Honoring Dennis Banks
Though it is with hearts full of great sadness that we say goodbye to one of the most honorable legends of our time, so too is it with honor that we remember and carry on the wisdom of this great man, Dennis Banks (No also known as Nowa Cumig (Naawakamig in the Double Vowel System). In the Ojibwe language his name means "In the Center of the Universe."
Anton Treuer, a professor of the Ojibwe language at Bemidji State University, explains how priceless of a treasure Dennis has been to his community and people: "Dennis Banks is somebody who had an indelible impact on history, not just in our native community but throughout our country. He was someone who was both loved and hated — depending on what circle you're looking at."
As Dennis took his last breaths last night, his son Minoh Banks sang him four songs for his journey. "All the family who were present prayed over him and said our individual goodbyes, Then we proudly sang him the AIM song as his final sendoff."
Dennis is an Anishinaabe born April 12th, 1937 on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Dennis was with his mother alone until she ultimately gave him to his grandparents to raise. When he was 5, he was taken from his family and sent to Boarding School after Boarding School until he finally returned home to the Rez when he turned 17.
"Our family will honor our father’s wishes that he not be kept alive through the use of life support systems.
This evening our father Dennis James Banks will begin his final journey home to join our ancestors.
Wophila! Miigwech! for all the prayers you’ve shown to our father and our family over the last several weeks. We are deeply grateful for all the support. We will post information once we’ve made final arrangements.
In Spirit of Our Ancestors," He crossed over to happy hunting grounds Sunday night at 10:10 pm while the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota at the age of 80. According to family, he had developed pneumonia following heart surgery.
Dennis has 20 children, has fathered several step children and leaves behind an Abundance of family relations including 100 grandchildren! And too, a globe full of people who love and will forever miss him and the priceless wisdom he shared and tried to teach the world while he was among us. We pray that his stories and wisdom will continue to be shared through the coming generations, especially so by his children and grandchildren. His children are as follows: Tatanka Banks, Bryan Graves, Janice Banks, Kawlija Blanchard, Darla Banks, Deanna Banks,Kevin Strong, Dennis Banks, Red Elk Banks, Minoh Banks, Tokala Banks, Pearl Blanchard, D. J. Nelson-Banks, Tiopa Banks, Beverly Baribeau, Tacanunpa Banks Denise Blanchard, and Arrow Banks, andGlenda Roberts.
Some may not know this, but at the age of 19, Dennis joined the U.S. Air Force and served in Japan which was where his first marriage and child was born. He Discharged in the late 1950s, he returned to Minnesota where he became a renown advocate for his tribal people.
Dennis and a friend by the name of Clyde Bellecourt, also an Ojibwa. The two men and others founded AIM in July 1968 with several goals in mind. They wanted to address the problems that beset their people and find solutions to basic needs such as housing and employment. To help Native Americans live successfully off reservations, they would start so called survival schools. But fundamentally, they wanted to preserve their vanishing culture. AIM's emblem was an upside-down U.S. flag, what Banks called the international distress signal for people in trouble.
Dennis also helped lead the 1969–1971 occupation of Alcatraz Island with John Trudell, Russell Means and a handful of brave warriors on there rights to the island under the the Ft. Lauramie treaty . In 1972 he assisted in the organization of AIM's "Trail of Broken Treaties", a caravan of numerous activist groups across the United States to Washington, D.C. to call attention to the plight of our tribal brothers and sisters.
Since 1978, he has led a Native American spiritual organization in Kentucky called Sacred Run.
"What we have done, we did for the seventh generation to come…. We did not do these things for ourselves … [but] so that the seventh generation may be born free." —Dennis Banks
Dennis earned an associate of arts degree at the University of California, Davis, and taught at Deganawidah-Quetzecoatl (DQ) University (an all-Indian controlled institution), where he became the first American Indian university chancellor. In the spring of 1979, he taught at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
In 2010, Dennis along with many other Ojibwe from both Leech Lake and White Earth bands tested treaty rights from 1855 by intentionally and illegally set out nets on Lake Bemidji a day before Minnesota's fishing season opened.
