"Coming Together for the People"

"The dynamics of oppression on a culture, and the dynamics of alcoholism in the family, resemble each other so much as to be indistinguishable from each other when viewed through Indian eyes," ~Dr. Cecil White Hat, (Lakota Sioux) 8th Annual Drug and Gang Summit.

The Ninth Annual Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit was held Wednesday - Friday, February 11 – 13, 2015 at Red Lake Seven Clans Hotel & Events Center. The 2015 theme was "Coming Together for the People." Chemical Health and Mental Health Services, Public Safety personnel, School Personnel, Community Members, and other programs and services, were among those attending.

The Summit turnout was large despite cold weather. 298 registrants attended workshops and presentations from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM the first two days, and a wrap-up until noon on Day Three. Participants came not only from Red Lake, but also from Leech Lake, White Earth, Bemidji, and other communities. Many young people attended from Leech Lake Tribal College and Red Lake's AmeriCorps.

Each morning featured a keynote speaker, with workshops in the afternoon. Subjects included drugs, positive community norms, and justice for victims, gangs, suicide, and healing. Booths representing programs from Chemical Health, Public Safety and other related services dotted the perimeter of the hotel lobby. A Round Dance was well attended on the second night.

The Summit began with an invocation by Allen Hardy. Murphy Thomas, who combines his hosting with teachings and humor, was the emcee. "In our history we would tell Aadizookaanan (sacred stories) when there was snow on the ground, there were always morals to the story," he said. He then called on the Drum to do four songs, two for Ikwewag and two for Ogichidaag.

Thomas then introduced Tom Barrett, Director of Red Lake Chemical Health Programs. "We welcome you to the 9th Annual Drug and Gang Summit. This year's theme is titled 'Coming Together for the People.' Your participation can change the course of our lives by taking a stand against drugs, alcohol, gangs and violence in our communities," said Barrett.

Barrett said later in an interview with the Pioneer newspaper, that the "Coming Together" theme came from community meetings started soon after Red Lake Tribal Chairman Darrell G. Seki, Sr., took office last spring.

Next, Red Lake Tribal Treasurer Annette Johnson welcomed the attendees noting that the Summit has the full support of the Tribal Council. "The council supports these efforts," she said, "we are all experiencing the issues raised here in some way."

Day 1, Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Keynote: "Not What the Doctor Ordered" by Rick Moldenhauer

Rick Moldenhauer provided the day's keynote address, a presentation entitled "Smack is Back." Moldenhauer is a Planner Principle State/State Opioid Treatment Authority at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services. Moldenhauer has 25+ years of direct care experience in a wealth of settings involving chemical dependency treatment. He is a frequent guest speaker at the annual Drug and Gang Conferences.

From a PowerPoint presentation, Moldenhauer discussed how drug trends are affecting Indian communities and the nation. He provided some stark statistics. "What I want to do is try to illustrate for you that the numbers themselves might seem, at times, to look small, but the presence and the severity are much, much greater," he said. "Indians have an eight times prevalence for treatment admissions for drugs over any other ethnic group."

This is of concern because American Indians make up only 1.1% of the population (55,000) in Minnesota, while Whites make up 89.4% (4.4 million) of the population.

Indians make a disproportionate number of treatment patients with the greatest numbers of admittance except for Whites, who make up 89.4% (4.4 million) of the population. Indians make for 68 treatment patients per 1,000 compared to 8 per 1,000 for the general population.

"Although alcohol is still the biggest offender, opioids have recently surpassed marijuana for the No.2 spot for abuse," said Moldenhauer. "And unfortunately we have the cheapest and purest heroin in the country in the Twin Cities, and it's easy to find. The people coming into treatment now for heroin, are the people who were coming in for prescriptions five or six years ago."

Barrett agreed with Moldenhauer, telling a Pioneer reporter later that, "drug trends in Red Lake are similar to those across the United States. Prescription drug abuse was on the rise several years ago, but now seems to have been replaced by heroin."

Barrett added Red Lake Chemical Health has started stationing a person in each community four nights a week to encourage cultural healing.

Day 1 Afternoon Breakout Sessions

The Seven Clans Event Center was turned into three rooms (Kingfisher, Eagle and Bullhead) for the breakout sessions at 1 p.m. Tom and Karen Barrett (Red Lake) conducted a session on "Positive Community Norms." Vickey Fineday and Shari Smith (Red Lake) hosted "Domestic Healing Aspects of Abuse," and David Parnell told about his experience with "Meth and Heroin."

The next rounds of sessions were conducted by Rueben Crowfeather (Lakota) Mike Peters (Dakota) and Allen Hardy (Red Lake) who presented "Suicide and the effects on family." Stephanie Cobenais hosted a panel on "Justice for Victims." and Shelly Goodman presented a session entitled "Lateral Aggression."

Day 2, Thursday, February 12, 2015

Keynote: "Facing the Dragon" by David Parnell

Summit frequent contributor, David Parnell, provided the morning keynote speech. Parnell is a public speaker, author, consultant, and advocate for drug-endangered children. The dangers of methamphetamine and how to combat the drug and recovery options are his major emphasis.

Those assembled heard...and more importantly saw...a PowerPoint presentation of vivid and sobering photos. Parnell illustrated, from a personal perspective, and in a stark manner, a session on methamphetamine prevention.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant, which severely affects the brain. Under its influence, Parnell even attempted suicide by shooting himself. He shot himself under the chin with an SKS assault rifle, blowing his face apart. Though he survived, he sustained severe injuries.

