The Mille Lacs Indians (
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
: ''Misi-zaaga'iganiwininiwag''), also known as the Mille Lacs and Snake River Band of Chippewa, are a Band of Indians formed from the unification of the Mille Lacs Band of
Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
Chippewa (Ojibwe) with the Mille Lacs Band of
Mdewakanton
The Mdewakanton or Mdewakantonwan (also spelled ''Mdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'' and currently pronounced ''Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'') are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti (Santee) Dakota people, Dakota (Sioux). Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake (Da ...
Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
(
Dakota
Dakota may refer to:
* Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux
** Dakota language, their language
Dakota may also refer to:
Places United States
* Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Dakota, Illinois, a town
* Dakota, Minnesota ...
). Today, their successor apparent
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Mille can refer to:
People
* Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician
* Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player
Places
* Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
* Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota.
* Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River ...
consider themselves as being Ojibwe, but many on their main reservation have the ''ma'iingan'' (wolf) as their chief
doodem
The Anishinaabe, like most Algonquian languages, Algonquian-speaking groups in North America, base their system of kinship on clans or totems. The Ojibwe language, Ojibwe word for clan () was borrowed into English as totem. The clans, based ma ...
(clan), which is an indicator of Dakota origins.
Mille Lacs Indians, because of their mixed Chippewa-Sioux heritage, have become the cultural lynch-pin linking the two former warring nations into a single people, providing Ojibwe culture and customs to the Dakota just as providing Dakota culture and customs to the Ojibwe. All of the drums held among the Mille Lacs Indians are of Dakota origins, singing Dakota melodies but translated into Ojibwe.
Historical component bands
Mille Lacs Band of Mdewakanton Dakota
Previous to Ojibwe settlement after their prophetic migration from the Atlantic coast, this area was occupied for centuries by the Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ ("Mdewakanton") Dakota, the western sub-division of the Isanti Dakota. The Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ lived primarily on the three ricing chain of lakes (Ogechie, Shakopee and Onamia) at the head-waters of the Rum River and along the southern and southwestern shores of Mille Lacs Lake (citation?). With the
Battle of Kathio, the Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ were forced south and west. One independent historian has claimed that, despite resource access hardship due to conflicts between the Dakota and Ojibwe peoples, the Mille Lacs Band of Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ Dakota remained in the area. According to this claim, a Dakota Council came to meet with the Ojibwe on terms of territorial control shifts, and the Mille Lacs Band of Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ Dakota chose to remain and forgo their Dakota identity to become Ojibwe and remain at
''mde waḳaŋ'' (Spiritual/Mystic Lake). As Ojibwe, Mille Lacs Band of Bdewaḳanṭuŋwaŋ Dakota ensured the ceremonies associated with the Mille Lacs Lake were continued, forming the "Wolf Clan". This claim has, however, been refuted by Dakota and Anishinaabe tribal historians, and there is no documentation to support it.
Mille Lacs Band of Border-sitter Chippewa
Second group forming the Mille Lacs Indians were the Mille Lacs Band of Border-sitter Chippewa, Band of the Border-sitter sub-nation of the
Lake Superior Chippewa
The Lake Superior Chippewa (Anishinaabe: Gichigamiwininiwag) are a large number of Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) bands living around Lake Superior; this territory is considered part of northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the United States. They ...
. The Mille Lacs Band of Border-sitter Chippewa were part of the western division of the Border-sitter Chippewa known as the ''Manoominikeshiinyag'' or the "Ricing Rails" or the "St. Croix Division". Mille Lacs Band of Border-sitter lived primarily along Groundhouse River, Ann River, Knife River (all located south of Mille Lacs Lake, and tributaries of the
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
), the portage ways connecting these three rivers to Mille Lacs Lake and the Rum River, and along the southeastern shores of Mille Lacs Lake. This group already were a mixed Dakota-Ojibwe entity, identifying themselves equally as Dakota and as Ojibwe.
Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa
Third group forming the Mille Lacs Indians were the Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa, a band associated with the powerful
Mississippi Chippewa. Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa lived primarily along Nokasippi River, Cedar River and Ripple River (all located north and northwest of Mille Lacs Lake), the portage ways connecting these three rivers to Mille Lacs Lake, and along the northwestern and northern shores of Mille Lacs Lake.
Pre-treaty period (c. 1750–1825)
The unification process among the three component historical bands began in ernest after the
Battle of Kathio in which the Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa gained majority control of the
Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake ( , also called Lake Mille Lacs or Mille Lacs) is a large, shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropol ...
