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| Natives of the Upper Peninsular are a large
and important part of the U.P. Community. It
is hoped that people unfamiliar with our Native
Neighbors will come to this section of our
magazine for cultural enrichment. Their visit
should bring them, as it has us, a great deal
appreciation for those who lived in the U.P.
long before the European settlers arrived.
Just as we call our Finnish Heritage page
Finland Connect, we hope that our Native
American readers will likewise connect on this
page. |
 Ojibway Indian camp with birch bark canoe. |
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Abuse of
Painkilling Drugs: "Epidemic" |
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| August 16, 2009
Doctors over prescribing drugs
instead of surgical
alternatives.
American Indians make the top
of the list for many health
problems in the United States.
In comparison to white
Americans, Indians and Alaska
Natives show
• 40 percent higher rate of
infant mortality;
• 60 percent higher rate of
stroke;
• 30 percent higher rate of
hypertension;
• 20 percent higher rate of
heart disease;
• 100 percent higher rate of
diabetes;
• 150 percent higher rate of
unintentional injuries;
• 100 percent higher rate of
homicide;
• 70 percent higher rate of
suicide.
Secretary of Health and Human
Services has publicly admitted
to the deplorable state of
health care available for
American Indians and promised to
increase the number of doctors
sent to reservations through the
U. S. Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps, according to
a story in the Cape Cod Times.
Read More... |
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"Where Eagles Dance" |
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| Watersmeet - August 13, 2009 The pow-wow at Lac Vieux Desert Watersmeet came to a close Sunday
after three exciting days of pow wow. The event seemed
in jeopardy Friday evening when a severe storm raged through the area.
Tents were blown down by the stronf winds and regalia damaged by the
heavy rains. One tent blown over caught fire and was destroyed.
Unfortunately, the weather sent some Pow-Wow participants home.
Read More.... |
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Wisconsin
Smoking Ban
in Casinos |
State Rep. Dean Kaufert claims the statewide
smoking ban that's going into effect in July 2010 is flawed
because it excludes Native American casinos.
"It's a fairness issue," said Kaufert, a Neenah Republican who has
been contacted by constituents regarding the reach of the ban. "A
statewide ban should truly be a statewide ban. There shouldn't be
pockets where people don't have to comply with the state."
Kaufert said he may introduce legislation to include casinos in
the ban, which was signed into law in mid-May by Gov. Jim Doyle
and goes into effect July 5, 2010.
"I want to gauge the interest of my colleagues, Republican and
Democrat, and see if there is any interest in moving forward with
legislation that would make it a true statewide ban," Kaufert said
last week.
Tribal officials say the statewide ban isn't applicable to casinos
because it is not part of the gaming compacts between the tribes
and the state.
When the statewide ban was passed in May, Kaufert introduced an
amendment that would have included all Native American lands in
Wisconsin. He said the amendment would have "closed a major
loophole" in the bill, but it was defeated in the Assembly.
Kaufert will face a tough road if he opts for a legislative
remedy. He realizes that it would be a "little tricky" to pass a
bill that bans smoking in casinos because of the sovereign nation
status of tribes.
"The tribes have gaming compacts that address this issue," said
Bobbi Webster, a spokeswoman for the Oneida Tribe of Indians,
which operates a major casino and bingo hall on its reservation
near Green Bay.
Jim Reiters, general manager of the Menominee Casino Bingo Hotel
in Keshena, said a ban could only be put in place by a vote of the
tribe or as part of a negotiated compact between the tribe and the
state.
Reiters said tribal officials are trying to deal with the smoking
issue in a fair manner.
"We're concerned with health also," he said. "We have to respect
the wishes of those who don't smoke and the wishes of those who
smoke. We're trying to be proactive both ways."
Oneida spokesman Phil Wisneski also said there is a filtration
system to limit the impact of smoking in its gaming operations.
Wisneski said the tribe is cognizant of the issue of smoking in
casinos and isn't dead-set against a ban.
"I don't know if we would fight (a bill to extend the statewide
smoking ban to casinos), but we would take a look at it," Wisneski
said. "If it's in the best interest of the tribe that's what we
would do."
Wisneski said the tribe has discussed the issue of smoking bans.
"We haven't taken an official stance," he said. "We're still in
that phase of pros and cons. We've had discussions amongst the
directors here."
In addition to the filtration systems in the gaming facilities,
smoking is banned in hallways, cafeterias and other locations
outside the main gambling areas, Wisneski said.
Wisneski said the tribe doesn't get a lot of complaints from
customers about cigarette smoke in its main casino.
