HONOR THE TREATIES, and STOP THE HUNT OF OUR MA'IINGAN IMMEDIATELY


Gov. Scott Walker on April 2, 2012 signed the SB411 to commence on Wolf Hunting and Trapping in Wisconsin. The wolves that are on ceded terroritory, of the 11-soverign nations', tribal treaties of 1837, 1842 and 1854, are federally protected. On December 21, 2011, the Office of the Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior, removed the Wolf off Endangered Species Act, and ordered States, tribes to assume management responsibility, for the wolf. Wisconsin SB411, clearly violates the Tribal Treaties 1837, 1842 and 1854, as well as, Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior order for Tribes to work with State to management the population. During the process of writing the SB411, the Tribes were not consulted in the process.

The Commission’s member tribes may have additional comments on this legislation, and I would urge the legislature to talk with them directly on a government-to-government basis as well as under the auspices of the Lac Courte Oreilles v. Wisconsin case, commonly known as the Voigt case.

Wolves are a species of great significance to the Anishinaabe. We understand wolves to be educators, teaching us about hunting and working together in extended family units. Wolves exemplify perseverance, guardianship, intelligence, and wisdom. Moreover, in the Anishinaabe creation story we are taught that Ma’iingan (wolf) is a brother to Original man. The two traveled together throughout the earth naming everything. Once this task was completed, the Creator said that the two had to take separate paths, but indicated that whatever happened to one would happen to the other. Each would be feared, respected, and misunderstood by the people that would later join them on earth. Thus, the health and survival of Anishinaabe people is tied to that of Ma’iingan. We can do no less than to fully support efforts to protect, promote acceptance, and ensure healthy and abundant populations of wolves, for it is our own future that we are also considering.

This unique relationship with Ma’iingan brings with it unique responsibility. For the Anishinaabe, the cultural significance of wolves and the responsibility of the tribes to manage the wolf resource in Wisconsin in a culturally appropriate way cannot be overstated. The recovery of Ma’iingan in this State represents a tremendous success that is restoring a cultural as well as an ecological cornerstone to the region. This recovery must be protected and preserved to the maximum extent possible.

The Commission is concerned that many of the provisions of the bill significantly undermine the protection of Ma’iingan within the treaty ceded territories. As you may be aware, the State does not have unfettered discretion to exercise its management prerogatives to the detriment of the tribes’ treaty reserved rights in ways that would be contrary to the requirements of the Lac Courte Oreilles v. Wisconsin case. The State may not legislate away the tribes’ treaty rights; similarly, legislating to the detriment of treaty resources through the legislative establishment of a State wolf hunting and trapping season may not be used to accomplish the same end.

For the Commission, wolf recovery does not hinge primarily upon some minimum number of animals comprising the current wolf population. More importantly, it hinges on whether wolves are fully restored and will be sufficiently protected to ensure the healthiest and most abundant future for our brother and ourselves. This perspective forms the basis for the Voigt Task Force opposition to the bill. More specific background information and comments on various provisions of SB 411 follow.

Stop the annual black bear slaughter and STOP the new Wolf Hunting Season in Wisconsin.
Wisconson Department of Natural Resources
101 S WEBSTER ST
PO BOX 7921
MADISON WI USA
53707-7921
Phone: (608) 266-2621
Fax: (608) 261-4380

Office of Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
E-Mail: govgeneral@wisconsin.gov

Phone: (608) 266-1212

Sources

Office of the Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior, when removing off the endangered list noted that the State, Tribes are to assume management responsibility.

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=427373137278704

TESTIMONY of JAMES E. ZORN - SB 411 - Anishinaabe creation story - Ma’iingan is a brother to Original man.