Ojibwe in Minnesota

Fighting Dysfunction

the Ojib we  67 and advocacy efforts have succeeded in convincing many schools to change their mascots, but it is an ongoing battle that meets with much resistance. Fighting Dysfunction In discussing the problems that Ojibwe communities face, many journalists,historians,and politicians have lost sight of the wonderful things about Indian country—resilient, survivinglanguageandculture,authenticspiritualconnection , a sense of community, sovereign power, and survival. Although there are many troubling chapters in Ojibwe history, what is most amazing is not what the Ojibwe have lost but what they have retained. That said, there are many problems in Ojibwe country, and they deserve an honest exploration. Painful and difficult though the discussion may be,problems can only be resolved when they are identified and faced head on.Among the most prevalent problems facing the Ojibwe today are high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, gangs, crime, chronic diseases (like diabetes), and poverty. Poverty is at the heart of much of the dysfunction, and it is a long-standing problem.For the Ojibwe in Minnesota, the unemployment rate has been significantly high since the first reservation was created in the state.In 2000, unemployment remained at more than 20 percent in Minnesota’s Ojibwe communities,compared to the state unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. More than 30 percent of the Ojibwe population lived below the poverty line, while only 5.1percent of the state’s overall population lived in poverty. Almost 60 percent of Indian households in Minnesota earned less than $35,000 in 2000, more than twice the rate for nonIndian households. The median tribal income was $28,533 that year,compared to $47,111 for white households.48 Poverty brings many problems with it. Drug and alcohol abuse and gangs pervade all poor population subsets 68  pe Ople Of minnes Ot a in America, but this trouble is especially pronounced in Indian communities. Historical trauma from experiences in residential boarding schools,from assimilation policies, and from the destruction of tribal economies, landholdings , governments, and culture have added to despair and dysfunction.Indianminorsaretwiceaslikelyasthegeneral population to have consumed alcohol before age twelve,attempted suicide,or been sexually abused.Most years,there are more murders per capita in the Leech Lake Reservation town of Cass Lake (population 1,000) than in the Twin Cities metro area (population 2 million). In 2005, a horrific school shooting on the Red Lake Reservation brought national attention to the community but did not lead to a deeperunderstandingof theoverarchingcrisisfacingMinnesota ’s Ojibwe communities or bring additional resources to aid in efforts to fight the underlying problems.49 Education has the potential to help alleviate poverty and provide opportunities for tribal members.But the traumatic Tract33,Casslake.approximately20percentofthehousesinthispartoftownwereboardedupin september2009,someabandoned,someuninhabitable,somevandalized.Theleechlaketribal office,headstart,housing,andcourtadministrationbuildingsareallwithinthreeblocksofthis neighborhood. the Ojib we  69 history of residential boarding schools, mission schools, and day schools contributes to community distrust of educational institutions. Pervasive substance abuse, violence, and peer pressure combine with this distrust to keep school dropout rates high.In Hennepin County,the dropout rate is 2percentforthewhitepopulationbut24percentfortheIndian population.Many students come to school exhausted because they are not properly monitored and rested or because there was a party at their house the night before.All they can do is sleep in class.Exposure to gangs at schools is also a problem.In Minnesota,16 percent of sixth graders in the general population report that gang activity is a problem at their schools, but 32 percent of the sixth graders in the native population make the same report.50 Educationitself isstifledformanyOjibweyouth,nomatter how bright and deserving they are. The lack of Ojibwe role models is being remedied, but slowly. Red Lake and Cass Lake school systems have more than 90 percent native students but very few native administrators,teachers,or support staff. The school districts cannot find many qualified Ojibwe to apply for open positions. Without Ojibwe staff who can establish role model rapport with the students and encourage them to continue their education,the vicious cycle continues. Although there are many inspiring examples of native and nonnative staff making breakthroughs with their pupils,and while Ojibwe students are graduating andgoingontodoamazingthings,educationandcareeradvancement have come very slowly to the Ojibwe. Being Ojibwe is hard. In addition to navigating a labyrinth of substance abuse and violence in their communities , Ojibwe people have few healthy outlets for solving many of their problems. Government programs are often inaccessible or unfair to many Indian people. The Indian...