The Menominee Indian Reservation lies on 235,000 acres of ancestral lands in east-central Wisconsin. Recognizing the challenges faced by their community, including opioid addiction, poverty, and high rates of suicide, the community strives to restore harmony in their future leaders through the therapeutic experiences of nature to guide them to positive choices, and healthy lifestyles. Youth leadership activities include fly fishing, ice and spear fishing, rice harvesting, indigenous games, and others.
Thanks to the energies of Tribal member Bryant Waupoose and others, the Native Youth Leadership Program has received outstanding support for the fly fishing industry and AFF was delighted to provide a small grant award in Spring 2022. The following letter was received in July 2022.
Dear Fisheries Fund,
On behalf of Menikanaehkem (Rebuilders) a 501c3 we would like to thank you for your generous contribution of $1,500 dollars to our youth program.
Our healing journey this year was nothing short of amazing with many strides of growth in our future leaders. The purpose of this journey was to enhance the awareness of self through focusing on what we call the four therapy targets within (Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional.) We believe when our efforts are focused on the core of oneself it then can be projected out into our natural environment “how do you care about the environment if you don’t care about yourself.” Our tradition of a young man coming of age and traveling with a male mentor is also carried on through this journey to help us build a strong foundation for our youth to succeed.
This year’s journey was intentionally done through June 23rd to July 6th taking place when all of life on Mother Earth is at full bloom and the sun during this time is closest to us. This is a powerful time for our indigenous people.
We traveled from our homelands located in Northeast Wisconsin to Yellowstone National Park visiting other tribal lands along the path such as Lakota people in Sisseton, SD and the Shoshone and Arapaho people of the Wind River Reservation in WY. Our youth had a chance to spend time with inspirational people such as elders, tribal leaders, and grassroots organizers that are working on many issues we face including loss of language and culture, identity, and natural resources.
This unique opportunity allowed us to spend time on their homelands learning of the ways they are preserving their cultural practices, water resources, and sacred places. This also gave the opportunity to do some Fly-Fishing in some of the most beautiful places on turtle island. Our youth was able to meet a diverse group of individuals from backgrounds of fly-fishing and conservation and received encouragement on how this journey can raise awareness on the issues we face today.
The support we received from AFFTA Fisheries Fund helped us tremendously with lodging, meals, fuel, and a few forgotten items our youth needed to do some of the activities in comfort such as hiking boots and clothing.
We greatly appreciate your support! Thank you for helping make this journey possible!
