Montana Tribal News

Melinda Gopher is seeking the State of Montana's sole Congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2009-12-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

"Melinda Gopher, 44, an Ojibwe / Blackfeet from Missoula, Montana is seeking the State of Montana's sole Congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. While many glass ceilings have been shattered; a Native American woman has yet to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

Gopher's running as a progressive Democrat and focusing her campaign on jobs. The current recession has hit Montana's communities hard, even though the state unemployment rate is not as critical as the overall national rate of 10%; it is deceiving. Montana does not count long term unemployed workers who have given up.

Melinda is a civil rights activist, and blogger. She is a Paralegal but decided to run for the U.S. House believing she can make a difference in the nation's capitol. Melinda Gopher believes the nation does not have to choose between cap and trade and carbon taxation as revenue raising; rather, clean energy must be pursued to create jobs no matter what.

Melinda supports the Employee Free Choice Act as a means for keeping American labor strong. She believes corporations have gone unchecked, and have had a negative impact in DC. This has led to the loss of jobs and outsourcing of jobs to artificially inflate corporate profit margins. Gopher believes exploiting labor forces in foreign countries is detrimental to the world economy in the long term. Loss of workers' rights has created unfair trade policies between the U.S., China, India to point to a few examples. Corporate exploitation and economic coercion do not create win/win partnerships: something Gopher wants to create.

Gopher supports overhauling the nation's ailing housing sector. She believes the low-income are mired in HUD programs of the past. Not enough of the nation's low and middle income people are building personal wealth equity--resulting in lost economic power and a declining tax base. She believes there must be revolutionary changes in the national housing policy that will reverse the housing crisis. She would enact laws ending financial apartheid in America, and ban policies mired in the FHA redlining legacy. She vows to "pick up where Bobby Kennedy left off" in ending American poverty.

Melinda is the spouse of a combat disabled veteran and cares about veteran issues. She believes the VA ratings system is broken, she currently supports the efforts of national veterans groups to work with Montana Senator Jon Tester to fix the system so that it works for veterans.

Melinda Gopher is a long time civil rights, tribal sovereignty, and environmental activist. She believes HUD has been a weak institutional home for civil rights and supports the creation of a cabinet level agency for civil rights. She believes state-by-state laws on gay marriage are the wrong approach and unjust. She believes the federal government must beef up the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Amendments to include sweeping protections for gays, lesbians, transsexuals and bisexuals.

Melinda Gopher points out, "the black codes are a disgraceful part of America's past. The state-by-state approach are the black codes for the LGBT community, why are we tolerating this inequality?" She believes to ensure an end to discrimination against gays and to provide for their full civil rights--will require federal intervention as was done in the 1960s civil rights movement.

Melinda Gopher has been a civil rights practitioner since her early 20s. She was the only Native American panelist in the 1994 National Fair Housing Summit and worked to enact fair housing protections in Montana. Melinda Gopher has worked in the public and private sector on fair housing.

She believes the nation needs another Fair Housing Summit to address the subprime crisis. She points out, "not enough is being done to ensure Americans keep their homes, and participate in the American dream of homeownership."

Melinda Gopher knows her candidacy is improbable; she believes her voice is needed to address the lack of effective Native American leadership in the state Democratic party. She believes the Native Americans advancing in the political party pipeline in the state are tokens and are placed in positions where they are politically neutered.

She is a vocal critic of Senator Max Baucus's mishandling of state tribal issues, his failure to address long term and chronic unemployment in the state's seven Indian reservations and urban areas. She has criticized the Senator over taking single payer off the table in health care reform. Melinda Gopher is likely to challenge Baucus in 2014 when he comes up for re-election."
melinda Gopher
www.MelindaForMontana.com
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www.MelindaGopher.com
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Melinda Gopher - An Open Letter to President Obama from Hill 57 Montana to the White House

2009-12-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

"As the second youngest of eight children of an Ojibwe family, I grew up on Hill 57, outside of Great Falls, Montana. I lived in a two room house, more like a shack. It was put together with scrap lumber, Hill 57 was a collection of such ramshackle homes strung together with dirt roads. The bitter Montana winds feel merciless when you are a child living in these conditions. Still, our home was warmed by a wood stove.

Hill 57 existed due to federal denial of a trust obligation owed the Ojibwe people; we were allies of George Washington's forces. We were and still are; proud people. Hill 57 epitomized Indian poverty in America. Hill 57 was rivaled only by the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; a contest with no winner.

Our historic alliance with the French paved the way for the assertion of American independence. As our tribe lost more and more lands, with each successive treaty, our people were pushed deeper into land dispossession, deeper into an inescapable poverty. If the Ojibwe are a tribe on the winning side of a revolution; I cannot imagine losing. I can only envision that would entail total extermination. This is an ugly and undeniable skeleton in the American closet.

The historic Migisew clan of the mighty Ojibwe tribe were reduced to a small square of land; less than a half mile total. Eventually the county tax collector got that too; as the federal government provided no trust oversight. This defined my existence growing up. It took me a lifetime of effort to understand and study the origins of the Ojibwe-French-Colonial relationship in the context of Revolution. America has never been a nation of fairness.

Our democratic ideals are just that--empty ideals. The course of history has proven the American system to be grossly out of sync with the lofty ideals of liberty, freedom--and the principal of equality. This is not to diminish the worthiness of these ideals; indeed, we must strive for our perfection now more than ever. We as a nation are now forced to look at our collective face in the mirror. It is not a pretty site.

We are at an arc in time, whose arrival is unprecedented and pregnant with incredible timing; this momentous point in our collective existence screams "teaching moment." This arc finds American society reaching the ideological, economic, and spiritual limits of our dysfunctional democracy. We can see the situation unfolding in Afghanistan after eight long years--the waste of throwing more human lives into this abyss makes our hypocrisy inescapable.

Draping the Obama change mantle over this protracted conflict does not make a troop increase acceptable, ethical or moral. Some of us have not forgotten, this war was never a legal war in the sense of engaging a state actor who engaged in an act of war against us.

