white earth treaty rights case

feather eaglerock (eaglerok@northernnet.com)
Mon, 6 May 1996 15:32:52 -0500

while lawyers, paid with tribal funds, work to defend white earth leaders
on trial for conspiracy, and work on appeals for convicted leech lake
leaders, leonard butcher, white earth enrollee, reported today to the
courthouse in bagley, minnesota to begin serving 10 days in jail, as a
result of hunting during white earth hunting season within the boundaries
of the white earth reservation. at the time of his arrest, mr. butcher's
hunting rifle was also confiscated by a state warden. (same state warden
is now facing charges, himself, of hunting moose from an airplane). mr.
butcher is a traditional anishinabe. he hunts to provide for his family
and for many of the elders.

there have been some who have posted to us, saying that hunting with a
rifle is not traditional, however, providing for your family and for the
elders, is about as traditional as you can get! the tribal leaders here do
not have this concern. and clearly, protecting treaty rights are not a
priority to tribal leaders either there is a high unemployment rate among
our indian people in this area, due to the racism in the surrounding
non-indian communities and to the nepotism practiced in hiring on the
reservation.

feather eaglerock, leech lake rez

english is a foreign language. reclaim the language of your people and
send it to the future as your gift to your grandchildren's grandchildren.
di-ka-ne'-tsv a'-qua-tse'-li ha-htv-gi, wa-do' do-da-da-go'-hv