Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2000-11-10

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INDEX
News Around Indian Country
News Briefs
Commentary/Editorials/Voices
Smoke Signals of Upcoming Events
Classifieds
"T. Rex named
Sue" exhibit is
coming to
Science
Museum
pg3
Leech Lake law
enforcement agreement
erodes tribal sovereignty
pg4
U of M Ojibwe
language
teacher
receives
award
pg3
Empowerment for
employment
Indian IOC helps
prepare people for
the world of work
pgi
Clinton orders more
cooperation between
agencies, tribes
pgi
Clinton orders
more cooperation
between agencies,
tribes
By Matt Kelley
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - President
Clinton ordered federal agencies
Nov. 6 to work more closely with
American Indian tribal governments
and give tribes "the maximum administrative discretion possible" in
enforcing federal law and regulations.
The order also prohibits federal
agencies from proposing legislation
that would hurt tribal governments,
and requires agencies to designate an
official to handle relations with tribes.
Agencies would have to consult with
tribes early in the rule-making process and detail the financial effect of
agency decisions on tribal governments.
"We must continue to engage in
partnership, so that the first Americans can reach their full potential,"
CLINTON to pg 8
Homelessness in northern Minnesota
is focus of benefit concert
By Anne Dunn
BEMIDJI, MN — When singer-
songwriter Annie Humphrey was advised that homelessness was a serious
problem in the Bemidji area, she decided
to do something and organized the Jam
Against Homelessness, or a Shelter for
the Soul.
When she told Native American musician Keith Secola about it, he didn't ask
'what's in it for me?' He said, "Count me
m.
"I got to know homeless people in the
Anishinabe jungles," Keith said. "I was
honored to be asked (to participate in the
benefit concert) and came up from Arizona to help out."
Then a crowd gathered at BSU Memorial Hall Nov. 4. They wanted to help
out, too.
According to a quarterly homelessness
report, there were 6,200 people in Minnesota shelters on the night of May 25,
2000.
Keith's sister, Cheryl Secola experienced a wandering homelessness while
attending the University ofMinnesota.
"My mother was a nurturer, but she
passed away when I was 18 and our
home in Parkville, Minnesota, was purchased by US Steel. Then it was torn
down to make room for industry. So I'd
lost my mother and my home. 1 slept on
a different sofa every few weeks and
never had enough to eat. It was easy to
pack up and leave, because I had very
little clothing. Keith sent money when he
could I was drinking, too. But I'd grown
up with alcoholics in the home and I
didn't want that for my children. So
motherhood was a big turning point for
me. I can honestly say that my 11-year-
old son, Eugene, has never seen me
drunk."
Hattie Peterson opened the show with
songs of sisterhood and pain. According
to Hattie, if we didn't experience pain,
we'd have no reason to sing. "Pain
makes you beautiful and wise," she sang.
'There are many ways to
homelessness," Hattie said. "When I was
young, we escaped from an abusive person into a shelter. 1 am glad there was a
place for us to be safe. I'm proud to be
part ofa community that supports things
like this benefit."
Then she sang, "Angels are waiting for
CONCERT topg6
Fairbanks beats
Bedeau for
Beltrami County
seat
By Cathy Axvig
Bemidji Pioneer
With all but the Ponemah precinct
tabulated for the District 4 Beltrami
County Board
seat, IQuentin
Fairbanks had
the lead with
1,266 votes
over Linda
Bedeau with
738 votes. The
seat is being
vacated by
Commissioner
Sandra. King,
who decided
not to seek re-election.
Quentin Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS to pg 8
Incumbents head back to St. Paul
Excerpted from Brad Swenson
Bemidji Pioneer
Area incumbents in legislative races
are headed back to St. Paul.
State Sen. Tony Kinkel, DFL-Park
Rapids, held a comfortable lead in his
Senate 4 race, while Sen. Roger Moe,
DFL-Erskine, and state Rep. Rod
Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, also mounted
high returns.
Kinkel faced Republican Bill
Lawrence, with Kinkel polling nearly
60 percent, Lawrence 40 percent.
Election officials said ballots were
exhausted at some precincts and photocopied ballots needed to be made -
and then hand-counted.
Kinkel posted approximately 21,000
votes to 14,000 for Lawrence of
Bemidji.
Kinkel was seeking reaffirmation of
his special election win only 11
months ago, replacing first-termer Sen.
Dave Ten Eyck, DFL-East Gull Lake,
who was appointed to a Crow Wing
County judgeship.
