Pine County Courthouse hosts ceremony to install Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tribal flags in courtrooms

The Pine County Courthouse hosted a ceremony to install Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tribal flags in courtrooms on Friday morning.

Judge Stoney Hiljus recognized that the courthouse stands on land that has long been home to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, "whose presence, governance, and cultural traditions endure today.

"The installation of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe flags is a visible and lasting acknowledgement of that legacy," Hiljus said.

Hiljus said the installation of the flags sends a message that tribal nations and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe citizens are "respected partners in the administration of justice" in Pine County.

"Our tribal citizens are not merely part of history, but rather part of active, sovereign governments whose laws, traditions, and people continue to shape our communities, our county, our state, and our nation," Hiljus said.

Hiljus added that the presence of the flags is "not simply ceremonial."

"It reflects an ongoing effort to strengthen government-to-government relationships, improve understanding across jurisdictions, and ensure that our justice system serves all communities with dignity and with fairness," he said.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Chief Executive Virgil Wind also spoke at Friday's ceremony, expressing gratitude for the collaboration of "mutual respect" that went into the effort.

"Today is a meaningful moment for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe," he said. "We acknowledge the longstanding relationship that we share with Pine County and the Minnesota Tenth Judicial District."

Wind echoed Hiljus' statement about the installation of the flags representing more than a symbolic gesture.

"It is a visual acknowledgment that we are here, that we've always been here, and that our people remain an integral part of this region," he said.

Wind said he's honored to have the flags flying in the Pine County courtrooms, and that the effort has been "years in the making."

"Guided by our values, we will continue to work together to build understanding, trust, and stronger systems for all of our communities, and especially the people that we serve," he said.

An invocation at the ceremony was given by John Benjamin. Tony Pike presented the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe flag, with the Timber Trails Drum Group performing an honor song and a flag song.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Pine County Attorney Reese Frederickson, who shared that he knew "very little" about the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe when he was sworn into office 11 years ago.

"The Band is a vital part of our county, many of its citizens are residents of Pine County, and yet I knew little about the history, the traditions, the culture," Frederickson said.

Frederickson said he and his team worked to strengthen relationships with the Band, partnering on initiatives like Pine County's restorative justice program.

"If people were to ask me to list the top five things I'm proud of in my last 11 years as county attorney, unquestionably the relationship with the Mille Lacs Band is on that list," Frederickson said. "To put it simply, I feel that I'm a better human being because of that relationship."

Frederickson said the ceremony marked a "special day," and expressed gratitude for cooperation on behalf of Pine County.

"We're here today to not only acknowledge the addition of a nation's flag, but to acknowledge and celebrate our mutual respect and our shared humanity," Frederickson said. "We gather as people, citizens, friends, neighbors to demonstrate that there is a better way forward."

Hiljus said he hopes the installation encourages "continued learning, stronger partnerships, and a justice system that reflects the full richness of the people it serves in east central Minnesota."

"As these flags take their place in our courtrooms, may they stand as daily reminders and lasting symbols of our shared responsibility," Hiljus said.