Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden traveled to the Menominee Nation to recognize and celebrate the tribe’s eco-friendly initiatives.

This was a historic occasion as it was the first time a U.S. first lady had set foot on the reservation.

Tribal spokesman Randal Chevalier remarked, “They just reached out to us if we were willing to host the first lady and, of course, we said ‘yes.’” He further clarified, “The purpose of the visit is for the first lady to learn more about Menominee sustainable forestry and other practices that preserve and protect our resources for years to come.”

The Menominee Tribe, with its expansive forest of over 200,000 acres, is admired by academics, ecologists, and green activists worldwide for its commitment to sustainable forestry through selective harvesting.

As the presidential motorcade carrying Biden navigated the reservation, numerous Menominee youngsters stood by the streets, exuberantly cheering and displaying welcome banners and flags.

Taking an unexpected detour, she paused to interact with some of the young ones, signing their banners and proudly waving the Menominee Nation flag.

Accompanying Biden during her tour was U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland. She warmly embraced several children and signed their banners. Haaland is celebrated across Indian Country, recognized as the first Native American in her position and for implementing pro-tribe reforms in the U.S.

Among her notable initiatives is the renaming of numerous Wisconsin waterways that once bore a derogatory term referencing Native women. The duo’s inaugural destination was the Menominee sawmill in Neopit. There, Michael Skenandore, the head of Menominee Tribal Enterprises overseeing the tribe’s timber industry, welcomed them.

“Our MTE family is honored and excited for Dr. Biden’s visit,” Skenandore said in a statement.

Biden and Haaland then made a second impromptu stop at Keshena Primary School to say hello to more students before continuing on to the College of Menominee Nation.

At the educational institution, Biden and Haaland were introduced to the tribe’s innovative work in sustainable farming, which began with a warm welcome by tribal dancers and a drum ensemble.

Biden inquired from Frank Kutka, a researcher at the institution, about their findings.

Kutka shared that they’ve discovered an organic mixture of burned wood and fish emulsion to be as effective as commercial fertilizers laden with environmentally harmful chemicals. This approach echoes agricultural methods employed by numerous Indigenous tribes before colonial times.

Concluding their journey, Biden and Haaland addressed the Women’s Empowerment Summit at the Menominee Hotel.

Upon their arrival, they were warmly welcomed by Menominee Chairwoman Gena Kakkak.

“We appreciate the Biden Administration for all their support in our many initiatives and look forward to building strong partnerships with each of them,” she said in a statement.

Haaland spoke to summit participants as well.

She claimed that the federal government’s $40 billion investment in Indian Country under the Biden Administration is long overdue and that Jill Biden has long been a supporter of tribes.

Wisconsin is home to 11 federally recognized Native American tribes. In the United States, there are more than 500.

Haaland brought up a recently revealed government funding commitment for a brand-new schoolyard at a Menominee tribe school.

Then Biden said “Posoh,” which is Menominee meaning “hello,” to the audience.

She honored Menominee trailblazer Ada Deer, who passed away this summer at the age of 88 and “walked on” in Indian Country. Deer was a champion for all American tribal nations and had assisted the Menominee Nation in regaining federal recognition status. She was the first female director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, chair of the Menominee Nation, and Wisconsin’s first Native American candidate for Congress.

“Ada’s legacy lives on in each of you,” Biden said.

She emphasized the commitment of the Biden Administration to collaborating with tribal nations in the management of the land and water, and she gave credit to her husband for making the greatest investment in Indian Country in history.

The Biden Administration gave the Menominee Nation around $1 million this year to improve and broaden the tribe’s sustainable forest management techniques.

Haaland remained behind and spoke with and took photographs with dozens of people after Biden and her entourage of Secret Service officials left the meeting.