| Published April 29, 2022 |
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is posing two questions to their enrolled members this year regarding blood quantum, or BQ as it is often seen as a derogatory term. BQ was established by the colonizers and continues today. The questions will inform the tribe leadership about whether BQ should be removed as a requirement to be a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and allow the tribe to determine its own membership requirement. But it’s not that simple. Our guests help to unravel just the top few layers of this complex issue.
Guests: Wayne Ducheneaux, Native Governance Center & Sally Fineday, MN Chippewa Tribe member
Great discussion. Miigwech.
Very educational. My friend just became a member when Red Lake opened up enrollment and made it possible for someone who is 1/2 BQ to enroll. He is 62 years old and for 61 years he wasn’t able to officially be a member of the Red Lake Nation. I can’t begin to tell you how much it meant to him to be able to be a member of the Makwa clan and how that membership has enabled him to be fully engaged with his heritage.