MOHICAN NEWSNEWS the People of the Waters That Are Never Still
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STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE COMMUNITY Band of Mohicans MOHICANMOHICAN NEWSNEWS The people of the waters that are never still Vol. XXVIII No. 5 N8480 Moh He Con Nuck Road • Bowler, WI 54416 March 1, 2020 Retirement for two Long-Term Employees 2020 State of the Tribes Address Compiled by Jeff Vele – Mohican News Editor On February 18, 2020, Ned Daniels, Jr., Chairman of the Forest County Potawatomi Community gave the 2020 State of the Tribes Address to Governor Evers, Lt. Governor Barnes, Speaker Vos, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, President Roth, members of the Senate, members of the State Assembly, Constitutional Officers, Ella (Ellie) Kazik was born and Cabinet Secretaries, Justices of raised in Morgan Siding and start- the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Ned Daniels, Jr., Chairman of A career with the Stockbridge- ed working for the Community very Fellow Tribal Leaders, esteemed the Forest County Potawatomi Munsee Community and the North early in her life. elders, veterans, and other Community Star Mohican Casino Resort span- honored guests. ning nearly three-decades re- Ellie worked in the Neighborhood Menominee Indian Tribe of cently ended for Mr. Marvin Ross- Youth Corp (NYC) program at Ned Daniels, Jr. started out by Wisconsin Tousey. Marvin served as both a the age of 14 for every one of her saying, “I stand before you in • President Shannon Holsey, Housekeeper and as a Custodian high school years. She also was honor and respect for the elders, Stockbridge-Munsee Community with the Maintenance Department, a teacher’s aide at Bowler school veterans, leaders and public • Chairman Tehassi Hill, Oneida now called the Environmental Ser- for the tribe. And for two years El- servants who have come before Nation vice Department, here at the North lie was the Relief for Needy Indian me”. He then proceeded to • Chairman Garland McGeshick, Star Mohican Casino Resort. Persons (RNIP) coordinator for name those leaders from other Sokaogon Chippewa Community the tribe. Wisconsin Tribal Nations: • Chairman Rick Peterson, Red Though it might have appeared • President Marlon WhiteEagle, Cliff Band of Lake Superior to some that Marvin never had Then on July 29, 1984 she was Ho-Chunk Nation Chippewa much to say during the course of hired as the receptionist/smoke • Chairwoman Joan Delabreau, Tribes cont on page Five: the work day, those who worked shop sales. Then she was hired closely with Marvin will tell you as legal assistant to Kim Vele and that we usually paid attention when Kim left, she was the assis- Career Readiness Grant Provides Opportunity when Marvin did decide to share tant to Ray DePerry. In December munities. Jack Soto, AICF Career his knowledge, thoughts and opin- of 1989 Ellie started in payroll and Readiness and Employment Se- ion as it was usually formed after has stayed there. She also did the nior Program Manager, led the much consideration, thought, and casino’s payroll when it first start- discussion. compassion for all those involved ed on County A. She also did the Mr. Soto explained the advantag- and worth the effort to listen. casino’s payroll when one person es for students and businesses to left and eventually trained the per- participate in the project. The proj- While we are sad to see Marvin son hired for the job. ect would allow students to take retire, we are equally happy that part in paid internships at local Marvin intends not to be a stranger Ellie has been helping out even in business and Tribal Departments, and plans to come back occasion- retirement to make sure there is or job shadow to learn more about ally to visit his former co-workers a smooth transition in the payroll a job. Internships and job shadow- and continued friends here at the department and as a fellow em- ing allow students to learn about casino resort. We wish Marvin ployee, I thank you, Ella! The American Indian College Fund the wide variety of career oppor- all the best as a new retiree and awarded the College of Menomi- tunities and what is expected in hope that his wife keeps the “Hon- edge and wisdom you have nee Nation (CMN) a grant over a work setting. In turn, local busi- ey do lists” short and infrequent . shared over the years, and two years as part of the Comple- ness and tribal departments can for your continued friendship. tion with a Purpose Initiative, gen- out learn about future employees Thank you Marvin for all that erously funded by the Strada Edu- and help students explore job op- you have done, for all those All the Best, cation Network. The intent of this portunities. Participants shared who you have helped learn their Your