SPREAD THE WORD

A database is being set up to gather the names of all those who did not receive a ballot in ANY of the last three - four Sault Tribe elections. If you received a ballot to vote in the primary but did not receive one to vote in the general election, or vice versa, we would like to know. If you have been registered to vote, have not moved or moved but notified the tribe of the change of address, please contact me at weave977@yahoo.com.

We also want to know if you have been denied benefits that you feel you were entitled to, without an understanding or reasonable explanation of why you were denied. Your participation is extremely important and your identity will be protected.

To join a group who intends to make some much needed changes within the Sault Tribe, there is a Facebook group called the Sault Tribe Guide, but it is not anonymous.

PASS THE WORD...the next election is less than a year away and it's time to turn the tables in our direction.

In response to a Soo Evening News article regarding the upcoming appointment of a replacement chairperson for the Sault Tribe, a reader wrote this and also sent it to me.

Former Chairman Aaron Payment would be a good choice. After all, the difference in votes for chairman were only a few suspicious hundred in McCoy's favor.

But I do have a sneaking suspicion that Benard would like to return as chairman...that would show all of those voters that dethroned, him for Aaron Payment,.that he still has the power. The Tonky Trump ego will have made full circle from shame to fame. A smarter move for Benard would be to wait for the appointment of his buddy and then take the CEO position that is vacant. Then, he is really back.

Native American Scholar, Martin Rhinehardt has stated that he will campaign against any Board member that prohibits the citizens from deciding who will fill the chairman's seat. You won't hear these politicians Causley, Abramson , McCoy, Pine or Bouschor play the race card and dispute that man.

It is sad to watch how a handful of the tribe's worst can dictate to the membership....over and over and over again.
Hopefully, this next election will be when the membership votes for a new path. The need to bring in the constitution that the present Board wants to ignore. It would make them accountable. That scares them.

SAULT TRIBE INTERNET GROUP ORIGINATOR PASSES ON

       Gary John Bernard, 56, of 823 Wisconsin Ave., Gladstone, passed away Saturday,     July 23, 2011, at the St. Francis Hospital, in Escanaba, following a brief illness. Gary was the founder of the Sault Tribe Group, an internet site that allowed tribal members to voice their opinions. Gary was the reason that so many of us became involved in Sault Tribe politics.

Gary was born July 26, 1954, in Sault Ste. Marie, the son of John and Margaret (Fillippis) Bernard. He was raised in Sault Ste. Marie and was a 1972 graduate of the Sault Ste. Marie High School. Gary is survived by his wife of 37 years, Cheryl (Ford); his mother, Margaret, and his sons, Joshua Bernard, Ryan Bernard and Jason (Wendy) Bernard, all of Gladstone; daughter, Kristin (Matthew) Tuskan of Gladstone; brothers, Ronald (Jackie) Bernard of Sault Ste. Marie, Patrick Bernard of Sault Ste. Marie, Richard Bernard of Louisiana; sister, Nancy Watson of Grand Rapids, Mich.; granddaughters, Isabelle, Mary Lynn and Sage; father- and mother-in-law, Dwayne (Sonja) Ford of Gladstone; and honorary son, Philip Dausey of Rapid River.  

OUTNUMBERED AGAIN

The petition to hold a special election to fill the tribal chair’s seat left empty when the Sault Tribe Chairman, Joe McCoy, decided to take a hike rather than stick around and face any responsibility for his inability to uphold his campaign promises, was voted down this evening at a special meeting.

The tribal attorney, who is under the thumb of the board, recommended that the board turn down the petition for various reasons. Because the petition was submitted to overturn a resolution that was not enacted, the petition code protected the decision of the board. I guess there is no need to wonder why Director Pine made the motion to table it when she did. It was likely just part of a well-orchestrated plan to pull another one over on the tribal members.

According to a tribal member who was present, 32 out of 102 signatures were in violation of some part of the tribal code that requires that petitions do not contain language that is misleading, but the tribal member didn’t note what the misleading language was.

Director Malloy brought it to the attention of the board, the attorney, and the audience that the tribe’s petition code conflicted with the tribal constitution. The attorney did agree that the code could be changed so that looks like a step the members could pursue.

Bouschor commented that the board would be targeted with numerous petitions if tabled actions were open to petitions. In other words, he recognized the fact that the members would surely utilize such a power and remove those responsible for the financial jeopardy they placed the tribe in due to their failures and lack of ability to do the right thing.

Joe Eitrem made the motion to disapprove the petition and it was seconded by Bouschor. The vote was 7-3 to turn down the petitions.

SUNDANCE PART OF LOCAL TRADITION BUT....

The Sundance / Start of a Local Tradition
In essence, the Sundance is a community vision quest. It is not the pow wow that people expect it to be. It’s a three or four day ceremony of prayer and fasting…a cleansing and healing ceremony where dancers seek renewal and guidance for themselves and their tribe. In Sault Ste. Marie, it is the start of a local tradition by a reverent and passionate group of tribal and nontribal members seeking to renew their tribe’s connection to the Great Spirit.

The dancer’s perform in an arena around a tall center pole that represents the Great Spirit. They dance outward or inward to a double circle of poles connected with rafters and topped with spruce and pine boughs that represent the tribe. It is through the dancers that the tribe’s connection to the Great Spirit is renewed. They dance for a day without anything to drink or eat. At the beginning of the second day, they’re given a small meal and they dance the last three days without anything else.

