Wednesday, August 1, 2012

WI Tribe Opens National Park On Some Acreage; Different Model Than Open Pit Mine

I'd been hearing that this was in the works: tribal land in northern Wisconsin turned into a public national park:

The Red Cliff Chippewa plan to unveil Frog Bay Tribal National Park on Friday. The move will mark the first time that a national park that's tribally owned or controlled has opened to the public.
Frog Bay is about 15 minutes north of Bayfield, home of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The area is flush with towering trees, including pine, spruce and cedar.
What a contrast to the plan still not dead to carry out mountain top removal in the Penokee Hills not far away and dig an open pit iron ore mine in the Bad River watershed with polluted land, air and water inevitable.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

There was no tribal land which was opened to the public, there was private land which was deeded to the tribe for the purpose of creating a park. If you go to the Bad River reservation and walk around on “tribal land” you will be guilty of trespassing and perhaps having your vehicle or property seized. They used to post a sign on the road going to Madigan beach announcing it was for “tribal members only”, and more than one non-tribal member has been shot at. It is best to stay in Madison and continue to imagine how you believe things are, rather than face the reality.

racism is real said...

yes, I remember seeing that sign. It made me like I was back in Mississippi in the 60's.

Unknown said...

Gosh, I went to the beach on the Bad River reservation on Easter Sunday this year. Was given directions by tribal members. Nobody "shot at" me or my daughter. Wonder who "has been shot at?" I am not a tribal member and would not be mistaken for one, I believe. Never saw any "tribal members only" sign. And I think my reality is "reality based." PK Hammel, of yes, Madison WI.

burroak said...

Again with the ignorance about Native Americans and land issues. Tribal land is often a mix of public and private land, owned by a mix of Native and non-native owners. American tribes are sovereign nations and the rules and/or laws that apply vary from one tribe to another. Just as with any land that may be private, it's common sense to determine what the property owner permits before you trespass. This is no less a rule for Native lands and possibly more so since they're sovereign nations. No one has an automatic right to wander around anywhere they damn well please, whether on my land or yours or tribal lands. Is this really that hard to understand? Why is it easier to disrespect and generalize without basis?