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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 ted.program@state.mn.us
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
Info@IndianTrust.com.
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
Helenwilkie@comcast.net
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