MINNESOTA TRIBAL LEADERS ADDRESS STATE LAWMAKERS

Screenshot of the live broadcast of Sovereignty Day at the Minnesota State Capitol. Tribal leaders from across the state gathered to address state lawmakers and educate them on the sovereignty of each tribal nation.

Sovereignty Day at the State Capitol

By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR

The Minnesota State Legislature set aside regular business for the day on Monday, March 13, 2023, to celebrate 11 Minnesota tribal nations for Sovereignty Day. This was the second Sovereignty Day in the history of the legislature. The day is marked as a celebration of Minnesota sovereign tribal nations and also a day that gives lawmakers a chance to hear directly from Minnesota’s tribal leaders.

Members of the House and Senate gathered to learn directly from each of the leaders of the 11 Minnesota tribal nations. Each leader had an opportunity to educate lawmakers on their individual tribe with a brief glimpse at their history and culture.

Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin described the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as “resilient, strong-willed people, as legislators, teachers, ceremonial people, as singers, as environmental people — that’s who we are as the Mille Lacs Band,” Benjamin said as she presented to the House. “We do what we do to protect ourselves. We do what we do to protect the land. And we also want to bring people into the Mille Lacs Band so you can learn about us. We are very proud.”

Each individual tribe has their own unique government-to-government relationship with the state and federal governments, and each tribe has some unique issues they are facing, including land issues and nuclear power plants — issues that require tribal leaders have a seat at the table and “equal footing” with state and federal governments.

There were also breakout sessions covering issues that directly impact Minnesota’s tribal nations, including public safety, tribal gaming, education, the environment, cannabis, and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) — an issue before the Supreme Court of the United States that could threaten Indian law nation-wide.

Days before Sovereignty Day, Minnesota lawmakers passed, nearly unanimously in the House and Senate, the Minnesota Indian Family Protection Act (MIFPA). MIFPA sets into law provisions within ICWA to protect Minnesota Indian families and children. While the tribal leaders were gathered together, speakers took the opportunity to ceremonially sign the bill. From there, it was passed on to the Governor for his signature. (See story on page 1.)

During her presentation to the House, Chief Executive Benjamin gave a brief history of the Non-Removable Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and how the Band became known as such. She explained how land was taken from the Tribe through various federal government actions and by timber companies, and how the Mille Lacs County Sheriff burned tribal homes to the ground. She explained how Mille Lacs Tribal Leaders of the past said, “As long as there is one Mille Lacs Band member standing on this land, there will always be a Mille Lacs Band Reservation.”

The Chief Executive also touched briefly on the three branch government system of the Mille Lacs Band and also on the issue of enrollments and blood quantum policies that were put in place by the federal government.

“At the end of the day, we want the good life,” Benjamin said in closing. “We want everyone [who] we represent to have a safe environment, good policy, good education; we want job availability, and good medical services for our people.” She added that she carries the voices of the Mille Lacs Band members who elected her to office to talk about issues that matter to them, so that all Band members can have the good life.

“Today is a good day,” Benjamin said. “A lot of these issues are really the same for every citizen in the state of Minnesota.”

Secretary Treasurer Sheldon Boyd attended the historic Sovereignty Day as well as Band members Curt Kalk, U.S. Marine Corp Veteran, who carried the Mille Lacs Band flag at entry, and Jamie Edwards, U.S. Army Veteran who carried the Mille Lacs Band flag exit ceremony.

Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin is one of the 11 Minnesota tribal leaders speaking at the Capitol discussing key issues and priorities for their Tribe.