With Native American Day happening on September 27 this year [see story on page 7 inside today’s DLJ], we wanted to highlight the positive contributions and highlights that have happened to our neighbors in Fort Totten. We talked to Darren Walking Eagle, Crow Hill District Representative and Spirit Lake Tribe Chairperson Lonna Street to find out more about the good things that are happening in Fort Totten.
Goals for Spirit Lake: “It’s always our goals as leaders to bring communities together in a way that impacts positively….promoting such things as language, culture, education, and simply working on strengthening our connections for a greater sense of community.” Street said.
Sports/Education: One of the notable up-and-coming athletes who graduated from Four Winds High School is Deng Deng. He is now a student at UND and is a part of their football team. “It gives the younger audience someone to look up to,” Street said. She also mentioned that Cankdeska Cikana Community College had the highest number of graduates this year. The community college has two year degrees in social work, business administration, a CDL program. “We take pride in all of our students,” Street said. She also added, “One thing as a tribe we are pushing is more [Native] culture and language within our communities.” She mentioned the Spirit Comes Back Program which is funded by the CDC and designed to reinstill language and culture back into the Spirit Lake tribe.
Housing: Walking Eagle and Street talked about the housing projects and opportunities that tribal members have with the Spirit Lake Tribe Tatanka Najin Rent-to-own Home Ownership Program. “36 homes were purchased through the program allowing eight homes per district and one additional home per district to house a law enforcement officer in each district.” The project is funded through the American Recovery Plan Act. “We’re developing for the youth so they have a place to have to own,” said Walking Eagle. There is also a homeless shelter that is being built.
Climate/Pollution: Spirit Lake was awarded a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the EPA. The $7.2 million grant will be overseen by the Spirit Lake EPA director Josh Tweeton. Walking Eagle said this grant will help “clean up trash, asbestos, and be used to develop solar energy and to cut climate pollution.”
Healing Village: Street and Walking Eagle said October will be the grand opening of Spirit Lake Healing Village which will be located by Highway 57 by the Tribal Court. The village will “help troubled teens with addictions of today’s world and to better themselves” Walking Eagle said. The Healing Village will be hosting a grand opening located off of Highway 57 in Ft. Totten at the Tribal Court.
Other comments: “The Spirit Lake Tribe has grown so much. We have many opportunities to engage with the community such as local events, sporting events, concerts, and things more culturally centered such as powwow, an upcoming Veterans Day Powwow on November 9 & 10, 2024. We take every opportunity to create a strong network of support and sense of belonging. This helps create support systems and at the same time gives a sense of purpose and greater well-being as community members,” Street said.
“We employ many within our boundaries at tribal entities such as the Spirit Lake Casino and Resort, Sioux Manufacturing Corporation, and the Spirit Lake Tribe. Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC), the Spirit Lake Tribe’s Tribal College currently offers various associate degrees, certificates, and much more. CCCC has recently graduated the largest number of graduates on record,” Street said.
“We hosted our annual Spirit Lake Akicita Powwow on July 26, 27, & 28, 2024 where we drew numerous visitors from the surrounding areas and beyond, including Canada and tribal nations from across the United States. A beautiful display of cultural connection and pride can be felt and seen here.”