The difference between a terrorist act and an act of war is not nuanced and subject to interpretation. Foundational principles of international law were thrown out the window by then-President Bush, and it is these laws that govern the global community. We are a pariah, it is as true then as it is now. As a woman candidate for the U.S. House, I am proud to carry Jeannette Rankin's tradition of pacifism. This is rooted in my upbringing.

In a sense, those of us who embraced the Obama change mantra have had a bruising coming of age this past year. It is clear the hopeful campaigner has fallen short of his change message. We need to look at the reasons why, so that we can course correct. It was hard to attack a message of hope, indeed my own campaign is premised on the hope message.

There is nothing wrong with hope, in fact, sometimes that is all we have. It is wrong to abandon hope, to curtail change that is within our grasp, largely due to our own internal conflict, fear, and unwillingness to evolve. This describes the Democrats in Congress. I dare say, Congressional Democrats are still stuck in the Bush era group think of the fear-mongering past. Bold actions are needed now, self doubt is not a luxury we have. We all know action to fix the economy is needed now. Jobs are needed now. People are homeless and hungry right now.

Roughly half a year has been consumed on the health care debate, this is a time waster of poorly thought out priorities in the face of unprecedented job losses. This is a mismanaged effort--because of the manner in which the Senate Finance Committee and its Chairman Baucus--have mishandled this legislation. American families awaken every day and look at their credit card debt, dwindling resources, foreclosure, homelessness, joblessness and hunger. This IS the fierce urgency of now.

Campaign for America's Future blogged about the dim prospects surrounding the jobs summit, and the apparent unwillingness of your White House to expand the stimulus. If your administration has another strategy, such as supporting the Dorgan-Durbin jobs bill--please by all means clue us in. The American people need to know now.

Doing nothing is not an option. Hosting a jobs summit, while leaking the White House's limited efforts, and announcing an Afghanistan troop increase in the same week is poor planning, it reflects the hope train has flown off the tracks. I am worried. Here in Missoula, I have never seen people living out of their old RVs, pitching tents out of sight in the trees along the Clark Fork River, to the extent as I have this year. It is not uncommon to see bedding stashed off beside this city's busy walking trails.

Winter is here, along the bottoms of Waterworks Hill hiking trail, just off I-90, the homeless pitched their tents in the trees earlier this fall. On a recent hike, I glanced to see them sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags, huddled against the brisk evening air of Montana. People are living in their vans and cars in Missoula, Montana. This city has an unprecedented number of homeless children in the school district. One recent day, my family member wandered into a local church to find out this church's pews overflow at night.

People have nowhere else to sleep; a good number of these homeless are Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. It makes no difference to them that our ranking Senator is Chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, and our junior Senator is on the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs. Their stature has not provided this city and other cities in Montana, with the means to address growing homelessness, poverty, and despair. This is America of 2009. America: 2009 is your Hill 57. Please, Mr. President--you must do more right now."
melinda gopher
Melinda Gopher
www.MelindaGopher.com
montana homeless
Source of Post:
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http://www.melindagopher.com/2009/12/open-letter-to-pres-obama-from-hill-57.html
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Peace Flag Project - Mary Gopher Parenteau Announces Montana Win/Win Network.

2009-12-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

"Following the successful example of the Washington state effort to create cross-issue organizing to defeat TABOR (a regressive taxpayer bill of rights) and yes to Referendum 71 (on domestic partnership); minority, women and the LGBTQ constituents were able to protect mutual interests, and advance their own interests in the political arena.

Loud Thunder International is initiating the Montana Win/Win effort to ensure that these communities engage in cross-issue organizing for the 2010 elections and beyond. This non-profit effort will engage a cross section of communities of color, women, the LGBTQ community, business and labor interests as never before.

This work will be difficult at times, but doable. We may not agree on every issue--but we will ensure that all voices are heard, and respected. Loud Thunder International will advance the progressive agenda on the Montana ballots now, and in the future. We will work to build an informed constituency throughout Indian country, as well as serve as a liason between Indian country and other interests.

We will work to build a progressive agenda on the local, state, and national levels that respects the growing diversity of our nation. We will ask all constituencies to engage in the public discourse of our nation as never before. All voices matter, all voices count. We want to start out by identifying our community efforts that are organizational sponsored, and where we will be seeking partnerships.

Loud Thunder has in the past initiated Red Thunder, Inc., a non-profit that spurred Ft. Belknap residents and the indigenous environmental movement into action to halt cyanide heap leach gold mining just outside the reservation.

This effort began in 1990 and mushroomed. Loud Thunder's Founder, Robert Gopher produced and directed "Indian Tears of Love," to draw awareness to the Gros Ventres and Assiniboine peoples' struggle. In 1996, I-122 increased requirements for cleaner water discharged from mines, but was defeated. This year also saw the largest settlement of its kind in state history; Pegasus Gold would pay 37 million as a result of its non-compliance with federal and state clean water laws. In 1998, Montanans passed I-137, banning new cyanide mines in the state.

There is a need to enact a reclamation economy, as was done in Bonner, MT--post timber industry--on the borders of the Fort Belknap reservation. This is one way to foster cross community collaboration and create meaningful and good paying jobs. A reclamation economy is essential in restoring Historic Hill 57, a culturally and historically significant site recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There are no doubt other significant sites throughout Indian country in Montana and nationwide that are in need of long term reclamation.
Our sponsored efforts to expand the Montana progressive agenda are:

Montana Jobs Coalition--Loud Thunder is fostering collaboration with like minded organizations to respond to the unprecendented unemployment and lack of job growth at the present time.

Montana Win/Win--this effort will focus on issues organizing and development to ensure Native Americans are fully networked with local, state, and national progressive movements.

Migisew-Asiniweyin Economic Development Corporation--the effort here includes a mix of economic development strategies, including creation of a CDFI structure to serve Montana's urban Indian communities, and grant funding to develop statewide non-profit organizations to address poverty reduction in affected communities.

13 Star Peace Flag Project--this is a local project in Great Falls, MT of national significance. The project attempts to reclaim and preserve Hill 57 because it is a symbol of the tragic federal tribal termination policies in America.

