Great Lakes Tribes Set Out On Healing Circle/Run Walk

Eight Ojibwe tribes from Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin will set out this weekend on a weeklong, roughly 550-mile loop of northern Wisconsin for the Healing Circle Run/Walk.

Sue Erickson with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission said the first run, in the 1980s, was called the “Solidarity Run,” and was organized in response to violent protests of tribal members’ rights to spearfish off reservation at the time.

“It’s a matter of brotherhood, of feeling connected to each other, of being able to relate similar experiences, communicate, show support and show solidarity as tribal people,” said Erickson.

Bad River tribal member Dylan Jennings said he takes part because he believes in the healing it brings for him and others.

“We always say in order for healing to occur, it must start internally with the individual. Then from there, a group can heal and then from there it can spread to a community,” explained Jennings.

Runners and walkers will begin and end at the Lac Courtes Oreilles reservation.