Post by blackcrowheart on Dec 4, 2005 17:53:15 GMT -5
A look at the tribe: Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
BY JEREMY MCBAIN NEWS-REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Friday, December 2, 2005 2:15 PM EST
With a new constitution and governmental system voted in during the summer, some would call the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians a new nation.
History, however, shows this is not true.
The tribe has been in this area for centuries. Its name, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, is relatively new to the United States Government's official list of Indian tribes because the tribe received reaffirmation - meaning the federal government recognizes it as a tribe - in 1994. But, the process to get to that point started well before the 1990s.
Tribal chairman Frank Ettawageshik said the process started in 1871 when Richard Smith drowned in a storm on Saginaw Bay. Smith was a scribe at treaty negotiations in 1855 with the Odawa and Chippewa Indians that established an agreement of tribal lands and payment to the tribes. However, institutional knowledge of those meetings died with Smith.
“The necessity started at that point,” Ettawageshik said. “It took 123 years to have the government of the tribe acknowledged by the federal government.”
Ettawageshik said a previous 1836 treaty was difficult because it required all the bands involved to get together each time to do business under an artificial nation of Odawa and Chippewa Indians. The 1855 treaty dissolved the artificial nation and reverted it to independent Indian bands. Before long, the government began to act as though the bands of Northern Michigan did not exist and it did not fulfill its promises to the tribes.
The tribes filed lawsuits in the late 1800s against the government and sought payment as required by the treaties, which the tribes won. Because of this, the government sent a representative to the area to count all of the Indian people of the 1836 and 1855 treaty area, but this representative spent very little time here.
“He basically came back and said, ‘There are a lot of Indians out there,'” Ettawageshik said.
The government sent another representative out to count the Indian people who spent a few years creating the Durant Roll. Ettawageshik said this roll is the basis for tribal enrollment as it contains the names and relationships to each other of nearly every Indian living in the area at the time. Currently, there are just over 4,000 members of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
During this period in the 1920s a man named John Collier became the head of Indian affairs with the United States government. He advocated for a change in the way the government dealt with the Indians, which came to create the Wheeler-Howard act of 1934 - also known as the Indian Reorganization Act.
During the time of this act, a couple of tribes in the state reorganized to get federal recognition. Federal recognition brought money from the government as was agreed to by the 1800s treaties. Those tribes were the Bay Mills tribe, the Saginaw Chippewa tribe and the Hannahville tribe.
Ettawageshik said the Indians in the area did meet regarding this act to discuss reorganizing, but the government could not fund the process.
“It wasn't because they didn't qualify for it, it was because the government ran out of money,” he said.
Then later in the 1930s, the Michigan Indian Defense Organization formed with the purpose of strengthening the Odawa culture and dealing with the perceptions that people had of Indians at that time. Following World War II a new group was created in 1947 called the Michigan Indian Foundation, followed by the Northern Michigan Ottawa Association.
The Northern Michigan Ottawa Association was the precursor to the current tribes, with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians being officially known as the Northern Michigan Ottawa Association, Unit 1. Its purpose was to redress the wrongs still present from the treaties and it filed land claims with the Indian Claims Commission.
Throughout the years, many of the bands in this organization began to become federally recognized tribes. In addition to those who had formed under the Indian Reformation Act, was the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewas and in 1978 the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Then in 1982, the tribe of this area took the name Little Traverse Bay Bands, but the federal government would not recognize it, thus denying the tribe rights and money under the treaties. According to information from the tribe's Web site The Little Traverse Bay Bands did not want to be federally recognized under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, instead, they went for Reaffirmation by the federal government through Congress because of the treaties.
This process came to a head in 1994 when President Bill Clinton signed a bill reaffirming the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians federal recognition. After this singing, the tribe had to create a new constitution that set up a government with an executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch.
But why go through all of this? Ettawageshik said the United States Constitution makes it clear that the United States government must honor treaties with tribes - such as those 1800s treaties - and have a relationship with those tribes. Therefore, the tribe needed to be federally recognized.
This, Ettawageshik said, means the tribe is a sovereign nation that has a relationship with the federal government, as well as the state of Michigan, its counties, cities and townships.
Ettawageshik said some people question this relationship when it comes to the fact that the federal government gives the tribe money. But, this money is not a hand-out.
Ettawageshik said according to the treaties signed by the United States government with the Indian tribes in the 1800s, the United States government was essentially agreeing to paying the tribes for land. The money the tribe receives from the federal government is what was agreed to by these treaties.
“That money is not welfare. It is part of a business deal,” he said.
Basically, it is like someone buying your house, Ettawageshik said. That person that buys your house needs to pay you for it. And when they start paying for it, they cannot suddenly say, “I think you are getting too much money now, so I am going to give you less money.”
