Tribal Recognition and Truth-Telling
TRUTH Project Goal is to correct the ills of the past
By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR
The Mille Lacs Band Department of Natural Resources and other tribal affiliates have teamed up with the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Advanced Study and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) for a collaborative project Towards Recognition and University-Tribal Healing (TRUTH).
“This is a very interesting project with the University with a goal of ‘truth-telling’ of some of the disservice done to the Indigenous people of Minnesota,” said Kelly Applegate, Commissioner of the Mille Lacs Band DNR. He went on to explain that although he believes the intentions may have been to further expand higher education in a progressive way, the University was not always respectful of the cultural significance to the indigenous tribes regarding land grabs and allotments for some University buildings, infrastructure and archaeological studies. “Sometimes the quest for seeking knowledge was such a priority [for the University] it wasn’t looked at with cultural respect to the Indigenous tribes.”
Through some past archaeological studies performed by the University, and through the process of building infrastructure such as roads, the land that held gravesites for Ojibwe and Dakota ancestors was disturbed. Many artifacts and bones have been taken from the gravesites of Ojibwe and Dakota ancestors. “Now, this is a way for the University to expose the problem and address it and serve some meaning for tribes that have been traumatized,” Commissioner Applegate said.
The disturbance of burial grounds is widespread across the state and the nation as a whole. It is not strictly an issue of the University. Here in the Mille Lacs Reservation area, it is a painful reminder of the past issues for Ojibwe and Dakota people. One example is the construction of State Highway 169, from Trout junction to Garrison, especially in the Wigwam Bay area.
According to the University’s website, Minnesota Transform “will address transformational decolonial and racial justice in the University, Twin Cities, and state through public humanities projects.” It will strategically broaden and deepen previously established relationships with communities, and more importantly, hold the University accountable for its complicities in order to pave the way for redress, and build the University’s capacity to be a site of racial justice.
The Mille Lacs Band is fortunate to have many working diligently to address the issues for the Band. The project was initiated by Tadd Johnson, former Solicitor General for the Band and professor at the University of Minnesota. He recognized the problem and brought it into view. “We are so appreciative of the work he has done, without him, this may have never come to fruition the way it has,” Commissioner Applegate said.
Mike Wilson, Tribal DNR Archives has been working with the archaeology and medical teams at the University to identify bones and pieces of archaeological findings the University has found over the years. Mike is also working with the anthropology team to find out where the objects are and identify the objects with the hopes of being able to return items to the Band.
“The university is open to having discussions, with the possibility of returning the items to tribes. Our hope is they do decide to return items to where they belong, making it right and to correct these ills of the past,” Commissioner Applegate said.
The TRUTH project falls under the umbrella of Minnesota Transform, a $5 million higher education initiative grant funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The funding was divided among the Minnesota tribes to allow each tribe to participate and provide funding for tribal staff to conduct research and initiate policies. The Mille Lacs Band was awarded $22,000 for this project.
Teams from across the state, tribal and University, meet weekly to discuss progress in each area and the Band’s teams keep in constant contact to stay ahead of any issues and findings.
“What it boils down to when our people buried our loved ones, it was with the purpose to never be disturbed. Our people back then could never imagine anyone would ever dig [graves] up in the future to put objects in trays for people to gawk at. That is so far off of what our people had in mind,” Commissioner Applegate said. “We want to correct that ill to bring our loved ones back. We have a process in the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) to bring our ancestors back to where they should be.”
The TRUTH Project will continue for several months, according to Commissioner Applegate with a full report to be filed in the end.
“It will not solve all of the ills that have happened. Nothing can completely repair the destruction that has occurred, but we can heal from it. We will always be in a constant state of dealing with the trauma — we will have to carry the weight of that. And that can really have an effect on our people.”
