Montana Anishinabe Economic Recovery: The Creation of the Migisew - Asiniweyin Economic Development Corporation

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Creation of the Migisew - Asiniweyin Economic Development Corporation

The MAEDC has been long proposed and launching to address economic distress in Great Falls, Montana. The MAEDC is owned and operated by the Migisew and original Rocky Boy Bands of Chippewa. The MAEDC addresses legacy issues of historic poverty of the Hill 57 history, and the abandonment of the Anishinabe people by the federal government.

The MAEDC is launching its initiatives from this site: and will keep the community apprised of ways to stay involved through here. Listening Thunder Technology is in the process of finalizing draft organizational documents, with a 100% volunteer effort of a paralegal to incorporate the entity. The MAEDC is part of a larger effort of the Chippewa band, and under the direction of the band council.

LTT is working in an entirely volunteer capacity to draft band documents, creating this band's historic constitution and working with the tribe to submit its first petition for restoration of federal recognition, proposed companion legislation, and its economic policy.

ABOUT MAEDC:

The MAEDC is an intended to be an autonomous corporation of the Migisew and Asiniweyin Band goverment. It is being chartered to provide economic programs for the bands to thrive and prosper. The MAEDC will have its own governing board. Should you be interested in serving you must be a lineal descendant of the band/or bands, have an interest in economic development, and be willing to provide leadership at all levels to advance the economic program of the Migisew and Asiniweyin Bands.

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A GOOD DEED IS AS GOOD AS WORSHIP

Anishinabe Chief Ghizihwiibenais, or Loud Thunder, was also known as Jim Gopher, he had a saying " A good deed is as good as worship. " Loud Thunder was identified in an early census in Great Falls, Cascade and scorned by census workers as a "bolshevik." The carrier and heir to the 13 Star Revolutionary Treaty Flag was labeled a communist at this era of backlash in the Congress against perceived enemies of the U.S. Although Loud Thunder inherited a great legacy, and preserved a great legacy of the American Revolution. His tradition continues. Today his descendants honor his legacy in a spirit of public service, unity and compassion for all citizens of this nation.

"LOVE ONE ANOTHER, TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER"

These were the dying words of Chief Asiniweyin, or Rocky Boy, on April 18, 1916. The great Chief who campaigned for over thirty years for a home for his people, died at Ft. Asiniboine, near the entrance of the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. The Chippewa were on the cusp of finally settling after a hard effort to establish the reservation, had resulted in many deaths. Their hope was quickly dashed as the federal government moved Canadian Cree under Imasees, and the descendants of Louis Riel onto the newly created landbase.

The Chippewa have faced profound dispossession since. Their original 1908 roll was quickly thrown out by the Dept. of Interior; this same agency created another roll to replace it; thereby establishing the "1917 TENTATIVE ROLL OF THE ROCKY BOY INDIAN RESERVATION." Its own paid anthropologist, John C. Ewers, noted that original Chippewa from the 1908 roll were only 45 people out of the 451 the Interior deemed "tribal members."

Federal neglect, omission and paternalism created further disasters: the 1934 tribal constitution created; the Chippewa Cree Tribe. The Chippewa dispute the legality of this entity. in its haste to exterminate Anishinabe aboriginal title of the Pembina cedes: The U.S. Court of Claims based judgment distributions of the Pembina awards of 1964 and1980--on the 1917 roll.

The dis-enrolled Chippewa now assert claims to the Pembina cedes that encompass the Bakken Formation in the cede areas. This is a claim they assert as autonomous people.