"In his own voice", an Audio Production featuring Walt Bresette with music by his friends John Trudell, Floyd Westerman, Frank Montano, and Mitch Walking Elk.(this is a huge mp3 download. If you would prefer us to mail a CD to you, just send a check for $12 to Protect The Earth at Box 31, Springbrook, WI 54875. You will love this CD)

A 45 minute story with Walter laughing, giving speeches and generally being the human being that we all came to love. Produced as a gift for his friends in 1999 following his death and featuring the music of his many musician friends.
Created by Sandy Lyon & Nick VanderPuy of Superior Broadcast Network

 A written story by Sandy Lyon about Walter's Way of being connected to all life 

Words from Rick Whaley, Co-Author of Walleye Warriors

  WALT BRESETTE PASSES ON 

"He was like the north star," his close friend, Sandy Lyon, says, " He held up the sky over northern Wisconsin and the people followed him." 

Walt Bresette, an Anishinabe peace and justice advocate died Feb. 21 from a heart attack while he was visiting some friends in Duluth. A member of the Loon Clan, the 51-year-old Red Cliff Chippewa defended treaty rights and fought to prevent metallic sulfide mining, and to prevent acid from a mining operation being shipped across northern Wisconsin. 

Bresette was a US Army veteran. He was a co-founder of the Witness for Nonviolence, Midwest Treaty Network, Anishinaabe Niijii, Lake Superior Greens, Wisconsin Greens, and was an inspiration to many others. 

He was an elegant speaker and writer. Walt Bresette along with Rick Whaley wrote  "Walleye Warriors: An Effective Alliance Against Racism and for the Earth"  The book tells the story about the interracial alliance that rose up in the 1980s at Wisconsin boat landings to protect Chippewa spearfishing, sovereignty, the land, and the water. 

Walter and his wife Cass Joy ran a native crafts and art business the Buffalo Bay Trading Company on the Red Cliff Chippewa Reservation until a few years ago.  Their children are Claudia, Katie, and Robin. 

At a meeting in Tampa, Florida during the 1980s,  Walt received a special gift. The gift came from an alert and agile old woman. It was the war club belonging to the Sauk leader Black Hawk who, more than a hundred and fifty years ago, fought the US Army trying to move him and his people from their homeland. 

Walt Bresette carried Blawk Hawk's war club to the ceremonies, to the boat landings, to the mining protests, to the schools and the community. Walter also was the keeper of the Protect The Earth Eagle Feather Staff.

He will long be remembered and through the community of people that he touched with his words and his caring, his work will continue.

To read more about Walter's work, click here to read the Seventh Generation Amendment

Stories, memories, and condolences about Walt on this site have been found on other sites like Midwest Treaty Network and sent in by his friends from around the world.

Add your memories of Walt to Protect the Earth

Read media obituary:  "Bresette Praised as Peacemaker"