Saginaw Chippewa's FACES of DiSENROLLMENT Real People Abused by a Corrupt Tribal Leadership

 My compatriots from the disenrolled Saginaw Chippewa have responded to my retrospective on their disenrollment and asked me to post this.  Of course I will.  Won't you share it to help?  

Rest in Peace Aunt Dolly Holzhausen who always supported Original Pechanga Blog on her Facebook.  If you need a picture or have what disenrollment means spelled out, HERE IT IS

THE FACES OF DISENROLLMENT

Disenrolled from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe

of Michigan

The faces of the disenrolled, speaking more than words ever could. 

They are real people, proud people. Strong people, fighters for what is right and just, walking the path with dignity and honor. As indigenous people they follow the Grand Father’s teachings, believe that we are all interconnected, and that through tradition and culture that we gain our strength.

This is a small fraction of the hundreds of members that have been disenrolled from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe. The Tribe has been disenrolling its members since 1998, and is one of only two tribes
in the United States that disenroll the deceased. (OP: I'll offer a correction here.  Numerous tribes like Pechanga and Pala do just that)

DISENROLLMENT cuts you off immediately from any and all services:
Medical- immediately- no extensions, no empathy, no help- DONE!
Housing- eviction notice-GET OUT!
Services- immediately CUT OFF!
You have no rights to participate or belong to your COMMUNITY! NO LONGER AN INDIAN!

The effects of DISENROLLMENT are very hard to put into words: the loss of your sense of self, the loss of your heritage, the loss of your culture, your right to be a part of your community, your right to
participate, your right to BELONG! These are wounds of the soul. 

You no longer exist to a Tribe whom your ancestors fought for, signed treaties on behalf of, ancestors who gave this Tribe their sovereignty.
You no longer exist to a Tribe where you have volunteered, participated in programs, served as an advisor and a mentor for many years. You are cut off and cut out of all participation. 

You are denied any and all access to sevices, programs, health care, cultural events and spiritual advisory. People whom you have known, worked with, volunteered with, mentored or advised, no longer speak to you for fear of retaliation from the Tribe. You are shunned from a community you helped grow and flourish. This extends to your family as well, your children, generations of trauma, trauma at the hand of your Tribe.

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe does not follow tradition or culture, they use the following United States
Government standards to determine membership:

BLOOD QUANTUM- not tradition or culture
RESERVATION- not tradition or culture
LAND ROLLS- not tradition or culture

ORDINANCE # 14- not tradition or culture

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe has relentlessly stripped away disenrolled members human and civil rights, appropriated their ancestors’ property, and stamped out their culture.
Each time the Tribe has faced an obstacle in disenrolling a member or family, the Tribal Council has changed Ordinance #14 (its enrollment ordinance) to further target, discriminate, and isolate and ensure that certain families and members are ultimately disenrolled. 

This Ordinance has been changed over 50 times, and some
families have been up for disenrollment three times. Three times of facing a Tribal Court that does not provide its members due process, and where no justice could ever be served due to an ever-changing
enrollment law.

Is DISENROLLMENT wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth? NO!

WE'RE FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHT TO BELONG