HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.296
Reps. Rheingans, Breen, Brixie, DeBoer, Glanville, Haadsma,
Hood, MacDonell, Paiz and Wilson offered the following resolution:
1 A resolution to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
2 signing of Michigan Indian Day.
3 Whereas, The state of Michigan is home to many people
4 indigenous to the Americas, sometimes referred to as Native
5 American, Indian, or First Nation; and
6 Whereas, Michigan’s current borders include the twelve
7 federally recognized tribal nations with each having a unique and
8 independent government with different management and decision-
9 making structures which exercise sovereign authority; and
10 Whereas, Public Act 30 of 1974 established the fourth Friday
11 in September as Indian Day in Michigan; and
Michigan Indian D 24H 50th
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1 Whereas, The people of the state of Michigan benefit from an
2 understanding of the historical and contemporary lives of those who
3 came before us and currently live on these pleasant peninsulas; and
4 Whereas, Our shared history of the place we call Michigan
5 dates back approximately 14,000 years to the time before the last
6 glacier retreated from the land, and humans, including the
7 Anishinaabeg, populated the area. Our tribal partners pass along
8 the history of these first people; and
9 Whereas, In 2002, the State of Michigan and federally
10 recognized tribal nations entered into a government-to-government
11 accord, providing a framework for a government-to-government
12 partnership that recognizes that the parties share a responsibility
13 to provide for and protect the health, safety, and welfare of their
14 common citizens. The 2002 accord sought to enhance and improve
15 communication between the parties, foster respect for their
16 sovereign status, and facilitate the resolution of potentially
17 contentious issues; and
18 Whereas, In 2019, the Governor signed Executive Directive
19 2019-17, to further strengthen relations between the State of
20 Michigan and the federally recognized tribal nations. The Directive
21 reaffirmed the commitments made during the 2002 accord, reiterated
22 tribal sovereignty, and ordered each Executive Branch department
23 and agency to seek consultation on any actions or decisions that
24 they make that would impact any of the tribes; and
25 Whereas, In 2023, the State of Michigan designated Manoomin as
26 the state’s official native grain, honoring its contemporary,
27 historical, cultural, and spiritual significance to the Indigenous
28 peoples that have lived here for thousands of years; and
29 Whereas, Michigan is honored to have twelve federally
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1 recognized tribes within its borders: the Bay Mills Chippewa
2 Community, the Grand Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa and Chippewa
3 Indians, the Hannahville Indian Community, the Keweenaw Bay Indian
4 Community, the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
5 Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little
6 Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish
7 Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band
8 of Potawatomi Indians, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the
9 Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of
10 Chippewa Indians; and
11 Whereas, The state of Michigan and our tribal partners have
12 engaged in many fruitful and cooperative efforts to improve the
13 lives of our citizens and Michigan Indian Day is an annual
14 opportunity to honor those accomplishments; now, therefore, be it
15 Resolved, That the members of this legislative body
16 commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of Michigan Indian
17 Day. We recognize the significant contributions of Indian nations,
18 their citizens, and predecessors to our great state’s rich history
19 and bright future; and be it further
20 Resolved, That our common future will be improved with
21 thorough cooperation and communication between tribal and state
22 leadership.