"We can't deny it's there, but we have state-of-the-art equipment
to address it." |
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Tecumseh Pow Wow this
Weekend |
June 25, 2009
TECUMSEH, Mich. -
Powwows have special meaning for Native Americans, from the beat
of the drum to the dancers’ dress.
All will be on display this weekend at the annual Mending the
Sacred Hoop powwow this Saturday and Sunday at Cal Zorn Park in
Tecumseh. This is the eighth year for the powwow, which is
sponsored by the Leh Nah Weh Native American organization and
the city of Tecumseh.
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At a glance
The Mending the Sacred Hoop Pow Wow is Saturday and Sunday at
Cal Zorn Park in Tecumseh at the corner of West Russell Road and
Raisin Center Highway.
Time: Gates open both days at 10 a.m.
Admission: $5 for adults, $3 for students and $2 for seniors. A
weekend pass is $8, and a $10 one-day family pass is available. |
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| Obama Taps Native American Affairs
Adviser |
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Photo courtesy of the U.S. White
Houser |
June 18, 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama announced Monday he has selected
Kimberly Teehee to be his senior policy adviser for Native American
affairs.
"Kim Teehee will be a tremendous asset to our team as we work to
strengthen and build on the nation-to-nation relationship between
the United States and tribal nations," Obama said in a statement
released by the White House. "She is rightly recognized as an
outstanding advocate for Indian country, and she will provide a
direct interface at the highest level of my administration, assuring
a voice for Native Americans during policy-making decisions."
Teehee, a member of the Cherokee Nation, will advise Obama on issues
affecting Indian tribes, the statement said.
Since January 1998, Teehee has been a senior adviser to Rep. Dale
Kildee, D-Mich, who is co-chairman of the House of Representatives
Native American Caucus She also served as director of Native
American Outreach for the Presidential Inaugural Committee for Bill
Clinton's second Inauguration. She was deputy director of Native
American Outreach at the Democratic National Committee and held
various positions with the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
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Tribal gaming
brings in $4.4B
in region that includes Wisconsin |
June 3, 2009
Tribal gaming brings in $4.4B in
region that includes Wisconsin
Tribal gaming generated $4.4
billion dollars in 2008 in the
region that includes Wisconsin,
the chairman of the National
Indian Gaming Commission said
Wednesday.
Phil Hogencq, chairman of the
regulatory agency that tracks
tribal gaming, spoke at the annual
conference of the North American
Gaming Regulators Association in
Washington D.C. that was broadcast
by satellite to Green Bay.
He said the gross gaming revenue
generated by the more than 400
casinos and bingo halls throughout
the country pulled in $500 million
more than in 2007, bringing the
total revenue to $26.7 billion in
2008. The figures come from
independent audits required
annually of all tribal gaming
operations, but the many of the
audits were done prior to the end
of the calendar year and did not
include fourth-quarter figures.
For the St. Paul region, which
includes much of the Midwest and
Plains states, the increase in
revenue was about 4.2 percent
pushing the total to $4.4 billion
for all the states. The numbers
aren’t
Efforts to reach officials from
the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe,
which operates the North Star
Mohican Casino in Bowler, and the
Oneida Tribe of Indians were
unsuccessful on Wednesday.
Tribes do not have to report
revenue information to any other
source and the National Indian
Gaming Commission does not break
down the information by tribe.
Despite the economic hardship that
has hit gambling havens such as
Las Vegas and Atlantic City,
tribal gaming especially in the
Midwest seems to be stable. In
fact, the Oneidas are upgrading
the Oneida the Radisson Hotel &
Conference Center and Oneida
Casino with a new high stakes area
and a redesigned buffet to the
tune of $4.1 million.
“It’s not the same as they’re
seeing in Las Vegas,” Hogen said
of the current economic climate.
“What we’re hearing is that
general visits are about the same,
but people are spending less.”
Tribal gaming could benefit if
people don’t want to necessarily
travel out of state to a
destination, but stay closer to
home, Hogen suggested.
In 2006, the year data is most
recently available from the state
of Wisconsin, tribal gaming netted
a $1.3 billion in revenue. In the
same year, the state received
about $119 million from the tribes
via gaming compact agreements.
Tribal gaming is still in second
place overall behind commercial
gaming, which pulled in $34.4
billion in 2007. |
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Gawboy Art Exhibit at Finlandia |
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photo above -
Helmi In Her Garden (based on
photo taken in 1975) |
| Hancock January 29, 2009
An exhibit titled "Transforming
the Cutover" by artist Carl
Gawboy is featured at the
Finlandia University Gallery,
located in the Finnish American
Heritage Center
An opening reception for the
artist took place at gallery
Thursday, January 22nd.
