Niizh

From the Office of Tribal Chairman David Arroyo

Aanii Boozhoo! Hello and greetings to Onaadidin-giizis (March), Niizhing mdaaswaak-shi-niizhtana-shi-niizh nsa-biboongad (2022). I hope everyone’s having a safe and enjoyable winter season so far.

GTB Onaadidin-giizis (March) Moment: Approval of GTB

Constitution. The GTB Constitution was approved by Ross O. Swimmer, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, on March 29, 1988, stating the Constitution was effective the same date. As a reminder, the first elected Tribal Council (1988 – 1990) consisted of the following tribal leaders: Joseph C. “Buddy” Raphael, Chair; Percy “Chief” Anderson, Jr.; Gregory Bailey; Chris Bussey; Jack Chambers, Jr.; Louise Kane; and Leonard B. Miller. The first resolution passed by the Tribal Council after 3/29/1988 was the Enrollment Ordinance, and subsequent 1988 resolutions continued funding requests for services to tribal members and the establishment and growth of infrastructure in Peshawbestown. It’s always good to remember our history and where we came from, and all the hard work that our ancestors put into the journey to federal recognition.

Herkner Property and LIHTC Funding. Good news to share! The tribe was awarded its request for funding through the MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority) Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC) and statutory set-aside. The LIHTC was created by the Federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 for the preservation of affordable rental housing and allows for tax incentives for investors and developers. The first phase of this project will consist of the new construction of 36 low-income rental units, with a mix of unit types from one-bedroom through four-bedroom units at the tribe’s Herkner property located in Grand Traverse County. More information will be shared as we move through the first phase of this housing development.

New Email Domain. Tribal government has changed its email domain, from [employee name]@gtbindians.com to [employee name]@gtb-nsn.gov The “nsn” part of the domain name means “native sovereign nation” and is registered under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is responsible for the “.gov” internet domain program established by the DOTGOV Act of 2020. “The Act would provide support services, security enhancements, and dedicated outreach to help state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to adopt the .gov domain, improving cybersecurity and trust in public services across the United States.” (https://www. ncsl.org/documents/Taskforces/DOTGOV-Act-memo112020.pdf) Chi Miigwetch in advance for your understanding as we make this change throughout tribal government. National Women’s History Month. The theme for Women's History Month 2022 is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” This theme recognizes the many ways in which women have provided healing and hope to humanity for countless generations. It’s been one year since Hon.Deb Haaland’s confirmation as Secretary of the Interior, and the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet Secretary. I continue to support her endeavors as Secretary of the Interior and in her work that, by all accounts, provides healing and promotes hope across Indian Country.

Daylight Savings Time. Daylight Savings Time begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November – in 2022 it begins March 13th and will end on November 6th. One way to look at it is, spring ahead and fall behind, and many people have their own way to remind themselves.

Ziigwan (Spring) Begins. In our history this was usually the time to move to sugar bush and meeting up with people you haven’t seen over the harsh winter months. It was also a time for fishing, trapping, and gathering birch bark for canoe building. This year the official start of spring is March 20th. Spring is a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings and has special meaning during these challenging times – here’s to the renewal of our spirits!

E-mkowaataagozijig (Sharing Their Knowledge) IV.

It was so enjoyable to participate in the E-mkowaataagozijig (Sharing Their Knowledge) Elders Forum last spring, provided by the GTB Anishinaabemowin Program in collaboration with Anishinaabemowin-Teg via Zoom. This year we’re looking forward to a continuation of last year’s gathering, which is E-mkowaataagoziig (Sharing Their Knowledge) IV – it’s tentatively scheduled March 17th and 18th, and it will have more emphasis on the language. The Zoom link will be forthcoming on the GTB website – please check our website for more information. I’m looking forward to more exposure to eyaawing – who we are – and our language!

COVID. Last year President Biden held a remembrance ceremony at the White House on February 22, 2021 to honor and mourn the 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in the United States – that number has risen to 955,597 lives lost at the time of this writing. Shall we never forget our loved ones who we lost to this deadly disease. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their lives to this terrible disease, including our tribal members and Native brothers and sisters across the nation. And I sincerely hope that everyone continues to exercise safety and caution.

To keep everyone safe, we would like to remind all GTB members and employees to follow safety guidelines and wear a mask if inside a GTB government building, an EDC facility, and/or any tribally owned facility – as determined by those entities. This is for the protection and safety of our employees and the entire community. It is also critical that Tribal members and community members wear masks when out in the public and at public gatherings, abide by frequent hand-washing, and practice social distancing. If you must attend a public gathering, it is still advisable to wear a face mask. Health officials have confirmed that public gatherings are one of the top causes of outbreaks, and the reason is because mask-wearing and social distancing are not enforced, in some instances. Please follow and practice established safety guidelines, and please refer to the Health Care updates in this issue for further information.

I encourage any and all Tribal Members to contact my office with any respectful questions or concerns. You will get a response. This is my contact information:

David M. Arroyo, Tribal Chairman Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians 2605 N. West Bay Shore Drive Peshawbestown, MI 49682-9275 Office: 231-534-7129 Cell: 231-499-2607 Fax: 231-534-7010