Vision Makers Unveil Chief May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind Poster - P2

Red Lake Chemical Health's new program, Vision Makers had a secret, and they would literally unveil it at a feast and powwow at the Red Lake Boys and Girls Club beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 24, 2014.

Upon entering the club guests were asked their name, age, and number of years sober. Carol Barrett prepared a spirit dish and provided the invocation. About 100 people then sat down to a traditional dinner of Red Lake walleye, wild rice, corn, fry bread, fruit medley, desert, and water.

After dinner, the crowd slowly filtered into the gymnasium. Off to the right were eleven large framed photos. The photos along with quotes were of and created by members of the Vision Maker team. To the far side of the group of photos was what appeared to be a larger framed photo draped in a cloth.

Emcee Thomas Barrett called for the attention of the crowd and the cloth was dropped revealing a full-color, high-resolution photo of the well-known Red Lake Chief, May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind. (He Who Is Spoken To) May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind played a significant role in the 1889 Land Agreement that set the boundaries of Red Lake Nation and that resisted allotment.

The Chief insisted that the following words be part of the agreement, words that still echo down to the people to this day, the banning of liquor on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind, insisted:

"That no liquor shall come upon this reservation. It would be the ruin of all these persons that you see here should that misfortune come to them." ~Chief May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind

Emcee Barrett then introduced the five-minute film entitled, "The 1889 Agreement." "We are so proud to present the newest/latest video straight from the Vision Makers of Red Lake Nation. Please watch this beautiful powerful statement about land, sovereignty and the importance of treaties! An important teaching for every single one of us to hear! It is part of Our Sacred Spirit Campaign being launched tonight! Please look for it on our website and share it with others." See video here: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154644655720022

"This is positive stuff," said Red Lake Chemical Health Director Tom Barrett, "we had some grant monies left over from a DHS grant, so we started this great prevention program. There's been a move to make things more positive, to concentrate on good news about self, reservation, culture, and family. With the money from the DHS grant, we bought still and video cameras, computers, and editing software that the kids used for the photos and film."

"We are currently running on a five-year DHS grant," said Prevention Supervisor Karen Barrett. "We've been working with 'In Progress' from the Twin Cities who works with American Indians and minorities. They are the same professionals that worked with retired Red Lake teacher Diane Schwanz."

"The posters of kids and their quotes, along with the Chief May-Dway-Gwa-No-Nind poster, will be traveling from program to program and stay about a month at each place," said Barrett. "We are even scheduled for an art show in Duluth, maybe we'll get more. We hope to expand the video to 30 or even 60 minutes. There is much more to the story of the 1889 Agreement. Then we hope to get the film on FNX (First Nations Experience) TV, and/or Public TV. We've been told that the five minutes we've completed is broadcast quality."

But it was now time for music and dance. Several people had dressed in regalia for the coming powwow. Murphy Thomas was the director. He soon had the honor guard at the door and people lining up for Grand Entry.

Thomas directed that men would come in first following the colors, then would come women, and then Thomas asked that all join in after the women according to years sober so that all may celebrate sobriety. First would come 30+ years, then 25 years, and 20 years, right on down to one day sober. Royce Kingbird offered tobacco to all who entered. Drums included the Kingbird Singers and Eyabay.

Background

Chemical Health Prevention Supervisor and Advisor for Vision Makers Karen Barrett has worked for Red Lake Chemical Health for 22 years. She's worked as Prevention Supervisor for eight years.

"I love working in prevention," says Barrett, "my vision was to one day work with youth artists to teach them the Art of making digital stories and teach them photography, and now it's happening." Visit Vision Makers Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1480670122173767/permalink/1523678977872881/

The Vision Makers

"We have two high school seniors on our team," said Karen Barrett, "Rory Spears of Ponemah attends Kelliher High School and is a star football player. Tishaun Beaulieu, who attends Red Lake High School, will be the first ever to graduate in her family. None of her grandparents or parents or siblings graduated, so this is very special. She also ran in the four day Sobriety Run in August 2014."

