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| Red Lake Net News Michael Barrett P. O. Box 80 Redby, MN 56670 Telephone: 218-679-5995 |
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| News updated daily... |
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| red lake net news |
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| Copyright © 2003 Red Lake Net News All Rights Reserved. |
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| The following information was taken from the May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind Times, Vol. 1, No. 1, Feb. 15, 2004, published by the Red Lake Nation Tribal College, along with photographs and additional information from the Red Lake Tribal Archives and the Red Lake Nation newspaper. |
| The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, standing alone among the several Indian Tribes in Minnesota and those across the nation, refused to accept the conditions of the Dawes Act of 1887--one of the most destructive Acts of federal legislation directed toward Indian Nations. Fortunately, the Chiefs of Red Lake never consented to allotment. They wanted to keep the land for future generations. Red Lake is legally defined as a "closed reservation" because the aboriginal land of the Red Lake Band was never allotted. The reservation land is held in common by all Red Lake members. We take great pride in the legacy of the Hereditary Chiefs. In 1889 after seeing the destruction from the Dawes Act on other reservations, the hereditary chiefs of Red Lake refused to sign the Dawes Act. They met the United States Government Indian agents at Pike Creek in Red Lake. The agents did their best to persuade and intimidate the chiefs into signing, but the chiefs held strong to their belief that Red Lake had to be held in common. This is how Red Lake became closed, with all reservation land held tribally rather than individually. Dawes Act a.k.a. General Allotment Act of 1887 Stipulations: 1. Imposed individual land ownership. Each adult Indian received an allotment of land. When that person died, that land was broken up further and allotted to heirs leading to: 2. Heirship: this way the land base becomes further diminished with each generation. 3. Surplus land opened to white settlement. Any reservation land left after the assigned allotment, was opened to white settlers for free, resulting in: 4. Checker boarding. This is the scattered and checkerboard effect of the open reservations with the white people owning more reservation land than Indians. For example, White Earth and Leech Lake have less than 4% of their original reservation land base in Indian ownership. (Full Bloods were considered, by an act of congress to be mentally incompetent to comprehend land deals. All reservation lands are held *in trust* by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.) The main chief*s name was May-dway-gwa-no-nind. |
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| The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians will celebrate Chief's Day on February 16, 2004, along with President's Day. |
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| May-dway-gwa-no-nind |
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| Three in nontraditonal dress |
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| three in traditonal dress |
| Chief's Day adopted by Red Lake Tribal Council At their Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 11, 2003, the Red Lake Tribal Council heard a presentation from Renee Gurneau, Cultural Wellness Consultant and tribal member, and Keena Raincloud, a participant of the Americorps program, requesting that the third Monday of February be observed as "Chief's Day". Ms. Raincloud, granddaughter of the late Dan Raincloud, Jr., talked of their lessons on Red Lake history from Ms. Gurneau. The text of her message follows: "About six weeks ago, Americorps received training on leadership and Red Lake history. We learned about why the reservation is a closed system, about the Dawes Allotment Act. We learned about our traditional chiefs and how they resisted allotment. The chiefs stood up to the U.S. Government to hold the reservation intact for us. They were thinking of us, their coming generations, which means all of us. Knowing this makes me feel proud of my ancestors and to want to honor them. *In Red Lake public schools, we are not taught much about our own history, we know more about Lincoln and Washington than about our own history and leaders. Our chiefs that held Red Lake intact for us were thinking about us and loved us and made a stand for us. We want to make a stand for them. This is whey we support establishing Red Lake Chief*s day in place of Presidents day to honor our past, current and future chiefs. We also care for our coming generations and would like them to feel proud of themselves the way we do to this day." A draft resolution was then distributed to Council members. Treasurer Darrell Seki moved for passage of the resolution, followed by a second by Representative Rudy Johnson. The motion carried unanimously, establishing Chief's Day hereinafter for the Red Lake Nation. Tribal Elder Larry Stillday then spoke of the action and the significance of this in Red Lake's History. He then presented each of the current Chiefs with an eagle feather adorned with a tobacco tie, both important sacred items of the Anishinabe. Chief John Sumner recalled how he had always wanted an eagle feather, recounting how his grandfather told him that "when you hold an eagle feather you must speak the truth." The very moving ceremony concluded with an honor song rendered by the Ponemah Elementary School singers, Jaime Cloud, Eldon Cloud, Joe Thomas, Brian Stillday and Devin Stillday. The young men used hand-drums to sing a traditional honoring song taught to them for this occasion by Eugene Stillday, another tribal elder. Handshakes were offered to the Chiefs and the youth by all Council members. |
