Ernie St.Germaine
Hon. Ernest H. St.Germaine
Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe
By Tribal tradition, he was named Minode’i by his grandmother. Later, he was given the name Bineshi, the name of his Mide mentor and teacher. His name thus became, Minode’i Bineshi. His name means, “lifts your heart, bird.” He is from the Aadjijak dodem, the Crane clan of the Ojibwe and is by tradition, an orator, speaker and teacher.
Educated in public schools and universities including the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, undergraduate degree, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, Masters Degree and the University of Nevada – Reno, National Judicial College, Judicial Law, Judge St.Germaine claims that his most important teachings have come from those elders who instilled in him his Anishinabe identity.
He firmly believes that nothing he knows belongs to him but rather was given to him by his mentors and teachers as well as from directions and instructions that came to him through dreams. By that tradition, he freely gives his teachings, stories and knowledge to others when they ask for it.
Judge St.Germaine was appointed to the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Court in 1990 and served the Tribe as Chief Judge for twelve years. He also served as Chief Trial Judge for the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe for five years. Today he is retired but he continues to serve on the faculty at the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada-Reno. Judge St.Germaine also hears cases and appeals for Tribal Courts in Wisconsin but has mostly been focusing his energy as a Peacekeeper. He works with families and especially tribal youth.
He has also served as a Curriculum Coordinator and writer for tribal programs and schools in Wisconsin and is also the author of Winaboozhoo Adizokaan, a collection of traditional Ojibwe stories. He currently serves as a mentor and spiritual advisor for Akii Gikinoo’amaading Charter School at Lac Courte Oreilles. He is the author of the Lac du Flambeau Family Circles AODA Parenting Curriculum, A Traditional Approach to Positive Parenting. Most recently, he worked with his daughter and wife to develop and write, Asemaake, a collection of spiritual offerings for the Family Circles Program in Lac du Flambeau.
St.Germaine has been an athlete all his life, a baseball player in his younger days, coach, and he rides his bike in the summer months and skis cross country in the winter months. He is the last remaining Founder of the American Birkebeiner and has skied all 49 races since the first race in 1973. He will complete his 50 th Birkebeiner in February 2024.
Ernie's worksops at the training
Time |
Day 1 - August 16 |
|
1:00 - 3:00pm |
“Focus on Self is Step One in our Healing Journey”
Speaker: Ernie St. Germaine
The session will explore the Four Aspects of Self and how the word, "Niin," is central to a balanced, positive and healthy way of life that we call, "minobiimaadiziwin." |
|
6:00 - 8:00pm |
Peacekeeping Talking Circle
Facilitator: Ernie St. Germaine |
Time |
Day 2 - August 17 |
|
11:00am - 12:30pm |
Men’s Panel: Title TBA
Panelists: Ernie St.Germaine, Jeremy NeVilles-Sorell & Lenny Hayes |