Bringing Broadband Communication to Tribes
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NEWS FROM US to review dark history of Indigo Girls/Line 3 activists host New work by Native artist to A NATIVE Indigenous boarding schools Protect the Water concert rise where “Scaffold” stood AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE 40 YEARS OF SERVING THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY WWW.THECIRCLENEWS.ORG [email protected] Like us on Facebook! Follow Us on Twitter page 4 page 6 page 14 Facebook.com/TheCircleNews @TheCircleNews FREE JULY 2021 • VOLUME 42, ISSUE 7 FREE Bringing broadband communication to tribes Minneapolis groups seeks to rename Columbus Avenue to Oyate BY HANNAH BROADBENT organizers, every attendee being from the neighborhood. Maltzman says she can recall don’t know how to the disdain for the name exist- talk about what it’s ing since she moved in, in “Ilike to live on 2008. Though block members ‘Columbus Avenue’ without can recall it going back another standing on a soapbox talking 20 years. about everything that is wrong “A lot of us would talk about with colonization,” Quito our address as 33–f*** Ziegler said at the Oyate Columbus Avenue,” she said. Avenue information sharing Maltzman said it was summer and community meeting in of 2020 that triggered a few Minneapolis. street artists to take it upon ‘Oyate Avenue’ is the name themselves throughout the that a group of community avenue to paint over the signs members would like to change with a different name. On 38th ‘Columbus Avenue’ to. ‘Oyate’ and Columbus the avenue sign Turtle Island Communications workers lay fiber cables on reservation lands. (Photo courtesy of Turtle Island was given to them by Makoce is now red and reads “Little Communications.) Ikikcupi, a land recovery proj- Crow”. BY LEE EGERSTROM ect based in Minnesota. It sim- Resident Griffin Jefferies ply, means “the people”. agreed that after a decade of The group of community usiness journals and mainstream media a couple of miles away,” Madonna said in an name-change conversation, last members heading the place- all across America are focusing attention interview. summer’s revolutionary feel based initiative identify them- on what many call “the new normal” She is a member of the Turtle Mountain took a hold of him. He noted a B selves as white-settlers from lot of white community mem- post-pandemic way of working. Questions arise Band of Chippewa in North Dakota. He is varied linages who live or have over how many people currently working from Pueblo Zuni from the Southwest. Both grew bers coming into new con- lived along “so-called home or other remote locations will actually go up in families where calling a relative a few sciousness around racism and Columbus Ave”. The avenue back to offices or continue to work off campus miles away could be an expensive long distance asked how he can help translate runs from 18th street to 62nd using modern technology. telephone call. that commitment into the street and crosses 4 wards in For Madonna Peltier Yawakie and her hus- That is still a problem in many parts of Indian Indigenous community as well. Minneapolis. band Melvin (Mel) Yawakie, it is practically a Country, they point out. It is a huge impedi- “There was this energy and so Their website reads: “This meaningless question. But it does strengthen ment for any tribal enterprise or local entre- much neighborhood organiz- project aims to change the public awareness of the important work their preneur wanting to start and operate a modern ing, that it really felt like people name of the Avenue in South Turtle Island Communications Inc. company business from what clearly is home. were connecting in this differ- Minneapolis as a step towards does in Indian Country. The telecommunications shortcomings in ent kind of way.” He said. “So, living in the right relationship Based in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn parts of tribal lands goes far beyond sustaining with block connections happen- with each other. We don’t want Park, Turtle Island Communications (TICOM) and starting business enterprises, government ing and more people getting to live on a street that evokes works exclusively with tribal governments, local studies show. The need for modern, broadband politicized in different ways it domination, theft, loss and tribal businesses and public agencies. Through communications supports life – crucial for felt like there could really be grief.” them, they help bring modern, broadband com- modern education, healthcare, public safety momentum around this now to June 16 was the first public munications to homes, businesses and public and general quality of life. move forward and work with meeting on the potential name entities at tribal nations throughout the “You don’t just wake up one day and say, the organizing