The Win/Win project will organize voting constituencies and engage in issues development to promote lasting social change.
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Source of Post:
http://loudthunderinternational.blogspot.com/2009/11/mary-gopher-parenteau-announces-montana.html
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Loud Thunder to Sponsor Formation of Native Wind Energy Project

2009-12-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

"Loud Thunder International in partnership with native businesses is sponsoring a proposal for a major wind energy project to be located in Great Falls, Montana. The proposal is in draft, it will be made available--check here for updates."
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http://loudthunderinternational.blogspot.com/
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Native American Veteran Initiative

2009-12-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

"The Montana Win/Win project is preparing a Native American veteran initiative to work with Senator Tester and national veteran organizations toward national legislation addressing the need to fix the veteran disability rating system. The Montana Win/Win Veteran's Initiative is a major step to ensure Native American veteran's voices are heard at the national level. Further details on this new emerging effort will be posted here. "
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http://loudthunderinternational.blogspot.com
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Source of Post
http://loudthunderinternational.blogspot.com/2009/12/montana-winwin-update.html
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TREATY RIGHTS IN THE CONTEXT OF FEDERAL STIMULUS

2009-12-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

"THE CHIPPEWA TRUTH COMMISSION:
AFFIRMING BILATERAL RIGHTS OF
TRIBAL PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE U.S/CANADA BORDER

There is a need to address bilateral treaty rights of four north central Montana bands, the Rocky Boy/Migisew, the Little Shell, the Metis and Little Bear Cree. This proposal calls for enrollment reform affecting the "Chippewa Cree Tribe." This is not really a tribe there are four entities affected by collective confusion that has reigned supreme over the identity of the Rocky Boy Band of Chippewa since it was initially recognized by Congress in 1908. Our proposal begins to fix the problem:

A CHIPPEWA TRUTH COMMISSION IS NEEDED: This is the first major step to enact and/or re-affirm Chippewa federal recognition in Montana affecting the Little Shell Band of Chippewa and the non-enrolled descendants of the original 1908 Rocky Boy Chippewa Band Roll.

A major component of the CHIPPEWA TRUTH COMMISSION would be to re-align the four tribal groups affected: the Rocky Boy Band, the Little Shell, the Little Bear Cree and the Riel Metis--where each group would enact their own self-government and operated under the Four Affiliated Bands of Chippewa, Cree and Metis. This seems to be the most fair and logical conclusion to the historic injustices that have afflicted the Chippewa people.

A component of this Truth Commission would be the study of legal implications of the Jay Treaty and the patterns of law and execution of official acts between the U.S. and Canada. The Little Bear and Riel descendants originated in Canada originally but were granted adoptee status in the Chippewa band in 1917—not by the Chippewa, but by the U.S. federal government. This was an overt act violating the sovereignty of the Chippewa people, this has never been mitigated.

The federal government has never corrected this contradiction: it has granted the benefits of tribal governance to essentially Canadian origin descendants, who are now a super-majority on the Rocky Boy reservation. The lineal Chippewa have been discredited, denied enrollment and participation in their own government. At the same time, the federal government has not acted to uphold legitimate treaty obligations owed the original Rocky Boy and Little Shell bands. We have been attempting to address this for years, federal officials refuse to hear us out.

The Little Shell experience similar denial of status; this is most evident in the BIA administrative ruling denying federal recognition to the band. The Little Shell and Rocky Boy bands are subject to U.S. Treaty--the Cree are subject to British Treaty #6, the Metis are subject to the Canadian Powley ruling--recognizing their rights as aboriginal people. There seems to be lack of consistent U.S. - Canadian policy affecting these bands with regard to consistent enrollment policies, treaty rights, freedom of movement and property rights.

The Chippewa Truth Commission will have a component to deal with and create ways for the U.S. and Canada to enact policies resolving these matters. This subcommittee will seek broad input and participation from the affected bands to ensure there is accuracy in the findings, and to ensure the dually held treaty and federal rights of all affected descendants are affirmed and upheld. In Montana, there are possibly 10,000-12,000 or more people affected by this situation. It does need to be resolved.

There has been reluctance from the “Chippewa Cree Business Committee” to resolve these legal issues: it is to their best interest to do so now for the reason U.S. BIA regulation requires 50% or more of a tribe come from a historic American tribe (treaty). In Rocky Boy, those lineal Chippewa descendants fall far below that 50% threshold. The re-formed 1917 roll did not meet that criteria in 1917, and it does not meet it now.

This has led to problems of profound loss of self-government of the Chippewa people. We no longer can ascertain our own blood quantum, we have lost all control of who the “Chippewa Cree” enroll. We the lineal Chippewa, cannot even ensure our own children are enrolled. The “Chippewa Cree” generic term has become something of a joke; no other “tribe” is run like this one.

All tribes have enrollment laws based on original descent from a tribal census conducted at the time of treaty—the Chippewa Cree roll is the sole exception. The ¼ or more “any Indian” blood quantum in the Chippewa Cree Tribal constitution has led to the demise of the Chippewa people.

A beginning framework would look like this: This commission would operate for five years, enact tribal enrollment reform within one year of operation, begin to address the need for preservation of tribal histories, and develop written recommendations to the Canadian and U.S. governments on ways to strengthen, and build cohesive and mutually held policies regarding the Jay Treaty. This commission would require extensive staff working to document the historic origins of all tribes and to compile archives relating to these tribal peoples’ historic origins. In addition, the commission would work to enact tribal enrollment reform that would serve as the basis of the re-configured Affiliated Tribal governments structure, propose and provide assistance in forming governing documents, researching and coordinating treaty adhesions in Canada and finalizing recognition for the U.S. bands.

THE CREATION OF A U.S.-CANADA TRIBAL ENERGY CARTEL

We have a situation of a quarter dozen tribal groups affected by the international boundary, Loud Thunder believes this is not only a resolvable issue—but that these tribal groups can prosper in the future. Loud Thunder believes in cohesive policy in addressing energy development and these and a multitude of bands on both sides of the border have a stake in developing ecologically sustainable development.

