Conversations with Remarkable Native Americans

7. Erma Vizenor, tribal chair,White Earth Reservation, Minnesota

CHAPTER SEVEN Erma Vizenor, tribal chair, White Earth Reservation, Minnesota Erma Vizenor (Anishinaabe [Chippewa]) is a soft-spoken but very determined person. She is the first woman to lead the White Earth Anishinaabe Nation, the largest tribe in Minnesota. Elected in 2004, Erma heralded in a new era of leadership that promoted fairness , transparency, and stability in tribal government. She has always taken risks to fight for justice and reform. In 1991 Erma took a stand against corruption and was jailed after a takeover of the tribal headquarters, which started the five-year reform movement known as Camp Justice that led to the conviction and imprisonment of the tribal chairman and two tribal council members for embezzlement, bid rigging, election fraud, and money laundering. The White Earth Reservation, like other Anishinaabe reservations in Minnesota (Fond du Lac, Bois Forte, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, and Mille Lacs) is federally recognized. The Minnesota Chippewa tribe is a federation of the six Anishinaabe reservations . The Red Lake Reservation resisted the Dawes General Allotment Act, own their land in common, have their own constitution, and are not a part of the federation. White Earth, located in Northern Minnesota, near the source of the Mississippi River (Lake Itasca), was established by treaty in 1867. It has a new constitution, ratified by delegates in April 2009. The White Earth Nation is pursuing self-governance and independence from all governments that have been oppressive and paternalistic. As tribal chair for twenty-two thousand citizens, Erma is also striving for economic selfsuf ficiency. It’s a difficult challenge: less than ten percent of the original treaty land is Indian-owned and the rate of unemployment is sixty to seventy percent. Erma Vizenor has become one of the most famous White Earth citizens, with George Mitchell, activist and the first Anishinaabe candidate to run for alderman in 43 44 CONVERSATIONS WITH REMARKABLE NATIVE AMERICANS Minneapolis; Kimberly Blaeser, poet and professor of literature (University of Wisconsin ); and the writer, Gerald Vizenor. Other famous Anishinaabeg include AIM leader Dennis Banks, and painters George Morrison (from Grand Portage) and David Bradley.1 Joëlle Rostkowski: You have become the tribal leader of the reservation of White Earth, where you were born. You are currently going through your second elected term. You appear as a key political Anishinaabe figure, brought to power after a dif- ficult period of fraud and corruption. You started your professional life as a respected teacher in your own community and you were eventually appointed tribal secretary/ treasurer. What led you to get involved in politics and what is your educational background? Erma Vizenor: I have a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education (cum laude), a Master of Science degree in guidance and counseling, and a CAGS in educational administration, superintendent of schools. A Bush Leadership Fellowship gave me the opportunity to earn a second master’s degree in community decision-making and lifelong learning, and Doctor of Education degree in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University. Given all of my educational accomplishments , my most important work has been among my people of the White Earth tribe. My life has been devoted to education. I was a teacher and school administrator on the White Earth Reservation for twenty years. The need in education was so great. I wanted to contribute every ounce of my soul to improve the education of Erma Vizenor (Photo by Nicolas Rostkowski) ERMA VIZENOR 45 Indian children. High school dropout rates were ninety-five to one hundred percent in my home community where I started to teach. As I worked for change in education, I realized that politics were integral to the systemic change that needed to happen in education. I saw the “haves” and the “have-nots” in tribal politics, the system of patronage and oppression. As a young educator, I became involved in the Democratic Party (DFL) politics, lobbying in St. Paul for education. Everything I was involved with, even my church leadership, I witnessed politics in action. Politics can’t be separated from anything. As a tribal leader, my priority is to improve the lives of Indian people. I have a special commitment to education, which I believe is the great equalizer in today’s world. I also work closely with the White Earth elders, who asked me in 1991 to be their spokesperson against the corruption and embezzlement within the tribal council. I had...