They are remembered: Annual sandy lake ceremony honors 1850 tragedy and the resilience of the anishinaabe

Mikwendaagoziwag (They Are Remembered) focuses on the 1850 Sandy Lake tragedy and the struggle of the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) people to survive amidst forced assimilation. Today, many people, communities, and nations from across the central Great Lakes region, the United States, and Canada come together to honor this story of survival. The annual Mikwendaagoziwag ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the Sandy Lake memorial in northern Minnesota.

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STRONGER TOGETHER: PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES -Tribal PD and County Sheriff's Office formalize cooperative enforcement agreement

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office have signed a new mutual aid/cooperative law enforcement agreement that outlines how the Band’s Police Department and the County Sheriff’s Office will work together to provide effective law enforcement within the 1855 Reservation boundaries. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was approved by Band Assembly in Resolution 21-04-42-25 on July 23.

The agreement finalizes and formalizes the long-awaited cooperative partnership between the Tribal Police Department (TPD) and the Sheriff’s Office. It was drafted collaboratively by the Band’s Chief of Police and County Sheriff, both of whom emphasized their shared commitment to cooperation. For the past several years, the two agencies have operated under a temporary agreement that expired 90 days after the Band’s lawsuit with the County ended in July.

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Tribal Government News


DELEGATE UPDATE--SHAPING THE FUTURE TOGETHER: Training, youth voices, and upcoming conventions focus on our Band’s sovereignty

On July 22 and 23, 2025, Mille Lacs Band youth from both the Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures Shadow Program and the Junior Ambassador Program joined the Mille Lacs Band Delegation at a Native Governance Center training.

The two-day training focused on Constitution drafting and the community engagement efforts the Delegation has been leading. Breakout sessions with youth participants were especially powerful. Their voices reminded us that learning about our Constitution should begin early, whether at home or in school. Their perspectives are vital, and the Delegation is committed to bridging the generational gap so all Band Members are included in this important work.


THE GRA SURVEILLANCE DEPARTMENT IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

The purpose of surveillance goes way beyond what most people think. When surveillance is mentioned, most people think of people sitting around in a small room watching monitors waiting for something to happen at a blackjack table. However, modern surveillance has advanced way beyond that. Surveillance has a vital role in helping the casino, as well as the guests, to make sure that everyone is having a good time and being treated fairly.


STOPPING TRUANCY BEFORE IT STARTS: Behind every attendance record is a story, and Nayaadamaagejig is listening

"We want families to know that we are non-judgmental and are here to help families," said Judi Helmin, Child Protection Supervisor. "We are looking to guide and assist families with any barriers they are having with getting the child to school." Attendance has become a growing concern across Minnesota and the nation. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days - nearly doubled during the pandemic.


WALKING THE GOOD ROAD: Graduates honored for perseverance, achievement, and carrying Anishinaabe strength forward

Graduation marks both an ending and a beginning. For the students, it is the close of one chapter filled with learning and growth, and the start of a new journey filled with opportuni-ties. On one of the last Friday afternoons of the summer, before many of the graduates head off to college and beyond, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe honored the Class of 2024 - high school and higher education graduates - with a celebratory luncheon. The event also shined a light on the bright futures they carry with them, for themselves, their families, and the generations to come.


WATER OVER NICKEL UPDATE: UNDERSTANDING MINNESOTA'S CONNECTION TO CLEAN WATER

Water Over Nickel Published First-Ever Minnesota Water Outlook Survey

Water Over Nickel is grounded in our responsibility to protect clean water — not just for today, but for the generations yet to come. As part of our continued advocacy and education efforts, we launched the Minnesota Water Outlook survey to better understand how Minnesotans connect to clean water and their awareness of the threats it faces.

Highlights


BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE: 2025 Cement Mason graduates step into new careers

The Mille Lacs Band TERO is pleased to announce the graduation for five (5) local community members who participated in this year's 10-week Cement Masons Training in New Brighton, Minnesota.

