Zaagkii Project

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community teens and other northern Michigan youth are building butterfly houses and planting 26,000 native plants to help protect pollinators in the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds project.
In the wake of the deaths of an alarming number of honeybees colonies across the world, butteflies are more important than ever in pollinating the crops that bring food, nuts, platns and flowers to our tables.
The effort was highlighted in a Sept. 2008 KBIC news story. Scroll down to page four.

College of Menominee Nation: EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge and a lesson in Great Lakes recycling 101

Dr. William Van Lopik, College of Menominee Nation professor of the Implementing Sustainable Development classes

The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin contributed over 4 tons of electronic and pharmaceutical waste to the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge.

This is the first of several vidoes explaining the tribes numerous projects that included cleaning up the reservation, replacing gang symbols with Native American art, teaching youth about the legend of the sturgeon and its place in tribal culture.

In part one, the non-profit interfaith Earth Healing Initiative looks at the many recycling projects of the College of Menominee nation.
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(Keshena, WI) - The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin in Keshena is being praised for its massive cleanup projects…

(Marquette, Michigan - The Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge has entered its biggest week with help from interfaith groups and American Indians in reaching the goal of one million pounds of electronics and one million pills.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the challenge to Great Lakes basin residents participating in over 100 projects in literally hundreds of communities that are collecting pharmaceuticals, electronics and household poisons. The EPA awarded grants to some of the projects.
Interfaith groups are volunteering in the challenge and participating in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania with assistance from an EPA grant that helped start the new non-profit Earth Healing Initiative (EHI).
Trust between religions and participating in interfaith environment projects are vital to protect the future of the earth, said a Lutheran bishop, who has participated in numerous Earth Day recycling projects.
“We are in an environmental crisis in many ways,” said…

Earth Healing Initiative: Tipping point for faith groups
Environmental tipping point: Faith communities have a duty to protect the Earth, and Native Americans, other Indigenous peoples can teach us a lot about respecting nature
(Marquette, Michigan) - The new non-profit Earth Healing Initiative, based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is honoring faith-based and Native American environmental projects across the Great Lakes.
The interfaith Earth Healing Initiative (EHI) is currently collaborating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge involving about 37 projects in eight states including providing faith community volunteers where needed and spreading the word about the event in churches and temples.
Faith communities across the Great Lakes basin will be involved in the challenge and other Earth Day events.
The EHI is one of several faith-based environment projects created by the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, Michigan.
Rev. Jon Magnuson said it is important for people of…

Christian Narcissism: Attack on Indigenous heritage, culture
Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues being targeted by the Turtle Island Project - founded in northern Michigan in August 2007.
A pair of Midwest pastors launched the Turtle Island Project because they believe the world is sitting on the brink of important cultural, economic and religious issues that will either allow humans to prosper in harmony with the Earth or become the only species to cause its own extinction.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns say some - if not many - Christians belittle the knowledge and heritage of Indigenous cultures like Native Americans, Celts and other centuries-old religions and beliefs that are aligned closely with nature and the environment.
They believe we can all learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to these Earth-based cultures.
Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor, and…

The Turtle Island Project Promotes Respect for the heritage of Native Americans and all Indigenous Peoples, Planet Earth and the Environment, and a new North American Theology based on interfaith prayer
The Turtle Island Project in northern Michigan was founded in July 2007 by two Midwest pastors who believe the future of mankind and world is at a crossroads.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns believe that Christians could learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to Earth-based cultures like Native Americans, Celts, and other Indigenous peoples.
Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor, and Rev. Cairns is an ordained United Church of Christ minister.
Both have extensive backgrounds in interfaith and multicultural work.
The Turtle Island Project (TIP), based in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, promotes respect for the environment and Native Americans.
Two Midwest pastors created the TIP to foster a national discussion and debate on a wide variety of issues…

#3 Ojibwa Storyteller explains importance of Native American eagle feathers to Manoomin Project teens in Marquette, MI
During the summer of 2007, an Ojibwa elder spoke to Manoomin Project teens about the use of Eagle Feathers by Native Americans including why tribal members can legally possess the sacred feathers.
The teens were also told about powwows and the use of ceremonial tobacco as a sign of respect for nature and to Native American culture.
Over 100 Manoomin Project teens have planted more than one ton of wild rice seeds over the past four years, however the endeavor also stresses education about American Indian culture and heritage.
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community elder Glen Bressette spoke with the teens in July 2007 at Presque Isle Park along Lake Superior in Marquette, MI.

"Cowboys and Angels": A free northern Michigan benefit concert to battle domestic violence and teen suicides on one of the nation’s poorest American Indian reservations  

Plea for counselors falls on deaf ears - Public support needed to stem teen suicide crisis

(Munising, Michigan) - For the second time in four months, a free benefit concert will be held for the nation's first Native American domestic violence shelter to help battle an alarming increase in teen suicides on the Rosebud reservation.

The "Cowboys and Angels" concert will be held on December 15 in the tiny northern Michigan town of Munising.

Three more Rosebud Teens have killed themselves since the first concert in mid-August.

 

The Turtle Island Project (TIP) in Munising is organizing the concert to benefit the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society (WBCWS) in Mission, South Dakota.

The WBCWS battles domestic…

The Turtle Island Project: Centering prayer, jubilation, fighting for the environment, and clergy standing up for social change were all part of ecumenical retreat in northern Michigan

(Munising, Michigan) - A Chicago theology professor told northern Michigan clergy, church leaders, and the public "we live in a kyros moment" involving the environment and other social issues during a recent ecumenical retreat sponsored by the Turtle Island Project in Munising.

"We as human beings have not been good stewards of creation," said Rev. Dr. George Cairns, co-founder and board chair of the Turtle Island Project (TIP). "Native American peoples are the best living teachers of how to respect the environment."

The environment and the gifts of nature "are not something to simply be consumed," said Rev. Cairns, research professor theology for the Chicago Theological Seminary and an ordained United Church…

Northern Michigan youth from

preteen to twenties protect the earth

in rebirth of 1960s student environmental activism

The Emanuel Lutheran Youth group protects environment through projects, education and donations

Youth wing of Emanuel Lutheran Church of Skandia donates to NMU Lutheran Campus Ministry, support NMU EK student projects

A successful fundraiser was recently held for the Northern Michigan University EarthKeeper (NMU EK) Student Team and NMU Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) to support environment related projects in northern Michigan.

The Emanuel Lutheran Youth group of the Emanuel Lutheran Church of Skandia gave a check to the groups from money raised during recycling and cleanup projects.

Pictured left to right are Johnny Bergdahl, Jon Berglund, Pastor Chad Christensen, Sammy and Breanna Bahrman (hidden), Sammy Bergdahl, Kendra Heikkila, and Elizabeth McCarthy.

(All photos by Greg Peterson)