CASS LAKE 鈥� For the first time in its 74-year history, the Minnesota Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener was held in partnership with a tribal government.
Hosted by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the event celebrated not only the importance of Minnesota鈥檚 fishing and tourism industries but also the state鈥檚 relationship with Indigenous nations.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淗aving the Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener on a reservation is a really big deal,鈥� said Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who herself is an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. 鈥淭his weekend we鈥檙e connected to each other.鈥�
Taking place over two days on May 13 and 14, activities for the event were held across Leech Lake Nation, from a community celebration in Cass Lake on Friday evening to an official boat launch taking place bright and early Saturday morning on shores of Lake Winnibigoshish.
While the Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener marked a notable first through its partnership with Leech Lake, it also celebrated a return to normal following the event鈥檚 disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
鈥淭here鈥檚 also something that鈥檚 been missing these last couple of years, just the opportunity to gather with other folks,鈥� Gov. Tim Walz said as he welcomed everyone to the event on Friday evening, 鈥渁nd just to kind of pause and realize how incredibly blessed we are.鈥�
Those at the Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener were merely a handful of people across the state who took to the lakes and rivers over the weekend to fish, enjoy the outdoors and spend time with family and friends.
鈥淲hat (fishing) truly is is a community,鈥� Lauren Bennett McGinty, executive director of Explore Minnesota, said during the Friday event. 鈥淚t brings people together and that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 doing today, and that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 doing with a half-a-million other people around the state.鈥�
On Lake Winnibigoshish alone dozens of boats took to the open water, finding quiet bays to cast their lines and hope for a bite.
ADVERTISEMENT
As people across Minnesota kept up their fishing traditions, the Governor鈥檚 Fishing Opener carried on some of its own. One of these was the annual competition between Walz and Flanagan over who could catch more fish. This year it was Walz, who caught a 21-inch walleye.
The event also brought in Indigenous practices for the first time, with Leech Lake Chairman Faron Jackson, Sr. making an offering of tobacco before fishing began, placing it on top of the water.
Flanagan hopes that upcoming years practices like this will be included in a new tradition for the opener to increase Indigenous involvement.
鈥淔or the first time, four Anishinaabe were in the governor鈥檚 boat,鈥� Flanagan said after fishing had ended on Saturday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 history, and we鈥檙e going to keep doing it.鈥�
Partnering with Leech Lake for the opener modeled something that Walz has outlined as a priority for his administration: improving the relationship and coordination between the state and tribal governments.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fundamental shift over the past few years of how state and tribal relations work,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淲e want to be the model for the country. We鈥檙e getting better results and there鈥檚 more trust built up.鈥�
ADVERTISEMENT
Huber Mill opposition
The event also served as an opportunity for local Indigenous groups to highlight where Walz鈥檚 administration has struggled to keep those promises.
Outside of Friday evening鈥檚 event, held at the Cedar Lakes Casino and Hotel, members and supporters of Honor the Earth, an Indigenous-led environmental group, gathered for a protest dance calling for a stop to the Huber Mill Project.
The project, a lumber mill set to be built near Cohasset, Minn., and just one mile outside of the boundary for Leech Lake Nation and on 1855 treaty land, has been mired in controversy in part due to a lack of consultation with tribal governments, who only found out about the plans through a press release.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be the first to say we鈥檝e seen vast improvements in the state-tribal relations, but these old habits die hard,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淭he fact is that the chairmen of Leech Lake and Fond Du Lac were right about this, they needed to be consulted in how we did this. So that project is in reevaluation.鈥�
Despite these setbacks, Walz reaffirmed his commitment to improving the state's relations with tribal governments on a basis of respect and partnership.
"These are sovereign nations, and the state needs to deal nation to nation, state to state with them," Walz said. "That partnership of equals benefits everyone."
The Trust Project