Masonry is more than a job - it's a career of skill, strength, and pride. Cement masons shape the foundations of our commu-nities, and their work lasts for generations. This 10-week training was possible through a collaboration with MnDOT, Local 633 Cement Masons and tribal TERO leaders from throughout the state, including Mille Lacs Band TERO, Fond du Lac TERO, Leech Lake TERO, White Earth TERO and Bois Forte TERO


BI-OMBI'IDIDAA — YOUTH EMPOWERMENT CAMP & DANCE PARTY

The youth empowerment camp was held on August 7 and 8, 2025 at the Miskwaanakwadookwe Community Center. This is always a fun time and it continues to grow each year. This year featured invited guest presenters of Brenda Moose, Nashke Games. George Morrow Ill, Jazlene "JJ" Aubid-White, Kim Bigbear, and more. The youth enjoy group activities such as swimming, dodgeball, volleyball. dancing and so much more.


INAAJIMOWIN EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN 2025 APEX AWARDS

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Inaajimowin has captured national attention, earning an APEX Award for its powerful storytelling and celebration of the Mille Lacs Band voices. The 2025 APEX Awards, the 37th annual program honoring excellence in publishing by professional communicators, recognize outstanding achievement in graphic design, editorial content, and overall communications excellence. Awards of Excellence are presented to entries that stand out in individual subcategories.


The excitement of a new school year is exhilarating! From meeting teachers and seeing old friends to new clothes and new routines, there's so much to enjoy. Amid all the excite-ment, it's important to remember one key safety priority: our children's safety on the road.


Frybread is a rock 'n' roll band made up of Nay Ah Shing students. They have been practicing and performing this summer with a show at the District I Miskwaanakwaadookwe Community Center on July 13, and three shows in August. On August 21, at summer cultural camp in Rutledge; on August 30 at a private party in Onamia; On August 31 at the Native American Music and Arts Festival in Onamia.

Indian Country News


Wife of accused Minnesota lawmaker killer says husband's actions were "a betrayal"

The wife of Vance Boelter, the man accused in the deadly Minnesota lawmaker shootings, released a statement on Thursday calling her husband's alleged actions "a betrayal." Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed inside their Brooklyn Park home in the early morning hours of June 14. Their golden retriever, Gilbert, was also shot and later died from his injuries. Also targeted in the shootings were Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who were attacked inside their Champlin home about 90 minutes before the Hortmans were killed. Boelter, 57, faces federal and state murder and attempted murder charges. He was captured some 36 hours after the shootings near his home in Green Isle, about 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis, in what officials say was the largest manhunt in state history. Jenny Boelter's full statement, released on her behalf by her legal team: "On behalf of my children and myself, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the Hortman and Hoffman families. Our condolences are with all who are grieving during this unimaginably difficult time, and we are praying daily for them."

Source: CBS News.


‘As vulnerable as a plant can be’: New study finds climate change largely to blame for less wild rice:

A new study finds the availability of a wild rice in the Great Lakes region has been declining over the past 30 years, partially due to climate change. The decline, the study says, “has disrupted Ojibwe lifeways, family, and health.” Brandon Byrne, inland fisheries biologist at the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, or GLIFWC, coauthored and helped collect data for the study. Byrne said that the plant is most vulnerable during its early stages. “Not only is it vulnerable to weather or climatic variables, it’s also vulnerable to motorboat use. Its ecology is very delicate.” Rob Croll, coauthor of the study and commission policy analyst and climate change coordinator, said, “You have to look at manoomin and climate change holistically. It’s as vulnerable a plant as a plant can be. One of the things that we’re seeing — will continue to see — is our precipitation coming less frequently, but more intensely: much heavier rain storms, which can cause quick floods. During [early growth] stages, floods will uproot the plant. Later on in its growth, when there are seeds on the plant, big storms and heavy winds can devastate a rice bed just by blowing the stalks down into the water. Source: WPR Wisconsin Today.


White House budget request slashes funding for tribal colleges and universities:

In President Donald Trump’s budget request, he’s proposing slashing funding for tribal colleges and universities, including eliminating support for the country’s only federally funded college for contemporary Native American arts. If the budget is approved by Congress, beginning in October, the more than $13 million in annual appropriations for the Institute for American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, would be reduced to zero. It would be the first time in nearly 40 years that the congressionally chartered school would not receive federal support, said Robert Martin, the school’s president. Source: APNEWS.


Upcoming EVENTS

August 29

Noon Closing

August 15

Noon Closing (Mille Lacs Pow Wow)

August 18

Mille Lacs Day