“Membership Meeting set for October 6th! Make reservations now!” The Fall Membership Meeting originally scheduled for ALSO IN THIS September 29th at the Three Fires Conference Center has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 6th to allow us to PUBLICATION use the new large Event Center. The new 1700 seat center will provide the tribe with a wonderful opportunity for the largest gathering of Tribal Citizens in our nation’s official P 2 REAFFIRMATION history P 3 The scheduling move will also provide Tribal Elders the COUNCIL NEWS opportunity to hold their meeting in conjunction with the P.4 Fall Membership. This will simplify travel plans for out- OGEMA VISITS MUSKEGON of-town visitors. OFFICE P.5 Make your reservations today by calling FROM THE OGEMA 1-866-473-2538. P6 FROM THE TAX OFFICE “By virtue of the fact that P 7 the federal government was COMMODITIES negotiating a treaty with the P8 Ottawa Indians means that the TRIBE- TO -TRIBE WALKING CHALLENGE federal government recognized P 9 the Ottawa Indians as a distinct DIABETIC HEALTH nation of people,” P 10,11 MEMBERS ASSISTANCE P12,13 LANGUAGE CAMP P. 14,15 NATIVE PEOPLES WORKING LITEFOOT-REACH THE REZ TOUR IS COMING TO THE LITTLE GROUP RIVER CASINO RESORT P 16 The Tribal Council and the Little River Casino Resort is welcoming “LITEFOOT” at the Little River Band Casino Resort on YOUNG EAGLES PROGRAM Saturday, September 15th @ 6:00 PM in the new auditorium at the Little River Casino Resort. P 17 The Purpose of FAMILY SErvICES the Reach The P.18 Rez Project is to provide proactive LETTER TO THE EDITOR programs and outreach directed P.19 toward Native HOW THE CURRENTS IS DONE American P.22 communities CASINO NEWS throughout the United States P.24 WHAT DOES THIS DEPART- and Canada. MENT DO ANYWAY? Our programs are specifically P 28 designed to effectively reach LRBOI EMPLOYEE PICNIC American Indian Litefoot made his major motion picture debut as the people, especially star of the Paramount/Columbia film entitled, The the youth. Indian in the Cupboard and he has gone on to star in such films as, Mortal Kombat, Annihilation, Kull, The Conqueror, The Song Of Hiawatha and Adaptation. The films The Indian In The Cupboard, Kull The Conqueror and The Song of Hiawatha earned Litefoot “Best Actor” awards from the First Americans in the Arts Awards and from the American Indian Film Institute. Little River Band of PRSRT STD Ottawa Indians U.S. Postage 375 River St. PAID Manistee, MI 49660 Permit #195 Manistee, MI Return Service Requested Mdaamini-Giizis (Corn Moon) September 2007 Vol. 4 Issue9 Little River Reaffirmation Currents P. begin the work of developing a Clinton signs bill to recognize local tribe 10-year strategic plan. As we approach the each tribe, was precedent setting. vindication,” said Dougher. “It’s Dougher said that he celebration “I don’t think there’s ever been vindication of Ottawa treaty thinks that children and the of our tribes’ reaffirmation, an Ottawa Indian that’s been personally rights.” elderly should be given primary the Currents staff and the invited to the White House for an issue Dougher said that when the consideration when the tribe Historical Department that affects the bill is signed, a new chapter will plans future programs. wanted to share this 1994 Ottawa people,” said Dougher. begin for the tribe. He added that he historical article about that “It’s taken 120 years to feels the tribe’s economic special event with you A Sense of Relief get this matter resolved,” he said. development efforts should be in The bill for the Little “Now a whole new phase of varied fields. River and the Little work begins. And that concerns “I would hope that they Traverse Band passed the governing of the tribe in the wouldn’t build an economic base the U.S. House of modern age.” on one industry,” said Dougher. Representatives on Aug. 3. For non-Indians in the area, The tribe will be seeking The companion bill passed how will federal recognition affect appropriations from Congress the Senate on May 25. them? to purchase land which is Dougher found out about “As the tribe evolves there appropriate for construction of the signing ceremony of will be job Friday. opportunities,” He was asked how he said Dougher. felt when he heard the “The non-Indian President Bill Clinton news. community will was scheduled to sign a bill “I felt more a sense of relief. benefit from that today that reaffirmed the We’ve been biding our time wondering just as the Indian federal status of the Little when the President was going to sign community River Band of Ottawa Indians it.” will.” and two other Michigan tribes. The reason for reaffirmation Once Dan Bailey, the was outlined in a speech U.S. Rep. Dale the bill becomes chairman of the board of Keldee, D-Flint, gave before the U.S. law, the tribe’s directors for