To the people of the Red Lake Chippewa,
Please accept my sympathy and condolence at the recent
tragic events that have hit your nation. I offer my
blessings to the families of the victims and the
shooter, as well as the whole nation, as you struggle
through private tragedies in the public light. May you
find strength and solace in your community and your
traditions and in the sympathetic support you receive
from others.
Peace,
Frank B. Moorman
Osio.
We just read today of the horriable tragity that
has happened there. We of the Americian Unity
Council, send up our most heartfelt prayers, and well
wishes to everyone concerned. In this time of
uncertnty no one knows what is to happen. It is
something that effects us all, as a native people as a
whole, and as parents. We may not personaly know
anyone there, but we all are family in this. Our
prayers are with you all. Tormorrow our spiritual
leader, and medicine man will hold a small prayer
cermoney for the people there. Our love and prayers
to you all.
Charles Twodog
Council Leader
I know no one involved in your tragedy,but on this Easter Morning, my thoughts and prayers are with your community. May a Higher power help all to heal and forgive. I will enjoy learning more of our traditions by browsing the fantastic website, as I think more people should do.
Teri LaCrosse, WI.
To the RedLake Community,
I am very sorry about what happened at the Middle School but am especially sorry that President Bush did not give his condolences until 4 days after the shooting. For that one man, there are millions of people who felt the pain of your community. And I did not vote for him.
I know you will gain strength from each other and your powerful traditions that will guide you through this time. My most sincere condolences to the men and women who have lost a daughter or a son, a parent, or a brother or a sister.
I am a teacher and the idea of this happening in any school is very disturbing. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. I teach grades K -5 in English as a Second Language.
Sincerely,
Melissa Share
Sleepy Hollow, New York
To whom it may concern,
Peace be with you. You and your people have been through a lot lately and I'm sure you have received many e-mails concerning the recent trouble. Knowing that there is a lot to read through, I'll try to be brief but I wanted you to know that I have been praying for your community. I don't mean any of what I say to be judgmental. I'm just hoping to offer some suggestions on how to face the future. It doesn't cost a lot of money to change things around, but it does take some will power.
I have two teenagers and have dealt with other teenagers, some the friends of my daughters and others students of mine. I have never lived on a reservation and am not a Native American so I don't know all of the problems that you face, but one thing I do know and that is that you have to teach your children from infancy in the values that you want them to carry through to adulthood. In this day and age, parents must take control over their children's lives, not as ogres but as loving guides. There are some things in modern society that are so bad for a growing child's mind and body. They are TV, video and computer games and bad food. If children and adults have proper nutrition, they won't feel depressed and lethargic but will have bright minds and properly active bodies (without ADHD). This means fruits and vegetables and whole grains. This is what all of our ancestors ate. Fast food, too much sugar and fattening foods are nothing but a trap that brings on poor health and depression. TV has too much violence and there are no role models worthy of anybody's attention. The same with video games and computer games. Children need time to play and be outdoors in the fresh air. Even a piece of paper and crayons can help them to put their imaginations to work. They don't need tons of toys, just a ball or a few simple but age appropriate items. With a piece of chalk, we used to play hopscotch for hours or with a ball we played kickball all afternoon. Also, children will willingly learn to read and love it if they have the proper books, that is, good books. By good books, I mean positive, uplifting books, even funny, creative books. But stay away from negative, dark books.
Above all, kids need some compassionate direction. Kids left alone have no one to guide them. Kids just want to be loved and if that need is met, they'll do just about anything to please that parent or guardian. There is a Scripture in the Bible that says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he." It seems that the people of your community have lost their vision, but you can get it back again. You need a reason for being. Personally, I believe that reason is God. God has a purpose for you. It doesn't matter what you call God. There is only one God. He is the one who gives all life and breath. Whether a person lives in the city or in the country, we all need Him and He has a purpose for each one of us. I believe that if we look back at the goodness in our ancestors, we can find the goodness in ourselves. It has been passed on to us in some way but it has been covered over by the evils of modern society. We don't have to reject all of modern society, but just the evils. We have to find out how to express the goodness inside of ourselves. When we do, we will find out who we are and why we are here. I don't know a tremendous amount about the history of the native Americans, but I know there was a lot of goodness there.
