fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

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:

IMG_3039.jpeg

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland gives opening remarks.

IMG_3033.jpeg

Dr. Suzanne L. Cross (Saginaw Chippewa Tribe) is an expert on Indian boarding schools.

IMG_2998.jpeg

Crowd grew throughout the event. 

IMG_3028.jpeg

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Chairwoman Regina Gasco-Bentley gives a greeting from the Tribe.

IMG_3056.jpeg

Assistant Secretary of the Interior - Indian Affairs Bryan Newland gives his opening remarks.

 

IMG_3067.jpeg

Bay Mills Indian Community Chairperson Whitney Gravelle

IMG_2989.jpeg

Aaron Payment (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe), Director of Government Relations at the National Indian Health Board 

IMG_2970.jpeg

Ben Hinmon (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians)

Native News Online photos by Neely Bardwell.

More Stories Like This

Army Seeks Extension in Lawsuit Over Return of Native Childrens’ Remains
DOI places Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation's northern Illinois reservation land into trust
Army to Send Home 11 Native Children from Former Indian Boarding School
Tribal Nations Receive $411,000 to Document Impact of Federal Indian Boarding School Era
Tribes Ask Court to End North Dakota’s Appeal of Native Voting Rights Victories

Native Perspective.  Native Voices.  Native News. 

We launched Native News Online because the mainstream media often overlooks news that is important is Native people. We believe that everyone in Indian Country deserves equal access to news and commentary pertaining to them, their relatives and their communities. That's why the story you’ve just finished was free — and we want to keep it that way, for all readers.  We hope you'll consider making a donation to support our efforts so that we can continue publishing more stories that make a difference to Native people, whether they live on or off the reservation. Your donation will help us keep producing quality journalism and elevating Indigenous voices. Any contribution of any amount — big or small — gives us a better, stronger future and allows us to remain a force for change. Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous-centered journalism. Thank you.

 
About The Author
Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].