There are great concerns regarding the current tar sands development north of the Montana border in Canada. Canada is a major provider of oil to the U.S. This will increase in the future. Loud Thunder learned in the Zortman Landsusky mining struggle for the need for effective reclamation planning and implementation. This is true in the tar sands issue. This is development creating acid rain and lasting damage to the land and water.

Loud Thunder asks the Obama administration to take into consideration the long term reclamation of sites in Canada and cooperate in frameworks of agreement with these Canadian bands, the Canadian government and our interests in the U.S. As this development is already underway—that both governments have a responsible reclamation policies that encompass tribal traditional views of the land.

For this reason, Loud Thunder is advocating a bilateral, tribal energy consortium, or cartel—similar in scope to OPEC. This is one way these two Eurocentric sovereigns can begin to restore native people. Tribal nations have a joint economic and policy interest in ensuring their energy potentialities are not exploited, that are mutually beneficial and expresses shared goals of all tribes. Loud Thunder is proposing a multi-billion dollar investment in this bilateral energy cartel focusing on tribal fossil, wind, solar, bio-mass and other forms of renewable energy. Second, this cartel has a strong reclamation component in the case of tar sand development, and addresses cap and trade concerns. Loud Thunder expresses support for the need for U.S. and Canadian investment in reclamation technology and direct investment in tribes to do this.

WIND ENERGY

In Montana, there is a huge potential for wind energy on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Loud Thunder expresses support for the creation of a national laboratory on refining tribal energy proposals—a training ground and incubator of sorts—so that all tribes throughout the northern continent and into Mexico, can cultivate their energy independence, learn and share their experiences and lessen tribal dependence on foreign oil.

In Great Falls, the Little Shell tribal descendants are unequaled in their work ethic, their experience along with the “Hill 57 Rocky Boy unenrolled and Migisew Chippewa on the Montana fire crews are a testament to this. For this reason, Loud Thunder is supporting the creation of a jointly owned wind turbine manufacturing and service/repair corporation, and solar energy technology center to develop the wind and solar energy capability of these two urban situated groups. These groups can create lasting and good paying jobs in the Great Falls area now and in the future. Loud Thunder is proposing the renovation and retrofitting of the large warehouse formerly used by the Buttrey’s food chain as the site of the proposed plant. The site is adjacent to the interstate and rail system. This would create the kind of green jobs now needed, and for which stimulus funds are intended.

RECLAMATION TECHNOLOGY

In the Fort Belknap region, there is a need for reclamation of water and earth as the result of the Zortman mining operation. Reclamation work can last multiple years. The Gros Ventres and Asiniboine tribes have lost their sacred mountain. They need to be able to pick up their lives and repair the earth that is sacred to them. The state and federal government have been slow to reclaim the site. In addition, Ft. Belknap is an excellent area for wind energy development, Loud Thunder expresses support for existing and new proposals for development. There are a host if sites around the state and on tribal land, including the coal mining on and near the Crow Reservation, where the need for reclamation is on-going, requiring investment and jobs.

MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

Loud Thunder is proposing a media technology center to be located in Great Falls, Montana, and jointly owned and operated by the Rocky Boy and Chippewa bands located there. There has been a dire need for Native American access to modern media technology to document and preserve tribal culture. This media technology center can work to ensure native people have use new media to the benefit of their economic an educational efforts. A center like this is needed to enhance electoral engagement, and to understand and articulate issues around them. Native American youth are victims of the digital divide, resulting in loss of life opportunities and underrepresentation in the mainstream media.

NATIONAL FLAG CENTER ON HILL 57

There is a need to understand the French-Ojibwe-Colonial history; this is a deeply misunderstood era in American history. This proposal calls for a National Flag Center on Hill 57 to articulate Ojibwe tribal historic origins and the tribe’s role in founding of the United States. The concept is built around the medicine bundle 13 star colonial flag kept by the Gopher family. The flag evokes an era of nation-to-nation relationships; when tribal sovereignty was paramount to the founding of the U.S. The basis of this proposal, in its early stages, calls for 1.8 million, and up to 4 million for land consolidation on the Hill 57 area, and an additional 5 million to build this long sought after center to honor America’s first flag.

TRIBAL SMALL BUSINESS INITIATIVE

Loud Thunder expresses support for creation of a fund of 100 million seed grant/loan fund for the creation of small business in Montana tribal and urban communities. This pool will be run by an equally tribal representative governing Economic Development Authority. Small business creation is vastly underfunded in Montana tribal communities, it is virtually non-existent among urban Indian communities. This fund will ensure tribal businesses are properly funded to ensure these communities can begin to address profound unemployment in their communities. This fund will be available to the low tech to the high tech firm.

NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN’S BUSINESS INITIATIVE

Loud Thunder supports the creation of a $50 million small business experimental seed grant/loan fund geared toward Native Women owned businesses in Montana. This would equal unprecedented business development where it is needed most: Native American women are among the poorest of American citizens, are often the heads of households and lack collateral to start their own business. "
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Source of this Post
http://loudthunderinternational.blogspot.com/2009/12/loud-thunders-jobs-proposals.html
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http://LoudThunderInternational.blogspot.com/
Loud Thunder International. Click above for More.
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Posted by
Crystal L. Cox
Dedicated to Giving Montana Tribes a Louder Voice
with the Power of Internet Marketing.
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Time to Listen to the Needs of the Tribe
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Stand with the Tribe
and Wake up to the Truth.
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Time to Give Back. Start by Listening.
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www.NorthwestTribune.com and www.MontanaMoxy.com
Standing Behind the Gopher Family in the Needs of Indian Nation.
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United We Stand
Together We Heal.
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The Historic Obama Tribal Summit: Uphold the Spirit of America's Founding - Melinda Gopher

2009-11-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

"On this week of Veteran's Day 2009, Indian Country witnessed the historic meeting of the Obama administration with Indian tribes on November 5, 2009. What should have been a national celebration was a staid, meaningless political affair. Indian country felt excluded, Mr. President. We have powwows, we celebrate, we eat, we dance. Our drums are the powerful heartbeat of this nation.

