The Wake

The indigenous peoples of Minnesota simple refer to them as “Red Lakers.” They are a small but proud band of Ojibwe people who have occupied the lands surrounding Upper and Lower Red Lakes for more than two and a half centuries. The Red Lake Indian Reservation boasts one of the richest indigenous cultures and histories in the country — unlike any other Minnesota Indian reservation. They have maintained and preserved their language, their customs and their sovereignty while others have been assimilated into mainstream America. Despite this long and rich history, Red Lake will forever be known as the “worse school shooting since Columbine.”

Tribal leaders have long recognized the blight, poverty, drug use and family issues that plague their reservation. They have taken numerous initiatives and business ventures over the past two decades to help their people out of poverty, to prevent drug use, to give their children better education and to protect them from neglect. They have also asked the federal government for help. But as Dave Anderson, former under secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said in a recent interview, “[there is] a real lack of hope…it’s unfortunate that it takes a tragic instance like this to call attention to what is happening.”

I remember when President Clinton visited the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation back in 1999. He recognized how poverty, sub-standard housing, drug use, abuse and neglect had impacted the people of Indian reservations across the country. He went so far as to attribute many of the problems facing reservations today on past federal government policies and practices. He also promised these reservations help from the federal government. Where is that help?

Red Lake Tribal Chairman Floyd Jourdain called the shooting “the worse tragedy our reservation has ever seen.” With all due respect, I see tragedies on our reservations everyday. I see Native American teen suicide rates at epidemic levels. I see drug abuse, poverty and unemployment increasing. I see access to education, health care and social programs denied to us and our children. I see hopelessness in the faces of my red brothers and sisters.

How many more will die before we take action? A second suspect was arrested for conspiracy, officials say other arrests are possible and as many as 20 students knew of the pending shootings. Yet no one apparently thought it was worth reporting. Earlier, I said that Red Lake will forever be known as the “worse school shooting since Columbine,” but who ever really remembers number two? Yes, it is a tragedy! Yes, 10 people are now dead! And now, President Bush vows to take action. But I wonder: will help ever come to our reservations or will we feel hopelessness forever?

Mark Bellcourt is a counselor in General College and welcomes comments at office@wakenews.org.