The FBI said, “He is extremely eloquent therefore dangerous.” John Trudell can hold a stadium full of peoplecaptive with his words alone. His wordsand information about him comprise a17,000 page FBI dossier.

Trudell, the documentary follows JohnTrudell’s life, music and poetry alongwith his ideas and the history of theAmerican Indian Movement. He is anative patriot, a rebel, and an AmericanIndian activist at the center of everymajor native event over the last 30 years,from Alcatraz to the present. Along with the power conveyed by Trudell’s speeches, his music and poetry, the filmincludes historic footage that follows the

rise of the American Indian Movement(AIM). Filmmaker Heather Rea inter-viewed many of Trudell’s AIM col-leagues and close friends in the movieand music industries, along with Trudell’s band, Bad Dog, and his family.

John has inspired his people to continuethe tradition of their ancestors andstrengthen their native spirit.He contin-ues to inspire them to fight to reclaimtreaty rights and teach all people how tohonor Mother Earth. Viewers experienceJohn’s spiritual journey of struggle, sorrow and survival. The film is a chronicle of what was and still is forindigenous peoples. I highly recommendit to people in all walks of life.

Return Address:Anishnaabe News Address Service Requested c/o Center for Native American Studies1401 Presque Isle AvenueNorthern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI 49855

Anishnaabe NewsVolume 1, Issue 4

May, 2006

Fine Suits & Moccasins: A Brief Overview of the Metís Experience

By Aimée Cree Dunn

Trudell A Film by Heather RaeBy Maryanne Brown

Inside this Issuepg.2 Upcoming Pow Wows

pg.3 Book Review: The Painted Drum

pg.4 Earth Day parade

pg.5 The Code Talkers

pg.6&7 N.A.S.A

pg.8 DEQ public hearing

pg.9 Summer courses

pg.10 Pow Wow pictures

pg.11 Response to Pow Wow

pg.12 Thanks

Moccasins and a scarlet-hued sash. Buffalo hunts blending with the plow. All-nighters filled with rhythmic jigging toexuberant fiddles. All of these epitomizethe historical Metís culture, an ethnicgroup born of two worlds. Although manymay not have heard of these people, theMetís have a heavy presence on theAmerican continent, particularly in theGreat Lakes area and on the Red RiverPlains. So, just who are the Metís?

Some interpret the name broadly, as in“metís,” the French word for “mixed,” but the term most appropriately applies to people who are of Cree or Ojibwe andFrench descent. For the Metís (pro-nounced “may-tee”), the “mixing” goesfurther than blood – being Metís meansone is as much a cultural blend as a genet-ic mix of European and Indigenous peo-ples. To be Metís means to take pride in aone-of-a-kind history and a distinctive

culture that uniquely merged the elementsof two worlds, creating an entirely newsociety.

This blending found various expressions.The Metís tended to settle as farmers whilealso retaining a hunting and gatheringlifestyle that drew on their Native roots.Many took the spiritual elements of theFrench and Cree or Ojibwe societies tocreate a distinct spirituality that kept theCree/Ojibwe respect for the earth. Onelegendary Metís hero, Louis Riel, wouldwear moccasins with his three-piece suit.

It was during the mid-1800s that Riel peti-tioned the Canadian government to recog-nize a Metís homeland. He called fornaming this place Manitoba, meaning“Place of God.”

See Fine Suits & Moccasins page 6

Miigwech!

To all my friends who contributed their Time and Money to the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. A special thanks to AimeeCree Dunn and Sarah Holt for watching the booth for me at the Pow Wow and thanks to April Lindala for the idea and NativeAmerican Student Association thanks for their contributions.

Also thanks for all those who participated in the Incident at Oglala movie day back in February and to my dear friend and teacherGrace, thank you so much for waking my spirit, you helped me on my new journey and I am forever indebted to you. Maryanne B.