As things go in Washington, the meeting was a rushed affair. This is very understandable and noting there has been an outpouring of tribal sympathies--this year's President's closing address was cut short by the tragedy in Fort Hood, Texas. President Obama delivered a few short remarks--less than five minutes, at the Department of the Interior before rushing to attend to the aftermath of the tragedy. That being said; the tribal summit of 2010 must rise in relevance, importance and in spirit. I cannot help but note the White House Halloween party seemed to garner more effort from the Obama White House. Please invite the Indian children to the White House next year during the summit, they are a part of this nation's legacy.

I am a candidate for the U.S. House in 2010 in the state of Montana. I am an otherwise private person about my convictions, but I think there's relevance in addressing a couple of issues that hopefully will be corrected by next year's summit. I am an Ojibwe traditionalist--meaning that I follow the Peace Pipe spiritual tradition of the Ojibwe people--my main tribal lineage. Our spirituality was hard fought for by ancestors in a country where the government and church worked systemically and in a genocidal manner to eradicate all vestiges of tribal culture. This fact is irreconcilable in a nation that guarantees freedom of religion. Our past is a tragic reminder of cultural and racial exclusion; today is a new day.

My ancestry originates from the Great Lakes. Our experience with tribal dispossession most profound; the preservation of the Thirst Lodge (Sun Dance) and the Midiiwiin, or Grand Lodge was no small feat. People suffered greatly; through starvation, land loss, and cultural disruption. This made the Peace Pipe faith (not the same as the Native American Church--two distinct and separate faiths) more important than ever before; it is all the more precious to my tribe. Government policy post -1934 to the early 1970s (Self Determination Act of 1973)--entrenched an assimilation dogma and tribes reached the brink of losing cultural competency. My late Father, Uncle and others were land dispossessed Ojibwe leaders retrenching their efforts to keep the last of our cultural traditions alive for future generations. I am happy to say they succeeded. Many of the songs of the great Thirst Lodges of the Montana region come from this small band of Ojibwe--one element of a disrupted culture saved.

The Peace Pipe culture and the vast tribal cultural array of civilizations pre-date the "city on the hill" Christian ideology. This inter-tribal array of entities are the original givers of nationhood in the truest sense. The earliest Eastern treaties pre-date the U.S. Constitution. Treaties were always sealed with a Peace Pipe ceremony. No President, to my knowledge--ever participated in a Peace Pipe ceremony, despite the fact this is the original source of his power, existence and authority. This is the original source of nationhood--the U.S. simply would not exist without the underlying foundation of the U.S.-tribal treaty relationship. Instead, the Peace Pipe is often mocked as with other aspects of tribal culture; we are the only race of people turned into sports mascots. A famous euphemism often bantered about casually is "they smoked the peace pipe," to indicate a conflict has been ironed out.

The Obama tribal summit seemed out of whack and culturally inappropriate on several levels. A press picture circulated by Lee Newspapers depicts a tribal leader donning a full plains style warbonnet raising his hand to ask President Obama a question. I believe this is the leader of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota; (who went on to give the President the headdress). It took me a couple of minutes to digest just how culturally inappropriate that was. Our native leaders wearing the warbonnets of eagle feathers; should never be put on the level of having to raise their hand--to anybody. Tribal leaders of these original nations were treated like the White House press corps. President Obama missed a great opportunity to begin to restore the nation-to-nation relationship; he chose to follow the same failed path of his white predecessors. When he greets foreign heads of state--they are accorded formal reception and there is a stature of equality, there is a photo opportunity with both leaders seated side by side. Obama must stand out.

The stage craft matters and the culturally appropriate manner of discourse matters most. I call for a grand peace pipe ceremony to start next year's summit--led by an elder from a tribe knowledgeable about the peace pipe traditions. My late Father, a keeper of the sacred pipe tradition, and who led a plains Indian cultural renaissance had a saying that holds here; "Indian people should always be accepted on our terms as people from an original culture--accept us for who and what we are--not what you think we should be." We are co-founders of this nation, and the givers of an American reality spanning a five centuries. The respect owed has been well earned. As a native American leader and traditional woman who carries the Ojibwe women's peace pipe, this is my way of life for which a life time of preparation and training has gone into; I would like to see next year's summit improved to reflect the historical significance of native people in a culturally meaningful way. I will be glad to help, this is a standing offer. "

www.MelindaForMontana.com

Full Article and Source Click Below
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-gopher/the-historic-obama-tribal_b_355447.html

Melinda Gopher Campaign Action Alert

2009-11-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Read Flyer
Melinda gopher for Congress

“The Indigenoid” at the Myrna Loy in Helena Last Summer - Support Brooke Swaney Native American Film Maker

2009-11-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

“The Indigenoid” at the Myrna Loy
Come and Support Helena film-maker Brooke Swaney
Posted: July 10, Helena Indian Alliance Newsletter (Archive)

Helena filmmaker, Brooke Swaney (Blackfeet, Salish), will be screening her work to fund raise for her second-year film. Brooke is a rising second year film student at New Your university, an institution that boasts alumnus such as Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee, and Native filmmaker Chris Eyre (Smoke Signals, Skins).

Brooke Swaney will screen the works she completed as a first year, three short films. In addition, she will include “The Indigenoid” as part of the program. This short film was nominated as Best Live Short at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and just has been accepted to screen at the Museum of the Institute of American Indian Arts.

Archive on this at Link Below
http://tribal.mt.gov/includes/newsletter_July_11.pdf
In Support Of Montana Native American Brooke Swaney

Brooke Swaney - Montana made; NYU film student seeks support for latest project

2009-11-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Brooke Swaney was going to do something "practical" but it just didn't work out.

A Helenan and longtime Grandstreet student, Swaney graduated in 2003 from Stanford University with a major in psychology and a minor in French. She even wrote an honors thesis on media effects on health beliefs in American Indians, which will be published in the prestigous Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

But halfway through her time at Stanford, Swaney realized that she wasn't doing what she wanted to be doing.

If you know her, you know that Swaney is, well, kind of a goofball. Though psychology may have satisfied her intellectual side, in terms of creativity, it just wasn't cutting it.