“The principal political issue with this is to educate and reeducate the public and elected officials of the facts,” he said.
Ettawageshik said the tribe has people who are members that it needs to take care of, which is what that money is used for. But the money received by the tribe from the federal government is not enough to successfully run the tribe, thus the tribe looks to other ways, such as through the casino.
Because the tribe is a sovereign nation and the federal government does not have any laws against casino gambling, the tribe can own and operate a casino on tribal-owned land, even if a state has a law against casino gambling. Ettawageshik stresses that the casino money is used to help the tribe operate.
“Governments need funding in order to operate. It is in order to promote self-determination,” he said. “Prior to tribal gaming, most tribes only money to run their government was funds that came from treaty-based programs.”
And thanks to the politicians of the United States government always looking for ways to cut funds, even though those Indian funds were agreed to by treaties, they routinely got cut. On top of this, Ettawageshik said the tribe does not have a tax base to support a government.
So, the tribe must look to ways to bring in revenue, thus ventures such as the casino.
“All of the money is used for government purposes of one sort or another,” he said.
Ettawageshik said the most recent budget for the tribe was $20 million. He would not say how much in revenue the casino brings in to the tribe.
However, under an agreement with the state of Michigan, the tribe must pay 2 percent of its winnings from just electronic gaming machines at the casino twice a year.
Les Atchinson, a member of the Revenue Sharing Board composed of appointed representatives from Emmet County, Resort and Bear Creek Townships, said last year the tribe paid $1,103,976.49 under the agreement. The board's purpose is to determine how the money is disbursed in the community.
Because the tribe is a sovereign nation, this also means that some misunderstandings are created among non-Indians, particularly over the issues of native fishing, hunting and trapping rights. These issues are being addressed by the state of Michigan and basically revolve around treaty rights of the tribe.
Some non-Indians believe Indians are trying to get around state hunting, trapping and fishing laws and will negatively impact the fish and animal populations, as well as trespass on private land.
Ettawageshik said this is not true. Besides the fact that the tribe has its own Department of Natural Resources and own hunting, fishing and trapping laws - not to mention a law against going on private land without permission - he said the tribe has a responsibility to future generations.
Under tribal custom, everything the tribe does is done with consideration on how it will impact tribal members seven generations into the future. Overfishing, overtrapping and overhunting are not ways to live within that custom, Ettawageshik said.
“Does that sound like us?” Ettawageshik said of overtrapping, overhunting and overfishing.
As for private land, Ettawageshik said, “A significant number of our tribal members are private property owners. They are not going to let us pass a law allowing us to trespass on their land.”
While it has taken 123 years for the tribe to get to this point where it has become self-supporting and federally recognized, Ettawageshik looks to the future saying everything done so far has been to help provide for those tribal members seven generations into the future and current members, while recognizing the work of generations that came before.
“To the extent that anyone knows the future, we are planning for it to the best of our ability,” Ettawageshik said. “One of the ways to prepare for it is to prepare ourselves to be capable to change and grow and to have resiliency built into our institutions, our economy and our culture.”
THE CASINO
There is a lot more to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians than a casino.
Throughout Emmet County, the tribe has offices dedicated to various aspects of the tribal operation, from administration to natural resources. Because the tribe does not collect taxes from its members, it relies on the casino, as well as federal money that it receives under treaty by the United States government, to fund the $20 million budget for its operation.
Most of the tribal operations are located at the tribal governmental center at 7500 Odawa Circle in Harbor Springs off Pleasantview Road.
Tribal operations are broken down as such:
- Tribal administration: This part of the tribe manages the entire tribe's day-to-day functions and all tribal programs. The tribe is headed up by the chair Frank Ettawageshik and vice chair William Denemy, as well as the tribal board composed of Alice King-Yellowbank, Fred R. Harrington Jr., Beatrice A. Law, Dexter Marsh McNamara, Melvin L. Kiogima, Rita May Shananaquet, Shirley Marie (Naganashe) Oldman, Regina (Gasco) Bentley and Mary Ann Roberts. The tribal administrator is Albert Colby Jr.
- Elder's program: This department assists members over the age of 55 with whatever help they may need, from rides to tribal functions and shopping trips to help paying for heating and other bills. The department also provides lunches to elders every Tuesday and Thursday, where members can socialize and learn about any new programs offered by the tribe.
- Archives and Records and Cultural Preservation: This department collects, preserves, manages and protects all records of the tribe from government documents and historic documents. This department also assists people with questions on genealogical research. The department's culture preservation officer, Winnay Wemigwase, is also active in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Preservation and Preparation Alliance.
- Language Department: This department is responsible for developing fluent speakers of the Odawa language. It has resources available for those learning it or speaking it, such as books, dictionaries, tapes and CD-ROMS.