. In the Battle of Kathio, majority of the Dakota peoples were removed from the Mille Lacs Lake area and generally forced southward and westward from Lake. However, due to the sacredness of ''mde wáḳaŋ'' (Mille Lacs Lake), a peace council ending the territorial conflicts between the Ojibwe and Dakota was held on Mozomanie Point on the south end of the Lake, according to oral traditions, about 1750. At this peace council, the Ojibwe and the Dakota present were given a choice, where the Dakota peoples remaining would be peacefully incorporated as Ojibwe, but the Ojibwe would have to maintain all the rites associated with the Lake to maintain the sacredness of this body of water. In agreement, the Ojibwe learned all the Dakota ceremonial dances and songs over the course of the entire summer, while the remaining Dakota became "Ojibwe". As the distinct "Ojibwe" and "Dakota" identification no longer was appropriate, the unified entity became the ''Misi-zaaga'iganiwininiwag'' or the "Mille Lacs Indians". The traditional location for the joint council of the many sub-bands of the Mille Lacs Indians was maintained at ''Zaagawaamikaag-wiidwedong'' (or ''Zaagawaaming'', for short), just as it was with ''Mdewáḳaŋtuŋwaŋ Oyate'' before. ''Zaagawaaming'', recorded as "Sagawamick" or "Sagawahmick" in various
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
and
Bureau of American Ethnology
The Bureau of American Ethnology (or BAE, originally, Bureau of Ethnology) was established in 1879 by an act of Congress for the purpose of transferring archives, records and materials relating to the Indians of North America from the Departme ...
documents, still exists to this day but evolved into the Village of Lawrence and later as the City of
Wahkon. However, with the establishment of the
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Mille can refer to:
People
* Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician
* Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player
Places
* Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
* Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota.
* Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River ...
, the center of tribal government shifted to north and west to
Vineland
''Vineland'' is a 1990 novel by Thomas Pynchon, a postmodern fiction set in California, United States in 1984, the year of Ronald Reagan's reelection.Knabb 2002 Through flashbacks by its characters, who have lived during the '60s in their youth ...
.
Treaty period (1825–1871)
The Mille Lacs Indians entered the treaty period by sending Chief Nayquonabe (from the
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
''Negwanebi'', "'Tallest'
uilleather") to the 1825 Council for the
First Treaty of Prairie du Chien (). Mille Lacs Indians participated in the 1826 Council for the
Treaty of Fond du Lac
The Treaty of Fond du Lac may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in Duluth, Minnesota between the United States and the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American peoples.
1826 Treaty of Fond du Lac
The first treaty of Fond du Lac was signed ...
. As part of the
''Biitan-akiing-enabijig'' Ojibwe, Mille Lacs Indians ceded great tract of land in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the 1837
Treaty of St. Peters (), but retained usufruct rights for hunting, fishing and gathering. As part of the Mdewakanton Dakota, Mille Lacs Indians ceded lands in the 1837
Treaty of Washington. Together with the
Lake Superior Chippewa
The Lake Superior Chippewa (Anishinaabe: Gichigamiwininiwag) are a large number of Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) bands living around Lake Superior; this territory is considered part of northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the United States. They ...
, the Mille Lacs Indians ceded lands in northern Wisconsin and western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the 1842
Treaty of La Pointe
The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American peoples. In addition, the Isle Royale Agreement, an adhesion to the first Tre ...
, then in central Minnesota in the 1847
Treaty of Fond du Lac
The Treaty of Fond du Lac may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in Duluth, Minnesota between the United States and the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American peoples.
1826 Treaty of Fond du Lac
The first treaty of Fond du Lac was signed ...
.
Together with the
Pillager Chippewas and other
Mississippi Chippewas in the
1855 Treaty of Washington (), Mille Lacs Indians ceded large tract of land in northern Minnesota, excluding the
Arrowhead Region
The Arrowhead Region is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota, so called because of its pointed shape. The predominantly rural region encompasses of land area and includes Carlton, Cook, Lake and Saint Louis counti ...
(which its claim was rescinded in the 1854
Treaty of La Pointe
The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American peoples. In addition, the Isle Royale Agreement, an adhesion to the first Tre ...
) and the northwesternmost corner of Minnesota; in exchange, the Mille Lacs Indian reserved for themselves the south shore of
Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake ( , also called Lake Mille Lacs or Mille Lacs) is a large, shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropol ...
, becoming the
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the popular name for the land-base for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The contemporary Mille Lacs Band reservation has significan ...
