Mashkiiziibii News
June 6, 2018

The month of June brings many exciting occasions as we head into the summer season. Berries are now growing and soon the wild woodland strawberries will be found in the forest and sometimes near swampy areas. 

Strawberries are known as the "heart berry" and can be found at most feasts and ceremonies because they are considered one of the four sacred foods to the Ojibwe people.

This Week's Events:

Gaming Commission Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 7th at 4:30 pm.

Ashland Middle School graduation takes place this Thursday, June 7th at 2:00 pm at Dodd Gym. Congratulations to all 2018 graduates!

Coming up at the end of the month - be sure to join us for the Bad River Health Fair at the Bad River Health and Wellness Center on June 27th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Please scroll down for the latest news in Mashkiiziibii.
Bad River Veterans Honor the Fallen on Memorial Day

Most people think of the Memorial Day holiday weekend as the start of summer. For many military veterans and their families, the holiday is a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by the warriors who have served: some who never made it home, and some who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and never fully "come back home".

For the second year in a row, Bad River United States Marine Corps Veterans, Aaron Bigboy and Fred Pero quietly commemorated the day by doing a Memorial Day ruck: a several-mile hike while carrying a weighted backpack and moving at a faster than average pace. 

"In 2017, my buddy Fred Pero and I talked about doing this ruck," Aaron said. "We're both Marines, so we have that bond, and that mindset that you always honor the fallen, and you never leave anyone behind. We decided this would be a good way to show our respect and appreciation."

Last year they began the ruck in the Bad River Lodge & Casino parking lot and hiked to the top of Birch Hill, roughly 7 miles. This year they hiked from the same starting point and ended at Bayview Beach in Ashland - 12.5 miles. The weather was hot and sunny, with temperatures in the middle 80s and no breeze, yet they managed to complete the ruck in a few hours.

"For the first half of the ruck, it was just Fred and me. Then my cousin Kia met up with us half way," Aaron said. "Last year it was us three, plus one more for part of the way."

These two Marines haven't made this event a big production, nor have they expected many others to join in because it isn't easy to walk that far with 25 to 35 pounds strapped to your back. They do encourage others to join though, even if it is just for a small part of the distance.

"It doesn't always have to be this big flamboyant production to honor our fallen warriors," Aaron said. "And it's not always just about our service brothers and sisters, it's also about our ancestors, the Ogichidaa, that have went before us. Sacrificing a little bit of our time and physical being is a drop in the bucket compared to giving your life for your culture, your people, for the land."

Fred and Aaron may do more rucks on other military holidays in the future, but for now, Memorial Day 2019 is already in their sights and they hope to continue doing it for as long as they can. 

"Hopefully next year we will see a few more people out there with us and maybe we can start getting back to the real meaning of why this three-day weekend actually exists," Aaron shared. "It's great that families get together and have cookouts, but let's not forget the reason why we have this long weekend in the first place."

Chi Miigwech to all the Veterans and those currently serving!
2018 Graduates Honored at Star Quilt Ceremony
 
Tribal students graduating from Ashland High School were honored on May 31st with a feast and star quilt ceremony held at the Bad River Community Center.

Since 2012, several women in the community have been making star quilts for the graduating youth from Bad River to honor and recognize them for their accomplishments. To receive a star quilt is considered a special honor. Along with the quilt, the graduates are also given an eagle feather.


The volunteer cooks put on an amazing feast of traditional foods, complete with venison, walleye, wild rice, berries, and of course frybread, for the guests to enjoy before the evenings events began.

Liz Wabindato welcomed everyone to the event and Councilman Dylan Jennings delivered the keynote address. Shortly after, Joe Corbine, the Ashland High School home school coordinator, read through the list of graduates, sharing some of their future goals through the students own words, along with some of his own humor thrown in for good measure!

Two scholarships were awarded to students. The Culture, Education and Success Scholarship was given to Jory Weaver and the Bad River American Legion Scholarship was awarded to Hailee Cadotte.

Bad River Veteran Dan Mayotte said this it was the eighth year they have offered the Bad River American Legion scholarship, and while it is based more on character than academics, the VFW does take a student's grades into consideration.

"The applicants are all reviewed and voted on by Legion members, and we do look at things like grades, and volunteerism," Dan said. "It's only a $500 scholarship, but we try to add to it every year and make it larger."