While also occupying Standing Rock, Mr. Banks was also the vice presidential nominee of the California Peace and Freedom Party in 2016 where he and his running mate Gloria La Riva as a single-state ticket team won 66,000 votes! Here is a link to a video taken of him at Standing Rock, please take a few moments to walk among him.
Here is a video interview where Dennis talked of Standing Rock and the importance of it:
Many of the tribe are sorrowful of Dennis's leaving, especially for the sake of all the children of the Rez who adored him so much, and he them. "He would tell the kids stories Gagamug, who lives out on Bear island. It is visible from his kitchen table. He would do magic tricks for them too. He had canoe races for the young people in the summer out in the lake, he made Everyone feel important, especially the children." He was also an honorary trustee of the Leech Lake Tribal College.
Dear ling time friend Lisa Chillson shared this beautiful memory of
Dennis with us: "Dennis was quite the storyteller. One night before bedtime, he gathered up all the kids for story time. He would tell them the story of GAGAMUG the being that lived out at Bear Island , within eyeshot from 's home. This night he had someone dress up in an outfit and stand outside the sliding glass door, which was open. At the end of the story, GAGAMUG came growling through the door!! All the kids ran SCREAMING down the steps...Ivan Ivan Les Smith had gone to bed early that night. He also ran out of the room he was sleeping in SCREAMING! When they all figured out what was going on, they laughed so hard! We still get a laugh outta that one."
Here is a link to Dennis's autobiography, we Highly encourage you to read about him: http://www.jfamr.org/memoir.html
“I am not afraid to die. When I go into the spirit world, I will look the Great Spirit in the face and I will tell him what the whites did to my people before we went to war. He will do right. I am not afraid.”
Sakpe (Little Six) - Dakota, 1865
Dennis stared in the following movies which if you haven't taken the time to see, we hope that you will.
War Party - Ben Crowkiller / Dead Crow Chief (1988)
The Last of the Mohicans - Ongewasgone (1992)
Older Than America - Pete Goodfeather (2008)
American Experience - TV Series documentary - "We Shall Remain: Part V - Wounded Knee" - Himself (2009)
A Good Day to Die - Documentary - Himself (2010)
Tomorrow, which is Wednesday, November 1st at 12:00 pm there will be a "Wake Service" for Dennis at the Minneapolis American Indian Center, which is located at: 1530 E. Franklin Ave. in Minneapolis, MN 55404.
Then on Thursday & Friday, November 2nd & 3rd there will be another "Wake Service" at the Home of Dennis J. Banks which is at 10038 Sugar Point Dr. NW in Federal Dam, Minnesota 56641
On Saturday, November 4th, will be the Traditional Burial ceremony which will be at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig Cemetery at Battle Point on the Leech Lake Reservation.
For accommodations, the family have reserved a group of room at the Northern Lights Casino which is at:
6800 Y Frontage Road NW Walker, Minnesota 56484
"It is a journey that we are on, a journey that may last 100 years. The importance of the journey is to share your knowledge that will last a thousand years." Dennis Banks Nowacumig
Dennis will be missed by all our tribal nations, as well as well beyond. We cannot Thank Dennis enough for all he has done in the many battles, occupations, information speaking campaigns, walk and runs he helped to put together, and all the countless lectures he gave around the world hoping to improve Native and Human Rights issues encompassing tribal Nations sovereignty, Native civil rights, poverty, treaty rights abrogation, native health, and all the many other issues he so passionately tried educating the people of the globe about.
Dennis will be remembered forever by all our First Nation brothers and sisters upon turtle Island, and too, all the good medicine efforts he gave not only to and for all people but for the whole of Creator's creation! We are proud of all the attention Dennis brought to many vital issues in Indian Country and around the world. and ONAC KM along with a great many who appreciate selfless sacraficial efforts from men like him vow to pick up the ball and continue until we finish the game and see All creation liberated from the ill and bad medicine ways of oppressor.
Smoke and Prayers of condolence, love and healing we send up for the family and relatives as we know he will be received into the loving arms of Creator and all his ancestor relations, and tobacco goes down for him all over the globe. May Tunksina give all comfort and strength in this time of loss, A'ho!
As always, we Thank you for your continued interest and support, and we hope you stay tuned for future updates.