. However, as this land reserved was previously ceded to the United States in the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, this caused a dispute between the lumbermen in the area and the Mille Lacs Indians. As the lumbermen had constructed a dam in
Ericksonville,
nd that location near the outlet of Lake Onamia was called ''Gibakwa'iganiing'' (By the Dam) or ''Gibakwa'igaansing'' (By the Little Dam) by the Ojibweto regulate the water flow of the Rum River for floating logs down the river, but the damming of the water threatened the wild rice in Lake Onamia, the Mille Lacs Indians removed the dam. This became the first court case for the Mille Lacs Indians, in 1856, the US Supreme Court judged in favor of the tribe.

With the
Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several eastern bands of Dakota people, Da ...
, many Chippewa Bands aided the Dakota people. When Mille Lacs Indians Chief ''Máza-mani'' (Iron-Walker) learned of the plans of Gull Lake Band Chief ''
Bagonegiizhig'' (Hole in the Day) to attack Fort Ripley, Chief ''Máza-mani'' raised a party of 200 men and they set out to aid the fort in advance, thus averting Chief ''Bagonegiizhig''s attack on the fort.
In the 1863 Treaty of Washington () and again in 1864 (), while most all other Chippewa Bands were being forced to relocate due to their aid to the
Dakota people
The Dakota (pronounced , or ) are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe (Native American), tribe and First Nations in Canada, First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultur ...
, Mille Lacs Indians, due to their aid to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, were not. As stated in the Treaties, "That owing to the heretofore good conduct of the Mille Lac Indians, they shall not be compelled to remove so long as they shall not in any way interfere with or in any manner molest the property of persons of the whites."
Post-treaty period (1872–1936)
When the
White Earth Indian Reservation
The White Earth Indian Reservation () is home to the White Earth Band, in northwestern Minnesota. It is the largest Indian reservation in the state by land area. The reservation includes all of Mahnomen County, plus parts of Becker and Clea ...
was established, like the rest of the Mississippi Chippewa, the Mille Lacs Indians were also encouraged to relocate. Many Mille Lacs Indians became homeless so under , homesteading and cemetery lands were secured for the Mille Lacs Indians. After the signing of the
"An act for the relief and civilization of the Chippewa Indians in the State of Minnesota" (51st-1st-Ex.Doc.247) and a removal bill on May 27, 1902, many Mille Lacs Indians did remove themselves to the White Earth Indian Reservation, becoming the Removable Mille Lacs Band. Others remained on the
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the popular name for the land-base for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The contemporary Mille Lacs Band reservation has significan ...
, becoming the Non-removable Mille Lacs Band. Within few years, many of the Removable Mille Lacs Band left White Earth and returned to Mille Lacs, splitting the group onto two separate Indian Reservations.
When the BIA asked for a consultation council to be held in
Hayward, Wisconsin
Hayward is a city in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 2,533 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city was formally organized in 1883. It is near the Namekagon River and is surrounded ...
, regards to the 1934
Indian Reorganization Act
The Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of June 18, 1934, or the Wheeler–Howard Act, was U.S. federal legislation that dealt with the status of American Indians in the United States. It was the centerpiece of what has been often called the "Indian ...
, Mille Lacs Indians sent delegates there without signature authority to gather information.
When the
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe was established in 1936 under the authority of the Indian Reorganization Act, the Non-removable and Removable Mille Lacs Bands of the Mille Lacs Indians became the core Band of the
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Mille can refer to:
People
* Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician
* Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player
Places
* Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
* Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota.
* Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River ...
, joined together with the Non-removable
Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa
Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa (Ojibwe language, Ojibwe: ''Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag-ininiwag'') are a historical Ojibwa tribe located in the upper Mississippi River basin, on and around Big Sandy Lake in what today is in Aitkin County, Minn ...
,
Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa, and the communities of the
St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota.
