FORT TOTTEN – The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office reports 14 Indigenous individuals currently are reported missing in the state, including five individuals who have disappeared during the six weeks since the high profile case of Renzo Bull Head of Standing Rock Reservation.

As Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Awareness Day approaches on Monday, the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples is resonating with North Dakota’s tribal nations, according to the Spirit Lake Tribe. In response to the severity of this crisis, the focus has evolved to include Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP), reflecting a broader spectrum of those affected.

In response to the rising number of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples, the North Dakota Legislature has advanced House Bill 1199, which aims to establish a state-funded task force dedicated to this crisis.

“This bill is about ensuring that when an Indigenous person goes missing, every available resource is mobilized to bring them home safely,” Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, said.

Furthermore, the proposed “Feather Alert” system, which was passed by the North Dakota Senate on April 23, aims to enhance public awareness when Indigenous individuals go missing, illuminating the need for more robust responses to these cases.

“The Feather Alert system is essential for empowering our communities to respond swiftly to missing persons cases. We cannot afford to wait when lives are at stake,” said Spirit Lake Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street.

While support from state and federal resources is vital to resolving missing person cases, they cannot always be relied upon, the Spirit Lake Tribe states. Rather, it stated, they must assist one another in all ways possible, reinforcing the importance of inter-tribal solidarity in the face of adversity.

The ongoing search for Bull Head, a 20-year-old student from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, has mobilized nearly 100 dedicated volunteers from various tribes and regions. Bull Head was last seen on March 16, walking across a railroad bridge near Mandan. All tribal nations within the state of North Dakota and others from South Dakota and Minnesota have dispatched experienced staff and equipment, including drones and boats, to aid in the search, along with other nonprofit organizations.

The Spirit Lake Tribe is stepping up efforts to locate its own missing members, Isaac Hunt and Jemini Posey, who have been absent for more than a year. The tribe is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to their recoveries.

The Spirit Lake Tribe’s initiative to intensify search efforts is fueled by the collaboration seen and offered in the inter-tribal response for Bull Head and their commitment to their tribal communities.

“Finding Jemini and Isaac is not just a mission; it is a pledge to our families and our communities. We stand together in support of their loved ones and will do everything within our power to bring resolve for their families,” Jackson-Street said.

Tribal departments such as Victim’s Assistance also are planning to assist with the search efforts.