SHARING LESSONS LEARNED FOR NEXT GENERATION
SUMMARY OF THE 2024 STATE OF THE BAND ADDRESS
In her 2024 State of the Band address, Mille Lacs Band Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin reflected on 2023 as a year of important victories for the Band, highlighting passage of a new law in Minnesota that removes the requirement that tribal police departments must have a cooperative law enforcement agreement with the local county in order to exercise concurrent jurisdiction to protect and serve.
In 2016, Mille Lacs County revoked its cooperative law enforcement agreement with the Mille Lacs Band, claiming that by its action, the Band’s 23 post-certified police officers no longer had authority to enforce Minnesota law.
“Most of us remember that dark period,” Benjamin said. “Mille Lacs County tried to strip our police officers of their state licenses, and threatened our officers with arrest if they did their job — even on our trust lands. The county issued a threat. They said they would only renew our law enforcement agreement on the condition that we agreed to act as if our Reservation boundary no longer existed. Never — not in a million years — would we ever agree to that.”
The result of the County’s unilateral withdrawal from the law enforcement agreement was a period of lawlessness and increased crime, including an influx of drugs from off-reservation gangs who took advantage of the opportunity. And in the wake of those drugs came a spike of overdoses. “Never again will Mille Lacs County, or any county, be able to hold the safety of our people hostage. That period is over — forever!”
Benjamin also reflected on the Band’s lawsuit against Mille Lacs County that grew out of the county’s interference with public safety on the Reservation. In March of 2022, Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson ruled in favor of the Band; her opinion said, “over the course of more than 160 years, Congress has never clearly expressed an intention to disestablish or diminish the Mille Lacs Reservation. The Court therefore affirms what the Band has maintained for the better part of two centuries the Mille Lacs Reservation's boundaries remain as they were under Article 2 of the Treaty of 1855." Mille Lacs County has appealed that decision.
“The County spent over $10 million on this case, paying 11 outside attorneys, and now the County is spending even more money appealing this case. The United States, the State of Minnesota, and the Native American Rights Fund — which is representing the National Congress of American Indians, Leech Lake, Bois Forte and Grand Portage — have all filed legal briefs siding with the Band. Mille Lacs County stands alone.”
Benjamin also addressed the county’s decision to appeal the decision from a financial perspective. “As the leader of a government, I know if we were spending $10 million or more on something, our Band members would want something to show for it. To our non-Native friends and neighbors, I would like you to think about this: Have your lives changed since we won our case in 2022? Has the Band taxed you or zoned your property, or forced you into our Band court system? No. I know we haven’t, because we don’t want to, and we can’t. Mille Lacs County officials have nothing to show for spending all this money except that all of our property taxes in this county keep going up. The Band is the biggest taxpayer in the county, so Band members are paying for both sides of this case. And we will keep doing this as long as we must, because these are our homelands, and we are not going anywhere. We will always be Non-Removable!”
Other highlights from the speech include:
Nickel mine proposed near tribal lands: “In March, we launched our Water Over Nickel Campaign to spread the word about prioritizing clean water over nickel mining and have been steadily gaining many new allies from the surrounding communities, the state, and the nation.” Chief Executive Benjamin spoke about her invitation from the National Congress of American Indians to attend the UN Climate Change conference in December in Dubai.
“I joined over 300 Indigenous delegates from around the world for what was called the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change. Under the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we are stakeholders with international rights. The purpose of this forum was to make sure Indigenous rights are not side-lined during climate change negotiations.”
Benjamin asked Minnesotans to be careful about believing what they hear about nickel mining. “When Minnesotans hear that nickel mining is the solution to creating a clean and green economy, I encourage everyone to remain cautious and skeptical. Every day, we see new alternatives to support electric vehicles. Research has showed that metal recycling could meet between 37% to 91% of the demand for these minerals. Other products like lithium are options, too.”
Language and Culture
“Rosetta Stone has put our language on the map!” Benjamin said. “Tribes and people all over the Great Lakes region, in Canada, and even in California, are using our Rosetta Stone program to learn Ojibwe. Disney even announced recently that they are dubbing a Star Wars movie in the Ojibwe language.”
Congratulations to New Commissioners
Benjamin noted the return of Samuel Moose, who was appointed Commissioner of Administration in 2023. Commissioner Moose has 17 years of experience working with the Mille Lacs Band, including 14 years combined as Commissioner of Health and Human Services and Community Development. Benjamin also welcomed Rick Pardun, who was recently sworn in as Commissioner of Community Development.
Congratulations to Band member Syngen Kanassatega
Among the visiting dignitaries were U.S. Attorney Andy Lugar and three of his staff. “Today, for the first time, I am so proud to introduce the newest full-time Assistant U.S. Attorney — our own Mille Lacs Band member, Syngen Kanassatega! Syngen, we will miss you in our office, but all of Indian Country will benefit from your new appointment.” Mille Lacs Band member Syngen Kanassatega began working for the U.S. Department of Justice last week.
At the conclusion of her speech, Chief Executive Benjamin honored Kanassatega by presenting him with a blanket. Kanassatega spoke briefly about the importance of the Band’s division-of-powers form of government and urged Band members to respect and protect their system of government and take advantage of training about the Band’s history and government that will be provided this year.
Leadership
Chief Executive Benjamin talked about the next generation of leaders, addressing them directly by sharing some of what she learned from the accomplishments of her predecessors, Chief Executives Arthur Gahbow and Marge Anderson, and how great leaders are chosen by their Elders.
“Every leader carries a torch that will eventually be passed. I want to take this time to share some of the lessons that I learned. First, I did not just wake up one day and decide that I wanted to be the Chief. And neither did Chief Executive Gahbow or Chief Executive Anderson. Because you do not choose leadership. Leadership chooses you.”
Benjamin spent time listing some of the most important accomplishments of the Band over the past 30 years, including the number of times the Band was first in the Nation to undertake a progressive initiative. “I want to acknowledge that progress, so our next leaders know what is possible to achieve as an Indian Nation.”
Benjamin noted that the Mille Lacs Band was the first tribe to buy a bank and a holding company; the first tribal health insurance program; the first tribe to focus on the non-gaming hotel industry for economic diversification; the first tribe to open a satellite school in the BIA system; the first tribe to create a Department of Athletic Regulation and bring professional boxing to the Reservation, and provided scores of other examples.
“In years past, I have talked a lot about growing our own leaders. I’ve called for new warriors to come forward. For Band members to take advantage of education opportunities, training programs, and to get involved in our communities. And many of you have done that.”
Benjamin spoke about the qualities that Band members should look for in their next leader and encouraged the next generation. “Some of you here today may not have chosen leadership, but leadership has chosen you! You have not stepped forward yet, but you know who you are, and you are ready. To the next generation: You are the architects of tomorrow. Your dreams, ideas, and unique perspectives are the building blocks of how our Band will continue to grow and thrive.”
“As you take hold of the torch, remember that it is not just a symbol; it is a call to action. Embrace the challenges that lie ahead with courage and determination, for it is through adversity that character is forged. In your hands, we place the power to innovate, to bridge divides, and to envision a future that transcends the limitations we face today. The torch you carry is not just for you; it is a shared flame that illuminates the path for all.”
Mille Lacs Band statute requires the Chief Executive to “present to the Band Assembly an annual State of the Band Address on the second Tuesday of January of each calendar year” [4MLBSA 6(i)]. The first State of the Band Address was delivered in 1983, making the Band the first Minnesota tribe to provide a formal update in this way.