At school, Swaney participated in Stanford's annual student musical revue "Gaieties" as a freshman and a senior, but didn't have much time to devote to the arts otherwise.

To give herself another creative outlet, she decided to take a writing class, where she came up with what she thought was a really great idea for a story. But the more she thought about it, the more Swaney felt the idea was more conducive to a different medium -- film.

In the meantime, Swaney attended the Sundance Film Festival and was impressed by films from places like New Zealand and Australia that were part of the Indigenous Shorts category, which is now defunct.

"But the films from America," says Swaney, "...I was not impressed. They were all stereotypes."

When she came home after college to work at the Indian Law Resource Center, Swaney was inspired to follow through with her idea.

To start, she read a book on filmmaking a relative had recommended -- "I just skimmed it like crazy" -- and enlisted the help of fellow Helenan Annie Connole.

This wasn't the kind of thing where you get out the family camcorder and make a movie just for the fun of it. Swaney took several months to plan and execute the project, from storyboarding to editing, working for hours after she came home from work each night.

She even arranged to have the brother of a friend fly in to act in the lead role.

"I was just wanting to do something about Indians in contemporary society," says Swaney. "Growing up as an urban Indian, it's very different for me."

Shot in Helena and featuring several local actors and many recognizable locations, "The Indigenoid" is a look at the subtle ways in which Indian culture has seeped into the mainstream, and how they affect the life of a modern Indian young man on a day-to-day basis.

Making "The Indigenoid" was a pivotal experience for Swaney.

"I started to see the world through like, the lens of a filmmaker, seeing like, the beauty that is around you and how you can capture that," she says.

Swaney entered "The Indigenoid" in Sundance, but it wasn't accepted. However, the film was recently nominated for Best Live Short at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, just behind a short by Chris Eyre, who did "Smoke Signals."

Swaney decided that she needed to learn more.

"I wanted some formal training," Swaney explained.

So, on a whim, she decided to apply to graduate film school at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts -- where Spike Lee is artistic director and alumni include Morgan Freeman and Ang Lee -- and got in.

"Which was amazing because it's very competitive," says Swaney, who is one of a class of 36 students chosen from about 800 aplicants. "It was very last minute."

The intensive program was actually the subject of a reality TV show called "Film School," which aired on the Independent Film Channel in 2004.

"Sometimes it does feel like you're in this crazy reality show," says Swaney. "The first year I like to call 'boot camp.' "

While she's in Helena this summer, Brooke Swaney is hosting a screening of "The Indigenoid" and three of her other short films in hopes of generating some support for her upcoming film project.

For NYU students, the second-year film project is a really big deal -- it's the film they're expected to submit to festivals like Sundance for consideration.

Swaney would really like to shoot her project in Montana, but will need to generate financial support and other resources locally in order to do so.

"I feel like I know this world better," says Brooke Swaney. "I feel like I'm a Montana filmmaker; I would like to continue to film in Montana."

That's why Swaney says she still counts "The Indigenoid" as her best film thus far -- "because it really came from a place I know really well."

NYU provides equipment and a small budget for second-year films, but students are expected to come up with additional resources on their own. Also, if Swaney shoots in Montana, her access to NYU's equipment will be limited.

One of the ideas Swaney has for her second-year film is a story about a girl who is in a desperate financial situation and decides to sell her eggs -- inspired by a friend of Swaney's, who actually did.

"I just couldn't believe it," says Swaney, who hopefully will not need to resort to such measures to fund her second-year film.

"If I don't raise the money then I won't do it," Swaney said. "

Link to Source:
http://www.helenair.com/entertainment/article_7b9ad49a-1818-5950-a316-fc0de18619e4.html
Brooke Swaney

Madrid Dares You Film Competition - Featuring Brooke Swaney

2009-11-13T13:12:00.000-08:00

"When I say I'm from Montana, I'm FROM Montana. My people, the Salish and the Blackfeet tribes, are from there. And if you’re reading this you’re familiar with the jokes.

Some Blackfeet dude in reference to the people on the other side of the mountain: fisheaters. When I was a kid on the Flathead Reservation, all my cousins would tease me that I walked at a slant.

I guess I’ve always been a bit slanted. Moving from the reservation to the “city” required adaptation, so I reacted by being a spazz with a solid nerd the foundation: graduating top of my class at Capital High in Helena and then going on to Stanford, all the while acting in community theater in the former and writing and acting in the biggest and spazziest of Stanford “theater,” Gaieties, in the latter.

Being Native has always given me an outsider insight to American society. It has kept me curious in every situation, like I’ve taken on and reclaimed the role of anthropologist or something. The latest fieldwork: Madrid.

Just last week, I had the immense fortune of participating in a short film competition called Madrid Dares You sponsored by the Madrid Board of Tourism.

Check out the link (and vote for my short El Color de Madrid, politik politik):
http://www.madriddaresyou.com/en/multimedia.aspx

The challenge was to make a short film, three days to shoot and three days to edit, showcasing the city based on a theme. Mine was Fashion and Luxury.

Now, just because I’m from Montana doesn’t mean that I don’t know about Hermes or Balenciaga or Dolce and Gabbana (thank you Television, Vanity Fair and the good ol’ Internet). But it was immensely strange to be plunged into filming some of the top designers in Madrid, spending time in a suite in the Palace Hotel where Michael Jackson used to stay, and trying to converse about this all in Spanish; versus the 72 hours before, to pleasantly stroll through the mountains near Basin, MT where I was doing an artist residency at the time.

But I guess that’s the life of a filmmaker, and that’s why I love it. I get to explore and research to my nerdy heart’s content a new subject with every project.

A few months ago, my mom asked me why I wanted to be a filmmaker. It hasn’t been an answer that has seemed obvious, that they would publish years down the line: “She always would make little films as a child during family gatherings” or “You could never pry a camera out of her sticky little hands.” No, that never would be believable because I never had a video camera growing up and I was fastidious about the cleanliness of my hands. I think the first time I touched a camera (with clean hands, sorry the joke keeps getting less funny as I stick it in but I can’t help it) was when I moved to Helena and was surrounded by suburban kids.