It is a dance of pain, a payback to the Great Spirit for the gifts sent their way. It involves great suffering and as the fasting and prayer progresses dancer’s pass out and fall, and in their unconscious state receive visions of the direction that they and their tribe should go. The dance ends with purification and gifts exchanged and sacred pipes smoked and tobacco shared, and offerings made to the Great Spirit for the blessings of his guidance.
Local spiritual leader and Sundance organizer Pat McCoy learned the dance while visiting the Sioux on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. He hopes to teach it to his fellow Chippewa, turning it into a local tradition and an annual July celebration. This year’s inaugural Sundance is being held in an arena constructed for it on eight-mile road south of the Soo, between Shunk and Seymour Roads. The public is welcome. The women asked to wear a dress…to comply with the symbolism requirements of the dance.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave

But this morning I received an email forwarded to me regarding claims that AIM (American Indian Movement) were participating in the Sault's Sundance. Here is an excerpt from that message...Lynne Weaver

"Today, there are hundreds of Sun Dances, purification ceremonies, healing ceremonies, Midewin ceremonies every year. Most are conducted by recognized spiritual leaders, such as Rick Two Dogs, Warfield Moose, Richard Moves Camp, and others, but we also know there are those who exploit their own people’s traditions.

The most recent example of this is occurring in Saulte Ste. Marie, Michigan this year. It’s being advertised as a “public event” on Facebook. The American Indian Movement name and logo is being used without permission of the American Indian Movement. Chief Terrance Nelson, and Edward Benton-Benai are advertised on the poster, and neither of these two men are attending, or taking part in any way. Sault St. Marie has never attended American Indian Movement meetings, and are not recognized as part of the council. The reason for the establishment of the American Indian Movement Grand Governing Council and Trademarked logo is to curtail the abuse of our name, organization, and intellectual property rights being used by people we do not know.


The American Indian Movement is not saying that Sun Dances cannot be held in any area or community. Indian people can have all the Sun Dances they want, but the responsibility, the honor in being truthful rests on the organizers, and they should not be using the name of an organization that has nothing to do with their Sun Dance. The danger in this is that some one could get hurt, or sick, and the responsibility would be on the American Indian Movement.

The Sun Dance in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has been planned in a highly irregular manner in spite of our wishes for them to discontinue using our name. Many of the people taking part in this dance were asked to leave the American Indian Movement Sun Dance in Pipestone for bringing alcohol, drugs, and behaving in a non-spiritual way by breaking their fasts, thus encouraging others to do so, bringing in water, food, ice, etc., and other behavior not associated with the real reason to Sun Dance."

For the full message:
http://www.aimovement.org/moipr/AIM1stsundance.html

Lynne Weaver

SAULT TRIBE MEMBERS PUSH TO ENACT THE NEW CONSTITUTION

New efforts have evolved among a small group of Sault Tribe members to push the enactment of the 'New' Constitution. The end process, originally under the control of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors, although some would likely tell you different, is now in the hands of the Sault Tribe members, as it should have been from the beginning.

A new Facebook account created by Nathan Wright, called the "Sault Tribe Guide", has gathered together some key players who have vowed to review both the old and new constitutions and push the project along, regardless of the displeasure of some of the Sault Tribe board members.

It's long overdue that the members have a say in the way the Sault Tribe operates. One of the biggest changes that could have made a difference and prevented some of the disasters that the tribe has faced over the years is the Separation of Powers. This change will distribute the hold the board has over the entire tribe into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial, which will effectively break up the control the current board has over the judicial system and will take them away from the operative side of tribal business. This does leave the board to handle legislative issues.

Other policy changes will be necessary to make it all work. Human Resources will no longer be under the thumb of the board and employees may be less inclined to be intimidated by the powers that be. The Board of Directors may cease to exist in the form it does now. New educational requirements may be in place for those who are selected to become part of the three branches of government.

At any rate, this group is seeking your input to review the new constitution since it should reflect the fundamental needs of the tribe as a whole. If you prefer not to become a part of the Facebook Sault Tribe Guide but would rather contribute anonymously, than you can do so here. I will be posting any meetings, news or changes we hope to implement.

Keep in mind that this isn't a weak effort but one that we are 100% confident that we, as a tribe, will successfully change directions.....join us in being part of the Winds of Change.

WHO HAS A VOICE?

The June 28th Posting of DJ Malloy demonstrates how a simple, small majority can run the tribe.
If we don't question the sincerity of Cathy (McCoy) Abramson's vote, at least two directors from unit one believed that an election should take place to fill the vacant chairman's seat. That equates to forty percent of the Unit one representation. The other units who's representative voted for the election represented half of Unit four and all of Unit five.
The wishes of those citizens, represented, can be disregarded.
It seems to always be the same "elected" that are controlling the destiny of the tribe.
Let's call them the BOOSHINO Family. It is a syndicate.
They control all aspects of the tribe's government and administration
You ask, "How can that be, in a democracy"?
Members have been asking that ever since Bouschor got into government.

If you read between the lines of Malloy's post, you will see that there are honest representatives that are neutralized by the syndicate.
They are just along for the ride.
We need to give them an opportunity to govern the way their voter intended.
At this point, that will only happen when we unseat Benard Bouschor, Cathy Abramson, Joe Eitrem, Kieth Massaway, Deb Pine, Tom Miller and Lana Causley.
Get ready to help.
Be a part of the change.
rj