OGITCHIDAKWEWarrior Woman

Honorable Retired Judge

Betty Migizikwe Laverdure

Once in a rare while the Creator will impartGreatness and kindness both, in one human heart.Sometimes, mysteriously, sweetness and pure love

Are allowed to exist with smart and tough.Today the best among us is not erased

But made again, young and strong, in that fierce embraceOf gracious power, and her namesake's wings.

How she loved us, how she loved us all.So may we love each other now.

For Migizikwe, Eagle WomanAuthor Louise Erdrich

IN HONOR OF MIGIZIKWE

VALUESSTRENGTH

SIMPLICITY

VALUES

EDUCATIONRESPECT

"Besides being captain, incommon with the others, [Jean Baptiste Wilkie] was styled the great war chief or head of the camp; and on all public occasions he occupied the place of president."

GGGGrandaughter of a Chief

A HORSE THIEF

Forced to go to residential school, she was determined to go home to her beloved Turtle Mountains. She planned, carefully how to go across two states without being caught, because if they were caught, their hair would be shaved off. Her hair was naturally curly and way past her waist.

A HORSE THIEF

She ran away at night and stole a horse. She rode all night. She would hide during the day. She did that everyday until she arrived at Belcourt, North Dakota.

Betty ended up graduating from Turtle Mountain High School as Valedictorian.

PIPE MAKER & PIPE CARRIER & PEACE MAKER

Culture, heritage and tradition were always

important to Betty. She was active in the

Midewiwin Medicine Lodge, was a Medicine

Bundle and Pipe carrier, and participated for

many years in the Eagle Sun Dance.

PIPE MAKER & PIPE CARRIER & PEACE MAKER

She became expert at carving

pipes and pipe stems from

Sumac branches as gifts for

other sun dancers, including for

some of her family members.

“The ceremonies made me and my family see and feel life and creation in a holistic way. We learned to communicate with the natural world and the spirit world as a way of life; we learned that it was a duty the Great Spirit gave human beings to maintain.”

SPIRITUALITY

She was a proud member of the Bear Clan of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. In that role, she took to heart, more than most, her duty to protect the rights and dignity of her people, and, in fact, any populations considered to be marginalized and vulnerable. Her interpretation of that role was to serve as an educator, advocate and Chief Tribal Justice.

TRADITIONAL ROLES

“We are a healing people, so it is up to us if we are going to make time to live the life our ancestors did by giving thanks. We are so lucky to have each other and to be still able to gather up and do our ceremonies.”

BIIMADIZIWIN

“As long as we are still lighting our Sacred Fires, as long as we are lighting our Sacred Pipes, the Great Mystery can hear and feel our respect for Life and the Universe.”

BIIMADIZIWIN

“I was chief judge, and I acted as an appeals court judge for tribes. It was the most important job I ever held for my people, being their judge in the courthouse.

TRIBAL LAW & SELF-GOVERNANCE

“In 1968, I was involved in writing our first tribal code that was later used as a model in different states. In 1977, I went to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and we used that code as a model for other tribes in the nation.”

TRIBAL LAW & SELF-GOVERNANCE

“Back then, there weren't very many tribal courts and those that were there, were under federal or state laws and policies,'' Laverdure said. “So, I began thinking about that and started working on the codes. Those codes have since become the backbone of the current tribal court systems in much of Indian country.”

TRIBAL LAW & SELF-GOVERNANCE

Laverdure said it was an uphill battle, but one she loved. "A lot of people thought we were wasting our time, but we saw the 1965 Civil Rights Act coming up and knew we had to do something. The tribal courts didn't allow lawyers in the tribal courtrooms back then. I could see that we needed our own court system and I decided to start writing some laws for our courts.”

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

Laverdure and other tribal judges pioneered the tribal court system. They saw the need for new tribal legislation as the Indian Civil Rights bill was on the horizon in the late 1960s and formed a Tribal Judges Association.

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

• Laverdure was the one of fifteen staff that started the Turtle Mountain Tribal & Community College. Dr. Larry Belgarde, the first president for the college noted that all they had as a resource was vision.

• She was involved in the drafting of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

• She was a charter founding member of the National American Indian Court Judges Association.

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

BE EDUCATED, LIVE WITH INTEGRITY, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Betty cherished the value of

integrity, cultural dignity, justice,

the search for knowledge, and

facing adversity with humor,

courage, determination.

BE EDUCATED, LIVE WITH INTEGRITY, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Betty has often said that her

life’s greatest work has been her

children and she is most proud of

their accomplishments, including

careers in law, medicine, higher

education, and civil service.

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Survived poverty, residential school system, etc.

Educated in law, a judge, authored legislation,

authored this countries first tribal constitution, helped

found a college, represented all indigenous people

internationally.

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Yet her greatest accomplishment was that of

a mother. Native women are the backbone of

our society. They are the authors of change

in our society.

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Migizikwe made change when women weren't allowed

to and men were to corrupt or lazy to. The resurgence

of Native people will never be with the bluster,

incompetence, and destruction by men but with the

diligence, patience, and dignity of women.

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Migizikwe set a high standard. But all

standards are meant to be surpassed. Our

elders suffered to give us opportunity.

Shame on us if we "choose" not to seize it.Migizikwe’s Oldest Grandson, Douglas Gourneau Jr.

FUTURE BEING BUILT THROUGH LIVING

WOMEN, VALUES, COURAGE, COMPASSION, LOVE, LEADERSHIP,

POWER, FUTURE BEING BUILT THROUGH LIVING