the Little River House of Representatives on June 10, present board Band of Ottawa Indians, 1993. and its officers which is based in Manistee, “….Historical documentation will serve as was invited to the white proves that these tribes have, in fact, the interim House as the representative of had formal government-government tribal council. the tribe. relations from the times Americans first The voting “We never anticipated entered the Great Lakes Region to the membership that there would actually be a present,” Kildee said. “It is simply the will elect a new signing ceremony in the White legal status of that relationship that we tribal council House,” said Mark Dougher, seek to reaffirm through this legislation. after the tribal Tribal members Steven Medacco, Ruth Dean and Jonnie Sam executive director of the tribe. “….Federal Indian services membership and at reaffirmation dinner Dougher expressed guaranteed them were either never constitution are disappointment that Bailey provided or were gradually withdrawn. approved. offices, a community center, a was the only member of the The tribes have continued to petition the Dougher said that the health clinic, and homes. tribe invited to the ceremony. federal government of recognition and tribe has received membership Dougher said that there Others were deserving of the enforcement of these rights….” applications from about 500 isn’t going to be a windfall on experience, he said, including The United States government eligible people. About 400 of the money to provide services for Katherine Sams Glocheski, and Ottawa bands entered into five applicants reside in the tribe’s the tribe. former of the tribe’s board treaties, the last of which was signed in service level – Mason, Manistee, “It’s going to be of directors, and Margaret 1855. Lake, and Wexford counties. incremental,” he said. “It’s Chandler, a member of the Eligibility for the tribe is going to be sufficient to provide board of directors. based on one’s ancestry. Dougher for some needs of the tribal “These are two people estimated that membership would community.” that have earned that right “By virtue of the fact that the federal peak at about 700 to 800 people. Dougher said that when to go,” Dougher said. “It government was negotiating a treaty Legislation provides that President Clinton signs the bill would’ve been nice to send a with the Ottawa Indians means that the tribe has up to 18 months to into law, excitement won’t be whole busload of people. the federal government recognized the complete the tribal membership the only emotion that members The president was Ottawa Indians as a distinct nation of roll. feel. It also states that no later “There’s sadness too, than 24 months after the bill because there’s a lot of elders is enacted, the eligible tribal that have died in the past few membership will vote on the years,” he said. “I wish they adoption of the tribe’s constitution. could have lived long enough to Within six months after the see this happen.” constitution is ratified by the membership, voters will elect a new tribal council. Future Plans In November, the tribe will Lobbying in Washington D.C. L-R LTBB Chairman Frank Ettawageshik, unknown, LRB Tribal Chairman Dan Bailey, unknown, unknown scheduled today to sign into people,” said Dougher. “The Ottawa law two bills which reaffirm have contended that they were always the federal status of three recognized. Because they had a treaty tribes – one for the Little and that never was altered. River Band and the Little “We are asking that Congress Traverse Bay Band of Odawa reaffirm that these are federally Indians and another for the recognized tribes.” Pokagon Band of Potawatomi A New Chapter Indians. When The presidenet does sign Dougher said he the bill into law, what will this mean for the Little River Band? thought the ceremony, which Tribal members in food line at reaffirmation dinner included a representative from “Historically, it will mean Mdaamini-Giizis (CornP. Moon) September 2007 Vol. 4 Issue9 Little River Council News Mskomini-Giizis / Dataagmini-Giizis Currents July/August 2005, Vol. 2 Issue 8 P. NEWS FROM THE DESK OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL RECORDER FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE-2007 Happy September: I have mentioned a lot of Tribal Council Worksession so I wanted to let the members know of the attendance from now on at these worksessions. Worksessions are what Tribal Council has before anything goes on the Tribal Council agenda. Kim Alexander Tribal Council Recorder The Tribal Councilors has had 71 worksession (From 5-21-2007-7-23-2007) Attendance at worksessions: Beccaria-69 Whiteloon-64 Hardenburgh-71 Alexander-71 Parsons-66 Koon-55 Ruiter-53 Crampton-18 Kelsey-30 Membership is always invited to these sessions everyday.