I believe you can find it again and that you can give your children hope. I know that jobs are hard to find in your area, but one can live with dignity in whatever situation one finds oneself in. We don't have to live beggarly lives. We are children of a great king, God our Father, who loves us and will guide us properly when we ask of Him. I believe you can do it and will continue to pray that this terrible situation turns around and works a good in the lives of all those in your community.
Sincerely,
Jeanne Dunnett
To all family of the Red Lake reservation and all tribal families
everywhere we wish to express our deepest sadness for your losses and
your grief.
We have been reading the messages of sympathy on your web site this
morning and crying for all of you and for the authors and for
ourselves.
We have a young friend who fled the school that day. We are so grateful
that she is alive and yet we are so broken by the passing of her young
friends and relatives.
We know that tears are good. We know that laughter is better. We will
stay in prayer with you that the tears slowly dry and the laughter
returns along with full hearts to children, elders and all.
Maggie Fuller and Keith Vettel
Mentoring Project
Hello,
Our hearts grieve at the tragic loss of life your people are suffering. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jerry T.
I would like to send your community a wish for strength and hope. My
great-great-grandmother was a Fox, what is now the Sac and Fox Nation.
When I have gone through trials in my own lifetime, I've often thought of
how much strength and hope my Native American ancestors had to survive
through so much. And that they didn't survive so that I, one of their
descendents, could give up so easily. I would like to send my hope that
the people of the Red Lake Indian Reservation are blessed with the
courage and strength of their ancestors in this troubled time.
Sincerely,
J. Harrah
To the Red Lake Nation:
Please accept my hearfelt words of condolences and support to the people of the Red Lake during your period of sadness and loss.
from Gordon Prest, Sto:lo Nation, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada.
To the Red Lake Nation;
My prayers go out to you in your time of sorrow. I am so very proud of the way you have handled everything. Stay strong.
One Love
Veronica
Williamsburg, VA
Boozhoo Red Lake Nation,
I am not sure if im using the right adress but I would like to send my families prayers and support to the whole Red Lake Community. I was in class when the shooting happened and didnt find out till I came home and my mom told me what happened. My family and community have been mourning the loss of your children for days... I feel like it could have happened here... My family and our tribes have been holding ceremonies and sending prayers up for your families and community, you are our community we are all Anishinabeg.
Please accept our love, thoughts and prayers...
Aho
Melanie Storm (Crampton)
The Crampton Family (Odawa Nation - Michigan), Kent Family (Ojibwe Nation, Whitedog Ontario)
Dear Mr. Barrrett and all of the Red Lakers,
My name is Neil Bigboy and I am a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe in Odanah, Wisconsin. I am 21 years old and I currently live in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. First and foremost I want to say myself and my family grieve for you everyday. I pray to the creator to give you strength and to heal all of your wounds. The men of Red Lake please don't cry--your women and children of your tribe need you to be strong. More than anything now you need to be there for them. So one more time I pray for your tribal members and all of the victims.
Sincerely,
The whole Bigboy Family of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewas.
I went to the creek today, and sat among the pines. We, the Shawnee, want to offer our thoughts, peace and prayers. We ask in your intercession, for solace and guidance at this time. Together, Brother....
Karen Price
Honestly, I really do not know what to say in these times, it has been many news stories before this email!
My heart, my thoughts and my prayers go out to you in this VERY troubled times. I do pray the Lord of all comfort brings healing to your land! May this email show peace where one show such hatred, and may the LORD bring much good from where evil has brought tragedy!
Peace be with you,
Kevin
Manassas Park, VA
Message of Condolance to the Re Lake Chippewa
Our kinship roots still joined together
like the Forest far and wide.
From Coast to Coast and World wide,
we felt the horror deep inside.
frm Tiny Rhode Island to the Red Lake shores
goes smoke filled prayers, and tearful cries.
The overall picture we may never understand,
but we trust the Creator has a great plan.
He needed those people, we so dearly miss
as He reinforces the lesson of forgiveness.
