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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Land Bank abandons development where Native American remains found, donates land to Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
by Ron Fonger | The Flint Journal
Thursday October 30, 2008, 5:11 PM
FLINT, Michigan -- Centuries-old human remains have come back to haunt a planned housing project.
The Genesee County Land Bank is giving up on plans to build new houses on property that may have been an Indian burial ground and is offering instead to give the land to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
The Land Bank says it would cost too much to remove the remains, which were first unearthed in January. More were found later as snow melted.
It's unclear how many bodies may be buried in the area.
The Land Bank Board of Directors agreed last week to offer the land transfer, a move that likely signals the end of the government-subsidized development that backers hoped would help revitalize the Carriage Town Historic District.
"It's very unlikely it can ever move forward because of the cost of disinterring these remains," said Land Bank Chairman Daniel T. Kildee.
The Saginaw Chippewas haven't decided whether to accept the eight building lots on Stone Street, between Second and Third streets, said Shannon Martin, director of the tribe's Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways.
"We haven't had the opportunity to meet as a group with our tribal attorney or tribal council," Martin said. "To mitigate the harm to those ancestors was always the tribe's main concern."
Martin said an excavation will need to occur on the site and some proposals are already estimated at $100,000 or more.
Land Bank development consultant Amy Hovey said she believes the tribe is interested in eventually creating some kind of memorial on the site --Â perhaps a stretch of green space -- and has asked tribal leaders to work with neighbors about whatever might be done.
Joyce Goforth, who lives just east of Atwood Stadium on Begole Street, said she's disappointed the new homes planned for her neighborhood apparently won't go forward.
"I haven't seen much of anything happening," said Goforth. "The weeds are so high you have to be careful" looking out for oncoming traffic.
Goforth has lived here since 1969 and seen the neighborhood deteriorate.
"I was hoping they would build it up because this neighborhood is not very good," she said.
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:07 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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| Um, Ryan, have you ever known Native Americans to remove their forefathers and mothers in a venue that was once construed a burial ground? If there was one set of remains possibly, but this is more than one. |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:26 pm |
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Adam Ford
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
andi03 schreef:
have you ever known Native Americans to remove their forefathers and mothers in a venue that was once construed a burial ground? If there was one set of remains possibly, but this is more than one.
http://www.cjonline.com/stories/092997/casino.html |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:25 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
andi03 schreef:
Um, Ryan, have you ever known Native Americans to remove their forefathers and mothers in a venue that was once construed a burial ground? If there was one set of remains possibly, but this is more than one.
Tribe asks to build casino on grave site
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Last modified at 7:29 a.m. on Monday, September 29, 1997
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By MARGARET STAFFORD
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For generations, American Indians have been dogged by poverty, their traditions weakened from within and without. But few things have encapsulated their plight as neatly as this: a proposal by a tribe to build a casino on an Indian burial ground.
"The tribe is small and needs money to survive. An economic-development project like this will give us the money to be self-sufficient," said Leaford Bearskin, chief of the 3,800-member Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma.
Other Indians are shocked by the idea of building on what they regard as sacred ground.
"That they would think so little of their ancestors and elders and heritage to propose doing this, it's really abominable," said Fran Davidson, who often brings nuts and berries to the spirits of her 32 ancestors buried at the cemetery. "Imagine our relatives lying here, looking up at the floor of a casino."
The two-acre spot, which is bordered by busy streets and is just blocks from the government hub of downtown Kansas City, is the spiritual center of the Wyandottes' cousins, the Wyandot Nation of Kansas, who have buried their own there since 1843. The Wyandottes, however, are recognized by the U.S. government as a tribe, and thus control the cemetery.
If the Wyandottes get their way, workers could be driving pillars into the cemetery sometime next year, in preparation for a
$4 million to $5 million casino and bingo hall that would overlook some of the graves.
For years, Indian tribes around the country have fought against encroachment on their lands, going to court to keep scientists from studying burial sites and ancient dwellings and laying claim to property they say was taken from them.
In this case, though, "this is not some multimillion, non-Native conglomerate saying, 'Hey, have we got a deal for you,' " said Dan Wildcat, a professor of American Indian Studies at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. "This is a native people proposing to do this over the burial ground of their relations. It flies in the face of our beliefs, values and customs."
The state, city and four other Kansas tribes have gone to court, asking for restraining orders to block the project. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., introduced an amendment to ensure the cemetery is used as burial ground only.
The Wyandotte, Okla.-based Indians, who have been trying to build a casino in Kansas for nine years, have said the cemetery isn't their first choice, but because the state hasn't approved any other sites for them, they have to proceed.
Bearskin insisted the tribe's plans won't desecrate any graves. He pointed to other tribes that have prospered from operating casinos -- although not at cemeteries -- at a time when federal funding for Indians has been cut.
"They provide services we all need, like hospitals, roads, schools," he said.
The Wyandottes depend mostly on government assistance to operate their medical clinic and preschool and repair their homes. Figures on unemployment, welfare recipients or income were unavailable.