- Environmental Services: This department monitors the environment such as water quality, wetland protection and air quality within the reservation boundaries, which includes much of Northern Michigan. This department can test for radon in tribal homes, the quality of drinking water and has a recycling program. It is headed by environmental service director Rachel Schwarz.
- Natural Resources Department: This department is similar to the Michigan State Department of Natural Resources by keeping tabs on the wildlife in the reservation area, developing management plans and strategies and regulations as well as enforcement of tribal regulations on lands within the tribe's jurisdiction. Recently, the tribe received a $250,000 federal grant to study wolves in Northern Michigan. It is headed by natural resources director Doug Craven.
- Housing Department: This department helps tribal members with housing issues, such as short-term rental assistance, home improvement, down payment assistance, credit councils and others.
- Planning Department: This department is responsible for basically all construction projects in the tribe, from building code reviews of plans to inspections and enforcement of codes and development of new zoning to land use research and planning. It is headed by tribal planning director Bryan Gillet.
- Substance Abuse Department: This department provides outpatient services for substance abuse and mental health of tribal members. It promotes and encourages the use of traditional cultural values into therapeutic services and provides group and individual help. It is headed by substance abuse director Linda Woods.
- Health Department: This is a federally-funded Indian health service facility that provides direct care services “through clinic or physician visits, blood draws, bench labs, community outreach services, diabetic education, health education and Healthy Start maternal/child support services” for any federally recognized tribal member or descendant. The service area includes: Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Luce, Mackinaw, Schoolcraft, Alcona, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford counties.
- Law enforcement department: The tribal law enforcement department consists of 12 state- and federally-certified police officers and tribal police chief Jeff Cobe. Its jurisdiction includes all tribal lands and lands owned by the tribe, however, the officers are cross deputized with local sheriff's departments and can provide assistance outside of their jurisdiction.
This department is needed, Cobe said, because a Michigan police officer cannot go onto tribal land, as it is a federal issue. However, there are county sheriff deputies that are also cross deputized and can assist on tribal lands.
“It makes it seamless law enforcement,” Cobe said.
- Tribal court: Just as non-native court, this department also enforces the laws of the tribe and hands out punishment to those who break the law within the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians jurisdiction. The chief judge is Michael Petoskey, appellate judges are Rita Shepard, Donna Budnick and Wenona Singel.
They handle everything that normal courts handle, however, tribal courts cannot sentence a person for more than a year or impose a fine of more than $5,000. For cases such as homicide, the federal government will also prosecute the person responsible.
Other departments include: Enrollment Department, Management Information Systems Department, Human Resources Department, Education Department, Economic Development Department and Human Services Department.
THE GOVERNMENT
BY JEREMY MCBAIN NEWS-REVIEW STAFF WRITER
While the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians may have a new constitution and new governmental system, its presence in this area has preceded all other forms of government.
Over the summer, the tribe voted in a new government based on its new constitution that was created following its reaffirmation by the United States government in 1994. But, the history of the tribe began way before the 1990s or even two hundred years before that. The tribe is as much a fixture of and has been a part of Northern Michigan as the Great Lakes that surround it, the rocks along the shore and the trees in the forests.
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians tribal chair Frank Ettawageshik said the tribe has had a major influence on the area throughout history, from the economy to even the names on the maps. This influence is something he has tried to educate others on and tells of a time when he was helping organize festivities around the Michigan Sesquicentennial in 1987.
“What I tried to do at the time, and I think successfully, was to help convey the idea that when settlers came here they were guided by Indian guides and traveled over rivers and trails that had been our highways for centuries. They ended up growing crops we grew centuries ago, corn and beans. And if you look at a map showing major highways in the state, then at a map showing Indian trails, you will find an incredibly close traffic pattern,” he said.
The tribe's influence on the state and assistance to the white settlers was great. And now, in the 21st century, the tribe remains important to the area's economy, growth and population.
Ettawageshik said the tribe has a great economic impact on the area. First, through its many operations, such as a casino, hotel and tribal government, the tribe provides around 700 jobs.
“Of those over half are held by non-Indians who work for our enterprises,” he said.
Also because of those enterprises, he said there is a lot of spillover into the local economy. To run its operations, the tribe needs services such as fuel, vehicles and others.
“There are a lot of people who do business with the tribe,” he said.
The tribe, because of its relationship with the federal government, also brings federal money to the area.
“This area of the state of Michigan receives several millions of dollars back in taxes that the tribe spends,” he said.
This money is in the form of federal grants - such as a recent $250,000 grant to study wolves in Northern Michigan - to federal contracts.
