AAnniisshhiinnaaaabbeegg TTooddaayy A Monthly Chronicle of White Earth Reservation Vol. 25 No. 5 White Earth, Minn. [email protected] Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Rapid COVID-19 testing site opens at WE members encouraged to vote Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen by absentee ballot in election White Earth Nation would like to remind eligible voters that In an effort to continue serving White Earth which causes COVID-19. The antibodies appear you can vote absentee in this upcoming election. It is uncertain Nation during this unprecedented global health crisis, three to seven days after the onset of infection. when public spaces will be safe for our most vulnerable members a drive-through triage and rapid COVID-19 testing If someone tests positive, they are asked to self- so we strongly encourage our membership to vote absentee. site has opened at Shooting Star Casino. The site is There is still time to request an absentee ballot to cast your vote for those living on the White Earth Reservation expe - See Testing Page 29 for our primary election on June 9, and that can be done from the riencing COVID-19 symptoms. comfort and safety of your home. The site was organized in a joint effort by tribal Eligible voters can request an absentee ballot at any point leadership, White Earth/Mahnomen County before the scheduled election. A request for an absentee ballot can Emergency Management Team, local health partners be mailed (PO Box 10, Mahnomen, MN 56557), emailed (elec - and Shooting Star. “This fully functioning drive- [email protected]), or faxed (218-936-5623) to the White through triage and testing site offers the safest, most Earth General Election Board. efficient way for White Earth members to be tested Before you return your ballot to the White Earth General for COVID-19,” Michael Fairbanks, White Earth Election Board, please review your ballot to make sure it is signed Nation tribal chairman, said. “We are doing every - and that your signature is notarized . thing in our power to keep our membership safe, and Information about voter eligibility and eligibility to vote absen - together, we will get our community through this cri - tee can be found in the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Election sis.” Ordinance (amended December 9, 2019), Section 1.6. Individuals must have experienced symptoms You can see a photo and name of each candidates on Page 16. consistent with COVID-19 for at least four days and An absentee ballot request and a list of polling places can be see on they must call to register before arriving at the testing Page 20. site. Common symptoms include fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and body aches. “The testing site is not open for drive-ups. Patients must call the triage line to register for screening,” Ed Snetsinger, White Earth Nation White Earth General Election Board Emergency Management Team incident commander, Shooting Star RV Office, 777 SE Casino Drive said. “If you do have symptoms, the first step is to Mahnomen, MN 56557 call the triage line.” The telephone number for the triage line is 218- [email protected] 936-2738 and is open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 218-936-5622 / 1-866-211-9154 / fax: 218-936-5623 Testing is available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If the triage nurse determines a test is necessary, the patient Hours : Monday through Friday is given a code and instructions on where to go for 9-11 a.m. (until May 25) testing. Photo by Jamie Monson Absentee Ballot Voting According to White Earth health officials, the Health care workers stand next to a sign directing PO Box 10, Mahnomen, MN 56557 tests are designed to detect antibodies that develop in people to a rapid COVID-19 testing site at the south the body following exposure to the coronavirus, entrance of Stardust Suites. N Annual White Earth Celebration and Powwow postponed E 4 D M D 1 G E s R e A T O A k D T R N I a D S O t L A i N O S P t i P m A E r o T r S e R The 152nd Annual White Earth Reservation Celebration and t S P P e U D Powwow has been postponed due to COVID-19 health concerns. The event was scheduled for June 12-14. The White Earth Reservation Business Committee (WERBC), in consultation with the White Earth Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team, has advised the powwow com - r mittee that postponement is necessary in order to protect tribal e and community members and adhere to the recommendations m S o S not to meet in large groups during this serious health event. t s W Dr. Carson Gardner, a member of the EOC team and the u R C White Earth Health Department said, “500 years ago our C l E Anishinaabe ancestors had no chance to win the smallpox battle. a t s We, here and now, have a very good chance to win the COVID- o 19 battle. We should not squander that chance—our ancestors’ P sacrifices made it possible for us, their descendants, to have that choice now.” In June, the RBC will either set a new date for the celebra - tion or cancel this year’s event if in the best interest of the White Earth community. Please check the Anishinaabeg Today , White Earth Nation website or Facebook page for future White Earth celebration announcements. File photo by Gary W. Padrta 2 Anishinaabeg Today Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Anishinaabeg Today Respecting creator’s creation is important to live on this planet Today we can still see more damage that has been done The Anishinaabeg Today (AT) is the offical publica - By Evelyn Bellanger Pine Point, Minn. by the tar sands, oil spills, mining, water, air pollution, defor - tion of White Earth Reservation and is published once a estation and fires that has altered the habitat of the animal month. Editorials and articles appearing in the AT are We have to have an understanding and respect for the kingdom. The animals in turn are pushed to move into and the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily creator’s creation in order to continue to live on this planet. with other species that is not in their normal environment. reflect the opinion or attitude of the AT staff or the White When the physical world was created, a vast majority of it Their eating habits have to change, creating unhealthy Earth Reservation Business Committee. was covered with water, which is sacred and is essential in immune systems that will affect others in turn can create dis - The AT reserves the right to reject any advertising our lives and we cannot live without it. Next the plants were eases. Along with that, fracking and draining of the blood or materials submitted for publication. The submission created, animals and the humans last. This world is so inter - veins of Mother Earth is creating more earthquakes, defor - of articles, and photos is encouraged, however, they are twined with these that they make up life and one’s existence estation is creating more flooding, and global warming is subject to editing for grammar, length, and malicious/ and it is only by the relationship of the four orders that the changing the air disturbance which in turn is producing more libelous content. The Editor makes the sole decision of world has sense and meaning. With this order of creation, tornados and hurricanes. what is published in the AT and will not assume any plants and animals will survive without humans. In a video recently, there was a science panel discussion responsibility for unsolicited material nor will the AT The native people understood this and lived accordingly about taking the resources and about how it has altered the guarantee publication upon submission. Deadlines are to that with respect, balance, harmony and placed themselves animal kingdoms habitat. They have come to finally realize strictly enforced! Deadline dates are printed on Page 2 on the bottom ladder of the hierarchy pyramid. Even though and understand that there will be consequences. And the ani - in each issue. there were as many as 10 million native people in North mals and plants has shown that they will continue to live and The AT is distributed at no charge to all postal America at the time of European intrusions, there is not one flourish without humans by the stories and pictures around patrons living on White Earth Reservation, and by mail shred of evidence that they despoiled the environment in any the world since the lockdown. There has been satellite data to White Earth Reservation members (who request the way of consequence. Everywhere the Europeans went, they showing the ozone has gotten smaller, air pollution can go newspaper) living within the United States. One per found a pristine wilderness of crystal-clear waters and bur - away, it has lifted so much that the Himalayas are visible for household. The cost of a newspaper subscription is $12 geoning forests. After thousands of years of human habita - the first time in 30 years and they were able to show a clear per year for non-members (including descendants) liv - tion by native people here, there were still nowhere near the picture of the landscape of Los Angeles area weeks later. ing off the reservation. The AT can be read online for number of endangered species of animals, fish or birds that They have showed how Flamingoes increased 25 percent in no cost at www.whiteearth.com.