Tragedy isn’t only thing Red Lake has to offer

By Doug Grow
Star Tribune

We always show up for Red Lake's tears.

The discovery on Sunday of the bodies of two little boys -- 4-year-old Tristan White and his 2-year-old brother Avery Stately -- two years after the horrific shootings at Red Lake High School means that we in the media again are trying to report about Red Lake.

Red Lake Band member Tom Barrett, who with his wife, Karen, chose to leave the Twin Cities 15 years ago and raise their family on the reservation, understands the media's job. Still, he often doesn't recognize his home when he sees our reports.

"There was one story I saw, after the little boys were found, where the reporter was talking about how the mother had held on to hope in a place where there is none," said Barrett.

"I thought that was taking it a little too far. When you see stories about Red Lake you'd think we all must walk around with dark clouds over our heads."

The Barretts have known tragedy. Their oldest son, Robert, drowned a few years ago when his boat capsized. Two of his nephews were killed in shootings. Another relative was indicted in a killing.

"Hard and tragic as that all sounds, this is where we live," Barrett said.

And there is another side to the place.

The Barretts' daughter, Rose, graduated from Red Lake High, is a student at Bemidji State and plans to return to the reservation to teach. Their son Tom Jr. was a star player on Red Lake's basketball team this year, will graduate fourth in his class and will attend a community college on a basketball scholarship. He also dreams of coming back to the rez to teach.

There's not always a cloud over Red Lakers.

Since the shootings, a group called Warrior Down has formed at the high school. Students with at least a C average were eligible to join. When they saw a fellow student having a tough day, it was their job to help lift that student up.

Starting Wednesday, a youth leadership conference is to be held on the rez. Indian kids from throughout the state are expected to attend workshops ranging from Native American religions to beauty tips for young women to building self-esteem.

But much of the positive is not even known on the reservation, Barrett admitted. "Even here it seems like the negative is magnified," he said.

So he's not shocked that people outside Red Lake have negative perceptions of the place. This year, school officials and parents concerned about safety issues decided to have Kelliher/Northome forfeit a basketball game rather than play at Red Lake.

"We know there are people who are scared to come here," Barrett said.

There are many stories like that. But there are stories of hope, too.

In November, when Avery and Tristan disappeared, all the barriers that ordinarily separate Red Lakers from each other, and from whites surrounding the reservation, fell away.

"There were people coming from all over," Barrett said. "Nobody was asked to come. They just showed up. Nobody wanted to give up on those kids."

This search, grounded in hope, ended in tears. But that's not always how stories end on Red Lake.