Beyond money, the tribe's influence on the area can be seen in the very locations that people live in and visit, which many are named after tribal leaders or names. These can be direct names like that of Petoskey, named after Chief Ignatius Petoskey, or after Indian terms, like Bay Shore.
Those who work closely with the tribe rave about its relationship with outside groups, the help it offers and its impact on the area.
Carlin Smith, executive director of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce, said, “In a relatively short period of time they have become one of the prime employers in the Emmet County region.”
On top of that, Smith said the tribe has been known to supply good paying and professional jobs in both the casino and tribal government.
“It is critical for us at the chamber to have representatives from the tribe on our board. We have a broader understanding of the local economy thanks to their participation on our board,” he said.
As far as working with the chamber, Carlin said the tribe has an “outstanding relationship.”
He said members are active in leadership and bring a lot to chamber programs in a cultural and educational standpoint. On top of this, tribal members are very willing to donate their time to the community.
From a law enforcement standpoint - the tribe has its own police department, whose officers are cross-deputized with the local sheriff departments - Emmet County sheriff Pete Wallin said the departments work hand-in-hand.
“We have a real good working relationship with them. They are very professional and help us out and we help them,” he said.
Historically, the tribe brings a lot to the area said Candace Fitzsimons, executive director of the Little Traverse Historical Society. Members of the tribe have been and are members of the historical society board.
She said the tribe is extremely valuable in helping educate the public and the society's members on the area.
“If someone has questions on history, they are real quick to get back to us,” Fitzsimmons said.
If people come to the society seeking information on their tribal ancestors, they are routinely sent to the tribe - which maintains a vast records collection - plus the tribe shares many records with the society.
“What the tribe offers to the community is strength of their generations. It adds a lot of strength to our history,” she said.
Beyond the impact on the community, the impact on its members is great. The tribe offers members a source to learn more about their culture and a community that provides support in many forms. Tribal members can get health care, counseling and financial assistance among others from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
But, there is more to being a member than just mental, physical and financial help.
“The tribe helps define my identity and my purpose in life,” Ettawageshik said. “It defines my identity because there is a history, our heritage, our relationship to the land and all of creation. It defines it through ritual and ceremonies, language and philosophy. It also gives us guidance.”
When he speaks of guidance, Ettawageshik specifically refers to what will carry that person and those that come after him into the future. Tribal custom teaches members to think seven generations into the future with their actions, but also to look back seven generations and realize that their ancestor's actions created what that member has today.
“We live with both our heritage and past at the same time that we live with those seven generations into our future. We live that everyday,” he said.
Vice chairman William Denemy added, “What is important to me is our ancestors, that they lived in this area. We are proud of the way we lived in the past and the way we are going to live in the future.”
Along with thinking of the past and the future, the tribe has a large interest in maintaining its culture. It does this through a variety of ways from classes to festivals for native and non-native people.
The language is a very interesting aspect of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians to Ettawageshik. He points to the creation of language immersion programs being pushed by the tribe, in addition to classes in Anishnawbe being taught in the area.
Ettawageshik said the language of the tribe shows how healthy it is.
“If you study Latin, it is possible to know every single thing to know about Latin because Latin is a dead language. If you study our language, you could never know everything about it because it is evolving. We have new words for things. As language evolves, so does culture,” he said.
And an evolving culture, Ettawageshik said, was and is the key to survival for the tribe.
In addition to language, another very important cultural issue to the tribe is also important to many other people around the world ... the environment.
“We have a strong respect for creation and the environment,” Ettawageshik said.
Because of this the tribe is at the forefront of many environmental issues, such as use of Great Lakes water. The tribe currently is working with other tribes and local, state, regional and national leaders on this very issue. A proposal to the federal government on the use and protection of Great Lakes water is expected this month.
“Water is sacred and we try to encourage others to respect water as well,” Ettawageshik said.
To promote and teach its heritage, the tribe also has a host of festivals throughout the year. There is the Ghost Supper in the fall, the midwinter feast in January, a spring festival and many summer festivals, including the tribe's annual pow wow.
While teaching others about their culture, the tribe is very involved in teaching its youth about their history and where they come from.
Young people in the tribe are taught about their culture in a very hands-on way. Ettawageshik said young people help out with all the dinners during festivals and are very involved in the pow wows.
“We try to teach by example all these different elements of our culture,” he said.
Part of this is teaching them about the seven generations.
“We don't try to do short term things. Each of us is someone's seventh generation,” he said.
Ettawageshik said there is definitely a resurgence of interest in the tribe's culture and pride in Indian heritage.
“I attribute it to justice. The political justice that occurs when our identity has been acknowledged by the United States government,” he said. “Our political identity that has been acknowledged to teach and instill pride in the coming generations, in knowledge and understanding of history and culture.”
