The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe held its annual 2020 State of the Band address in mid-January.
Transcript
Marie: This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.
Headlines: The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe held its annual 2020 State of the Band address in mid-January.
Here’s reporter Leah Lemm with the story.
STORY #1 - MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE STATE OF THE BAND ADDRESS
More than 1200 band members and local and state leaders came together to share a meal and to hear Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin speak. Several others took the stage to says prayers and welcome the audience.
In attendance was Governor Tim Walz, who spoke about the partnership between the tribe and the MN executive office.
GOVERNOR WALZ:(01:55) When we tried to find that commonality and seeing some young people here, it's the idea that every single one of our children, black, white, Brown, or indigenous, should get the same opportunity to succeed, the same education, the same access to healthcare and the same quality of life that allows them.
(03:16) It's important for us to recognize those historical injustices so that we can start to talk about the things we do together.
And it's one of the reasons that one of the very first actions Lieutenant governor Flanagan and myself took was consultation with all 11 of our sovereign tribal nations.
Not talking to, are not talking at, but consultation with to understand where things need to go.
REPORTER: Governor Walz talked about continued relationship building through the Governors Executive Order 19-24, which he signed after taking office in 2019.
The order solidifies government to government relations between the State and tribes.
And it requires all state agencies to designate Tribal Liaisons in order to uphold government to government conversations.
WALZ: (03:45) 19-24 strives to keep our past promises and recognizes the unique status of self determination of sovereignty, of self governments and the right to exist and relationships on an expectation of government to government as equals is what 19-24 does.
And what comes out of that is it asks all of our state agencies before they take any action to have tribal consultation.
REPORTER: Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin announced the tribal liaison position for the MN Department of Natural Resources.
CHEIF EXECUTIVE MELANIE BENJAMIN: In a major development for Minnesota tribes, and especially for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, it is my honor to announce to you, that Bradley Harrington Junior has just accepted the offer to serve as the new Tribal Liaison for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
He will soon begin advising the State DNR. His new supervisor commissioner Sara Strommen was going to be here today but her plane couldn’t make it this far, so I’ll talk to the Governor.
It will be a privilege for the State to have Brad working with you! Please make sure he’s treated well, or I will be coming down there to bring him back!
REPORTER: Bradley Harrington was previously the Commissioner for the tribe’s Department of Natural Resources.
At the beginning of her speech, Melanie Benjamin began with thanks and remembrance of our ancestors.
She spoke of the importance of the drum, as a connection to the Anishinaabe spirit.
And with this, Melanie emphasized how the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is continuing to work on being good ancestors in many ways including upholding rights to home lands, developing a tribal farm, and a new Ojibwe language program.
CHEIF EXECUTIVE MELANIE BENJAMIN: Wiping out our language was a strategy of the colonizers to assimilate us into American culture. But we now have a plan to preserve and teach our language forever.
The Band has achieved federal approval through Aanjibimaadizing Program to create an exciting Ojibwe language teaching system, which is creating jobs for Band Members.
When people would talk about how we are losing our language, Jim Clark used to say, “you can’t lose something that you are giving up.” Through this program, we are going to get it back … and give it to our Band Members again.
Chief Executive Art Gahbow’s goal was to one day have Ojibwe spoken throughout the government center and in meetings. With this new project, we might reach that goal some day. Future Band Members will be able to learn our language, and our ceremonies can continue forever.
This is how we will be good ancestors.
REPORTER: For Minnesota Native News, I’m Leah Lemm.