Grand Portage Tribal Judge Tina Deschampe swears in Robert (Bobby) Deschampe on Friday, August 21. Bobby is the new Grand Portage Tribal Council Chair. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
On Friday, August 21, Robert (Bobby) Deschampe was sworn in as new tribal chair for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
About 75 friends and family attended the ceremony held in the parking lot of the Old Log Community Building on a sunny, warm day.
Administrating the Oath of Office was Grand Portage Tribal Judge Tina Deschampe, the daughter of the long time tribal chair Norman Deschampe, who passed away unexpectedly in Feburary, 2019.
Before the proceedings began, Bobby’s father, Butch Deschampe, gave Bobby a white beaded medallion of a Thunderbird that he had worn during his service on the tribal council. During the ceremony, Bobby wore an Ojibwe ribbon shirt given to him by Mary Rose, a Grand Portage Band member now living in New Mexico and he wore a beaded medallion made by his cousin, Mary Ann Gagnon, given to him by Agatha Armstrong.
Addressing the crowd after being sworn in, Bobby said he had learned a lot during his time serving as a Cook County Commissioner. He also spoke about his many years working with Tribal Chair Norman Deschampe, saying he had learned a lot from Norman.
In closing, Bobby said he would work hard and do his best always to represent the people of Grand Portage.
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