Jeremy McBain can be contacted at 439-9316, or jmcbain@petoskeynews.com.
BY JEREMY MCBAIN NEWS-REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Friday, December 2, 2005 2:15 PM EST
With a new constitution and governmental system voted in during the summer, some would call the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians a new nation.
History, however, shows this is not true.
The tribe has been in this area for centuries. Its name, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, is relatively new to the United States Government's official list of Indian tribes because the tribe received reaffirmation - meaning the federal government recognizes it as a tribe - in 1994. But, the process to get to that point started well before the 1990s.
Tribal chairman Frank Ettawageshik said the process started in 1871 when Richard Smith drowned in a storm on Saginaw Bay. Smith was a scribe at treaty negotiations in 1855 with the Odawa and Chippewa Indians that established an agreement of tribal lands and payment to the tribes. However, institutional knowledge of those meetings died with Smith.
“The necessity started at that point,” Ettawageshik said. “It took 123 years to have the government of the tribe acknowledged by the federal government.”
Ettawageshik said a previous 1836 treaty was difficult because it required all the bands involved to get together each time to do business under an artificial nation of Odawa and Chippewa Indians. The 1855 treaty dissolved the artificial nation and reverted it to independent Indian bands. Before long, the government began to act as though the bands of Northern Michigan did not exist and it did not fulfill its promises to the tribes.
The tribes filed lawsuits in the late 1800s against the government and sought payment as required by the treaties, which the tribes won. Because of this, the government sent a representative to the area to count all of the Indian people of the 1836 and 1855 treaty area, but this representative spent very little time here.
“He basically came back and said, ‘There are a lot of Indians out there,'” Ettawageshik said.
The government sent another representative out to count the Indian people who spent a few years creating the Durant Roll. Ettawageshik said this roll is the basis for tribal enrollment as it contains the names and relationships to each other of nearly every Indian living in the area at the time. Currently, there are just over 4,000 members of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
During this period in the 1920s a man named John Collier became the head of Indian affairs with the United States government. He advocated for a change in the way the government dealt with the Indians, which came to create the Wheeler-Howard act of 1934 - also known as the Indian Reorganization Act.
During the time of this act, a couple of tribes in the state reorganized to get federal recognition. Federal recognition brought money from the government as was agreed to by the 1800s treaties. Those tribes were the Bay Mills tribe, the Saginaw Chippewa tribe and the Hannahville tribe.
Ettawageshik said the Indians in the area did meet regarding this act to discuss reorganizing, but the government could not fund the process.
“It wasn't because they didn't qualify for it, it was because the government ran out of money,” he said.
Then later in the 1930s, the Michigan Indian Defense Organization formed with the purpose of strengthening the Odawa culture and dealing with the perceptions that people had of Indians at that time. Following World War II a new group was created in 1947 called the Michigan Indian Foundation, followed by the Northern Michigan Ottawa Association.
The Northern Michigan Ottawa Association was the precursor to the current tribes, with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians being officially known as the Northern Michigan Ottawa Association, Unit 1. Its purpose was to redress the wrongs still present from the treaties and it filed land claims with the Indian Claims Commission.
Throughout the years, many of the bands in this organization began to become federally recognized tribes. In addition to those who had formed under the Indian Reformation Act, was the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewas and in 1978 the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Then in 1982, the tribe of this area took the name Little Traverse Bay Bands, but the federal government would not recognize it, thus denying the tribe rights and money under the treaties. According to information from the tribe's Web site The Little Traverse Bay Bands did not want to be federally recognized under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, instead, they went for Reaffirmation by the federal government through Congress because of the treaties.
This process came to a head in 1994 when President Bill Clinton signed a bill reaffirming the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians federal recognition. After this singing, the tribe had to create a new constitution that set up a government with an executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch.
But why go through all of this? Ettawageshik said the United States Constitution makes it clear that the United States government must honor treaties with tribes - such as those 1800s treaties - and have a relationship with those tribes. Therefore, the tribe needed to be federally recognized.
This, Ettawageshik said, means the tribe is a sovereign nation that has a relationship with the federal government, as well as the state of Michigan, its counties, cities and townships.
Ettawageshik said some people question this relationship when it comes to the fact that the federal government gives the tribe money. But, this money is not a hand-out.
Ettawageshik said according to the treaties signed by the United States government with the Indian tribes in the 1800s, the United States government was essentially agreeing to paying the tribes for land. The money the tribe receives from the federal government is what was agreed to by these treaties.
“That money is not welfare. It is part of a business deal,” he said.
Basically, it is like someone buying your house, Ettawageshik said. That person that buys your house needs to pay you for it. And when they start paying for it, they cannot suddenly say, “I think you are getting too much money now, so I am going to give you less money.”