His lessons of Love, Patience, and Honor
will carry us far as we will ponder
the Wisdom of Creators’ doing that fateful March day
when He took our loved ones far away.
But Creator has promised us
Strength for the day, Rest from the pain,
and light for the way, Grace from the trials,
Help from above,
unfailing sympathy and undying love.
Like the ash tree of the forest
The strength of the Chippewa people Perseveres.
Ray Lussier
Dear M.Barrett,
There are simply no words to convey the sadness we feel at the loss suffered by the families of Red Lake High School. I looked at photographs of each victim and mourned. Please know that many in East Texas are praying for you, for the victims' families, and especially for Steven Cobenais and the young May man. I pray that God in his mercy will miraculously touch them and heal them. They were spared for a purpose and I hope they will search until they understand God's purpose and experience fully His blessings in their lives. We love all of you and may God comfort your hearts and give you peace and rest.
Sincerely,
Deborah Midkiff
Dear Red Lake Community,
I am a grandpa on social seciruty and dont have much to give your
community yet I would like to offer my sincerest condolences and prayer for
all in this community.
May the Lord bless and keep those injured,their families and those
young children who have passed onto another spiritual plane. May they find
peace and small comfort with the knowledge this tradegy has touched the
USA and many offer their prayers. Their young lives were not in vain.
Having read what was posted about the ritual of burial,may I offer my
support.
We know not of other's passing from this realm,but we do all share in
the sorrow.
May my God and Your Beliefs help all through this time.
Sincerely,
M Owens
Texas
BOOZHOO;
OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS OF HEALING GO OUT TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF RED LAKE! RAY.
CHERYL-DAY EARLEY FAMILY,
BOIS FORTE"REZ"NETT LAKE MN
My sincere condolences to you and everyone touched by this tragedy. I
am a drummer of the African djembe drum. I wish I had many drums and could bring them there for people to play.
Many hours and weeks of playing the drums and dancing together.
I will remember your people in the drum circle and send my prayers.
I hope blessings come to you.
Laudine Borges
Ventura, California
While I along with everyone that I know [are] offering condolences regarding the unnecessary violence that took place at Red Lake High School, I think that more thought should be in how something like this can be avoided in the future. No one knows what will set a person off and why that person would perpetuate such violence but one thing is for certain--reservation life is not a picnic in the park.
Children and young adults need more to look forward to then the hopelessness that pervades the reservation life. With unemployment high and drug and alcohol use prevalent, I feel that programs should be implemented to fight the silent stalker of a reservation and that stalker is apathy. I have no answers as to where the money for these programs would come from but I know that there are government grants for such projects.
If the young people are going to have a chance to grow up and be adults and learn their traditions and culture and pass them on to the next generation then these programs need to be established and implemented as soon as possible in the near future. At a time when sorrow and anguish will rule the heart a healing has to begin I think this could be part of the healing process.
Chi megwech for reading this and may mother earth take your grief away and bring something good from this.
Nightwolf
Dear Mr. Barrett,
I wish it were possible for us to do more – we are all volunteer and so we help by action. I realize this must be a difficult time for the whole community there – and if our actions can help a little it is us who are grateful for the ability to help out.
I have placed a link at our site to your site at:
And while I know now is not the time – if at a point in the future Red Lake would like to list it’s business enterprises that also have web sites at our site to help increase their visibility on the net – please pass this invitation along for future reference. Also for Tribal PR people – ThreeHoops accepts direct press releases and posts them unedited – as another way to increase direct visibility for Tribal Nations and their priorities – if this would be useful to people where you are – we are here.
Our prayers continue to be with you and your community.
Wanda Jean
Untitled
My wife’s father, Charlie Blue, was born and raised
on the Red Lake reservation in Northern Minnesota.
My wife’s father was like many native men,
He went into the army and served his country.
After he got out of the service, he remained in the Twin Cities
where he lived all his adult life.
When he died he was taken back to Red Lake.
My wife’s relatives, who had little money, put there money together
and paid for Charlie Blue’s funeral and for all the food.
One of my wife’s cousins turned her house
over to us, so we had a place to stay and not pay for a hotel room