"Some Minnesotans refer to tribes not by their official names but by their casinos' names, such as "Grand Casino" for the Mille Lacs Band or "Black Bear" for Fond du Lac.

Perhaps that is why many people seem to mistakenly believe that the main purpose of tribes is to operate casinos. This could not be further from reality.

Tribes are governments, with all the same duties and responsibilities that state governments have.

Minnesota is home to 11 American Indian tribal governments, whose main job is to serve the needs of our members through health care, education and other services.

Our people count on us to help them when they are sick, to prepare their children for college and careers, to make quality housing available, to care for the elderly, and to be responsible stewards of the lakes and lands on our reservations.

They want their voices heard in government, and they want to see solutions to community problems. In short, they expect their governments to meet their needs and make wise use of their resources."

Get the Story:
Kevin Leecy, Marge Anderson and other tribal leaders: Minnesota tribes are about more than gambling (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 1/20)