“The principal political issue with this is to educate and reeducate the public and elected officials of the facts,” he said.
Ettawageshik said the tribe has people who are members that it needs to take care of, which is what that money is used for. But the money received by the tribe from the federal government is not enough to successfully run the tribe, thus the tribe looks to other ways, such as through the casino.
Because the tribe is a sovereign nation and the federal government does not have any laws against casino gambling, the tribe can own and operate a casino on tribal-owned land, even if a state has a law against casino gambling. Ettawageshik stresses that the casino money is used to help the tribe operate.
“Governments need funding in order to operate. It is in order to promote self-determination,” he said. “Prior to tribal gaming, most tribes only money to run their government was funds that came from treaty-based programs.”
And thanks to the politicians of the United States government always looking for ways to cut funds, even though those Indian funds were agreed to by treaties, they routinely got cut. On top of this, Ettawageshik said the tribe does not have a tax base to support a government.
So, the tribe must look to ways to bring in revenue, thus ventures such as the casino.
“All of the money is used for government purposes of one sort or another,” he said.
Ettawageshik said the most recent budget for the tribe was $20 million. He would not say how much in revenue the casino brings in to the tribe.
However, under an agreement with the state of Michigan, the tribe must pay 2 percent of its winnings from just electronic gaming machines at the casino twice a year.
Les Atchinson, a member of the Revenue Sharing Board composed of appointed representatives from Emmet County, Resort and Bear Creek Townships, said last year the tribe paid $1,103,976.49 under the agreement. The board's purpose is to determine how the money is disbursed in the community.
Because the tribe is a sovereign nation, this also means that some misunderstandings are created among non-Indians, particularly over the issues of native fishing, hunting and trapping rights. These issues are being addressed by the state of Michigan and basically revolve around treaty rights of the tribe.
Some non-Indians believe Indians are trying to get around state hunting, trapping and fishing laws and will negatively impact the fish and animal populations, as well as trespass on private land.
Ettawageshik said this is not true. Besides the fact that the tribe has its own Department of Natural Resources and own hunting, fishing and trapping laws - not to mention a law against going on private land without permission - he said the tribe has a responsibility to future generations.
Under tribal custom, everything the tribe does is done with consideration on how it will impact tribal members seven generations into the future. Overfishing, overtrapping and overhunting are not ways to live within that custom, Ettawageshik said.
“Does that sound like us?” Ettawageshik said of overtrapping, overhunting and overfishing.
As for private land, Ettawageshik said, “A significant number of our tribal members are private property owners. They are not going to let us pass a law allowing us to trespass on their land.”
While it has taken 123 years for the tribe to get to this point where it has become self-supporting and federally recognized, Ettawageshik looks to the future saying everything done so far has been to help provide for those tribal members seven generations into the future and current members, while recognizing the work of generations that came before.
“To the extent that anyone knows the future, we are planning for it to the best of our ability,” Ettawageshik said. “One of the ways to prepare for it is to prepare ourselves to be capable to change and grow and to have resiliency built into our institutions, our economy and our culture.”
THE CASINO
There is a lot more to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians than a casino.
Throughout Emmet County, the tribe has offices dedicated to various aspects of the tribal operation, from administration to natural resources. Because the tribe does not collect taxes from its members, it relies on the casino, as well as federal money that it receives under treaty by the United States government, to fund the $20 million budget for its operation.
Most of the tribal operations are located at the tribal governmental center at 7500 Odawa Circle in Harbor Springs off Pleasantview Road.
Tribal operations are broken down as such:
- Tribal administration: This part of the tribe manages the entire tribe's day-to-day functions and all tribal programs. The tribe is headed up by the chair Frank Ettawageshik and vice chair William Denemy, as well as the tribal board composed of Alice King-Yellowbank, Fred R. Harrington Jr., Beatrice A. Law, Dexter Marsh McNamara, Melvin L. Kiogima, Rita May Shananaquet, Shirley Marie (Naganashe) Oldman, Regina (Gasco) Bentley and Mary Ann Roberts. The tribal administrator is Albert Colby Jr.
- Elder's program: This department assists members over the age of 55 with whatever help they may need, from rides to tribal functions and shopping trips to help paying for heating and other bills. The department also provides lunches to elders every Tuesday and Thursday, where members can socialize and learn about any new programs offered by the tribe.
- Archives and Records and Cultural Preservation: This department collects, preserves, manages and protects all records of the tribe from government documents and historic documents. This department also assists people with questions on genealogical research. The department's culture preservation officer, Winnay Wemigwase, is also active in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Preservation and Preparation Alliance.
- Language Department: This department is responsible for developing fluent speakers of the Odawa language. It has resources available for those learning it or speaking it, such as books, dictionaries, tapes and CD-ROMS.
