Partnership develops cultural resources center within the Leech Lake Reservation

The Boys and Girls Club of the Leech Lake Area is working with partners to convert a closed wild rice and smoked fish business within the Leech Lake Reservation into a cultural resource center to serve area youth. The popular business sold rice and fish from a stand in Ball Club for over 30 years before the passing of its owner, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe [member] Tim Holm, in March 2016.

“I was worried that with Tim’s passing there would be a loss of food and cultural activities associated with netting and smoking whitefish, and harvesting and processing wild rice in the area,” said local attorney, Frank Bibeau, White Earth Ojibwe. “My grandfather and other community elders taught Tim how to gather and process these cultural and spiritual foods, and I quickly became concerned about the potential for the community losing a connection to its history and traditions.”

http://www.walkermn.com/news/partnership-develops-cultural-resources-center-within-the-leech-lake-reservation/article_460cba64-d107-11e6-84e8-5bb3d7bd21f0.html