Chairman

June 2026 Chairman's Report

Aaniin Boozhoo Gaa-waabaabiganikaag
Niminwendam Waabaminaan!

Ode’imini-Giizis!

Aaniish inaa akawe ninga-gaagiizomaag aadi-
zookaanag.

Weweni-sago-na

Greetings White Earth Nation I am Happy to See You!

It is already June, Strawberry Moon!
Everyone Be Safe & Stay Safe,

Mii miinawaa ji-niimi'iding iwidi gaa-waabaabi-ganikaang aabitawangizod awe ode'imini-giizis. They’re going to have a pow-wow again at White Earth in the middle of June.

It is going to be the 158th Annual White Earth Treaty Day Celebration & Powwow. It’s June 12-14 at the White Earth Powwow Grounds. The day before our powwow will be our Annual White Earth Nation Recovery Parade on June 11 at 10 a.m. It’s always
such an amazing time - our White Earth Nation programming always has the best parade floats the kids love, so come on over and celebrate with us, Gaawaabaabigabikaag Ishkoning gaye Anishinaabeg miziwe!

Does anyone know the Anishinaabe author William Warren? There are many of his family’s descendants living here in White Earth. I just spoke with some of his family’s descendants. Cliff, who makes his living off the land here on Gaawaabaabiganikaag, White Earth Nation, was at the RBC Courts to share his testimony on the White
Earth VS Vipond court case, it has to do with a farmer named Vipond and his request to install a pump that is capable of pumping millions of gallons of water out of our Wild Rice river. Cliff spoke clearly to Dustin and lawyers about the concern of pumping huge amounts of nibi (water) out of the river will be devastating to his harvesting season and his way of life, as well as many others depend on healthy waters. I will be giving an update on this case soon.

Cliff’s ancestor William Whipple Warren wrote A History of the Ojibwe People. William said he wrote so that our history would not be forgotten, and so others outside our villages and communities might begin to understand who we are. Like many records from that time, his writing reflects both the strength of his intention and the limits of the era he lived in.

Today, we carry on our ancestors’ stories and understand that no single account tells the full story of our people. Our history lives in the land, in the language, in the water, and in the voices of our people still speaking today.

At White Earth, we continue to carry that responsibility forward to protect our nibi (water), our traditions, stories, and our future generations.

There are methods of history that can help us learn about the past. Even with all the methods together do not paint the whole picture for us. Nevertheless, learning about the past can help us understand our present day and future.

Here’s a quick update from our Tribal Self-Governance and Sovereignty Department.

Today, White Earth Nation continues to exercise self-governance authority across many essential services that support the health, safety, and future of our people. These services include Education, Law Enforcement and Policing, Tribal Courts, Healthcare and Social Services, Natural Resource Management, Economic Development, and Administrative Services.

White Earth Nation is recognized as a sovereign self-governance tribe that maintains a government-to-government relationship with the United States. Tribal sovereignty remains central to protecting
treaty rights, managing tribal affairs, and continuing our Nation’s ability to govern ourselves according to our responsibilities and priorities.

From 2023 through 2025, federal self-governance funding averaged approximately 23% below actual programmatic need each year.

In 2025, White Earth received $2,690,929 in self-governance funding while the actual need totaled $3,287,014.24. The remaining funding gap was supported through supplementation from the Tribe’s General Fund to ensure continued operation of essential tribal services and programs.

Self-governance funding continues to support many important programs under the Tribe’s MYFA, including Natural Resources, Law Enforcement, Johnson-O’Malley Education Programs, Social
Services, Tribal Courts, Education, and Administrative Services.

Hope to see you all at the 158th White Earth Treaty Day Celebration & Powwow!

Chi-miigwech bizindawiyeg miinawaa anooj
ninda-gikinoo’amaadiwin,
Baamaapii wiingezin.
Miigwech bizindawiyeg.
Gigawaabamininim naagaj.
Take it easy.
Thank you for listening and continuing to learn together,
See you all later.
Chairman Michael Fairbanks