- Environmental Services: This department monitors the environment such as water quality, wetland protection and air quality within the reservation boundaries, which includes much of Northern Michigan. This department can test for radon in tribal homes, the quality of drinking water and has a recycling program. It is headed by environmental service director Rachel Schwarz.
- Natural Resources Department: This department is similar to the Michigan State Department of Natural Resources by keeping tabs on the wildlife in the reservation area, developing management plans and strategies and regulations as well as enforcement of tribal regulations on lands within the tribe's jurisdiction. Recently, the tribe received a $250,000 federal grant to study wolves in Northern Michigan. It is headed by natural resources director Doug Craven.
- Housing Department: This department helps tribal members with housing issues, such as short-term rental assistance, home improvement, down payment assistance, credit councils and others.
- Planning Department: This department is responsible for basically all construction projects in the tribe, from building code reviews of plans to inspections and enforcement of codes and development of new zoning to land use research and planning. It is headed by tribal planning director Bryan Gillet.
- Substance Abuse Department: This department provides outpatient services for substance abuse and mental health of tribal members. It promotes and encourages the use of traditional cultural values into therapeutic services and provides group and individual help. It is headed by substance abuse director Linda Woods.
- Health Department: This is a federally-funded Indian health service facility that provides direct care services “through clinic or physician visits, blood draws, bench labs, community outreach services, diabetic education, health education and Healthy Start maternal/child support services” for any federally recognized tribal member or descendant. The service area includes: Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Luce, Mackinaw, Schoolcraft, Alcona, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford counties.
- Law enforcement department: The tribal law enforcement department consists of 12 state- and federally-certified police officers and tribal police chief Jeff Cobe. Its jurisdiction includes all tribal lands and lands owned by the tribe, however, the officers are cross deputized with local sheriff's departments and can provide assistance outside of their jurisdiction.
This department is needed, Cobe said, because a Michigan police officer cannot go onto tribal land, as it is a federal issue. However, there are county sheriff deputies that are also cross deputized and can assist on tribal lands.
“It makes it seamless law enforcement,” Cobe said.
- Tribal court: Just as non-native court, this department also enforces the laws of the tribe and hands out punishment to those who break the law within the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians jurisdiction. The chief judge is Michael Petoskey, appellate judges are Rita Shepard, Donna Budnick and Wenona Singel.
They handle everything that normal courts handle, however, tribal courts cannot sentence a person for more than a year or impose a fine of more than $5,000. For cases such as homicide, the federal government will also prosecute the person responsible.
Other departments include: Enrollment Department, Management Information Systems Department, Human Resources Department, Education Department, Economic Development Department and Human Services Department.
THE GOVERNMENT
BY JEREMY MCBAIN NEWS-REVIEW STAFF WRITER
While the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians may have a new constitution and new governmental system, its presence in this area has preceded all other forms of government.
Over the summer, the tribe voted in a new government based on its new constitution that was created following its reaffirmation by the United States government in 1994. But, the history of the tribe began way before the 1990s or even two hundred years before that. The tribe is as much a fixture of and has been a part of Northern Michigan as the Great Lakes that surround it, the rocks along the shore and the trees in the forests.
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians tribal chair Frank Ettawageshik said the tribe has had a major influence on the area throughout history, from the economy to even the names on the maps. This influence is something he has tried to educate others on and tells of a time when he was helping organize festivities around the Michigan Sesquicentennial in 1987.
“What I tried to do at the time, and I think successfully, was to help convey the idea that when settlers came here they were guided by Indian guides and traveled over rivers and trails that had been our highways for centuries. They ended up growing crops we grew centuries ago, corn and beans. And if you look at a map showing major highways in the state, then at a map showing Indian trails, you will find an incredibly close traffic pattern,” he said.
The tribe's influence on the state and assistance to the white settlers was great. And now, in the 21st century, the tribe remains important to the area's economy, growth and population.
Ettawageshik said the tribe has a great economic impact on the area. First, through its many operations, such as a casino, hotel and tribal government, the tribe provides around 700 jobs.
“Of those over half are held by non-Indians who work for our enterprises,” he said.
Also because of those enterprises, he said there is a lot of spillover into the local economy. To run its operations, the tribe needs services such as fuel, vehicles and others.
“There are a lot of people who do business with the tribe,” he said.
The tribe, because of its relationship with the federal government, also brings federal money to the area.
“This area of the state of Michigan receives several millions of dollars back in taxes that the tribe spends,” he said.
This money is in the form of federal grants - such as a recent $250,000 grant to study wolves in Northern Michigan - to federal contracts.
Beyond money, the tribe's influence on the area can be seen in the very locations that people live in and visit, which many are named after tribal leaders or names. These can be direct names like that of Petoskey, named after Chief Ignatius Petoskey, or after Indian terms, like Bay Shore.
