Leaders of the Forest County Potawatomi gave the 20th annual State of the Tribes Address in Wisconsin on Feb. 22. While mostly highlighting cooperation with the state, tribal officials did say more needs to be done.
Wisconsin is politically divided. But Forest County Potawatomi Tribal Chairman James Crawford thanked Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled State Legislature for joint efforts to address the lack of affordable housing, worker shortages and federal Medicaid reimbursements in tribal communities.
Crawford says one problem in need of more attention is the trafficking of native females.
“In tribal communities all across the country, including here in Wisconsin, native women and girls are being exploited, trafficked and subjected to violence at disproportionately high rates," Crawford says.
Crawford says Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul (D) and members of a task force on missing and murdered indigenous women are trying to trying to reduce the problem.
Also speaking at the State Capitol event was Forest County Potawatomi elder Eugene Shawano Sr., who gave the opening prayer. After speaking in his native language, Shawano translated his prayer to English, including a concern about what he calls "Mother Earth."
Shawano says, “We’re the ones that are abusing her, and creating the illnesses we are getting. The COVID, cancer, tuberculosis—we know it’s going to continue, finding new diseases, because we are not helping our Mom to stay clean and help providing for us.”
Shawano says Mother Earth “will never give up” but urges — everyone — to pay attention to her needs.
Editor’s note: A portion of the audio is from WisconsinEye