Day 2 Afternoon Breakout Sessions

In the first session, Kathleen Marmorine, APRN, CNP, MS, Kailee Fretland, PharmD, and Salena Beasley, (Red Lake) spoke on "Substance Abuse & Pregnancy." Rick Moldenhauer, spoke more on "Opiates," and Rueben Crowfeather talked of "Gang Prevention Through Spirituality."

In the second session, Mike Peters and Allen Hardy spoke of "Traditional Healing from Historical Trauma." Rick Moldenhauer did a second session called "Opiates Continued," and Ronald Kingbird (Red Lake) narrated a PowerPoint presentation entitled "Source of all Experience." (Three Principles Based)

"The Source of All Experience"

Kingbird is a tribal behavioral health technician employed at Red Lake. His primary work is in the Red Lake Criminal Justice Complex where he conducts psycho educational seminars for inmates. He earned a BA in Indian Studies and a BS in criminal justice from BSU. Kingbird describes himself as a traditional elder, husband father and grandfather.

Kingbird is a certified trainer in the "Three Principles" and has been sharing the approach for 15 years. In his PowerPoint, "The Source of All Experience," there is a focus is on how to achieve sobriety, and psychological and emotional well-being. "The goal is to increase participants understanding of the psychological processes that occur prior to and during ones involvement in the drug and gang life." says Kingbird. "It is also designed to focus on how to remain free of the drug and gang life via understanding of the Three Principles."

Although difficult at times for this writer to follow, Kingbird says, "The "Three Principles" of Mind, Consciousness and Thought explain the entire range of human behavior and feeling states. They are responsible for the creation of all human experience."

The three principles are defined as:

Mind

"Mind" is defined as the "The energy and intelligence of all life, whether in the form, or formless. The Universal Mind, or the impersonal mind, is constant and unchangeable. The personal mind is in a perpetual state of change."

Consciousness

Consciousness is the gift of awareness. Consciousness allows the recognition of form; form being an expression of Thought.

Thought

The power of Thought is not self-created. Thought is a divine gift, which serves you immediately after you are born. Thought is the creative agent we use to direct us through life.

The fundamental premise of the theory is that life is spiritually generated into form from the formless, and that our experience as human beings is created from the interaction of the Three Principles; including the experience of self-identity.

"The Three Principles propose that feeling states (and all mental states) are self-created (through Thought), and that beyond each person's limited, personal thought system lies a vast reservoir of wisdom, insight and spiritual intelligence. No one person has greater access to spiritual wisdom than any other," says Kingbird. "Mental health is the resting state, or "default" setting of the mind, which brings with it non-contingent feelings of love, compassion, resilience, creativity and unity; both with others and with life itself."

Specifically, that for mental wellbeing, it is not important to process the past, or that the content of peoples' personal thought systems has to be "worked with" and analyzed. "The Three Principles emphasize kindness, sharing, caring, and the simple gift of love," Kingbird said.

6:00 Round Dance Social

A Round Dance Social, featuring hand drumming and singing took place on Thursday Evening from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. More than 100 people gathered. Tens of drummers and singers made a circle around several tables in the center of the event center, taking turns with songs, while others watched, listened or danced.

The amusing Murphy Thomas emceed the Round Dance displaying his usual flair for color, humor and history on the activities of music and dancing. There were contests for best song and dancing.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Participants found themselves visiting with new friends while enjoying pastries and coffee before Thomas took the mic again, providing a synopsis of a successful summit.

Thomas then asked participants to encircle a Traditional Drum at the center of the room for a Healing Ceremony explaining its purpose. He requested four healing songs to the four directions.

"Circle and stand near the drum for your family, friends, and relatives, for those who suffer, who are having a hard time, pray that they will heal, here in this place. To live right, we form a circle and we all become one. When you create that circle you are connecting, connecting to all our relatives around the world. Call on our spirits to protect ourselves." ~Larry Stillday, (Obaashiing) 8th Annual Drug and Gang Summit

The Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit is Sponsored by Red Lake Chemical Health AND by Red Lake Public Safety. Noted Tom Barrett, "where do you think those yummy donuts came from?"

Afterword

"Looking to cultural remedies. This awareness can lead to liberation. The first step is love and acceptance of oneself and of being Indian. A restoration of family is needed. Where there is historical grief and loss, you can also find historical strength and healing. One cannot treat addiction without addressing the spiritual and cultural issues. This is critical to long-term sobriety." ~Dr. Cecil White Hat, (Lakota Sioux) 8th Annual Drug and Gang Summit.

Culture is Prevention and Tradition is Treatment.

Note: "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

Mission of the Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit

The mission of the Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit is to educate and mobilize tribal agencies, professionals, schools and community members in a variety of efforts against drugs and crime in our communities. The goal of the summit is to gather and collect information on how to address issues of crime, drugs and violence while working closely with district representatives and the Red Lake Tribal Council.

The impetus for the event began at a special Tribal Council meeting in September 2006. At that time it was announced that the Tribal Chairman was calling for a summit on Methamphetamine/crack cocaine to be held. Red Lake Chemical Health Programs among others were instructed to head the summit.

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.

To learn more about Red Lake Chemical Health Programs, and services available, please call: Tom Barrett at 679-1545, Salena Beasley at 679-1543, Marilyn Mountain at 679-1452 or Kelly Brunelle at 679-3313