The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1990-10-17

              Iron Workers Training Program's
placement claims exaggerated
By William J. Lawrence
Publisher    ,
Conrad Parisian of Belcourt,
N.D.,and the majority of his
graduating class of May 1990 are
still awaiting their first ironworking
jobs, despite claims of 95%
placement made by Eddie Brown,
the Assistant Secretary of Interior
for Indian Affairs, Congressmen
Sidney Yates (D. Ill), and Indian
Iron Worker Training officials.
According to contract documents the
National Iron Workers Training
Program for American Indians was
incorporated in 1972 in Washington,
D.C, for the purpose of providing Iron
Worker Training for Native Americans.
Since 1972 the Iron Workers
Training Program has received
nearly $15 million of special
program funds from the Bureau of
Indian Affairs
According to Robert Matacek, the
training program's Project Director,
1200 native Americans have
graduated from the program.
Mr. Matacek also claims that of
the 1200 graduates, 800 are now
employed journeymen iron workers.
Phone interviews by the News to
former graduates have failed to
confirm those numbers.
In addition, attempts by the News
to obtain independent verification of
those numbers from BIA sources
have been fruitless.
It is apparent that the BIA has never
made any serious effort to monitor the
Iron Workers Training Program, nor
do they seem to be at all interested.
Despite the BIA's superficial
support of the program, there does
seem to be a lot of disagreement
within that agency about its
effectiveness.
One former Minneapolis Area
Director, who declined to be named,
was so upset with the program that he
tried to kill it. But after several
attempts, he said that he ran into so
much political opposition that he
gave up the fight.
Based upon information obtained
by the News, the program appears to
be the pet project of Congressman
Sidney Yates of Illinois.
According to sources, Yates sits on
the House Commitee on Appropriations and the Sub- Committee on
the Department of Interior and
therefore wields a powerful influence
on the BIA budget
Through this influence and
connections with Iron Workers Union
officials, he is reported to have
engineered funding of the program
for his Congressional district.
In addition, the Iron Workers Union
is able to use the Indian trainee
numbers to meet their minorities
training   and   employment
requirements.
Although the Program has
undoubtedly provided training and
jobs for many Native Americans, it
hardly seems that spending of the
estimated $10,000 per student for a
14 week course is cost efficient.
In comparison, the same $10,000
could be used to fund a two year
vocational training course, two years
of college, or numerous other shorter
term training opportunities.
Despite the Program's Statement of
Work which says that 120 students
would learn building construction
during three-14 week sessions, only
about 50 students are accepted during
a program year.
Based upon phone interviews with
former students, the News has learned
that few if any students receive
immediate placement upon
graduation. Of 22 trainees who
graduated in May 1990, thirteen were
interviewed by the News. None of
these are currently employed as
ironworkers.
Broadview, 111. may conjure up a
picture of a serene suburban country
setting, but according to students of
the program, the place is a somewhat
seamier locale than most of the
Indian students have ever had to deal.
"There are prostitutes on the
streets," explained one former
student, "and the housing for us was
Iron workers/ See page 2
BIA lacks political will
Oklahoma City, Okla. (AP) - Rep.
Mike Synar, D-Okla., said Tuesday
the Bureau of Indian Affairs lacks the
political will to solve problems with
the Indian Trust Fund.
"This bureaucratic swamp may not
only deprive some Native
Americans of their trusts but may
open the federal government to
potential liability," Synar said in a
statement released by his
Washington office.
The congressman chaired a
hearing Tuesday into allegations the
BIA has mismanaged the trust fund.
It was the third such hearing into the
matter by the Environment, Energy
and Natural Resources
Subcommittee.
"BIA lacks the leadership and
political will to resolve its
problems," Synar said.
"Sadly, we have no assurances that
serious, longstanding problems will
ever be fully corrected by the
bureau. We know there are solutions
and Congress is demanding that BIA
eliminate the chronic deficiencies in
the operation and management of
the Indian Trust Fund," Synar said.
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3
Fifty Cents
1 Copyright, the Ojibwe News, 1990
A Bi-Monthly Publication
by Paul V. Boswell
Contributor
MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Heritage-Hjemkomst Interpretive
Center is celebrating the Indians.
From now until Jan. 20, the center is featuring an ambitious,
fascinating and respectful exhibition paying homage to the native .
people who roamed the region for thousands of years before the
arrival of the white man.
