The White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe,[1] also called the White Earth Nation (Ojibwe: Gaa-waabaabiganikaag Anishinaabeg, lit. "People from where there is an abundance of white clay"), is a federally recognized Native American band located in northwestern Minnesota. The band's land base is the White Earth Indian Reservation.

Flag of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe

With 19,291 members in 2007, the White Earth Band is the largest of the six component bands of the federally recognized Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, formed after the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act. It is also the largest band in the state of Minnesota.

The five other member tribe of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe are the Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake), Fond du Lac Band, Grand Portage Band, Leech Lake Band, and Mille Lacs Band.[1]

History edit

The White Earth Nation was formed by joining multiple Chippewa bands, from north central Minnesota. They had been displaced by European-American settlement and consolidated onto a reservation in Mahnomen, Becker and Clearwater Counties. Six Minnesota Chippewa bands enroll members separately today, however they combine numbers when identifying the entire tribe. According to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe council, the White Earth Band had 19,291 enrolled members in July 2007 making it the largest Assiniboine tribe in the state.

On March 19, 1867, the U.S. Congress established the White Earth Indian Reservation for the Mississippi Chippewa Indians in Minnesota, following the ratification of a treaty between them and the United States. Congress had several session agreements regarding the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. After hearing many complaints about the Pillagers, who were then landless, Congress authorized the relocation of the western Pillagers to the White Earth Indian Reservation. They had not been included in the 1855 Treaty of Washington (10 Stat. 1165), which was made with the eastern Pillagers at the Mississippi River headwaters. Eventually, the Otter Tail Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians and Wild Rice River Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians also came to settle alongside the Mississippi Chippewa at White Earth Reservation and effectively became part of the White Earth Band.

These historic bands were:

Up until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the six bands living on the White Earth Indian Reservation acted independently of each other. Following the Reorganization Act, the six wrote a constitution forming the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Minnesota was divided into six tribal districts uniting all Ojibwe bands not associated with the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, and the Pembina band. Both refused to relocate to White Earth thus maintaining their individual identity's.

The tribe was involved in a case about how much compensation the descendants of the Pembina Chippewa should receive from the taking of land by the U.S. government during the early 1800s. The third and final settlement payment in 2022 of $59 million was split among the tribe, the Little Shell Chippewa, the Chippewa Cree, and the Turtle Mountain Tribe of North Dakota along with the 39,000 individual beneficiaries. Previous settlements in the case were in 1964 and 1980.[2]

Notable citizens edit

See also edit

  • Superchief, a film about an election for White Earth tribal chairman

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Federal Register: 4636–41. January 28, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Stagner, Taylar (June 16, 2021). "Two Montana Tribes Settle Historic Compensation Case". Yellowstone Public Radio. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Clara Sue Kidwell, PhD". North Carolina American Indian Health Board. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  4. ^ LeMay, Konnie (July 18, 2016). "Bad Science Made Her Do It; That Is Become a Supreme Court Justice". Indian Country Today. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Shaymus McLaughlin, Melissa Turtinen and Simeon Lancaster, "Anne McKeig: The 1st American-Indian on the MN Supreme Court", Bring Me the News, 28 June 2016; accessed 19 July 2016
  6. ^ Oshie-Blogs (April 7, 2008). "Minnesota H.S. Section 8A Boys' Hockey Site: Keeway Gaaboo .... A Symbol Of Pride For Fighting Sioux". section8ahockeyblog.blogspot.com.
  7. ^ The Press and Daily Dakotaian, Nov. 5, 1885, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, 2023 [1]
  8. ^ The Hickman Courier, Dec.4, 1885, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, 2023 [2]
  9. ^ Hole in the Day, St. Paul Daily Globe, Oct. 31, 1885, p.4, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, 2023 [3]
  10. ^ Mr. Hole in the Day, The Indianapolis Journal, Oct 30, 1885, p.4, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, 2023 [4]
  11. ^ A young Indian's Romantic History, The Minnesota Farmer, Apr. 23, 1886, Minnesota Media hub, 2023, MNHS, 345 Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN, [5]
  12. ^ An Indian Clerk, Stillwater Messenger, 12 Dec.1885, Minnesota Digital Newspaper hub, 2023 [6]

Further reading edit

  • Treuer, Anton (2011). The Assassination of Hole in the Day. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0873517799.
  • Treuer, Anton (2010). Ojibwe in Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0873517683.

External links edit


47°5′8″N 95°51′41″W / 47.08556°N 95.86139°W / 47.08556; -95.86139