Buffalo Point First Nation, Manitoba, Canada.

Thursday, November 15, 2012.

(Repost & Dispatch from Margaret Gray, Manitoba)

Just north of Warroad, Minnesota, on the Canadian side of the border, there lies an Indian Reservation known as Buffalo Point. The sign that welcomes you reads "Buffalo Point International Resort" but one day myself and other band members hope that it will read "Buffalo Point First Nation."

Buffalo Point First Nation protesters

Ernest Cobiness and Elder Charles "Sam" Gibbons.

The sign itself foreshadows the priorities set by the past two non-aboriginal chiefs. A reserve that is picture-perfect and pristine as a tourist destination, but failing in representation of and responsibility to the Anishinaabe, the aboriginal people to whom the reserve belongs.

I have come here, only recently, to spend time with my mother and uncle, and to get to know my extended family that lives here. It is a sad and dis-heartening family history. The current chief, John Thunder, shares my grandmother's last name. John's father Jim Thunder, is my grandmother's half-brother. Growing up, I never got to visit our reservation, as the family history contained too much bitterness for my family to stomach, not to mention, the simple denial of our ability of many of my family members to register here. I always got the same, story : "No – you can't get registered at Buffalo Point because Jim (or later his son John) Thunder is chief. He is Sarah's (my great-grandmother's) white son and he only allows his white family to enroll, and not your Grandma's grandchildren." The story was so unjust and illogical that I could barely make sense of it, and it brought up so much bitterness, that I seldom asked about it. But now I am seeing the situation with my own eyes.

On appearance, I probably look as white as my non-aboriginal relatives of the current chieftaincy. Regardless, my mother's family has always insisted on the legitimacy of my band membership claim to Buffalo Point, as I am a direct-descendant of former elected Anishinaabe chief Tom Thunder. He was my great-grandfather, and passed away before I was born.

If you are looking for the band office at Buffalo Point, just go to the building labeled "Museum." It is more evidence of how the reserve is set up for the interests of tourists rather than the interests of legitimate band members. On the walls – a picture of my white great-grandmother, a picture of my grandmother's brother – an Anishinaabe and veteran of World War II, a beautiful painting of my great-grandfather, Tom Thunder, painted by fellow occupier and band-member, Ernest Cobiness. White, native, mixed - it should hardly matter anymore. Instead, we should be working on a vision for the future for the legitimate band members of Buffalo Point. Providing services and care to our Elders and young children, helping to inspire our bright youth, preserving our traditional knowledge, religion, and culture. But for now, we protest to raise awareness for the need for democratic elections in order to oust the leadership of a chief who is only looking out for the financial prosperity of his non-aboriginal family.

I have been here, visiting on and off at the band office since last week, joining 10-20 other band members who have been occupying since October 19.

This is not the first attempt to oust the dictator. Democratic elections have not taken place for over 40 years. John Thunder, (son of Chief Jim Thunder - the alledgedly adopted white son of Chief Tom Thunder) hides behind the hereditary system of chieftaincy. He uses it as a way to carry out a personal agenda for himself and his family. But traditionally, even under a hereditary system of chieftaincy, band members were still able to overthrow leadership that they found unsatisfactory. We are opting for the non-violent route, demanding the enforcement of democratic elections.

The list of complaints that our band has filed has been extensive. We have no transparency in our governance system. We are not allowed to see who is on the rolls of band members. In addition, legitimate band members have been denied registry, but we believe that many non-aboriginals have possibly been added to the rolls. The Canadian government allocates funds to our reservation, but they only seem to line the pockets of the John Thunder's entrepreneurial activities, which include an 18-hole golf course, conference center and restaurant, said by our elders to be built on the sacred ancestral burial grounds. Aboriginal band members are often denied jobs but the children and grandchildren of the non-aboriginal chiefs Jim Thunder, and current chief, John Thunder, live comfortable middle-class lives. No economic benefits from the tourist enterprises, which includes the leasing of 450 cottages to the public, are returned to the approximate 75 Anishinaabe band members to whom the reserve belongs. Many of the cottagers are also displeased, as John Thunder plans to increase their taxes.





We are here, occupying, because we demand democratic elections. We want to elect an accountable leader that hears our concerns, and we want transparency in our governance and the governance's monetary allocations and expenditures.

Elder Charles Gibbons, a fellow protestor at the band office, states that we are protesting because Indian Affairs, as part of the Canadian government, is denying us our democratic rights to choose our leader. Under the treaty signed with the British crown, the Canadian government is supposed to be looking out for the best interests of our people. Our Elder states that the reason the Canadian government is not upholding their fiduciary responsibility is that they do not want to reveal the fraud that has been taking place over the last 4o or more years. Charles Gibbons says that there are many Anishinaabe in Canada that are veterans of foreign wars. He says that these veterans fought to uphold the laws of Canada. Further, he states that Treaty 3, signed in 1873, was signed at a time when the British Crown was still fearful of the Anishinaabe that occupied their traditional lands. He sees that Treaty 3 was signed as part of a peace agreement, and that Indian Affairs is required to hold up their signed fiduciary responsibilities, which includes basic human rights, like our right to vote. By giving funds to the current chieftancy of dictator John Thunder, they are not holding up their fiduciary responsibilities to the Anishinaabe, but protecting entrepreneurial pursuits of one non-aboriginal family. Further, Charles Gibbons explains how Indian Affairs is protecting the interests of a white chief, who works within the local corporate crony network. Powerful large local businesses benefit from the dealings of Chief John Thunder, and evidence may be uncovered around unethical uses of government funds for the pursuits of private interests – mostly for those that are non-aboriginal and wealthy. We ask Indian Affairs to release all financial documents as part of over 40 years of suppression. Fellow occupier Ernest Cobiness says that the hereditary system of chieftancy was never part of our culture here at Buffalo Point. We always had democratic elections until the appointment of adopted son, Jim Thunder, in 1969. Cobiness says that John Thunder is hiding behind the hereditary system to maintain his power, and that his practices are insulting to First Nations of Canada that use the hereditary system.



Margaret Gray with a portrait of her great-grandfather,

Tom Thunder, cousin Curtis Thunder, and Uncle John T. Camp





Written by Margaret Gray, United States citizen and Canadian Status Indian. West Virginia resident and legitimate Buffalo Point First Nation band member.



