“My home is your home”, says Tribal chairman

By Gwen Bristol

BISMARCK — David Brien, tribal chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, listed poverty as a primary area of concern to tribal leaders and said that the Legislature could help by initiating research groups to help analyze problems during the State of the Tribal-State Relationship address to a joint session of Legislature on Friday.

Brien defined the poverty as the lack of a job, the lack of adequate medical care, the lack of decent houses that tribal members could call their own, poor water quality, and poor road systems on tribal lands.

“Of course that will lead to appropriation dollars to solve these issues,” he said. “There’s all this extra money out there. We’d love some of those extra dollars. All of these issues can be solved by focusing on the family.”

Brien said that another part of his solutions also included education.

“It is very important to support dialogue between our tribal colleges and the university system,” he said.” It is proven that poor people with access to good education change the quality of their lives and become leaders in their communities.”

Speaking directly to the Legislature and Governor Hoeven, Brien said they could help by continuing to support the Indian Affairs Commission and the Indian Legislative Dialogue Group.

“My home is your home, new friends. And my community is your community in brotherly communion and love,” Brien concluded.

Chairmen from the Standing Rock Tribe, the Spirit Lake Nation, the Three Affiliated Tribes and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate were also present for the address.