Mille Lacs Indians
Encyclopedia
The Mille Lacs Indians are a Band of Indians formed from the unification of the Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa (Ojibwe)
with the Mille Lacs Band of Mdewakanton
Sioux
(Dakota
). Today, the Mille Lacs Indians consider themselves as being Ojibwe, but many on their main Reservation have the Ma'iingan (Wolf) as their chief Doodem
(Clan), which is an indicator of Dakota origins.
Mille Lacs Indians, because of their mixed Chippewa-Sioux heritage, have become the cultural hinge-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.
With the Dakota War of 1862
, 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 Bagone-giizhig (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 of Chief Bagone-giizhig, thus adverting Chief Bagone-giizhig's attack onto the Fort.
In the Treaty of 1863 and again in 1864, while most all other Chippewa Bands were being forced to relocate due to their aid to the Dakota people
, Mille Lacs Indians, due to their aid to the United States
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."
When the White Earth Indian Reservation
was established, like the rest of the Mississippi Chippewa, the Mille Lacs Indians were also encouraged to relocate. Many did relocate to White Earth, becoming the Removable Mille Lacs Band. Others remained on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
, becoming the Non-removable Mille Lacs Band. By 1902, many Removable Mille Lacs Band returned to the Mille Lacs Reservation.
When the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
was established in 1934, the Non-removable and Removable Mille Lacs Bands of the Mille Lacs Indians became the core Tribe of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
, joined together with the Non-removable Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa
, Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa, and the communities of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians
of Minnesota.
chief for the Mille Lacs Indians.
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
with the Mille Lacs Band of Mdewakanton
Mdewakanton
Mdewakantonwan are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti Dakota . Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota, which in the Dakota language was called mde wakan .As part of the Santee Sioux, their ancestors had migrated from the Southeast of the present-day United States, where the...
Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
(Dakota
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
). Today, the Mille Lacs Indians consider themselves as being Ojibwe, but many on their main Reservation have the Ma'iingan (Wolf) as their chief Doodem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
(Clan), which is an indicator of Dakota origins.
Mille Lacs Indians, because of their mixed Chippewa-Sioux heritage, have become the cultural hinge-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.
With the Dakota War of 1862
Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of the eastern Sioux. It began on August 17, 1862, along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota...
, 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 Bagone-giizhig (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 of Chief Bagone-giizhig, thus adverting Chief Bagone-giizhig's attack onto the Fort.
In the Treaty of 1863 and again in 1864, while most all other Chippewa Bands were being forced to relocate due to their aid to the Dakota people
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, Mille Lacs Indians, due to their aid to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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."
When the White Earth Indian Reservation
White Earth Indian Reservation
The White Earth Indian Reservation is the home to the White Earth Nation, located in northwestern Minnesota. It is the largest Indian reservation in that state...
was established, like the rest of the Mississippi Chippewa, the Mille Lacs Indians were also encouraged to relocate. Many did relocate to White Earth, becoming the Removable Mille Lacs Band. Others remained on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the land-base for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, about 100 miles north of Minneapolis-St. Paul...
, becoming the Non-removable Mille Lacs Band. By 1902, many Removable Mille Lacs Band returned to the Mille Lacs Reservation.
When the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is a centralized government for six Chippewa bands in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was created on June 18, 1934, and the organization and its constitution were recognized by the Secretary of the Interior two years later on July 24, 1936...
was established in 1934, the Non-removable and Removable Mille Lacs Bands of the Mille Lacs Indians became the core Tribe of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe , also known as the Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians or the Mille Lacs Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, is an Ojibwa tribe located in Minnesota. The tribe boasts 3,942 tribal members as of July, 2007...
, joined together with the Non-removable Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa
Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa
Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa 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, Minnesota...
, Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa, and the communities of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians
St. Croix Chippewa Indians
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians are a historical Band of Ojibwe located along the St. Croix River, which forms the boundary between the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Majority of the St. Croix Band are divided into two groups: the Federally recognized St...
of Minnesota.
Yellow Head, Mille Lacs Indians Chief
Ozaawandib ("Yellow Head" in English, recorded as O-za-wan-dib) was an OjibwaOjibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
chief for the Mille Lacs Indians.