Past Deadline: The relationship between the tribe, the city and the university

·12 min·1 clip

The Saginaw Chippewa tribe uniquely dictates where its 2% casino profits go, unlike other tribes that just write a check.

Host Blaise Carpenter interviews reporter Kristen Kappes about her story on the relationship between the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, the city of Mount Pleasant, and Central Michigan University. Kappes describes the overall relationship as positive, rooted in mutual understanding and shared interests in community development. She outlines three main areas of collaboration: culture, economy, and education. Culturally, the tribe impacts Mount Pleasant through the Ziibiwing Center and events like powwows during Native American Heritage Month. Economically, the tribe's casino, operating under sovereign nation status, contributes 2% of its class three gaming profits to local governments and schools via a grant program. City Manager Aaron Descents noted the city typically receives about $650,000 annually, but last year got $1 million, funding items like airport operations, emergency services, and youth programs. The tribe uniquely dictates where these funds go, unlike other tribes. The casino also boosts tourism, benefiting local businesses. Educationally, CMU's use of the 'Chippewa' nickname was historically problematic due to cultural appropriation, but a 2002 agreement allowed its continued use in exchange for promoting indigenous education and accurate cultural representations, such as Ojibwe language courses and campus murals. President Neil McKinnon has incorporated ceremonies like smudging into university events. The history includes the painful legacy of the Mount Pleasant Industrial Indian Boarding School, which involved forced assimilation and abuse, causing generational trauma. The city and tribe now partner on archaeological restoration and annual Honoring, Healing, and Remembering Day ceremonies. Looking ahead, the relationship is healthy but faces challenges from uncertain state and federal funding, requiring both parties to 'do more with less.' Despite this, officials express confidence in continued effective communication and collaboration.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Central Michigan Life Podcasts