Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, also known as the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians or the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and as Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag Ojibweg in the Ojibwe language, is an Ojibwa band located in Minnesota and one of six making up the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. The Band has 8,861 tribal members as of July 2007. The Band's land-base is the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, consisting eleven communities defined in the tribal constitution, aggregated into three districts.
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[edit] Government
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is one of six members of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, which also includes the bands of Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Mille Lacs, and White Earth. The tribe is governed by a Constitution, which the band members wrote together, to create the tribe following the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act.
The constitution establishes a Reservation Business Committee (RBC, also referred to as Reservation Tribal Council or RTC) system of governance, with a Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer and three District Representatives. The District representatives are elected for two-year terms.
The current Tribal Council is as follows (with the year of next election for the position in parentheses):
- Chairman Arthur "Archie" LaRose (2012)
- Secretary/Treasurer Michael J. Bongo (2010)
- District I Representative Robbie M. Howe (2010)
- District II Representative Lyman Losh (2010)
- District III Representative Eugene "Ribs" Whitebird (2012)
[edit] Socio-economic initiatives
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe operates Palace Casino and Hotel in Cass Lake on the Leech Lake Reservation. It also operates Northern Lights Casino, Hotel and Convention Center in Walker; and White Oak Casino in Deer River.
The Business Development Division also operates the Che-We-Ka-E-Gon Complex in Cass Lake, consisting of a gas station/convenience store, a gift shop and an office retail supply. It has the Northern Lights Express, a small gas station near the Northern Lights Casino, Hotel and Convention Center. It has plans to open a restaurant and marina on Shingobee Island between Walker and the Northern Lights complex.
In addition to economic initiatives, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has founded two major educational initiatives: the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School, an open enrollment K-12 school, and Leech Lake Tribal College, an associate-degree-granting higher education institution.
[edit] Notable Leech Lake Band citizens
- Dennis Banks — American Indian Movement co-founder, writer, and Indigenous issues advocate
- Dr. Priscilla A. Day — University of Minnesota Duluth associate professor of social work and education[1]
- Randy Finn — Community activist and leader. Founded the MIRACLE GROUP and Boys & Girls club in Cass Lake and the Leech Lake Reservation
- Elaine Fleming — First Anishinaabe mayor of Cass Lake, Minnesota and Chair of Arts and Humanities at Leech Lake Tribal College
- Annie Humphrey — Musician-singer-songwriter
- Dr. Scott Lyons — Syracuse University assistant professor of English and frequent contributor to Indian Country Today
- Ozaawindib — Egwakwe, served as a guide to Henry Rowe Schoolcraft
- Dr. Marilyn Russell — Library director at Haskell Indian Nations University
- Chief John Smith — reportedly lived 137 years
- Valerie Tanner — Assistant professor and director of Ojibwe Language & Culture at the College of St. Scholastica
- Dr. Anton Treuer — Bemidji State University assistant professor of Ojibwe language and author of Ojibwe histories
- David Treuer — author (official website)
[edit] References
- ^ Dr. Priscilla Fairbanks, University of Minnesota Duluth
[edit] External links
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe - Official LLBO tribal government website
- Leech Lake Tribal College - Official LLTC website
- Cass Lake/Leech Lake Community Internet - Contains Leech Lake community journalism, blogs, calendars, classifieds and more
- Cass Lake Leech Lake Issues Forum - Online Discussion
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