The Kansas Wyandots and the Oklahoma Wyandottes split from each other in 1855. The Wyandots aren't a federally recognized tribe because they were given U.S. citizenship in exchange for land.
For the past two years, the Wyandottes have been negotiating with Kansas to build a casino at the Woodlands, a racetrack that is in bankruptcy court. But the Legislature and Gov. Bill Graves have been reluctant to expand gambling in the state and haven't supported the Wyandottes.
"We're being portrayed as this group that suddenly wants to desecrate the cemetery. That's not true," Wyandotte attorney David McCullogh said. "Because of opposition to the other sites, we're in a position of doing something that we've been trying to avoid for nine years."
Copyright 1997 The Topeka Capital-Journal
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:47 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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lol... see this is just one example!! Adam find us more!
quote:
Adam Ford schreef:
quote:
andi03 schreef:
have you ever known Native Americans to remove their forefathers and mothers in a venue that was once construed a burial ground? If there was one set of remains possibly, but this is more than one.
http://www.cjonline.com/stories/092997/casino.html
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:49 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Couple things to remember here:
1.) It was their land hundreds of years ago ( a old reservation ).
2.) Its a burial ground.
3.) Voters of Flint approved a ballot measure to allow Gaming in Flint Michigan..
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:50 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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My mentor for restoration of cemeteries, helped the Chippewa Band locate and take jurisdiction over one in southern Genesee County...we'll see.
Just because the land may be turned over to them doesn't mean that a casino will go ahead. First and foremost on their mind is the deceased and what they are going to do to honor them.
Do you honestly think that anyone would think of building a casino in Flint NOW? With what police department for them to call on?!
Boy oh boy...I can't wait for a venue where people can waste their money and possibly blow up the building by little ladies carting around oxygen machines and people smoking right next to them....let's all go and have fun...oy. |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:29 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Quote from the article: "For the past two years, the Wyandottes have been negotiating with Kansas to build a casino at the Woodlands, a racetrack that is in bankruptcy court. But the Legislature and Gov. Bill Graves have been reluctant to expand gambling in the state and haven't supported the Wyandottes."
Ahhh, key sentence....."the Wyandottes have been negotiating" not the other way around!! If they would initiate the negotiations with Flint, then that would be another story...but we don't have one here that's NOT a burial ground. It ain't gonna happen, in the next couple of years.
Just because the Chippewa Tribe out of Saginaw owns land, doesn't mean that they are going to build a casino.
Let them decide what to do with the land and their deceased first. This is part of their culture that has to be respected and not only that but they are a sovereign nation and treaties exist as to how we go about handling this situation.
Sheesh, and even the article stated that building on a cemetery wasn't their first choice. |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:36 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Ya just never know what they will want to do..
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:32 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Ryan, if you were a Native American and there was a possibility your direct ancestors were buried there, would you want a building of any kind built on top of their graves? |
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I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:57 am |
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Adam Ford
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
Ryan, if you were a Native American and there was a possibility your direct ancestors were buried there, would you want a building of any kind built on top of their graves?
We did move the graves of white people to build the I-475 expressway in Flint. I do think using non-burial grounds for a casino would be a better option though. |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:07 am |
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Brother WilliamX
F L I N T O I D
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Very good and interesting question Dave, but today's
society have gotten away from remembering the many
native Americans who fought to save their land.
Developers don't give a damn about family traditions
or respect. If they have the money to build a tower
to the moon on a grave site that's what they will do.
Which brings me to stating this statement. I do NOT
celebrate Thanksgiving, due to the fact that the so
called celebration turned to be Thankskilling, and it
turned to be a Killing because they betrayed those
natives by getting them drunk, and then taking their
land by killing them.
I seen this happened in Viet Nam almost 40 years
ago, but the Viet cong did not take our bs, and we
are the ones who lost the Viet Nam war. Payback is
a bad thing. |
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BrotherWilliamX
CitizensAgainstCorruptedPoliticians
Detroit Michigan |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:16 am |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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****We did move the graves of white people to build the I-475 expressway in Flint. I do think using non-burial grounds for a casino would be a better option though.*****
That's because in the big heyday, GM had their way!! Connect all of the plants via a road with Fed funds....screw the deceased!!
Disclaimer: Yes, I am partial because I "take care of" a couple of cemeteries. |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:47 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Don't forget the part of the cemetery on Lewis that was moved to make room for the McDonald's Dairy expansion in the 50's. Part of Avontine, if I remember correctly. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:23 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Brother WilliamX schreef:
Very good and interesting question Dave, but today's
society have gotten away from remembering the many
native Americans who fought to save their land.
Developers don't give a damn about family traditions
or respect. If they have the money to build a tower
to the moon on a grave site that's what they will do.
Since the land will be given to the Native Americans, i don't see them moving their ancestors' bones.
quote:
I seen this happened in Viet Nam almost 40 years
ago, but the Viet cong did not take our bs, and we
are the ones who lost the Viet Nam war. Payback is
a bad thing.
The politicians lost the war, not the troops. LBJ micro managing down to the platoon level. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:25 pm |
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