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| Photographs by Michael Barrett |
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| February 11, 2003, at the Regular Tribal Council Meeting |
| Resolution No. 17-03 February 11, 2003 Whereas, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians is a federally recognized independent Indian Nation who possess all the powers of a sovereign state; and Whereas, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians possess all the inherent powers of sovereignty that we held prior to the Constitution of the United States; and Whereas, the inherent right of self government precedes the United States constitution and neither the Traditional Chiefs or the current governing body of the Red Lake Band have ever relinquished any part of this sovereign right; and Whereas, after years of Hereditary leadership through the General Council, The Red Lake Band chose an elected form of leadership and rewrote our constitution; and Whereas, under, first the leadership of the Chiefs, then under the leadership of the Red Lake Tribal Council, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians has adamantly resisted all external encroachment upon the sovereign right of the Tribe to govern our own affairs; and Whereas, The Red Lake Tribal Council affirms the importance of Anishinaabe history, tradition and culture; and Whereas, the Red Lake Tribal Council wishes to acknowledge the debt we owe to the Chiefs for our current sovereignty; and Whereas, the Red Lake Tribal Council wishes to pass on our proud history to our coming generations, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the third Monday in February, previously know as President*s Day will heretofore be known as Red Lake Chief*s Day, Be It Further Resolved, that from this day forward, Red Lake Chief*s Day will be celebrated by the Red Lake Nation in honor and to pay tribute to our proud history, our Nation and our leaders. |
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| Aname Gizhig - Praying Day 1896 |
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| Bashicta-nogueb or High up in the Sky; also called Charles Sucker born in 1843 |
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| Beaver Hunter |
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| Essiniwub ogwissun - Son of Essiniwud (signed 1863 Treaty) |
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| February 1899 Delegation of 6 |
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| Gwi we saince - Alfred Jordin Signed Agreement of 1889 |
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| Iron Horn Died in 1900 |
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| John Smith - Wa Ba ne gwe nis Wearing beaded shirt, 1918 |
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| John Strong (right) adopted Chairman Roger Jourdain as his namesake |
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| Kenew Gwa Nayaush - Roger A. Jourdain, Chairman 1959-1990 |
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| Maiajiaush or Something going to sail off; and Noboniqueaush or Yellow Haired one sailing along; before 1877 |
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| Mays cuco na ay - Red Robe February 1889 |
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| Metchis-skank Born 1843 |
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| Moozomo Before 1877 |
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| Nahgahnwaywedung 1914 |
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| Paymwayway Benaise |
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| Red Lake Delegation, 1909 |
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| Red Lake Delegation, 1916 |
| Red Robe and Albert Stately |
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| Sha-wanuh-cumi-gish-kung February 1899 |
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| Sour Spittle, wearing old style buckskin shirt with painted dots. Died 1876 |
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| Tabaiwatang - Believe |
| July 6, 1889, the last of six meetings where the government tried to pressure our chiefs into agreeing to allotment. They steadfastly refused and in their farsightedness in regards to the well being of our people had this to say: -Ne-quan-ah-quad: "...We have deliberated over the matter that you have laid before us. Your mission here is a failure. We will never sign any instrument in which we did not have a voice..." -May-dway-gwa-no-nind: "...I'll never consent to the allottment plan. I wish to lay out a reservation, where we can remain with our Bands forever..." -Nah-gaun-e-gwon-abe: "...The government surveys do not comply with the boundry lines; someone has cut it off. Whose knife was used to cut off that piece of land?...the surveyor...was cutting a sliceoff all the time I was with him ..." |
