Headline 10/26/23

Emma:

This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Emma Needham. This week, a new report identifies systemic issues in investigating Minnesota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous people’s cases, an Ojibwe Language revival game hits store shelves in the Twin Cities, and a new survey at Leech Lake Nation hopes to identify solutions for homeless tribal members. Here’s Marie Rock.

Marie:

Minnesota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives office, or MMIR office, released a yearlong report highlighting significant themes contributing to the injustice toward Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives in Minnesota. The report identifies system gaps in reporting, responding to, and offering victims’ services for MMIR cases.
 
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the MMIR office partnered with Wilder Research in 2022 to study federal, state, and Tribal level policies. The work examined and identified current issues in Minnesota and offered recommendations for addressing MMIR injustice.

Wilder Research conducted in-depth interviews and listening sessions with experts from around Minnesota. This included people with lived experience, family members of missing Indigenous people, and those who died by murder or under suspicious circumstances. Wilder Research reviewed and identified nine areas where problems are apparent or improvements are needed, including prevention, media reporting, Communication alert systems, jurisdictional issues, and more.  

Indigenous people make up less than 1% of the population in Minnesota, but Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people account for 8% of all murder victims in the State. Every month, from 2012 to 2020, anywhere between 27 and 54 American Indian women and girls were listed as missing in Minnesota.
  
The report includes three key recommendations:  Improving the training of law enforcement and other officials; enhancing partnerships among all government and non-government organizations involved in preventing victimization and investigating cases; and supporting families and communities affected by trauma. It also recommends collaboration and cooperation between the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Harbor Minnesota, and local and Tribal law enforcement.

According to the press release, the report focused on how the related systems respond once a person has gone missing or died under suspicious circumstances. It did not address the upstream causes of why Indigenous relatives are at risk of going missing or being murdered, including human trafficking, poverty and homelessness, the child welfare system, substance use, domestic violence, and other factors.

Find the report on the Department of Public Safety’s website at dps.mn.gov.  

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has also partnered with the Wilder Research Center to help find a solution for its unhoused members. This Wilder Homelessness Survey was created for Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe members who are residing in a place not meant for human habitation, doubled up in multi-generational cohabitating, living in a shelter, couch hopping, living in a vehicle or RV, or living outside in any way. The survey was conducted in person at various locations throughout Leech Lake Nation. The results will help inform the tribe in their efforts to ensure relatives of their nation are appropriately housed. Additional information is available at leech lake nation dot com.

A partnership of a different kind brings an Ojibwe language game to Minnesota shelves this holiday season. Nashke Native Games has partnered with the Minnesota-based retailer Games by James to offer Bineshiiyag, an Ojibwe Language revitalization game, in their stores. Bineshiiyag will be available at Games by James in the Roseville, Mall of America, St. Cloud, Minnetonka, and Southdale stores. According to the Naske Native Games website, Bineshiiyag is similar to “Go Fish” but uses birds as the focal point for the game. There are currently two collections of Bineshiiyag, the Owl Collection and the Seagull Collection. Each version includes a card game, memory tile-matching games, and children’s puzzles. Bineshiiyag and other Ojibwe Language games are also available at nashke.com.

For Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.

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