"Where Great Lakes Meet Plains: Indian Peoples of the Red
River Valley" is comprised of five separate, traveling exhibits that
have been carefully interwoven into one large exhibit. The result
is a superb look at native Americans, from prehistory to today.
Most of the materials were provided by the State Historical
Society of North Dakota, the Minnesota Historical Society, the
Oklahoma Historical Society, and a private firm from Kansas
City, Missouri.
Program Coordinator Claudia Pratt brought the exhibits
together under one roof and supervised how they were
consolidated. The overall exhibit is a tasteful, relevant
examination of Indian cultures that all people will find
interesting, but Pratt said the exhibit also succeeds in making
modern-day Indians feel proud of their heritage.
While preparing the exhibit, Pratt met with several native
Americans from the Fargo- Moorhead community. She and fellow
collaborators not only wanted their insight, ideas and guidance but
also wanted to ensure that the exhibit would be well-received by
modern Indians.
Pratt was happy to report that reviews have been excellent.
"Several native Americans have been through (the exhibit) and
they have been very pleased," she said.
"Where Great Lakes Meets Plains" is a joint effort involving
archaeologists, historians, photographers and other artists. The
center's staff created an introduction with help from Dr. Michael
Michlovic, an archaeologist from Moorhead State University. The
prelude discusses the prehistory of native Americans, who lived in
A photo from the Charles Brill Collection, circa 1965.
the Red River Valley 9,000 years ago.
In addition to the actual exhibit, the Heritage-Hjemkomst center
has scheduled a series of events celebrating the plains and great
lakes Indians. The events promote the exhibit and provide
opportunities for community involvement.
Established in 1986, the center features one of the largest exhibit
     Exhibit/see page 9
By Paul Boswell
Staff Writer
MOORHEAD, Minn. - "I think
we're in a time now when it's
OK to be Indian again."
That insightful comment was
offered by Native American
Pamela Needhan at a symposium,
Two Cultures, One Wodd," held
at the Heritage-Hjemkomst
Interpretive Center Oct. 11.
Needham was one of seven
Indians who discussed how
contemporary Native Americans
struggle with maintaining age-old
traditions while playing vital roles
in today's society.
In leading the discussion,
Needham said the panel hoped to
focus on the positive aspects of
being an Indian in 1990. But
painful memories from the past
emerged during the two- hour
event.
Fargo resident Gladys Ray, who
grew up on the White Earth Indian
Reservation, remembered when
her high school Social Studies
teacher told her that Indians were
pagans - people without religion.
"That hurt. It hurt bad," Ray
said.
Ray had learned Indian traditions
from her grandparents, who did
not speak English. They were my
teachers. They were my
counselors. They were the leaders."
To be told that Indian spiritual
beliefs had no substance was
devastating to Ray. "These old
people who raised me were very
religous people," she said.
Symposium/ page 2
Ashana \s a novel by Outstanding BSU Alum
Ethel Brandt Roesch, a former
BSU graduate, was in town last
weekend to take in Homecoming
activities and to receive the
"Outstanding Alumni Award."
She and her husband, Paul, are the
authors of Ashana, a novel set in the
late 1700's in the Kadyak, Russian
for Kodiac, area of Alaska. It is
based on the true story of a Native
Kahtnuht'ana (a tribe of the
Athabascans) woman of 16 who
survives the capture and years of
mistreatment as a mistress and
servant of the Russian fur trader,
Alekandr Baranov.
Ashana meaning "Windflower" is a
blanket of documentable, historical
fact and fiction woven to
perfection, using legends to uphold
tale. It is a "haunting, lyrical saga
. a tragic love story and the
inspiring tale of one woman who
would not be defeated," according to
a Random House spokesman.
In Ashana's spiritual struggle to
stay alive, she is sustained by the
memories of her Native husband and
his stolen visits, and by her trust in
the ancient spirits of her tribe, and
finally by her unremitting anger at
her captors. Her strength, courage,
wisdom, and loyalty are inspiring.
James Michener, author of Alaska,
wrote that "the rape of innocence was
never more hauntingly portrayed than
in this story of Baranov, the
embodiment of Russian imperial
adventuring, and Ashana, his
unwilling concubine and fierce
protector of the ancient lores of her
people. This account... is a major
contribution to the literature of that
northern land."
