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Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement. It mentions members such as Ilhan Omar. Extensions of Remarks are statements submitted for the official record, even if they were not spoken live on the floor.
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June 29, 2026
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Extensions of Remarks
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Download official Extensions PDFReturn to issue contextHON. ILHAN OMAR
of minnesota
in the house of representatives
Ms. OMAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a dearly beloved community member, Gertrude Evelyn Buckanaga, also known as “Baswewe- Binewiik,” which means Echoing Thunderbird Woman.
Ms. Buckanaga was born in Pine Point on the White Earth Reservation. As a child, Ms. Buckanaga and her siblings were sent to Pipestone Boarding School by a Becker County social worker. She later graduated from the Flandreau Indian School before going on to receive an Elementary Degree in Education from Concordia University in St. Paul, and finally earning a Master's Degree in Counseling at the University of St. Thomas. The culmination of her life experiences and formal education prepared her for a life dedicated to improving the lives of Indigenous Minnesotans.
Ms. Buckanaga was a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights and a guiding light for countless youth. Among her myriad accolades, she worked for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, helping with the development of their GED program and the incorporation of Ojibwe culture in the Head Start program on the Leech Lake Reservation. Ms. Buckanaga was also one of the founding forces behind the creation of both the Upper Midwest American Indian Center in North Minneapolis and the Four Directions Charter School, later starting the Foster Care Program for the Upper Midwest American Indian Center. She also aided in the creation of the American Indian Movement in the early 1960s.
Although Ms. Buckanaga served the state of Minnesota in numerous ways, including serving on the American Indian Mental Health Advisory Council, she fought tirelessly against state-backed injustices and worked relentlessly to uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act. She fought to preserve Indigenous cultures and ensure that future generations of children could grow up with the pride and security that had been deprived of Indigenous peoples for generations through government policy.
Ms. Buckanaga is survived not only by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, but also through the legacies she left behind and the impacts she made in Minnesota and across the country. She was a resilient champion for educational equity, a compassionate guardian for youth, and a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights. Please join me in honoring Gertrude Evelyn Buckanaga for her remarkable service.