Gawboy's opening reception was
part of a special event at the
FAHC dubbed, "Indigenous Night."
On the same evening, at 6:00
p.m., Sámi scholars Faith Fjeld
and Nathan Muus presented
a program about the Alaska
Reindeer Project of the late
1890s. An exhibit exploring the
Reindeer Project is also on
display at the Heritage Center.
(see related
story)
As the son of a Finnish
mother and an Ojibwe father,
Carl Gawboy's paintings convey a
unique vantage point. Raised on
his mother's family farm in
northern Minnesota, the youngest
of eight children, Gawboy
decided early to become an
artist. He was determined that
his art would not be falsely
romantic, but would rather draw
on his unique childhood
experiences to tell the story of
his dual heritage. Whether
harvesting rice, duck hunting,
or making hay, the subjects of
Gawboy's work carry the
authenticity of an experienced
lived. |
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| above Carrie Flaspohler,
Director of the Finlandia
University Gallery, introducing
Carl Gawboy to the many art
enthusiasts who came to
view artist's work. |
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| "Transforming the Cutover"
is on display at the Finlandia
University Gallery through
February 13.
Read More and View Photos of
Gawboy's great art. |
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The KBIC's Tribal Council election results
are unofficial.
Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 9:54 p.m.
BARAGA -- The unofficial results are out for the
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community's Tribal Council
election.
Some positions will be filled by the same
people, while new faces will be seated in
others.
Isabella Helene Welsh and Gary Loonsfoot, Sr.
won the two tribal council seats for the Baraga
District.
Welsh received 243 votes and Loonsfoot, Sr. had
236. They were followed by Sandra L. Pittsley
with 220 and Larry J. Denomie III with 216
votes.
In the L'Anse District, both incumbents won.
Elizabeth "Chiz" Matthews had 243 votes and
William "Gene" Emery 238.
They were followed by JoAnne Racette with 225
and Joe Dowd with 211 votes.
Tribal council terms are for three years.
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Wisconsin Indian tribe loses bid for
Kenosha casino |
Menominee to sue over rule change by
Department of Interior
KENOSHA — January 8, 2009
The Menominee tribe says its application
to build a casino and entertainment
center at the Dairyland Greyhound Park
in Kenosha has been rejected by the
Department of the Interior, the
Associated Press reports.
The tribe said Wednesday the rejection
means it will "pursue vigorously" its
lawsuit against the department over its
policy in deciding whether to grant such
applications.
The tribe filed a motion in November
seeking a temporary restraining order to
prevent the government from acting on
the casino application while its suit
was pending.
The lawsuit was filed Nov. 6, alleging
the government improperly changed the
rules for approving off-reservation
casino applications. The department
denied an earlier Menominee request to
suspend the casino application until the
Bush administration leaves office.
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Keweenaw
Bay
Indian Community
Hold Thirtieth Annual Pow-Pow |
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| The Keewanaw Indian Community held its
thirtieth annual pow-wow at the Ojibwa
Campgrounds July 25th - July 27th 2008.
Attending the pow-wow was great learning
experience and something never forgotten.
The Grand Entry is a parade entering the
arena which is round, representing Mother
Earth. The drum beat is the heart beat of
the earth. After the Grand Entry there was
an invocation followed by the Flag Song,
posting of the Colors, and the Veteran's
Song. The program then includes eight
dances; Inter-Tribal Dancing, the Sneak-Up,
Crow Hop, Exhibition Dancing, Men's
Traditional Dancing, Woman's Traditional
Dancing, Men's Fancy Feather, Woman's Fancy
Shawl, Men's Grass Dance and The Woman's
Jingle Dress. |
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Read
Full Story |
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26th Annual Lac Vieux
Desert Traditional Pow Wow at Watersmeet
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| Watersmeet Sunday, August 10th |
| The pow-wow at Watersmeet came to a close Sunday
after three exciting days of pow-wow. The Watersmeet powwow
is somewhat smaller than the Baraga pow wow held a
couple weeks ago, however it too has all the ingredients
of a great event. There were many friendly attendees,
vendors terrific drum groups and lots of tribal dancing.
In fact, it was an entire day of dancing. It seemed as
though there were a lot more children participating in
this event. Lots of Dads and Moms walking their children
around the arena. It was great to see young people
learning about and living their heritage.
The tribal website states "This event is a culmination of Native beliefs and
traditions that inspire, communicate, and support Native
American culture. It is with pride that we have expanded
our facilities to support of our tribes growth and
traditions.This event is a culmination of Native beliefs
and traditions that inspire, communicate, and support
Native American culture. It is with pride that we have
expanded our facilties to support of our tribes growth
and traditions."
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Click
to view Photos and read more
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