For me the inspiration to be a filmmaker has come from a need to express myself and tell a story. That’s why I made “The Indigenoid” in 2004.

You can see it on my website if you like:
http://www.brookesp.com/
Brooke Swaney

We submitted it around to a few film festivals. The high hopes of Sundance didn’t pan out, but getting into film school did.

NYU has provided a foundation for my building career. It has taught me so much technically and artistically. The peers I have met, the professionals I have heard lectured, the professors who have fundamentally influenced my work, and the connections I have made are sure to remain with me always. Brooke Swaney

At NYU, I have been able to sing the voice of my films, sometimes off key.

Ideally, I want to make features based in Montana. But, I aspire to film everywhere, anywhere that speaks a truth to me. Already, I have been able to spend time in France, Cuba, New York, Madrid and the Bay Area. But I am always grounded in my big sky upbringing. "

by Brooke Swaney

Melinda Gopher for Congress

2009-11-12T22:31:00.000-08:00

Melinda Gopher is Running for the
U.S. House of Representative in Montana

montana politics

Check Out Melinda Gopher at
www.MelindaGopher.com

melinda for congress

Join Melinda's Forum Click Here
Here you Can Post your Support videos, talk about issues Important to you, Print Campaign Flyers and Contribution Forms and More.

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It is time to Listen to the Needs of the Indian Nation as
well as to Embrace a Strong, Smart, Independent Forward Thinking
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It is Time for Historic Change in Montana,
It is Time for Melinda Gopher for
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Obama promises Native Americans place on agenda

2009-11-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

"President Barack Obama is telling Native American tribal leaders he is determined to reverse the federal government's history of marginalizing and ignoring the plight of Indian nations.

WASHINGTON — President Obama pledged Thursday to redeem broken promises made to American Indians, saying he's empathetic because of his own history as an "outsider."
"Few have been more marginalized and ignored by Washington for as long as Native Americans, our first Americans," Obama said in opening the White House Tribal Nations Conference.

"I know what it means to feel ignored and forgotten, and what it means to struggle," he said. "So you will not be forgotten as long as I'm in this White House."

The administration invited representatives from the 564 federally recognized tribes to participate in the conference, the first White House meeting of its kind since 1994. Leaders from nearly 400 tribes attended. The event came as some American Indians are locked in a long-standing legal battle with the federal government over land royalties.

Obama said American Indians have a right to be suspicious of the government, recounting a history of broken promises and treaty violations. "You were told your lands, your religion, your cultures, your languages were not yours to keep," he said.

Obama said his administration has already helped Native Americans through the $787 billion stimulus package, which included $100 million for job creation within tribal communities, $500 million for the Indian Health Service, and nearly $500 million for various education, college and school construction programs.

The president told the tribal leaders he has made good on campaign promises to hold the summit and to give American Indians a voice in his administration. Among the Native Americans in key posts: Kimberly Teehee, a Cherokee, senior adviser for Indian issues, and Larry EchoHawk, assistant Interior secretary for Indian Affairs. EchoHawk is a member of the Pawnee tribe of Oklahoma.

Obama's efforts were received positively. "We respect you as a man of your word," said Jefferson Keel of the National Congress of American Indians.

The president signed an executive order requiring all Cabinet members to provide plans for consulting Indian tribes. He also pledged to consider Indian needs when moving forward on education and health care programs.

President Clinton issued a similar order about a decade ago, but Indian leaders said little was done to enforce it. They are more optimistic about Obama.

"It's truly a beginning," said Theresa Two Bulls, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. "I feel in my heart, there's going to be many more meetings like this."

Video Link
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid42806360001?bctid=48415013001

Source
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-11-05-obama-indians_N.htm

Congressional Black Caucus Attacks Sovereign Status of Indian Nations

2009-10-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

"The Congressional Black Caucus, in attacking the sovereign status of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is placing in question and in jeopardy, the sovereign status of all Indian nations. At least that is the conclusion drawn by many tribal leaders across America.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the CBC, of which Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is member, demanded that he support their efforts to deny federal funding to the Cherokee Nation. The letter reads:

When H. R. 2786, the Native American Housing and Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007, was considered and passed the House Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and others insisted that the bill include a provision that would prevent the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma from receiving any benefits or funding under the bill until the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is in full compliance with the Treaty of 1866 and recognizes all Cherokee Freedman and their descendants as tribal citizens.

We understand that the Senate may be considering a version of this bill that does not include these critically important requirements. We are writing to advise you that the members of the CBC will not support, and will actively oppose, passage of a NAHASDA bill that does not include this limitation. We must send the unequivocal message to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma that failure to provide full citizenship rights to the Cherokee Freedmen will have severe consequences.

This is probably the first time in history that a Congressional Black Caucus, or any other Black organization for that matter, has severely threatened not only the sovereign status of an Indian nation, but also the withholding of funds that could cause widespread damage to the citizens of an Indian nation.

The people of the Cherokee Nation exercised their democratic rights when 70 percent of them voted to extinguish the tribal citizenship to the Cherokee Freedmen. The Freedmen are former Black slaves that became a part of the Cherokee Nation under the provisions of the Treaty of 1866.

The bill was introduced by Representative Diane Watson (D-CA). Tribal leaders across America feel that this bill could threaten Indian housing nationwide. They also believe that this action by the Congressional Black Caucus could set a precedent where any Indian legislation could be threatened by any special interest group.

In a memo sent out by Indian activist Ron Andrade it was noted that Obama is also a member of the CBC. "Someone needs to ask him how he can reconcile his support of the Congressional Black Caucus and his rhetoric about supporting the sovereign status of tribal governments," Andrade wrote.

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina met on Wednesday of last week in a joint tribal council meeting. At the meeting they denounced legislation that would cut federal funds to the Cherokee Nation unless the Freedmen are restored to citizenship. The Eastern Band of Cherokee would not be affected by the legislation.