Ethel and her husband Paul began
researching Ashana's story in 1983,
traveling many times to Alaska and
receiving much helpful information
at the University of California,
Berkley, as well as at the University
of Alaska, Fairbanks. Together they
wrote the tale, Ethel contributing
her research on the legends while
Paul filled in the rest
This was their first novel, but Ethel
has many short stories to her credit,
as well as some poetry. She is
interested in historically true
settings. Her degree from BSU was
in elementary education with an
emphasis on history. She is a former
teacher, she has produced musicals
and plays for community theater in
Washington state, and she has been
a YWCA director for many years.
She has received awards for service
in the human and civil rights for the
black community of Olympia,
Wash., and has received recognition
as a citizen who has made a
significant difference to refugees.
Paul practiced law for over 20 years
before embarking on his writing
career.
McArthur hearing set
By Mark Boswell
Staff Writer
Stephen McArthur, suspended
representative of the White Earth
Reservation, will be removed from
office pending a tribal hearing Oct.
22.
McArthur agreed to a plea-bargain
agreement last month in federal
court and was charged with one
count of felony theft from an Indian
reservation. The maximum sentence
carries up to a $25,000 fine and five
years in jail. McArthur is expected
to serve a lighter sentence because,
according to news stories about the
case, he has no prior felony
convictions.
"We're leaving it up to the
lawyers," said McArthur from his
home near Mahnomen, Minn.
Before the hearing, tribal lawyers
will have to hammer out an
interpretation of just where
McArthur stands in accordance to
tribal law.
Once that is done, Mc Arthur will
be officially removed from office.
"He'll be completely done at that
point," said Dan Stevens, District III
Representative from the reservation.
According to Chippewa Tribal
Law, only a felony conviction
charge presents grounds for
dismissal, not a plea of guilty by the
defendant. Currently, McArthur is
suspended from payroll with the
White Earth Tribal Council.
"He's got a right to bring in a
lawyer," said Stevens, who
explained that proper constitutional
procedure must be followed to
complete the case.
"He's gonna have a hearing," said
Sievens,"(that is) a right under the
constitution and that's what he's
going to get."
The hearing, to be presided over
by recently appointed White Earth
Tribal Judge Deanna Fairbanks, is
expected to be held next Monday at
the Reservation Tribal Council
Gymnasium in White Earth.
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
Leech Lake
meeting airs
grievances
By Hope Lavine
Staff Writer
Bemidji Pioneer
The Leech Lake Reservation
Business Committee held its
quarterly meeting at the Ball Club
Community Center Tuesday evening.
The meeting lasted nearly five
hours and the bulk of the evening
saw Leech Lake Band members
express their dissatisfaction with
conditions on the reservation.
RBC members listened quietly to
the complaints expressed and
responded minimally. Those present
were Chairman Daniel Brown,
James Michaud and Al Fairbanks.
Absent were Gladys Drouillard and
Myron Ellis.
About 60 people packed the
community center to standing room
only, many of them asking questions
and some expressing anger. In spite
of the depth of their discontent, the
meeting was orderly and people
spoke politely.
Issues residents addressed were
many and included depletion of
reservation resources, lack of
development and jobs, favoritism in
hiring practices, education methods,
and accountability by the RBC to
band members.
"I've sbeen told the treaty is still
valid but
RBC has been selling away our rights
We give 13 licenses for bait, many to
non-band members. We could make
more money by excluding these
guys. I wonder what you've done
about it," said Skip Lyon.
My parents are 70 and 71 years
old," said Louis Boyd. " They have to
pick boughs for a living. Now all
these big companies—Blandin,
Potlatch—are using up our resources
and we're not getting paid for it."
Said Frank LaRose: I have
environmental concerns. What about
Potlatch pollution? They're scalping
the timber. What about our water
rights?" He requested information
on what the treat}' rights are.
To this, as to many other requests,
RBC member Jim Michaud
responded, "Idon't know. I'll look
into it."
Among the items the band
memberssaid needed urgent
attention were winterizing the clinic
examining room at the Ball Club
center, creating recreation for youg
people, setting up alcohol treatment
programs on the reservation, and
transportation for headstart children
from remote locations.
Other concerns questioners said
they had included lack of standard
criteria in selection for available
housing and jobs, lack of funding for
band members to establish
businesses, hiring on non-Indians for
jobs instead of qualified band
members, and rice-buying practices
that discriminate against private
buyers.
"Our resources are timber, fish.
Leech/see page 2
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