"Rob Beaulieu is a sophomore at Red Lake High School," Barrett continued. "He gets good grades, plays baseball and basketball, and wants to go to college. Kianna Urrutia is a senior who will not graduate until 2016, but she is very committed to completing high school. She is very talented in filming and helps out at home financially since her dad passed nine months ago."

"Elizabeth Barrett is very gifted writer. A sophomore at Red Lake, she was promoted a grade ahead and is a straight A+ student. Recently she scored 264 on her Math Map testing, an extremely high score. For the past three summers, she has attended the summer college program at Purdue University in Illinois," Barrett said.

"I am proud of the work they accomplished with the digital story and photos," said Barrett. "I will continue to work with them as we come together to create positive community norms, to make Red Lake a beautiful place to live, and to have the youth learn about serving their communities."

According to Barrett, the team will be filming at their Traditional Hunting camp in October. "The camp will include 30 youth for three days at a site on the River Road," she said. "Vision Makers has a spiritual person teaching the kids. Last year three young men got their first deer and the group cooked some of it at the camp. Many stories are shared around the fire."

Our Red Lake Spirit Campaign

Vision Makers represents a team of youth workers and staff from the Red Lake Chemical Health Program that uses the art of digital media to affect positive change and healing on the Red Lake Reservation.

In July 2014 they launched their first public campaign entitled "Our Red Lake Spirit." The Vision Maker team will produce postcards, posters, videos, billboards, radio announcements and more in celebration of healing and hope for the Red Lake community.

Film Introduction

"Our Red Lake Spirit is a grass roots campaign dedicated to positive change and healing. We have a team of youth workers and staff from the Red Lake Chemical Health Programs creating multi-digital media to spread awareness of our history and traditions through positive community norms in Red Lake Nation.

The Film, "1889 Agreement"

Vision Maker Film Team

Liz Barrett/Writer

Rory Spears/Editor

Kianna Urrutia/Graphic Designer

Tishaun Beaulieu/Photographer

Robert Beaulieu III/Videographer

Music

Thomas C. Barrett

Peter McKenzie

Kingbird Singers

Project Mentors

Karen Barrett

Reyna Gonzalez-Rivera

Thomas C. Barrett

Charles Prentice, Jr.

Tom Barrett

Kristine Sorensen

Partners

Ponemah Culture and Language Camp

Red Lake Economic Development

State of Minnesota Department of Human Services

In Progress

Others involved in the photo project include: Shyne Barrett who attends St. Mary's School is in the 4th grade. Anthony Benais attends Red Lake High School and serves on the Red Lake Tribal Youth Council. Larry Van Wert, Jr., is a senior at Kelliher High and was a youth worker at New Beginnings and stationed to work under Red Lake Chemical Health.

Culture is Prevention! Tradition is Treatment!

"There is a great beauty to the language and culture of the Red Lake Ojibwe. We are doing as our ancestors did. The people were asked, and then all came together and pooled their wisdom. We're not closing, we are just beginning." ~Chi-Ma'iingan (Larry Stillday)

"According to the 2011 Adult Health Survey, a majority of the tribe's four districts agreed that culture helps them stay sober. Sixty-nine percent of 2012 Community Readiness Survey respondents, indicated that they agreed/strongly that commitment to cultural heritage can prevent substance abuse problems." ~Red Lake Chemical Health

The Mission of the Red Lake Chemical Health Programs is to enhance the well being of all Red Lake Tribal Band Members through alcohol and drug abuse prevention, education, intervention, and treatment. All programs are based on Anishinaabe culture and philosophy to strengthen the minds, bodies, and spirits, of Red Lake Reservation members, families, and communities.

Chemical Health Programs: Services Available

Red Lake Alcohol Rehabilitation Program provides prevention and treatment Red Lake Outpatient Programs, with Ponemah Satellite office Indian & Free Prevention/Treatment Program, for adolescents. Red Lake Group Home, co-ed adolescent in-patient care facility Northern Winds Treatment & New Roads Halfway House, in patient treatment for adults

Red Lake Pregnant Women & Families Program, out patient treatment