Kinkel served 12 years as the House
4B representative, stepping down in
Wisconsin Governor Thompson will not allow
expanded games at new casino in Kenosha
Associated Press
MADISON, Wisconsin - Gov.
Tommy Thompson said he will block
roulette and crap tables at a
Menominee Indian casino in Kenosha.
"It is blackjack and slots nothing else
in Wisconsin," Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Nov. 3.
The agreement, first reported Nov. 2
by the Journal Sentinel, calls for the
tribe to pay up to 8 percent ofthe "net
win" at the casino to the state.
Other tribes give the government 3
percent from their casinos.
The agreement also outlines ways
for adding games not currently allowed
in tribal casinos, but Thompson said he
told the Menominee he will not allow
expanded gambling.
Thompson said he was able to negotiate a higher take for the state in exchange for language allowing additional gambling.
Besides the state getting a bigger
take, the tribe has agreed to waive sovereign immunity, which means the
state can pursue legal action against the
tribe.
Thompson said that eventually will
give gaming regulators more power
over Indian casinos.
The federal Bureau oflndian Affairs
has approved the agreement, which
would allow the tribe to offer blackjack, slot machines and dog races. It
also would allow the tribe to seek permission for other games in the future.
All other Wisconsin tribal casinos
can offer is blackjack and slot machines.
Attorney General James Doyle has
criticized the deal, saying it will expand gambling in the state.
"When the governor says that he still
retains final approval of such an expansion, he is only kidding himself,"
Doyle said "By changing the legal
compact to allow the tribe to move forward with additional gambling, the
Empowerment for employment Indian IOC
helps prepare people for the world of work
By Molly Miron
Bemidji Pioneer
Job opportunities are out there, but
job readiness is the key.
With that understanding, the Opportunities Industrialization Center of
America went to work 36 years ago
to address the needs ofpeople in poverty. The Bemidji Area Indian Employment Council was chartered in
1987, and soon expanded its outreach
by joining the national agency as the
Northwest Indian Opportunities Industrial Center, one of 70 community-based employment training centers.
"Your mission to train your people
for the job market is very important
to us," said Mayor Doug Peterson
during the annual OTC awards banquet Oct. 26. "Next year alone, we
will have over 400 new jobs in
Bemidji. One ofthe great assets that
we have in Bemidji is that we are in
the middle of three Indian reservations, Red Lake, Leech Lake and
White Earth. Both the reservations
and the city have resources that we
can share to provide economic opportunities for our people as we enter the
2 Is'century."
Holly J. Smith, the center's executive director, said empowering people
to take advantage of opportunities
was the goal.
TVin frkQtiimH cnpaL-pr fnr the T*nn-
Photo by Monte Draper, Bemidji Pioneer
Waylon Honga, a businessman and member of the northwest Arizona Hospital Hualapai Tribe, describes how Indian cultures can develop entrepreneurship during the Indian Opportunities Industrial
Center awards banquet at the Northern Inn Nov. 2. He is flanked by
Peter White ofthe Leech Lake Tribal Council and Holly J. Smith, OIC
executive director.
quet, Waylon Honga, a member of
the northwest Arizona Hualapai Tribe
talked about Cultural differences
among people and fostering entrepreneurship. He is the manger ofthe
Grand Canyon Resort Corp.
"We all want the same things,"
Honga said. "We want good education for our kids. We want the American dream. We want safe communities."
But an Indian in a minority situation can be misunderstood because of
cultural differences, he said.
He quoted a Japanese proverb:
"The nail that sticks out gets hammered down," and contrasted it with
the American saying "The squeaky
wheel gets the grease." His culture
taught children not to stand out or
draw attention to themselves, so as a
student, even if he knew the answer
to the teacher's question, he would
not raise his hand. Neither would he
ask questions if he was confused
about something.
"I remember sitting in algebra class
and I didn't have a clue, but I never
OIC to pg 8
Voice     of     the     People
web page: www.press-on.net
1998. Last year, he battled Bemidji
Mayor Doug Peterson, carrying the
Republican banner, and easily won the
post with 41.1 percent of tlie vote.
Peterson captured 37.2 percent, while
Reform Party [now called tlie Independence Party] candidate Don Stefiui of
Remer took 11.6.
Lawrence, who publishes tlie Native
American Press/Ojibwe News, ran as a
Republican this year, and has been in
GOP circles for years. But in 1998, he
tried the Refonn Party to seek the
House 4A post, and won 6.8 percent.