Esie Leoso shared with the audience how the star quilt ceremony began in the community. She remembered being inspired by seeing the star quilts made by the women of Pine Ridge in South Dakota to honor their youth and thought that was something they could do here.

So, with donations and dedication from the women willing to sacrifice many Sunday afternoons for nine months, the star quilt project was born. 

The thirty-one quilts were hung high in the community center the night before, because it is said that the ancestors come in to visit and bless the quilts overnight.

"Our relatives were here, they blessed the quilts, and they are ready to be given out," Esie said. 

Each student was called up and given a star quilt, handed out by the women who made them, and Bad River Veterans followed with an eagle feather for each student. During the honor song for the graduates, the community lined up to congratulate the students and wish them well on their future endeavors. 


"The key to the success of the star quilt project and ceremony is just the deep love we have for our youth," Esie said. "These youth are the 8th Fire and are the future of our Tribe."

 Congratulations to all of the 2018 Graduates!
Bad River Drug Task Force Holding Biweekly Meetings
 
The Bad River Drug Task Force is hard at work discussing the Tribal Action Plan development, grants and community activities.

Red Lake Students Release Powerful Video
By Joe Bowen, 

RED LAKE -- The camera soars over and through Red Lake: the water tower, powwow grounds, boxing club, grocery store, the remnants of St. Mary's Mission Church, an "it's life or meth" skull and crossbones sign. It lingers on a girl dancing in a jingle dress, a boy thumping on a drum, four survivors of the 2005 Red Lake High School shooting. It frames a Red Lake Middle School student.

"Red Lake Nation is where I'm from," he intones. "There is no second life. So we have to make it right. And make our future bright."

That type of powerful, often-mesmerizing imagery weaves its way through "Where We Belong," a song and music video almost entirely conceived of and performed by Red Lake Middle School seventh-graders that has already notched tens of thousands of Facebook and YouTube views since its online debut Wednesday morning.

School staff and a handful of professional musicians polished the video and song and helped students brainstorm parts of it, but the core artistic thrust was all the school's 80 or so seventh-graders. Minneapolis musician Lady Midnight prompted students to think about what a warrior is, or what happiness is as they worked in the school's mini theater.


"Happiness is your homie, right?" she asked rhetorically, the song's beat underscoring her question. "Your homie helping you and offering you something, right?"
The song's beat, lyrics, and subject were all put together from scratch. Students brainstormed some of the topics and concepts they wanted to cover, then Tami Liberty, an Ojibwe language and culture teacher, printed out and showed them related photos. That produced ethereal lyrics like "the lake is on fire / eyes in the clouds," she said.   Click here to read full story
Bad River Manoomin Celebration T-Shirts On Sale Now

Bad River Manoomin Celebration T-shirts are on sale now! These beautiful T-shirts are available at the Community Center for $20 each. Please contact Nate Ante at 715-292-3191 for information on sizes and ordering.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Tribal Council Meetings

All Regular Tribal Council Meetings are held at
the Bad River Convention Center at 4:30 pm.

July 11, 2018
August 1, 2018
September 5, 2018
October 3, 2018
November 7, 2018
December 5, 2018

All Special Tribal Council Meetings are held at
the Bad River Convention Center at 4:30 pm.

 June 19, 2018
 July 17, 2018
 August 21, 2018
 September 18, 2018
 October 16, 2018
 November 20, 2018
 December 18, 2018
Powwow Committee Meeting - Every Thursday
 
Refer a Friend Internet Promotion
 
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Football Camp Begins Today 
 
Food Sovereignty Volunteer Days - June 7th and 8th
 
Kiwenz Language Camp - June 13th to June 17th
 
Summer Basketball Begins - June 18th
 
Bad River Health Fair - June 27th

Red Cliff Band Powwow - July 6th - July 8th
 
Healing Circle Run - July 14th thru July 20th
 
Bingo Committee Fundraiser - July 19th

SAVE THE DATE
Menominee Contest Powwow - August 3rd, 4th, and 5th
 
American Legion Post 25 Golf Tournament - August 11th

 Bad River Manoomin Celebration - August 24 thru 26th

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
22nd Annual Summer Institute - Register by June 15th


Share Your News

Share your good news with the community! The e-newsletter will be sent every other Wednesday.

Email us your information and story ideas, and please include your contact information so that we can follow up with you.

Please include a photo if possible.

Chi Miigwech!

Carri Chapman & Kim Swisher
Communications Team
STAY CONNECTED:

Like us on Facebook