On August 9, 2024 tribal leaders, elders, and members from the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Anishinaabe) and National Park Service (NPS) came together to celebrate 25 years of co-managing Grand Portage National Monument.
Located in northern Minnesota at the edge of Lake Superior (Gichigami) the monument site commemorates a historic route used by native people and as part of the North West Company’s expansion of the fur trade during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Since 1999, self-governance annual funding agreements (AFA) for maintenance, interpretation, and resource management positions and projects have been negotiated between the Band and NPS totaling over $35 million.
A central part of the August celebration was dedicated to honoring Former Grand Portage Chairman Norman W. Deschampe and his efforts establishing the unique partnership found at Grand Portage National Monument. In recognition of his leadership the second floor cultural demonstration/exhibit area of the monument’s Heritage Center was named in his honor.
Park Superintendent Heather Boyd, Tribal Chairman Bobby Deschampe, former Park Superintendent and current NPLSF Board Member Tim Cochrane, and NPS Midwest Region Tribal Relations Program Coordinator Kathy Boden spoke at the event, as did Anna Deschampe, Norman Deschampe’s daughter. The Stonebridge Singers contributed multiple songs including in the traditional opening with Gwiiwizens (Rick W. DeFoe).
NPLSF was proud to be part of the event, and recognizes the importance of co-management. “This agreement between the National Park Service and the Grand Portage Band remains the founding template for successful co-management,” said NPLSF Executive Director Tom Irvine. “Behind that success lies long term personal friendships and shared generational goals.”
In addition to the co-management celebration and annual Pow Wow, the weekend’s festivities included Rendezvous Days, the National Park Service’s annual event featuring food, music, dancing, crafts, and costumed volunteers reenacting and exploring the era when Grand Portage was the center of the North American fur trade.
The pictures at right, captured by NPLSF’s Irvine, share the vibrancy of this multifaceted summer weekend.
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About The NPLSF
The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF) exists to provide financial support for projects and programs that preserve the natural resources and cultural heritage of the five Lake Superior national parks: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Funded through grants and private donations, NPLSF projects and programs ensure that these great parks and historic sites are maintained for the enjoyment of all current and future visitors.
To learn how you can support our work visit nplsf.org/donate.