- Details
- By Levi Rickert
HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. — Tribal leaders and tribal citizens began arriving an hour before the start of second stop of "The Road to Healing" tour at the Pellston High School's gymnasuim on Saturday, August 13, 2022. By the time the event began, several hundred people were on hand as the Spirit Lake drum ushered in U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community).
Haaland and Newland were joined by other Interior Department staff from Washington, D.C. as they listened intently to testimony made by survivors and descendants for several hours.
Much of the testimony was similar to the first Road to Healing tour held last month at the Riverside Indian Boarding School in Anadarko, Oklahoma, operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). However, Saturday's testimony differed because the much of the testimony was about what happened at the Holy Childhood of Jesus School (Holy Childhood) that was run by the Catholic Church. in Harbor Springs, Mich., 18 miles away. Holy Childhood operated until 1983, which allowed many of those making testimony on Saturday to give firsthand accounts of their experiences they encounted decades ago.
Native News Online will publish a more complete story on Saturday's testimony on Monday.
Below are photographs from Saturday's event:
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland gives opening remarks.
f
Dr. Suzanne L. Cross (Saginaw Chippewa Tribe) is an expert on Indian boarding schools.
Crowd grew throughout the event.
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Chairwoman Regina Gasco-Bentley gives a greeting from the Tribe.
Assistant Secretary of the Interior - Indian Affairs Bryan Newland gives his opening remarks.
Bay Mills Indian Community Chairperson Whitney Gravelle
Aaron Payment (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe), Director of Government Relations at the National Indian Health Board
Ben Hinmon (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians)
Native News Online photos by Neely Bardwell.
More Stories Like This
50 Years of Self-Determination: How a Landmark Act Empowered Tribal Sovereignty and Transformed Federal-Tribal RelationsLittle Shell Tribe Breaks Ground on Ceremonial Center to Honor Culture, Community, and Future
LAND BACK: Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Become Caretakers of Fort Wayne Burial Mound
Trump Administration Charges Ahead with Plan to Destroy Oak Flat
Indigenous Chef Sean Sherman to Launch as First Expansion of Indigenous Food Lab Concept in Bozeman, MT
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Our mission draws from the warrior spirit that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations — the same spirit that drives us to stand guard over tribal rights through relentless investigation and fearless reporting.
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