"Seek the creator in all the things you do. Cherish your time with one another. Develop your personal self discipline, which is thekey to all success. Develop a sense of happiness within you that none can take away. Develop who you are and remain true to yourhigher self and your integrity will be an inspiration to others. Show your strengths when necessary, even if it is in being gentle orhumble." Leonard Peltier, March 6, 2006

Hazen Selected for Summer Internship

Yolanda Hazen, a sophomore double majoring in English and political science/pre-law, has recently been selected for aninternship in Washington D.C. Hazen will be helping the Department of Agriculture set up their field audits for 2007. Thistask requires contacting all 3300 counties in the country. She will be staying on campus at American University for the two-month affair. Hazen will receive both college credit and a stipend for this experience. She is a member of the Lac VieuxDesert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.

The Canadian government ignored hispetitions and instead sent surveyors tomark off Metís land for settlement byEuro-Canadians. This confrontationbrought about the Metís revolutions, ledby Riel. Riel was eventually condemnedby the state as a megalomaniac and aninciter of insurrection and was hanged.The Metís still feel his presence and arecertain he continues to help his peoplefrom the spirit world.

The Metís revolutions ended in a wide-spread diaspora as the Canadian govern-ment relentlessly tracked the Metís downin an effort to forestall future rebellions.Lacking a recognized land-base, deniedstatus as an Indigenous people by boththe American and Canadian governments,and forced into hiding after the revolu-tions, the Metís fell between the cracks ofsociety in Canada and, even more so, inthe U.S. Until recently. While the Metíscontinue to be a virtually unknown cul-ture in the U.S., Canada has finally rec-ognized the Metís as Indigenous peoplesand, within the last few years, has alsorecognized aboriginal hunting, gatheringand fishing rights, at least for those whocan prove they come from an “officially”historical Metís community.

With the international revival ofIndigenous pride in the 1970s, a Metíscultural revitalization movement alsobegan. Cultural resource centers havesprung up in various regions in Canada.Many strive to maintain the Michif lan-guage, a blending of French and Cree, orto keep alive the Metís tradition of musicand dance, particularly fiddle music andjigs. Others work to retell the stories ofMetís heroes such as Riel, Poundmaker,Big Bear and Gabriel Dumont.

Although the blending between Nativeand European cultures is not readilyaccepted, the Metís show that blendingcan lead to unique cultural possibilities.Indeed, some may argue that such ablending is necessary if we are to have afuture where the survival of the earth aswe know it is even possible.

10 3

The 14th Annual NMU “Learning to Walk Together”

Traditional Pow Wow

The Painted Drumby Louise Erdrich

A Book Review

By Melissa ConnerThe sound of the drum is often related to aheartbeat—a constant reminder of life andcontinuance. Louise Erdrich’s novel, ThePainted Drum contains such a pulse thatgives the book both life and rhythm. When Faye Tavers is hired to appraise theestate of a late neighbor, she discovers,among many other artifacts and valuables,a rare and unique drum. It is beautifullydecorated and is made from moose skinand cedar. The drum is adorned with sym-bols that she does not recognize and radi-ates with bright red tassels and beads. Herfascination of such an original objectincreases when she, without touching it,hears it sound.

Throughout the novel the reader is takenon a circular journey, going back in timeto learn of the drum’s creation and movingforward again to New Hampshire, wherethe story originally begins. The heart-wrenching creation of the drum, presentedthrough the stories of Bernard Shaawano,helps the reader understand how and whythe drum has such a profound impact onanyone that hears its beat.

Although the drum continues to livethroughout the duration of the novel, The Painted Drum is a book about deathand mourning. It is full of beautiful lan-guage and images of animals that repre-sent death, such as the raven and the wolf. The drum, as it makes its way through the pages of the novel and the hands ofowners, helps whoever crosses its pathdeal with the loss of a loved one.

This novel is not a light read but one thatis to be read slowly so everything can beabsorbed in time. The Painted Drumbeats with wise and thoughtful philoso-phies on life, love, and mourning. Erdrichcreates loving characters that many read-ers will sympathize with. The circularmovement of the novel is a symbolic rep-resentation of the shape of the drum andthe importance of life as a continuousjourney with no ending point. It serves asa reminder that no matter what life bringsyou, the beat always goes on.

