Three Affilliated Tribes citizens who live on the Fort Berthold Reservation or near one of the satellite office areas, have likely attended a dinner or “feed” sponsored by a candidate vying to be the next chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikira Nation.
Six men have been actively campaigning across Fort Berthold in a bid to become the next leader of the Three Affiliated Tribes, one of the wealthiest tribes in the United States as a result of a hydraulic fracking oil boom. The candidates are listed here in alphabetical order: Mark Fox, Tex Hall, Kermit Heart, Scott Satermo, Marcus Wells and Jasper Young Bear.
Voters from across the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation will go to the polls Sept. 18 to elect the next chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes Tribal Business Council. Candidates are campaigning on platforms that range from bringing an end to “runaway spending” to constitutional reform.
Constitutional reform was a primary campaign issue during the 2013 election cycle as was transparency and accountability. During the last four years, there was no constitutional reform. Meanwhile, citizens of the three tribes have continued to call for separation of powers in tribal government.
The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance completed media interviews all six candidates for publication here on the Buffalo’s Fire website. Candidates submitted their own bio information. We will work to bring our readers more information on the general election candidates after the primary election.
We encourage tribal citizens of the Three Affiliated Tribes to contact us at imfanews@gmail.com or give us a call at 701-301-1296 if there are stories you want us to report on as part of the election cycle. Please visit our site for updates.
Editor’s note: The videos were shot and edited by Elijah Benson.
Mark Fox
Mark N. Fox is the Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Fox is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and has earned his law degree in 1993 from the University of North Dakota. The Chairman has served on various national boards including DOE’s Energy Work Group, ITMA, and the National Indian Gaming Association. Renowned for his work in the areas of taxation, gaming, energy, and economic development, Fox is a strong advocate for tribal sovereignty. Spending time with family, participating in health related events and marathons, and also partaking in charitable and non-profit events are also important to Chairman Fox.
Tex Hall
Tex Hall (“Ihbudah Hishi”) “Red Tipped Arrow” is a three-term Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation in North Dakota. He is the longest serving Tribal Chairman in the history of the Tribe and served his historic third term as Chairman of the Tribe from 2010 to 2014 after he campaigned on a promise to “Reform, Rebuild & Share the Wealth”. He was previously elected Chairman twice – in 1998 and again in 2002. Tex also is a two-term past President of the National Congress of American Indians, the largest and oldest organization representing American Indian and Alaska Native tribes in America. In 1999, Hall led a national tribal leaders meeting with President Bill Clinton and Senator Tom Daschle. In 2013, the National Indian Gaming Association presents Tex with its highest honor – the Wendell A. Chino Humanitarian Award – which is given to a Native American leader who has served Indian country in its broadest sense over a lifetime of work. He also, met with President Barrack Obama in 2013 and 2014 at the White House on many issues concerning his Tribe.
Tex grew up on his family’s ranch in Mandaree, North Dakota where he still lives and ranches. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Mary, Bismarck, ND and his Master’s in Education Administration from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. He first served his tribe as a school principal and then later as a school superintendent. He was named North Dakota Indian Educator of the Year in 1995. He also received the University of Mary Leadership Award, the 2009 National Native Small Business of the Year Award, and has been inducted into the North Dakota Amateur Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2012, under his Administration, the Tribe received a permit from EPA to build the first oil refinery in the lower 48 States in 41 years after ten hard years of work. His vision is to build a clean fuels refinery and then transport oil and gas from the Reservation to major pipelines. During his Administration, the Tribe became the number one Tribal producer of oil and gas in USA. The Tribe now has 1800 oil wells in the Bakken formation and produces 230,000 bbls of oil and gas per day. He founded and serves as President and C.E.O. of the Maheshu Energy, LLC founded in 2007 and his family manages today.
Tex is also the past Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Economic Alliance, and President of the Native American Basketball Invitational Foundation. In 1999, Chairman Hall was one of the founding members of the Native American Bank. He also initiated the landmark Keepseagle Class Action Law Suit that brought a historic settlement of $760 million for Native American Farmers and Ranchers. He is a founding member and past Chairman of the Coalition of Large Tribes which represent tribes with large land bases across the nation.
In December 2010, Hall was named to the first tribal advisory committee ever established in the history of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to recommend and advise the Secretary of HHS. Then In January 2011 he was elected Chairman of the Great Plains Region Tribal Chairmen’s Association, which is composed of 16 tribal nations. He was spokesperson for the Great Plains Tribes at President Obama’s December 2010 White House meeting. A year later in 2011, Chairman Hall was appointed by Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to serve and Co-Chair the National Indian Education Task Force and to the National Indian Trust Commission.