that was already change. It took place in the Midwest and Western states. “Let’s start a business,” Madonna said. “We’ve happening.” heart of the movement at 33rd The “new normal” approach to doing busi- seen the need for most of our lives.” June’s meeting was meant to and Columbus, in Dreamland ness was always the “old normal” way in remote Both had extensive telecommunications back- be an info session with commu- community space and garden. areas of rural America and especially on tribal grounds and were painfully aware of disparities nity sharing and how, why and “This is a landback initiative,” lands, the Yawakies point out. There weren’t between the communities their prior employers if people would support this said organize Josina Maltzman. many offices or homes in these settings that served with modern communications and what change as well. Aside from a “We want to invite community had proper, hi-speed communications. was available in their home communities. They few hesitancies around whether in and share about this work Without these services it has been extremely both had proper educational backgrounds to or not the name change was big because it’s going to be a lot of difficult for people to conduct business and step in and serve Native American tribes. enough or perhaps just optics, work.” “reach out to people who may be no more than even those were immediately – CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 – There were around 20 com- pushed to the side and replaced munity members present at the with complete support. 3 – Honoring Manoomin and fighting for its survival 11 – Book review: The Removed public discussion. Several of 10 – Native Americans in Sports: Jason Shaugabay 15 – It Ain’t Easy Being Indian them being the white-settler – CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 – 12 – Auger was a fierce advocate for those in need We Are Aging Support services | Housing options | Long-term care planning Medicare & prescription assistance | Caregiver support If you have trouble paying for your Medicare, you may be able to get help. Call Minnesota’s Senior LinkAge Line® to find out more. 800-333-2433 mn.gov/senior-linkage-line The Senior LinkAge Line is a free, statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging in partnership with Minnesota’s area agencies on aging. The Senior LinkAge Line helps older Minnesotans and caregivers find answers and connect to the services and support they need. 2 July 2021 The Circle: News from a Native American Perspective http://www.thecirclenews.org ENVIRONMENT Honoring Manoomin and fighting for its survival BY WINONA LADUKE at a comeback at the end of the mining era. Protecting the water is protecting the “You can feel the wind talk to the rice.” wild rice. – Lew Murray, Rice Lake Village. The Body Burden of Hating t’s Rice Lake Village on the White Coming to the village was a great emo- Earth reservation – the mother lode tional relief. I hadn’t realized the body I of wild rice – Lower Rice Lake. Lew burden of the hating. As I looked on and Murray stood in front of the gathering of listened to the laughs and stories of Rice about two hundred or so people, to greet Lakers, a tremendous feeling of love and runners who had just run twenty five miles healing came over us, again. Our people to honor the wild rice, and protect it. It’s love our water and our manoomin. a joyful gathering also, because people are Try being an Indian person or a Water just starting to gather outside after Protector in Park Rapids these days. COVID and we are all happy to see each There’s a lot of fearful looks, even some other. dirty looks, some yelling at us Water For some it’s been a long time. For some Protectors. It’s the Deep North, and it’s of us who are facing police many days on not just dirty looks, it’s continued exclu- the Enbridge pipeline route, it’s a welcome sion, as the Park Rapids Chamber of sanctuary from the violence- emotional, Commerce seems intent upon pushing ecological and physical. More than any- the only Native delegation out of the Park thing the gathering, organized by commu- On the White Earth reservation, people ran twenty five miles to honor the wild rice and pro- Rapids Fourth of July Parade. nity members brings us together to tect it. (Photo courtesy Winona LaDuke.) I’m having some serious flashbacks to reaffirm our commitment to our wild rice Standing Rock, as local media and and water. most of the tribal council, who see the on the manoomin for sustenance, traveling Enbridge fan show their racism. Why “I’ve been around the sun about forty opposition to Line 3. to the lakes in the south, first to harvest – would you hate on Water Protectors? eight times and that rice has been with me Wild rice, or manoomin, is the way of Big Sandy, the Sandy Lake Flowage, Hubbard County has arrested hundreds all those times.