By April E. Lindala

III. Feast Time

Sucking salt pork from the steamy hominysoup.My wooden bowl filled, overflowingLicking my lips I relishsautéd venison with bits of bacon hand harvested wild rice with cranberries cashewsand light, flaky fry bread giving me moist kissable lips from fry bread greaseblack coffee with too much sugarsavor a swig or two of that coffee

fried whitefish caught only yesterday anda thick slice of that juicy meatloaf that juicy, juicy, greasy, greasy meatloaf.Remember that greasy spill inside oven #2 that caught fire and almost burned downthe tiny kitchen with all of us in it?

potato salad, fruit salad, leafy salad, pastasalad, tuna salad and that surprise jellosalad that turned out orangewhen we all think it should have beenred.

spaghetti noodles, penne noodles, greenbeans, pork and beansmore coffee damn, that's good coffee...

peanut butter cookies, commodity ofcourse spicy pumpkin bars with melting whip cream chocolatecake with white frosting, a giant bite of gushing summerwatermelon that drips down my chin.

while managing my mouth full of laughterI thank the Creator with each spoonful thatI am here savoring the flavors of feast time.

By Shirley Brozzo’s Storytellingby Native American Women’s class Winter 2005

Shirley wrote random lines on the board,and a student wrote the next line. Then, they folded under the firstline, and passed it on to another student who responded to the line they saw, and so forth.

We wake the dayTo bless the ancestorsOn a sunny dayWith birds chirpingWith the wind carrying her songAnd her song carrying her soulTo lands great and farThough the lakes my be only be a fewrunning feet from meStars are always above my headBut the markings from the bear end up onmy bodyAnd the bear lives inside of meI will be true to that spirit, forevermore

I dress in blueThe color of turquioseLike the waves and skyThe water reflects like a mirrorBut not of that that resembles a faceIt shows a feelingOf life’s strugglesOvercoming all obstacles yet unseenStumbling along the way, but pushing orwardIn the darkness with a dim flash-light travel on, alone

I am the oneDo you hear me?What do I have to do to make you listen?To my stories of my people?My blood will always run through theriversCoursing through the life blood of ourmotherI feel the need to sleep, to dreamTo wake up in the morning and feel cleanIs one of the best feelings in the worldTo walk with the animal spirits in thewoodsThe way Creator intended

From the Poem entitled,

"To Dance is To Pray"

ProgressivePoemsFine Suits & Moccasins

Continued from page 1

8 5

On Tuesday, April 18th the MichiganDepartment of Environmental Qualityheld hearings on the proposed KennecottMine at Northern Michigan University inorder to take public comments on theapplication for the mining permit. It wasreported that an estimated 500 peopleattended the hearings, one held in theafternoon and one held in the evening.Local television media interviewed twopeople at the hearing, one opposed to themine, and one in favor of it. These inter-views were aired on that day’s newsbroadcast. This was done to highlight rea-sons on each side of the opinion regradingthe proposed mine project. What this for-mat failed to point out is the overwhelm-ing percentage of people whose commentswere adamantly opposed to the idea ofsulfide mining on the Yellow Dog Plains.

Speaker after speaker expressedconcerns about destruction of theenvironment, great volumes ofheavy truck traffic, and high lev-els of noise. One speaker whotraveled from Wisconsin and is amember of the Oneida Nation,expressed opposition to the pro-posed mine in the name of thosewho cannot speak out…thewinged-ones, the four-leggedones, the ones that crawl, theones that swim, and humanbeings yet unborn.

The DEQ has the authority to either grantor deny this mining permit. They willcontinue to accept comments untilTuesday, May 16, 2006. To add a com-ment, use the contact information listedbelow.