Notable Mille Lacs Indians
* ''Adik'' ("Reindeer", recorded as "A-dick")
* ''Akiwenziinh'' ("Old Man", recorded as "Aw-ke-wain-ze"), brave
* ''Akogwan'' ("Deep
olouredFeather", recorded as "A-ko-gwan"), chief
* ''Awan'' ("Fog", recorded as "A-wun")
* ''Ayizhi'indang'' ("He is Encouraged", recorded as "A-ya-shin-ting")
* ''Ayaabe'' ("Buck", recorded as "Ai-a-be"), chief
* ''Aanji-bines'' ("Changing Bird", recorded as "Aun-che-be-nos"), second warrior
* ''Aazhoo'' ("Distant
alk, Called Chinaman, recorded as "A-zhu"), cultural informant
* ''Badagwigiizhig'' ("All
loud-overed Sky", recorded as "Bu-dub-i-gi-zhig")
* ''Bwaanens'' ("Little Sioux", recorded as "Bwan-ens"), cultural informant
* ''Biidwaabanookwe'' ("Peep o' Dawn", recorded as "Bi-da-bun-o-que")
* ''Debab'' ("Sit Enough", recorded as "De-dub"), cultural informant
* ''Debas'' ("Dodger", recorded as "De-bus"), cultural informant
* ''Debwe'' ("
e who Tells the
E, or e, is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''e'' (pronounced ); plu ...
Truth", recorded as "Deb-we"), cultural informant
* ''Edawi-giizhig'' ("Both Ends of the Sky", recorded as "Ad-a-we-ge-shik"), warrior
* ''Eshpaan'' ("Great Height", recorded as "Aish-pun"), head man
* ''Gaagige-aanakwadweb'' ("
its on anEverlasting Cloud", recorded as "Ka-gi-ge-an-a-quut-web")
* ''Gaa-giizhitang'' ("Finished", recorded as "Ga-ki-zhi-tung")
* ''Gegwedose'' ("Try Walking", recorded as "Gay-gway-do-say")
* ''Gekekwab'' ("
itting on aSparrow
awk, recorded as "Ka-ka-quap"), warrior
* ''Gichi-bine'' ("Big Quail", recorded as "Ki-chi-bin-e")
* ''Gidagigwan'' ("Spotted Feather", recorded as "Ge-tug-i-gwun")
* ''Gimiwan-aanakwad'' ("Rain Cloud", recorded as "Ge-me-wan-na-na-quad")
* ''Gii-niizh'' ("Two'd", recorded as "Gi-nizh")
* ''Ishkwaandem'' ("Door", recorded as "Ish-guam-den")
* ''Ishpiming'' ("Heaven", recorded as "Ish-pi-ming")
* ''Iinzan'' ("Apparently", recorded as "In-zahn"), chief
* ''Jiichiibizens'' ("He who Quakes
Little, recorded as "Chi-bi-zains"), cultural informant
* ''Jiingogaabaw'' ("Who Shakes
he Earthby Standing", recorded as "Ching-o-ga-bow"), cultural informant
* ''Makode ("Bear's Heart", recorded as "Mah-ko-dah"), first warrior
* ''Manoominikeshiinh'' ("Ricing Rail", recorded as "Mun-o-min-e-kay-shein, Ricemaker"), chief
* ''Máza-mani'' ("Iron-walker" (Dakota name), recorded as "Mo-zo-man-e, Many Moose"), chief
* ''Migizi'' ("Bald Eagle", recorded as "Mee-gee-zee"), chief
* ''Mino-giizhig'' ("Fine Day", recorded as "Me-no-ke-shick")
* ''Negwanebi'' ("'Tallest'
uilleather" or "Feather's End", recorded as "Nay-quon-a(y)-be", "Na-gwun-a-bee" or "Na-gwa-na-be"), chief
* ''Ozaawandib'' ("Yellow Head", recorded as "O-za-wan-dib"), chief
* ''Pítad'' ("
orsel ofMuskrat-liver" (Dakota name), recorded as "Be-dud"), warrior
* ''Wazhashkokon'' ("
usk
Usk () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, northeast of Newport. It is located on the River Usk, which is spanned by an arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. Usk Castle, above the town, overlooks the ancient cr ...
at's Liver", recorded as "Wa-shask-ko-kone"), chief
* ''Zaagajiw'' ("Comes out of the Mountain", recorded as "Sa-gutch-u"), chief
* ''Zhaaboshkang'' ("He who Passes Through", recorded as "Shaw-bosh-kung"), chief
See also
*''
United States v. Mille Lac Band of Chippewa Indians'',
*''
United States v. Minnesota'',
References
External links
Rights and Equities of Mille Lac Indians in and to the Mille Lac Reservation (60th-1st-Ex.Doc.247)"Mille Lac Indian Lands Act of January 14, 1889" in ''Decisions of the Department of the Interior and General Land Office in Cases Relating to the Public Lands''. Vol. 12, pp.52-56. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891)''Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians v. Minnesota'' (1994)
{{authority control
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Ojibwe in Minnesota
Native American tribes in Minnesota
Native American history of Minnesota
Mille Lacs County, Minnesota