Fond du lac, Bois Forte, Mille Lacs and Grand Portage. MCT MNsure Navigators also reach out to Native populations residing in Duluth, Bemidji and the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Call us today if you would like to participate in a MNsure Enrollment Event in your area. You may schedule an appointment with MNsure Navigators Priscilla Fairbanks or Joni Hilliard by calling 218-335-8586, ext 128 or 129. BOIS FORTE NEWS OCTOBER 2014 Page 15 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Brett T. “Biff” Robertson Brett T. “Biff” Robertson, 54, St. Paul, formerly of Nett Lake, passed away at Fairview University Hospital in Minneapolis on Thursday, September 4, 2014 He was born on December 16, 1959 in Cook, the son Brett Robertson of Orvel and Barbara (Drift) Robertson. He spent early years in Nett Lake, then moved with his family to Minneapolis. Known to his family and friends as “Biff”, he went to school at Phillips Junior, then South Senior High School, both in Minneapolis. He faithfully served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his tour of duty, he began studies at a cabinetry school in Rochester, Minnesota. A motorcycle accident in 1986 disabled him. He completed rehabilitation treatments at the Courage Center in Duluth and rehabilitation centers in Minneapolis. Biff liked being on the computer and also into music. Prior to his accident, his family fondly recalls that he was always busy and liked all things outdoors. His parents precede him in death. Biff is survived by his sisters, Lu Ann Drift and Roberta Drift both of Nett Lake, Toni Lindgren of Virginia, Nadine Luecken of Gheen, Laura (David) Manuel of Red Lake and Kay (Curtis) Palmer of Indian Point-Orr; along with numerous nieces and nephews. SERVICES: Traditional services will be held at 10:00am Tuesday, September 9th at the Nett Lake Community Center. The wake will begin after 5:00 pm Monday at the center. The spiritual advisor will be Kenneth Boney. The casket bearers will be: Keith Roy, Eugene Boshey Jr., Waylon Drift, Clarence “Bubba” Roy Jr., Rod Strong, Vern Connor, Dave Manuel and Curt Thompson. The honorary bearers will be: William Chavers and Allan Connor. Interment will be in the Bois Forte Cemetery. Arrangements are with Mlaker Funeral Home in Cook. Correction: On page 14 of the September issue of the Bois Forte News, Craig Gilbert was incorrectly identified as George Strong. We apologize for this error. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ What do you plan to do with your 1854 Treaty Payment? “Make an extra house payment.” ~Craig Gilbert Alana Dickenson delivered two lectures to Women in Society Class at Visitation High School in Mendota Heights. Alana used a PowerPoint she and her mother Doreen Day had collaborated on to give the students background on Native American beliefs, women’s role in tribes, and gender discrimination specifically faced by native American women historically and today. Initially scheduled for just one lecture, the students were so engaged with Alana’s presentation they asked her to return to their class for a second presentation. OCTOBER 2014 October Starwatch By Deane Morrison The moon puts on two spectacular shows this month: a total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse. The lunar eclipse happens in the wee hours of the 8th, as the full hunter’s moon glides through the northern part of Earth’s shadow. The Earth’s inner shadow—the umbra—swallows the moon between 4:15 a.m. and 5:25 a.m. The moon begins its exit of the umbra at 6:24, and is just a few minutes from slipping completely free when it sets at 7:26 a.m. Even more exciting, the partial eclipse of the sun on the 23rd gives us a chance to see a much rarer sight: a partially eclipsed sun setting. For the Twin Cities area, the moon takes its first bite out of the sun at 4:23 p.m., and maximum eclipse is at 5:35 p.m., when almost 52 percent of the sun’s face will be covered. In the Bois Forte area, the show should be at least as good, and the still-eclipsed sun will set at approximately 6:09 p.m. The usual precautions for watching a solar eclipse apply: Do not observe it directly without sufficient eye protection. For lunar eclipses, no special precautions are necessary. In the southwestern evening sky, watch the distance between Mars and Antares, its stellar rival, widen. Better hurry, though; Antares is sinking fast and will be hard to find by mid-month. In the predawn sky, Jupiter is climbing in the southeast, followed by the bright star Regulus, in Leo. See if you can make out the Sickle of stars outlining the lion’s head—Regulus is at its base. For maximum effect, try on the 18th or 19th; a waning crescent moon appears near the pair on both mornings. Look for the Orionid meteors streaming from the south, near the raised club of Orion, after midnight on the 21st and 22nd. With a comfortable reclining chair and a moderate amount of patience, you could enjoy up to 20 meteors an hour. The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth campus. For more information and viewing schedules, see the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at www.d.umn.edu/planet. BOIS FORTE NEWS Page 16 • Bois Forte News • October 2014 Bois Forte regularly sends out important information in the mail. 1854 Treaty Info., community meeting notices and RTC announcements are examples of items that are regularly mailed. It is essential that we have your correct mailing address so that you can receive this information. If you have moved recently, or are not receiving regular mailings, please fill out the change of address form below and mail to: Angie King Bois Forte Enrollment Coordinator 5344 Lake Shore Dr Nett Lake MN 55772. Please note, you must check the box below your signature if you want us to give your new address to the Bois Forte News. Name: Address: City/ State/ Zip: Date of Birth: Signature:___________________________ Date: __________ _____Yes, I would like this new address shared with the Bois Forte News Please send us your email address if you’d like to begin receiving the Bois Forte News in your email box: The Bois Forte News ___________________________________ BOIS FORTE NEWS The Bois Forte News (BFN) is published monthly by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. The BFN encourages submission of articles, community announcements and photos. There is a $10 charge for personal announcements. Contributions are subject to editing for grammar, length and malicious/libelous content. BFN will attempt to include all material submitted by Band members and guests. Multiple contributions from the same source may be excluded or rotated to future issues to insure equal access to all. Paid ads are accepted. Visit www.boisforte.com for rates and insertion order. The BFN is distributed for free to Band members and is available to others for $10 per year. Deadline for November issue: October 9 Submit material to: Bois Forte News 1101 Sibley Memorial Hwy. #507 Lilydale, MN 55118 651-260-2420 phone; 651-452-1640 fax [email protected] Tribal Council Kevin W. Leecy Chairman David C. Morrison, Sr. Secretary/Treasurer Karlene Chosa District I Representative Brandon Benner District I Representative Ray Toutloff District II Representative OCTOBER 2014
© Copyright 2024