OGITCHIDAKWEHonorable Retired Judge Betty Migizikwe Laverdure

Once in a rare while the Creator will impartGreatness and kindness both, in one human heart.Sometimes, mysteriously, sweetness and pure love

Are allowed to exist with smart and tough.Today the best among us is not erased

But made again, young and strong, in that fierce embraceOf gracious power, and her namesake's wings.

How she loved us, how she loved us all.So may we love each other now.

For Migizikwe, Eagle WomanAuthor Louise Erdrich

IN HONOR OF MIGIZIKWE

VALUES

STRENGTH SIMPLICITY

VALUES

EDUCATION RESPECT

VALUES

RAISING GOOD MEN

"Besides being captain, incommon with the others, [Jean Baptiste Wilkie] was styled the great war chief or head of the camp; and on all public occasions he occupied the place of president."

GGGGrandaughter of a Chief

The ceremonies made me and my family see and feel life and creation in a holistic way. We learned to communicate with the natural world and the spirit world as a way of life; we learned that it was a duty the Great Spirit gave human beings to maintain.

SPIRITUALITY

She was a proud member of the Bear Clan of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. In that role, she took to heart, more than most, her duty to protect the rights and dignity of her people, and, in fact, any populations considered to be marginalized and vulnerable. Her interpretation of that role was to serve as an educator, advocate and Chief Tribal Justice.

TRADITIONAL ROLES

We are a healing people, so it is up to us if we are going to make time to live the life our ancestors did by giving thanks. We are so lucky to have each other and to be still able to gather up and do our ceremonies. As long as we are still lighting our Sacred Fires, as long as we are lighting our Sacred Pipes, the Great Mystery can hear and feel our respect for Life and the Universe

BIIMADIZIWIN

A HORSE THIEFForced to go to residential school, she was determined to go home to her beloved Turtle Mountains. She planned, carefully how to go across two states without being caught, because if they were caught, their hair would be shaved off. Her hair was naturally curly and way past her waist. It was her strength.

She ran away at night and stole a horse. She will ride all night. She would hide during the day. She did that everyday until she arrived at Belcourt, North Dakota. When she got home, her Mishom told Kookum, that she will never go away again.

Betty ended up graduating from Turtle Mountain High School as Valedictorian. Her good friend Danny Jerome was Salutorian.

I was chief judge, and I acted as an appeals court judge for the tribe. It was the most important job I ever held for my people, being their judge in the courthouse. In 1968, I was involved in writing a code of ethics that was later used as a model in different states. In 1977, I went to work for the bureau of Indian Affairs, and we used that code. Later I began to write codes for Unites States Government.

TRIBAL LAW & SELF-GOVERNANCE

“Back then, there weren't very many tribal courts and those that were there, were under federal or state laws and policies,'' Laverdure said. “So, I began thinking about that and started working on the codes.'' Those codes have since become the backbone of the current tribal court systems in much of Indian country.

TRIBAL LAW & SELF-GOVERNANCE

Laverdure and other tribal judges pioneered the tribal court system. They saw the need for new tribal legislation as the Indian Civil Rights bill was on the horizon in the late 1960s and formed a Tribal Judges Association.

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

Laverdure said it was an uphill battle, but one she loved. "A lot of people thought we were wasting our time, but we saw the 1965 Civil Rights Act coming up and knew we had to do something. The tribal courts didn't allow lawyers in the tribal courtrooms back then. I could see that we needed our own court system and I decided to start writing some laws for our courts.

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

Laverdure was the one of fifteen staff that started the Turtle Mountain Tribal & Community College. Dr. Larry Belgarde, the first president for the college noted that all they had as a resource was vision.

She was involved in the drafting of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

She was a charter founding member of the Native American Indian Court Judges Association.

BEING A PIONEER & VISIONARY

She now sees a need for tribal elders to be a part of the modern system. By using elders to hold tribal governmental officers accountable for their actions, Laverdure envisions a more ethical and moral tribal governmental system coming into view. She also sees a need for Native American students to learn from their elders as well as college studies and believes that they need to return to Indian country to continue the fight to build sovereign tribal governments.

LEADERSHIP & WISDOM

Laverdure always remembered the advice of her grandmother when things got tough. "She always said to be the best at whatever it was you did, if you were going to be a manure shoveler, be the best manure shoveler there ever was! That is what I would like to teach my kids."

DOING YOUR BEST

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Survived poverty, residential school system, etc. Educated in law,

a judge, authored legislation, authored this countries first tribal

constitution, helped found a college, represented all indigenous

people internationally. Yet her greatest accomplishment was that

of a mother. Native women are the backbone of our society. They

are the authors of change in our society.

A GRANDSONS TRIBUTE

Migizikwe made change when women weren't allowed to and

men were to corrupt or lazy to. The resurgence of Native

people will never be with the bluster, incompetence, and

destruction by men but with the diligence, patience, and

dignity of women. Migizikwe set a high standard. But all

standards are meant to be surpassed. Our elders suffered to

give us opportunity. Shame on us if we "choose" not to seize it.

A GRANDSONS INDIAN MATH

3 people in my life are my moral compass.

2 of them are gone now.

Even at the age of 40 I still have questions.

So going forward I will continue to rely on

the wisdom of the women in my family.

It's who I've always turned to.

PIPE MAKER & PIPE CARRIER & PEACE MAKER

Culture, heritage and tradition were always important to Betty.

She was active in the Midewiwin Medicine Lodge, was a

Medicine Bundle and Pipe carrier, and participated for many

years in the Eagle Sun Dance. She became expert at carving

pipe stems from Sumac branches as gifts for other sun dancers,

including for some of her family members.

BE EDUCATED, LIVE WITH INTEGRITY, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Betty cherished the value of integrity, cultural dignity, justice, the search

for knowledge, and facing adversity with humor, courage, determination.

She instilled in her children the strong appreciation of education, and is

proud of their accomplishments. Betty has often said that her life’s

greatest work has been her children and she is most proud of their

accomplishments, including careers in law, medicine, higher education,

and civil service.

WOMEN, VALUES, COURAGE, COMPASSION, LOVE, LEADERSHIP,

POWER, FUTURE BEING BUILT THROUGH LIVING