A joint resolution issued after the meeting reads, "This alarming, inappropriate and unacceptable overreach could set a precedent that undermines the sovereign tribal governments throughout Indian country. These proposed legislative actions threaten to turn back the clock on hard-won rights and to cease a nation's right to exist."

Full Article and Source Click Below
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-giago/congressional-black-caucu_b_97111.html

a Promise Never to Make War on the White Man

2009-10-10T23:32:00.000-07:00

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Stole Horses, Stole County, Could Not Fight Guns,
they Gave All for Peace. They Gave all For Peace.
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My Heart is Sick and Sad.
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Time To Hear
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Justice, Nothing is done for My People
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Now We Stand for the Indian Nation
Now We Choose
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We Listen Now
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Give Voice NOW to the Indian Nation.
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There need be No Trouble.
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we are ALL Created by the Same
Great Spirit.

Melinda Gopher

2009-10-10T23:31:00.001-07:00

Fort Peck Tribes and Montana Laborers

2009-10-10T23:30:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olG5cezkT6Q
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Montana Human Rights Bureau

2009-10-10T23:27:00.002-07:00

James Steele Jr., Chairman of Flathead Tribes

2009-10-10T23:24:00.002-07:00

What Do you Think?

2009-10-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Meriwether Lewis, Me, the Indian Nation of Montana and This Blog.. Time to Listen to the Tribes of Montana.

2009-10-10T23:01:00.000-07:00

Let's Get Started here by saying I don't have a Clue.
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I don't know what the Montana Tribes have been through, what they are experiencing today, what issues they face, or what I can do to be a part of the Greater Good or to enhance their quality of life, to heal old wounds and better new lives.
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I do not know what will bring a better daily life to the Indian Nation, the tribes in Montana, I do not know what it is like to live on a reservation, to grow up in a 2 room house on Hill 57.
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I have no idea what the Montana Tribes are experiencing today, what they hold in their heart, if they are being heard, respected or treated with dignity.
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However, I Do intent to find out as I create this blog and as I learn all I can about Melinda Gopher and the people of Montana of whom she is giving voice to.
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I am a descendant of Meriwether Lewis, in my blood runs the blood of the "opening of the west" and to me this a bit of a disgrace, I intend to tell you why I feel that way, and to bridge the gap between those of us who had nothing to do with life forced on the Indian Nation, ..those of us who feel kin to the Indian Nation though we are not... and bridge that gap Between the Indian Nation of today. As together we move forward to Heal Old Wounds, Make a Stand for the Rights of the Montana Tribes and to Support the Needs of the Native Americans in Montana.
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It is time to listen, to talk about what has happened to heal the past and to get NEEDS met Right Now in the Present.
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It is time, not for a better then though but for an Equality. Time to Listen to the Indian Nation.
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I will be talking a whole lot about this as I feel very passionate about it.. Stay Tuned.. I am sure, as Always, many will not appreciate what I have to say, oh well, it is my Truth and hey it is My Blog....
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So with Honor, Respect and Gratitude I begin this Journey of this New Blog added to My Montana News by the People for the People News Network.
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If Not Now then When?

2009-10-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

Time to Align with the Indian Nation. We the People All the People, No one Left Behind. Get Ready To Learn a Whole lot about Melinda Gopher.

2009-10-10T22:36:00.002-07:00

they Took the Whole Indian Nation
Locked them all on the Reservation

Their Way of Life
Was Taken Away...

Their Native Tongue
Taken Away.

Their Lifestyle, Customs,
their Everything was Brutally Taken,
they were beaten, whipped, kicked, and killed.

The were Dis-Empowered...

Their Way of Life for
generations to come
Was Changed Forever.

Natives of the Land
Made to Wear a Shirt Tie..

It was a Genocide...
ya Think?

Your Way of Life is Next..

We The People,
All People Rise Together

Without the Tribe we Rise with No Soul.
With Out Giving voice to the Indian Nation
We are But Fighting for our Rights
On Hollow Ground.

They Took their Voice
They Took their Pride,
Betrayed their Tradition…

They took these things
Without Justice, without any kind
Of Right Due Process,
without respect for their
Way of Life.

So Proud to Live
So Proud to Die
Just like the Tribes,
Just Like They Took this
From the Indian Nation
Now they Take This
From Us

They Came to this Land
And took the Indians Native Tongue,
Forced their beliefs to either
Be Gone Forever or Not Shown,
Not Practiced..

A Suppressed Indian Nation
By a "They" and Now
to Heal as a One Nation
under God, under The Great Spirit
We Must Heal Together.

They took their way of life and tools
They now are Taking This from Us…

They were forced their Medicine,
Their language, their clothes…
This is Happening to You..

Time to Align with the Indian Nation
You Will Hearing a Whole Lot about a Woman
named Melinda Gopher on My Sites, my Blogs,
My Montana News by the People for the People.
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She is Running Against Denny Rehberg
and many will certainly NOT Approve,
However, I Stand Behind Melinda Gopher
and our Montana Moxy Network
will have the Guts to do the Right Thing
and Stand Now With the Indian Nation
to Lead us All to Peaceful Days,
back to Tradition, to Respecting Common Ground,
to Never Disrespect the Spiritual Beliefs, Way of life,
way of Dressing of others..
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We all Deserve to Truly Be Free
TO Truly Be treated Equal
and we Should NOT be Persecuted
for our Faith, Our Lifestyle, our Clothes,
what we like to eat, or who we choose to
"Hang Out" with.
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Check Out Melinda Gopher on FaceBook
and Expect to Hear a Lot about this on
my Sites Coming Soon...
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melinda-Gopher/76867658224?_fb_noscript=1
Join Melinda Gopher
Become a Fan on Her Facebook Page

This is Not About Party
This is About People..
All People..
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Not Just Rights for One "Color"
One "Race" - One "Political Party"
Rights for All "We the People".
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I am in Alliance with the Indian Nation
I am in Great Support of Melinda Gopher.
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Our Montana News by the People
for the People will Be in Strong Alliance and Support
with Melinda Gopher Running For
U.S. House of Representatives

www.MelindaGopher.com
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Time To Make It Right

2009-10-10T22:36:00.001-07:00