Cass Lake Indian Village
The Cass lake Indian Village is becoming a reality. Today we had the ground blessing { a cultural equivalent to a ground breaking but with so much more meaning to us and explanation to all our relatives as to what we are doing there}. We will be building a large lodge and two smaller lodges as soon as the weather permits.
We had scheduled today to be the day to start building the village but the thunder birds and big winds had other plans. We are not complaining about the rain. the past two years has been so dry that berries, plants and animals had a hard time living. Not to mention the farmers and and the forest fires that start under drought conditions. So we are grateful for the rain but we felt it be best if we weren’t out cutting poles in a tamarack swamp today. we have rescheduled the building of the village for the next nice day so with in the week I hope we will have pictures and a progress report to blog.
The Indian Village was one of the projects we picked for the community and laying the foundation { so to speak} has been a long and tedious process. Working through all the layers of the bureaucracy and trying to partnering with various organizations to do this has been unfruitful. We selected a site and for 2 months operated under the assumption the city owned the property we were going to build on and everyone who we talked to about it told us that it was a good idea and went to the city council to get the action needed to solidify the project we were told that we had to get approval from a local museum board who has a building adjacent to the property. So upon contacting the museum board we were told “good idea, maybe next year” . We were given suggestion to build it across the road on Indian land, where “they always do things anyway”. I responded with “yes we should just go across the road and stay there”. Which has been a big factor in trying to accomplish anything in this town. Any way ,after a big runaround we found out neither the city nor the museum board owned this property , Min-dot does and they will not give approval for the village, citing a high risk intersection of highway 2 and 371. I actually think its more like the hi risk intersection of the “R” word and Reality, but what do I know?? I do know that the “R” word is alive and well in this town and the people who deny it are deluded and contribute to the problems, but those of you who are native know what I am saying. Those that aren’t are most likely saying “what is this about? or that kind of talk contributes to the issue. Oh well I’m just reporting what I am seeing through my Indian eyes.
Cass lake is a city located on the Leech Lake Indian reservation. and Highway 2 has been the dividing point between the city and the reservation. The Indians that did live in town lived mostly across the rail road tracks on what we now know to be a Superfund site. {That is a whole different story in its self}.
Mean while a business owner heard of our plans and invited us to build on Highway 2 next to their restaurant. So if you are ever in the area stop and see Marilyn and Larry Glass at Chucky’s Chicken. You can”t miss it , it will be the only restaurant in town with its own Indian Village and if its during the summer months we hope to have local artisans there selling their wares or actually making their crafts. We hope to have educational programs and are advertising …….Have your next naming ceremony or wedding in a WIGWAM. We hope this to be a gathering place for people to use. Already we have been contacted by a person looking for a site to do a men’s group. Endless possibilities there. Educational programming and hopefully some stimulation for the economy by supporting the local artists maybe even planning an Indian Market a couple times a year.
Also more to come , after we finish the start of the village we have great plans for winter time activities so check back for updates on the village and plans for the fall and winter.
Also because I have an” I live here and I am not going away attitude” our other project will be ripening here soon but I am saving that blog for the Kat to write about so stay tuned…………………and then theres the issue of we have a nice little building on mainstreet that is the seniors citzen center that is only open a few hours a week. so stay tuned as we continue to partner with the town folks and have fun in the process. What am I saying??? Im a town folk too and a city proerty owner even. A tax payer too! hummn I just forget sometime!!