E-mail: Steven E. Wilson atwilsonse@michigan.gov

U.S. mail: Michigan Department of Environmental QualityOffice of Geological Survey525 W. Allegan St.P O Box 30256 Lansing, MI 48909-7756

The Code Talkers

Secret coding has been used for manycenturies often during times of war.Military masterminds have recruitedmany talented individuals to code secret

messages that only certain people under-stand. During World War II secret cod-ing was common. The United Statestried numerous methods of coding secretmessages, but the Japanese always deci-phered our codes, until the introductionof the Navajo language as a coding tech-nique. In 1942, the vision of one man,Philip Johnston, became a reality whenhe met with Major General Clayton B.Vogel to convince him of the speed andaccuracy of this new coding process.The talented Navajo could decipher acode in 20 seconds, a task of the samecaliber would take a machine nearly 30minutes to accomplish. The Navajocoders, dubbed the Code Talkers provedto be an invaluable asset to the Marinesand to victory in World War II.

The original concept of using the Navajolanguage came from Philip Johnston, theson of a missionary to the Navajos.Johnston was one of a few non-Navajowho could speak the language fluently.After serving in World War I, Johnstonrealized how valuable coding was to themilitary and he also knew that theChoctaw language was used during thewar. Johnston believed that the Navajolanguage was a perfect vehicle for cod-ing messages because the language iscomplex.

The Navajo language is an unwrittenlanguage. The language is based ontonal qualities, syntax and dialects, mak-ing it a very difficult language to under-

stand without extensive knowledge.After Johnston staged tests to prove thespeed and accuracy of the code talkers,Vogel recommended that 200 Navajos berecruited to the Marines. In the spring of1942, 29 Navajo recruits attended bootcamp. Those 29 Navajos created the dic-tionary, words for military terms andmanuals to decipher the code. Duringthe training all the code words and thenewly created dictionary must bememorized.

One Marine officer stated that withoutthe Navajo code talkers they would havenever taken Iwo Jima. In the first twodays of the battle, the six code talkerswho served under him worked aroundthe clock to send and receive over 800messages, all without error. TheJapanese were successful at breakingprevious U.S. codes because an elitegroup of soldiers were well trained inthe English language. This elite groupintercepted U.S. messages and eithersabotaged them or relay ed false com-mands to ambushAmerican troops. TheChief of Intelligence forJapan was quoted assaying that they wereable to break all thecodes used by the U.S.Army and Air Corps, butthey were never able tobreak the Navajo codeused by the Marines. Up to 1945 about 540Navajos served asMarines and of thoseabout 400 trained ascode talkers. The coderemained quite valuableeven after the war,resulting in a delay ofcelebration and praise forthe code talkers. The code was finallydeclassified 23 years after the warended. In 1968 the secret was finallyreleased. Do to the high confidentialityof the code, all of the code talkers tookan oath of secrecy. The high level ofsecrecy meant that all of the soldiers thatcommitted themselves to serving as codetalkers were not able to be recognized.

For them, there were no parades whenthey came home, nothing written inbooks, no news stories, no congratula-tions of any sort. Finally after the secretwas declassified, the Navajo code talkersrecieved the recognition they so rightful-ly deserved.

Technique

When the code come through it wouldsound like a barrage of unrelated Navajowords to the untrained ear. What thetranslator had to do was take eachNavajo word and convert it into itsEnglish meaning. With the Englishword now revealed, the code talkers takethe first letter from each newly translat-ed word and spelled out the message. Anexample follows:

“The Navajo words “wol-la-chee” (ant),“be-la-sana” (apple) and “tse-nill” (axe)all stood for the letter “a.” One way tosay the word “Navy” in Navajo codewould be “tsah (needle) wol-la-chee

(ant) ah-keh-di- glini (vic-tor) tsah-ah-dzoh(yucca).”’

When theoriginaldevelopers ofthe secretcode wereconstructingit, they com-monly usedmilitaryterms andassignedNavajowords tothem, about

450 in total. Some examples are:“besh- lo” (iron fish) meant “subma-rine,” “dah-he- tih-hi” (hummingbird)meant “fighter plane” and “debeh-li-zine” (black street) meant “squad.”

See Code Talkers page 9

The Code TalkersBy Ed Brown

DEQ Hears Opposition to KennecottBy Jay Malchow