White Earth Nation

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

On March 19, 1867, the US 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.

Historically, the tribe was formed from the unification of Ojibwe bands from the northern part of Minnesota who were displaced by European settlement.

These historic bands were:

Up until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the six historical component bands located on the White Earth Indian Reservation acted independently of each other. Following the Reorganization Act, the six wrote a constitution to form the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. They divided Minnesota into six Band districts, and unified those scattered Ojibwe bands that were not associated with the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, which did not join the tribe.

The component bands located on the White Earth Indian Reservation were unified into the single White Earth Band of Ojibwe of today. The six Minnesota Chippewa Tribe bands continue to enroll members separately, but also combine their numbers for the entire tribe. According to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, the White Earth Band had 19,291 enrolled members in July 2007. It is the largest of the six bands in the Tribe, and the largest of any band in the state.

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

See also

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

References

  1. "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.

Further reading

  • 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.

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