song to accompany the procession of tribal representatives who presented the flags . Chairman of the Mandan , Hidatsa , and Arikara Nation ( and UND Law alumnus ) Mark Fox provided an excellent and impactful keynote address . Chairman Fox expressed his excitement about the significance of the ceremony : “ I think it shows great progress ; I think it shows great respect . And it really gives me a lot of hope for the future .… To display these flags really brings us together and teaches us something , and our young people in generations to come will benefit from this .… Even if our differences need to be respected , we are all the same , and we can move forward to make this a better world .”
He pointed to his service in the U . S . Marine Corps and attending UND School of Law as “ the most influential experiences that helped put [ him ] where [ he ] is today .” He specifically credited Professor Emerita Patti Alleva and other teachers with helping him the most .
Professor James Grijalva - our Friedman Professor of Law , director of the Northern Plains Indian Law Center , and NALSA faculty advisor - closed the ceremony presentations with his own remarks . He thanked Chairman Fox for sharing his “ words of vision and wisdom ,” and acclaimed his “ leadership in Indian country and on the national stage ” as “ impressive and inspirational .” Professor Grijalva also reinforced the important symbolism reflected by the gifts of these flags and the School of Law ’ s commitment to permanently display them in this important space . Speaking on behalf of his colleagues in the Indian Law Center - BJ Jones , Michelle Rivard Parks , Kathryn Rand , and Grant Christensen - and himself , to the governments and citizens of each of the Five Tribes , he said : “ We are honored by your gifts . We are humbled by the trust you have shown in us .”
The ceremony was a prominently featured event during the 29th National Native American Law Students Association Moot Court Competition , which the School of Law was honored to host in a virtual format this year on February 26 and 27 . The outstanding student leaders in our NALSA
SPRING 2021 25