This year, Lawrence attacked
Kinkel's appointment as a Northwest
Technical College dean last May, alleging Kinkel's job interviews came during the legislative session when lawmakers were considering NTC bonding request.
Kinkel, appointed to head a higher
education panel in the Senate, pushed
measures that support both NTC and
Bemidji State University. He also fulfilled one ofhis campaign pledges, thai
of lowering vehicle license tab fees,
and he authored legislation to ensure
privacy of individual financial data.
Native
American
Press
f,
tea
Ojibwe News
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
A weekly publication.   Copyright, Native American Press, 2000
Founded in 1988
Volume 12 Issue 55
November 10, 2000
Indigenous artists featured in
From Four Directions exhibit
The first in a series from Wocekiwa/Voices Sent All Over - a new urban American Indian arts program designed to reframe the way we think about and experience art. Exhibition reception will be held Friday, November 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. An artist discussion panel will be held Saturday, November 18 at
1:00 p.m.
Pictured above features the work of Behon LaPrairie (Bois Fort Anishenabe) "In The Spirit of Fishing,
2000." The breadth and depth of LaPrairie's work erupts in a variety of bold and colorful subjects in stunning
contemporary expressionist style.
The indigenous artists exhibiting in From Four Directions are recognized nationally for their work, which
is featured in museums and galleries throughout the United States. Francis J. Yellow (ltazipco Lakota) is the
curator for the show.
For more information about the exhibition, please call Shirlee Stone at 612-870-7555.
State, tribes disagree on
sovereignty issue
Associated Press
Kenai, Alaska - Recognizing the
sovereignty ofthe state has become
a sticking point for a group that's
working to establish government-
to-government relations between
Alaska Native tribes and the state.
Otherwise, the State-Tribal Relations Team is closer to reaching a
historic agreement after meeting
this week in tlie group's third negotiating session, leaders said. The
team made up of 46 Natives from
tribes across the state was created
by Governor Knowles earlier this
year.  .
The panel has been asked to
come up with an accord in time for
it to be ratified at the Alaska Inter-
Tribal Council's meeting in December.
But the sovereignty issue has
kept the group from reaching a full
consensus. Co-chairs Joe Williams
of Saxman and state Attorney General Bruce Botelho said they plan
to set up a meeting date for a
fourth negotiating session.
Some tribal members walked out
when the sovereignty issue came
up this week.
Juanita Petla-Moore of Nikiski
said that recogizing the state's sovereignty would legitimize a government she called illegitimate.
Petla-Moore said she believes the
state assumed control ofthe land
illegally.
"We split because the agreement
will give recognition the state does
not deserve," she told the Peninsula
Clarion. "The tribes are not fully
informed."
Dillingham Native activist Ron
Barnes agreed.
"More information needs to go to
the tribes," he said. "They need to
see how a so-called domestic
agreement could affect our international rights."
Botelho said the issue of sovereignty will be reserved for further
discussion. "The perspective one
should have is that governments
don't need to see eye to eye to have
a constructive relationship. There
will be ongoing disputes. We're not
requiring a conversion to the
other's world view."
Meanwhile, a draft agreement
will be circulated among the 200-
plus federally recognized Indian
tribes in the state for their feedback.
If ratified by both tribes and the
state, the agreement would establish govemment-to-government relations among the groups. Williams
described the net effect as allowing
tribal input in state decisions that
affect them.
"This is not a perfect document
because it was drafted by imperfect
people," he said. T cannot sit here
today and say this is the best document, but we've met in the middle
ofthe road...I'm quite frankly
pleased with the work that we've
done here."
Indian convicted
of killing bighorn
sheep in Glacier
National Park
Enrollment defense rejected
Associated Press
MISSOULA, Montana - A federal
judge didn't accept a geography defense from a Blackfeet tribal member who was charged with killing
two bighorn sheep in Glacier National Park earlier this year. Neither
did the jury.
Bailey D. Peterson of Browning
argued in pretrial proceedings that
the park's eastern boundary, which
is also the Blackfeet Indian
Reservation's western border, is in
the wrong place. He contended he
was not in the park when hunting
last January because the eastern
portion of Glacier actually should
be part ofthe reservation.
And even if the boundary is in the
right place, Peterson argued to U.S.
District Judge Donald Molloy, his
status as a tribal member granted
him the right to hunt in the park.
The judge rejected both arguments and ordered the trial of
Peterson and Browning resident
Glenn W. Hohmann to proceed.
Both were charged with killing the
sheep for the purpose of selling the
curled horns.
BIGHORN topg5
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