friends and family at North Star project is to support strategic pro- ideas on what a successful intern- job related tasks, for the knowl- Mohican Casino Resort. gramming that provides career ad- ship would look like for them and vising and development resources they identified both the advantag- PRSRT STD to American Indian and Alaskan es and challenges of bringing on US POSTAGE PAID SHAWANO, WI students at CMN. On February student interns. PERMIT NO. 135 4, the College hosted a breakfast Dr. Alphia Creapeau, Director of meeting to introduce the program Human Services for the to local businesses and tribal com- Grant continued on page Six: What’s Inside? Ads pg 14-16 Elders pg 4 Directives pg 10-13 Health pg 11 Education pg 12 Voices pg 3 MOHICAN NEWS March 1, 2020 Page 2 generation to generation orally can not be rushed or manufactured not be compared to anything less. in a hurry. Our belief is to set Language Corner Certain nuances of the language a foundation for the Tribe and can only be transferred by actually people, also to provide the tools speaking the language. One little necessary for our children and mispronunciation can completely future generations to evolve change the entire meaning of the along with the language. The word, sentence, story etc. There most important thing is that the they had at the moment. With no is no room for mistakes. To hand language reclamation comes from permanent structure in the past, the language down traditionally by us! We have help, but it must come it was very difficult to provide mouth, it continues that unbroken from us to truly reflect us a people. consistency, continuity and growth connection with our ancestors. As of now, we are holding Munsee up until now. With a Language With the documents we have classes every Wednesday from manager being hired full time, in Mohican (properly pronounced 6-7pm, and Mohican language there is assurance for consistency, “Muh-he-kun), and with the living study classes from 5:30-6:30pm continuity and growth. No one can language of our Munsee relatives, on Mondays. Both currently held at blame the teachers of the past for we have the opportunity to bring the library/museum. I encourage lack of. For families, life and work forth our language once again all to come and learn, or just do play a factor in volunteering. In that reflect who we are a people. listen. We are at a pivotal point Greeting to all, fact, there would be no language We (as a people) are no longer in the language programming program today if not for those one nor the other anymore, rather now that we have established My Name is Shawn Stevens and individuals who struggled and kept descendants of both. consistency and continuity. Those I am the newly hired Language the hope alive. Without the living Munsee who come and participate will Program Manager. It is with great Presently, we do offer two language, we would not be able have great effect on out Nations honor and humility (being humble) ancestral language classes for to truly understand and learn to future Language and culture. It that I accept this job and assist in people to attend. One of which full extent, the Mohican (Mahican) is a great opportunity to be a part providing our cultural heritage to is the Munsee language. It is a language which is an ongoing of something that you’re not only the people. I have approximately beautiful eloquent language held process at the moment. We have learning, but helping your people 20 years’ experience in learning onto by our sibling Munsee people live speakers of the Munsee present and future. and working with languages such from Moraviantown Ontario. As language from Moraviantown, Any questions, or concerns you as Mahican. Munsee, as well as you may already know, we have and several linguists helping may have, I can be reached at my similar languages to an extent very close relation with that band with the Mahican language along office in the Land building where such as Ojibwe, Menominee, and as well as sharing some family with Tribal members who have the old enrollment office used to other similar languages to our own names who had been separated decades of experience in working be, or call at 715-793-3047, or for comparisons. by the migrations from the eastern with both languages. email me at shawn.stevens@ In the past, language was homelands. The language projects will take mohican-nsn.gov. being provided here by individuals To have access to a language years and generations to return Coming soon, “Word of the on their own time with nothing shared by relatively recent fully spoken fluent speakers. month!” permanent or continuous. Folks ancestors is truly a gift! A language “Patience” is the answer to Wneeweh! did the best the could with what that is handed down from language reclamation.