| -May-dway-gwa-no-nind: "...This property under discussion, called Red Lake, is my property...They own this place the same as I own it...I ask that we reserve the whole of the lake as ours and our grandchildren hereafter...I would touch on the matter that no liquor shall ever come on this reservation. It would be the ruin of all these people here should that misfortune come to them..." - Chief May-dway-gwa-no-nind stated; *The Indian has at heart but the welfare of his children. There is not white man, either old or young, but who thinks of his children, trying to make a revenue for them, and to see their misfortunes when they have any, and that is all we are after." |
| The Signing of the Treaty of 1889 May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind (He Who Is Spoken To) Nah-Gaun-Egwan-Abe (Leading Feather) Mays-Co-Co-Nay-Ay (Red Robe) Ahnah-Me-Ay-Ge-Shig (Praying Day) Naw-Ay-Tah-Wawb (Sitting Alone) I-Een-Ge-Gwin-Abe (Charging Feather) Did Not Sign Nah-Wah-Quay-Ge-Shig (Noon Day) |
| LOVE (Zaagidwin): The Anishinaabeg were to always act in LOVE. To love the Great Spirit the same way he loved his people, because it was the love of the Great Spirit that gave life. Children are to be loved, for children are a gift from the Great Spirit. |
| RESPECT (Mnaadendiwin): To RESPECT all life in Mother Earth. To show real respect was to give of themselves for the benefit of all life. To respect the Elders and the Leaders who upheld the sacred laws of the Great Spirit |
| COURAGE (Aakdehewin): To have COURAGE to always do that was morally right. To be proud of being Anishinaabe and never to deny the way of life the Great Spirit gave to them. |
| HONESTY (Gwekwaadziwin): To be HONEST to themselves. To live in the spirit of how they were created. Never to lie or gossip about one another. |
| WIDSOM (Nbwaakaawin): To live in WISDOM and that is knowing the gifts the Great Spirit gave to everyone. To use these gifts to build a family and community filled with caring, sharing, kindness, respect, and love for one another. When we know and use our gifts we become an instrument of the Great Spirit, helping to bring peace to the world. |
| HUMILITY (Ddaadendizwin): Always to act in HUMILITY. One was to always think about their family, their fellow man, and their community before they thought of themselves. To know humility is to know that there is a Great Spirit and he is the creator of all life, and therefore he directs all life. |
| TRUTH (Debwewin): Always to seek the TRUTH. The truth lies in spirit. Prayer was to be done everyday at sunrise to give thanksgiving to the Great Spirit for the gift of life. All gifts and each ceremony were given by the Great Spirit to the Anishinaabeg to help them find truth, the true meaning of their life, and existance. Living truth is living the seven great laws. |
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| The history of the seven hereditary Indian Chiefs of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians |
| Head Chief George "Billy" King succeeded his father, Head Chief August King, who succeeded his father Chief George King (Ogema-wah-ji-wayb), who succeeded his father, Chief Kay-bay-no-din (August King's grandfather), who succeeded his father, Head Chief May-dwa-gwa-no-nin (August King's great-grandfather). Chief King was also appointed as Chairman of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians until a successor is elected, after his brother, Gerald F. 'Butch' Brun died while in office. |
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| Chief Gerald Spears succeeded his father, Chief Robert Spears, the edest surviving son who succeeded his father, Chief John J. Spears, who succeeded his grandfather, Chief Nay-ay-tah-wab (Robert Spear's great-grandfather). |
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| Greetings 'Gus' Spears is a decendent of Chief James Whitefeather, surviving son who succeeded his father, Chief Spencer Whitefeather, who was replaced by Indian consent and agreement with the Hereditary Chief, Alfred Wind, who succeeded his father, Chief No-din. |
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| Chief John Sumner, Sr., succeeded Gary Sumner, son of Chief William Sumner, surviving son who succeeded his father, Chief May-sko-ko-mah-ay (William Sumner's grandfather). |
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| Alexander Gillispie is the son of George 'Sandy' Gillespie, who succeeded Chief Charles Jourdain, an acting Chief, succeeded acting Chief William Sayers, who by Indian understanding and agreement was appointed to act in behalf of Mrs. Uennie Gillispie, who was the only surviving child of Chief Kay-kay-gah-bwo (Standing to the Last), who succeeded his father, Chief Nee-gon-ni-gwon-nabe (Leading Feather), Jennie Gillispie's grandfather. Jennie Gillispie (deceased) has only one surviving child, a son, George Gillispie, who by Hereditary and Indian tradition is the rightful Chief of the Band. |
| Sam Smith is a decendent of Chief John F. Smith, who succeeded his uncle, Chief John Day (Way-me-ti-go-she-wah-cuming), who succeeded his brother, Chief Way-mee-ti-go-sheence, (John F. Smith's uncle), who succeeded his father, Chief Ah-nah-mah-ay-ke-shig (Praying Day), John F. Smith's grandfather. |
| The Seventh Hereditary Chief was Alvin R. Neadeau, who succeeded his father, Chief Jacob Ricebird, surviving son who succeeded his father, Chief Ben Ricebird (Kay-ke-she-gwon-nabe), who succeeded his brother Chief Pay-she-ke-shig (Jacob Ricebird's uncle), who succeeded his father Chief Crooked Arm (Kaw-wah-shgin-ne-kay), Jacob Ricebird's grandfather. (It is unknown exactly why this Seventh Hereditary Chief position on the Tribal Council hasn't been decided upon for several years. Alvin Neadeau's brother is Dennis Ricebird.) |
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