Those who work closely with the tribe rave about its relationship with outside groups, the help it offers and its impact on the area.
Carlin Smith, executive director of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce, said, “In a relatively short period of time they have become one of the prime employers in the Emmet County region.”
On top of that, Smith said the tribe has been known to supply good paying and professional jobs in both the casino and tribal government.
“It is critical for us at the chamber to have representatives from the tribe on our board. We have a broader understanding of the local economy thanks to their participation on our board,” he said.
As far as working with the chamber, Carlin said the tribe has an “outstanding relationship.”
He said members are active in leadership and bring a lot to chamber programs in a cultural and educational standpoint. On top of this, tribal members are very willing to donate their time to the community.
From a law enforcement standpoint - the tribe has its own police department, whose officers are cross-deputized with the local sheriff departments - Emmet County sheriff Pete Wallin said the departments work hand-in-hand.
“We have a real good working relationship with them. They are very professional and help us out and we help them,” he said.
Historically, the tribe brings a lot to the area said Candace Fitzsimons, executive director of the Little Traverse Historical Society. Members of the tribe have been and are members of the historical society board.
She said the tribe is extremely valuable in helping educate the public and the society's members on the area.
“If someone has questions on history, they are real quick to get back to us,” Fitzsimmons said.
If people come to the society seeking information on their tribal ancestors, they are routinely sent to the tribe - which maintains a vast records collection - plus the tribe shares many records with the society.
“What the tribe offers to the community is strength of their generations. It adds a lot of strength to our history,” she said.
Beyond the impact on the community, the impact on its members is great. The tribe offers members a source to learn more about their culture and a community that provides support in many forms. Tribal members can get health care, counseling and financial assistance among others from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
But, there is more to being a member than just mental, physical and financial help.
“The tribe helps define my identity and my purpose in life,” Ettawageshik said. “It defines my identity because there is a history, our heritage, our relationship to the land and all of creation. It defines it through ritual and ceremonies, language and philosophy. It also gives us guidance.”
When he speaks of guidance, Ettawageshik specifically refers to what will carry that person and those that come after him into the future. Tribal custom teaches members to think seven generations into the future with their actions, but also to look back seven generations and realize that their ancestor's actions created what that member has today.
“We live with both our heritage and past at the same time that we live with those seven generations into our future. We live that everyday,” he said.
Vice chairman William Denemy added, “What is important to me is our ancestors, that they lived in this area. We are proud of the way we lived in the past and the way we are going to live in the future.”
Along with thinking of the past and the future, the tribe has a large interest in maintaining its culture. It does this through a variety of ways from classes to festivals for native and non-native people.
The language is a very interesting aspect of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians to Ettawageshik. He points to the creation of language immersion programs being pushed by the tribe, in addition to classes in Anishnawbe being taught in the area.
Ettawageshik said the language of the tribe shows how healthy it is.
“If you study Latin, it is possible to know every single thing to know about Latin because Latin is a dead language. If you study our language, you could never know everything about it because it is evolving. We have new words for things. As language evolves, so does culture,” he said.
And an evolving culture, Ettawageshik said, was and is the key to survival for the tribe.
In addition to language, another very important cultural issue to the tribe is also important to many other people around the world ... the environment.
“We have a strong respect for creation and the environment,” Ettawageshik said.
Because of this the tribe is at the forefront of many environmental issues, such as use of Great Lakes water. The tribe currently is working with other tribes and local, state, regional and national leaders on this very issue. A proposal to the federal government on the use and protection of Great Lakes water is expected this month.
“Water is sacred and we try to encourage others to respect water as well,” Ettawageshik said.
To promote and teach its heritage, the tribe also has a host of festivals throughout the year. There is the Ghost Supper in the fall, the midwinter feast in January, a spring festival and many summer festivals, including the tribe's annual pow wow.
While teaching others about their culture, the tribe is very involved in teaching its youth about their history and where they come from.
Young people in the tribe are taught about their culture in a very hands-on way. Ettawageshik said young people help out with all the dinners during festivals and are very involved in the pow wows.
“We try to teach by example all these different elements of our culture,” he said.
Part of this is teaching them about the seven generations.
“We don't try to do short term things. Each of us is someone's seventh generation,” he said.
Ettawageshik said there is definitely a resurgence of interest in the tribe's culture and pride in Indian heritage.
“I attribute it to justice. The political justice that occurs when our identity has been acknowledged by the United States government,” he said. “Our political identity that has been acknowledged to teach and instill pride in the coming generations, in knowledge and understanding of history and culture.”
Jeremy McBain can be contacted at 439-9316, or jmcbain@petoskeynews.com.