Marking 40 Years Of Court Decision On Ojibwe Fishing Rights, And Skarlett Woods’ Second Album

Forty years ago, a United States Appeals Court ruled that Lake Superior Chippewa tribes had the right to fish, hunt and gather off-reservation on lands ceded to the federal government under the 1837 and 1842 treaties. That decision supported tribal members’ livelihood and culture they had practiced for centuries, but also sparked harassment and racist behavior against them by non-Native anglers. Last week, tribal and state officials, including Gov. Tony Evers, celebrated the decision while noting intergroup relations still need to be improved.

Joining “Simply Superior” host Robin Washington to discuss the decision and its effects are Ann McCammon Soltis, director of the Division of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and Jason Schlender, the commission’s executive administrator.

Also, 2023 kicked off with New Year’s Eve concerts in both Superior and Duluth by Brainerd, Minn. singer-songwriter Skarlett Woods, who has appeared on Simply Superior. Now, she returns to the show to debut selections from her long-awaited (16 years!) second album, “Letters to the West.”