Miisaninawiind July 18-24, 2022

Abitaa-niibini Giizis (Halfway Summer Moon)

The Red Cliff Tribal Council held its annual swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected Council Members this past Saturday July 16 at Legendary Waters. Richard “Rick” Peterson was sworn in as Vice Chairman; Nora Cadotte was sworn in as Secretary; Scott Babineau and Ernie Grooms were sworn in as At-Large Members. Peterson, Cadotte, Babineau, and Grooms will serve a two-year term. Red Cliff Chief Judge Henry Buffalo performed the swearing-in for each member.

Exiting their Council seats include long-time Vice Chairman Nathan Gordon, who served for over 10 consecutive years; long-time Secretary Laura Gordon did not run for re-election; long-time Council member Bryan Bainbridge, who is also serving as CEO of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council; and At-Large Member Christopher Hicks.

Gaa-Miskwaabikaang elder and former Council Member Marvin Defoe performed an opening prayer and presented gifts to the outgoing members. The Tribe and Executive Secretary Melissa Topping also presented the outgoing members with blankets from 8^th Generation. Dusty LaFernier performed an honor song to close the ceremony.

Chi-Miigwech to Nathan, Laura, Bryan, and Chris for all of your hard work and dedication to Gaa-Miskwaabikaang!

2022-2023 Red Cliff Tribal Council

From L to R: Chief Judge Henry Buffalo; At-Large Member Scott Babineau; At-Large Member Butch Bresette; Chairman Christopher Boyd; Vice Chairman Richard Peterson; Secretary Nora Cadotte; Treasurer Stephanie Defoe-Haskins; At-Large Member Steven Boyd; At-Large Member Nicholas DePerry; At-Large Member Ernie Grooms

Red Cliff Treaty Natural Resources, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission is conducting a Makwa (Black Bear) population study in the Bayfield peninsula. The study is currently underway and will continue through the summer of 2022.

This project will use non-invasive techniques to collect black bear hair samples on the Red Cliff Reservation and 11 of the Apostle Islands. This non-invasive technique allows us to collect important information about the makwa population here, without disturbing or trapping them. We are collecting bear hair by placing barbed wire “corrals” baited with fish oil in a systematic grid across the islands and the Reservation.

When bears or other animals visit the corrals to investigate, their hair is snagged on the barbed wire corral and collected by researchers at UW Madison and Red Cliff wildlife staff. DNA will be extracted from the hair follicles which will allow researchers at UW Madison to identify each individual bear’s genetic “fingerprint,” build each bear’s capture history, and create family trees or pedigrees.

The project hopes to identify how many genetic sub-populations of bears exist in the area and to what degree these populations are genetically connected. For example, we hope to answer questions like, are migrant bears from the mainland required to sustain bear populations on the Apostle Islands? How many sub-populations exist in this area? How do birth and death rates differ between island and mainland bear populations? And how many bears are there in Red Cliff and each island in the Apostles?

Please direct any questions to the Red Cliff Treaty Natural Resources Department at 715-779-3795 or 715-779-3750.

Red Cliff completed its portion of this year’s Healing Circle Run last week on July 12. Community members and staff walked/ran from Ashland to Red Cliff to honor ourselves, our families, our communities, our nation, Aki, and our relatives. This 7-day run connects 10 tribal nations throughout the Ojibwe Ceded Territory. Miigwech to all who participated! Aho!

mamaajiin. anami’aan. maamawi. (move. pray. together.)

Learn more at www.glifwc.org/hcr.

View all photos on our Facebook page.

The Red Cliff Tribal Historic Preservation Department's History Speaker Series continues this Tuesday July 19 with Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings! Join us at the Tribal Historic Preservation Office located at 36750Hwy 13 in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

Jennings will be presenting on Gete Anishinaabe Izhichigewin / Archaeology.

Contact THPO with any questions at 715-779-3761.

Howah! Farm Stand Fridays are back at Mino Bimaadiziiwin Gitigaanin Red Cliff Tribal Farm. The Farm Stand will be open from 10 AM – 4 PM every Friday through October.

Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm believes that food is medicine, and everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy foods, and that local food systems have the power to transform our communities and lives.

The Farm Stand is open to everyone and features a Sliding Scale Contribution System (Pay-What-You-Can). The Farm also accepts EBT/SNAP benefits!

The Farm is located at 36735 Aiken Rd in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang. Call the Farm with any questions at 715-779-3782 or send an email to Farm@redcliff-nsn.gov.

Keep up with Farm happenings on Facebook and Instagram!

Red Cliff Royalty will be hosting a BBQ fundraiser on July 22 beginning at 10 AM. The group is now taking pre-orders and food can be picked up at 36705 Daley Rd. Delivery is also available. Please call 715-209-2816 to place orders.

The price is $15/plate and you can choose between chicken or BBQ pork ribs. You can also choose two sides from corn, potato salad, coleslaw, beans, or mac and cheese.

Please reach out to Michelle Goodwin, Athena Cadotte, or Erika Gordon with any questions.

Miigwech!

Ella, Kenyon, and Zaylia

The Red Cliff Band is seeking bid proposals for design-build architectural and engineering services for a community housing development on the Gaa-Miskwaabikaang Reservation in Bayfield County, WI.

Click HERE to view all details and the entire request for proposals.

Proposals should be submitted by July 21, 2022.

Please contact 715-779-9788 with any questions.

Several changes to Chapter 43 of the Red Cliff Code of Laws are being proposed to the Tribal Council. You can view all proposed changes to Chapter 43 HERE.

Public comment on this proposal is encouraged. Please drop your comments at the Tribal Administration Building or forward them directly to the Tribal Council. This proposal will be voted upon on Monday August 1, 2022 at the Regular Meeting of the Red Cliff Tribal Council. If the Council enacts these changes, the changes shall become effective upon enactment.

Tribal Departments host community events throughout each week!

Library, Youth, Behavioral Health, Government, Experiential Learning, Traditional Crafts, and more! View the events calendar to access details for all scheduled events.

Events are always being added -- check the events calendar regularly!

Click image to access the entire Behavioral Health July newsletter.

FoodWIse Nutrition has released its July 2022 newsletter!

FoodWIse is federally funded statewide by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). FoodWIse advances healthy eating habits, active lifestyles and healthy community environments for Wisconsin residents with limited incomes through nutrition education at the individual, community and systems levels.

Click HERE to view the full July 2022 FoodWIse newsletter.

Click image to access the entire Early Childhood Center July newsletter.

Boozhoo, my name is Desmund LaPointe, but everyone knows me as Dez or Dezi. I am currently working at the Boys & Girls Club as the Youth Activities Coordinator.

I am an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa but grew up in Red Cliff for most of my life.

Red Cliff is home and I’m honored to be able to work with the kids of my own community.

Boozhoo everyone, my name is Brandon Barnes, and I am the new Brighter Future Initiative (BFI) Coordinator – Lead for the Boys and Girls Club. I am from Ashland, WI and graduated from Ashland High School in 2012. I went to college at University of Wisconsin – Superior and received my bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies w/ Criminal Justice Concentration.

I lived in the Milwaukee, WI area for few years and decided to move back home to Ashland. I am looking forward to working with the youth to build a brighter future. I am happy to be apart of the team and look forward to achieving our goals as a team.

Click image to access the entire summer TNR Ganawenjigaade newsletter.