In February 2018 Hall reactivated the Ft Berthold Allottee Land and Mineral Owners Association and as Chair is fighting against Tesoro/Andeavor Pipeline to stop the 5 year trespass and obtain a new and fair ROW Valuation for Ft Berthold Landowners. The Association is also fighting to protect Allottee Water rights and stop the Flaring of Gas from the Oil Wells.
Kermit Heart
Kermit Heart made this post on his Facebook page Sept. 10: “Good morning friends, family, & supporters… due to a loss in my family I will be canceling all of my upcoming campaigning events & meetings…I apologize for missing some locations on our reservation tour but I will try to make it up the best that I can… right now I need to be with my family… so until further notice thank you and we’ll be back on updating as soon as we figure what we have that’s next.. thank you all for being supportive and patient with me.. prayers.”
Scott Satermo
Scott Satermo (Maaishu Ee Ugsheish) Holding Eagle, is the son of Neva (Dancing Bull) Satermo, and the late Dwight Satermo. His paternal grandparents were Ralph and Thelma (Halvorson) Satermo, and his maternal grandparents were Jackson Dancing Bull and Josephine (Birdsbill) Dancing Bull. He is a member of the Dripping Dirt Clan.
Scott attended school in New Town,ND, Cavalier,ND, Chicago,IL, and Lompoc,CA. He spent his summers back on Fort Berthold with family.
He is a US Army Veteran and life member of VFW Post 9061.
Scott graduated in 1996 from North Dakota State University with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He worked as a municipal engineer for the City of Fargo before starting his business career.
Scott started Rising Sun Construction in 2001. Rising Sun was a general contractor specializing in flood work and underground utilities. In 2004, Scott purchased North Core Corp, a horizontal boring and tunneling company, with offices in Fargo, Winnipeg, and Omaha.
His businesses have contracted nationwide and he has worked with various government entities to include, city, state, tribal, and federal agencies.
In his free time he enjoys hunting, fishing, and barbequing with his family and friends as they cheer on his beloved NDSU Bison.
Hidatsa culture is very important to him. He enjoys singing, learning songs and language, and the traditions of the people.
His love for the MHA Nation and its future is the reason he has decided to run for Chairman.
Marcus Wells
Marcus Wells works at the Three Tribes Mineral Rights Owners Association. He studied at North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton, N.D.He lives in New Town, N.D.
Jasper Young Bear
Jasper Patrick Young Bear “Lucky Man” is the son of Susan Paulson (Arikara) and Gary Young Bear Phelan (Hidatsa-Mandan) He is a Child of the Water Buster Clan.
His Maternal grandmother is Vivian Simpson Packineau. He is the great grandson of Ella Perkins Waters and Albert Simpson. His mother was raised by Mamie Perkins Packineau and Joseph Packineau, Jr.
His paternal grandparents are Adele Fredericks Phelan and Alonzo Young Bear Phelan. His great grandparents are Emma Snow Fredericks and Charlie Fredericks. His grandfather Alonzo’s parents are Perl Burr Young Bear and Walter Young Bear.
Education:
- Secondary Education – New Town High School, class of ’91’
- Undergrad – Minot State University, Bachelors of Science Degree, Psychology, ’97’
- Graduate – Master’s Degree in Educational Administration, Univ. of Oklahoma, ’05’
MHA Service History:
He worked as the Children Services Coordinator for the Three Affiliated Tribes from 1997 – 2002.
He went on to be a Wraparound Specialist and also a Cultural Counselor for the Circle of Life Alcohol and Drug Program.
He was an instructor in the Social Science Department at the Fort Berthold Community College; now, the Nueta, Hidatsa, and Sahnish College, NHSC.
In 2009, Jasper and his team created a 501c3 organization, the Medicine Lodge Confederacy (MLC). Where he has been the Chief Executive Officer since its inception.
The MLC created a comprehensive vision of community, based in the ancient teachings of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. Two critical outcome services have been: The Running Wolf Wellness Center, and a Cultural Survival School on the Fort Berthold Reservation.
The MLC has developed an Arikara dialect called, “Strikes The Enemy” in tandem with Arikara cultural practices such as, earth lodge building, songs creation, curation, integration.
Service Outlook:
He has worked leading or alongside public policy, agency compliance/arbitration, and cultural innovation while approaching each with an open mind.
Looking ahead as a candidate he brings an openness to innovation, a practiced preference to stability, and trained insight to navigate conflict.
