Leech Lake Indian Reservation

Reservation flag

The Leech Lake Indian Reservation or Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag in the Ojibwe language, is an Native American reservation located in the north-central Minnesota counties of (in descending order of reservation area) Cass, Itasca, Beltrami, and Hubbard. It is the land base for the federally recognized Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 10,205, making it the largest Indian reservation in the state by number of residents.

Over one-fourth of its territory comprises lakes, as the reservation covers 972.517 sq mi (2,518.806 km²) of land and 337.392 sq mi (873.841 km²) of water. It is the second-largest reservation in Minnesota (to the White Earth Indian Reservation) in terms of land area, and the largest reservation in Minnesota in terms of total area. The largest lakes on the reservation include Leech Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, and Cass Lake.

The core areas of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation were established according to a treaty in 1855 as three smaller reservations for the Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians, and modified several times thereafter. Under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the present "Greater" Leech Lake Indian Reservation was formed from the merger of the Leech Lake, Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish Indian reservations of the Pillager Band, the Chippewa Indian Reservation of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians, and White Oak Point Indian Reservation of the Mississippi Chippewa.

Most of the reservation land is now taken up by the Chippewa National Forest. Under the federal Nelson Act of 1889, communal tribal lands were broken up in a process to encourage farming and assimilation. Much of the land was allotted to individual households of members listed on tribal rolls; the remaining land within reservation boundaries was declared surplus and sold to anyone, including non-Natives. In addition, due to sales of individual plots over the years, today a small percentage of the land within the reservation is owned by tribal members.

They use about 40 area lakes for the production of wild rice; the community produces more rice than any other reservation in the state.

History

By the late 17th century, Chippewa soldiers were forcing their way into northern Minnesota against the native Dakota tribes, such as the Assiniboine and Hidatsa. A population of Chippewa were recorded as living at the present-day Grand Portage Reservation in the late 17th century. They were from the military and police totem of the Anishinaabe Nation. Other Anishinaabe totem members called them the Noka Nation, the name of the Chippewa military totem. Other Chippewa from northwestern Wisconsin eventually migrated into the north of Minnesota, pushing out the Dakota. By the early 18th century, Chippewa soldiers were fighting a war against the Dakota people of Minnesota. The more northerly Dakota of Minnesota were subjugated by Chippewa soldiers and forced to join their confederation.

As the 18th century progressed, so did the expansion of the Chippewa into central and northern Minnesota. By the mid 18th century, the Chippewa had brought all of central and northern Minnesota under their control, and many of the Dakota. Many Dakota, however, refused to end the war and continued to fight the ever expanding Chippewa. The Chippewa-Dakota War continued as the Chippewa expanded onto the plains of central North Dakota by the mid-18th century.

After the Chippewa soldiers settled down on the land, they began to establish many villages. Most of the Chippewa who colonized the Leech Lake region were likely from Canada. From there, they sent out many of their soldiers and the soldiers of the Dakota they subjugated, to invade the plains of North Dakota. Among the Dakota allied with the Chippewa at that time, were the Assiniboine, Crow-Hidatsa, and some Yankton Sioux. They greatly angered the other Dakota peoples. Together, they would invade Montana and western South Dakota.

In the Leech Lake region, the Chippewa population began to increase after the Dakota no longer posed a threat. Many other Chippewa from other totems or clans, migrated to central and northern Minnesota, once the Noka agreed it was safe. The Pillagers were notorious for always looking for the spoils of war and combat when a battle was facing them. They settled all around the lakes at what is now the Leech Lake Reservation, including on the islands.

After United States settlers invaded the Minnesota region, the government negotiated treaties with the Dakota, who ceded much land. Their cessions included land which the Chippewa claimed by right of conquest. In 1805, the Dakota made treaty with the United States which ceded Chippewa land. By this time, most of the southern Dakota were living well west of the Mississippi River. This cession was known as Pike's Purchase, and the US built Fort Saint Anthony on it.

In 1839, some 800 or more Chippewa paid a visit to Fort Snelling to hold talks with the United States. The negotiations were about the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters. Many Dakota were there and armed with the latest revolvers, more weapons invented by the whites.

After the talks ended, the Chippewa left but a couple got into a fit of rage and agreed to kill one of the Dakota who seemed at ease with the whites. In response to the killing, the Dakota conspired to attack the Chippewa. They attacked them on July 4, 1839, killing and wounding nearly 100 Chippewa at Round Lake. After the massacre, the Chippewa were greatly angered at the Dakotas for what they had done and for being allied with the United States.

As the 19th century progressed, European-American expansion to southern Minnesota increased, with migrants both from the northern tier and new European immigrants looking for farmland. By the 1860s, the Pillagers were dealing with fraudulent treaties and the whites who had far superior weapons. They knew they could not defeat the whites using their weapons of old and grudgingly avoided open conflict as well they could.

Through treaties, a large Pillager Reservation was set aside in the Leech Lake region. After the [[White Earth Reservation] was established in 1867, the United States wanted to relocate all Anishinaabe people from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to the White Earth Reservation, located in the western part of the state. They also proposed moving the Dakota to the White Earth Reservation, although the peoples had been enemies since the 17th century. It was a policy they rigorously followed until 1898.

The Nelson Act of 1889 was pushed through Congress by Knute Nelson, a politician from Minnesota, who intended to duplicate the Dawes Act policy of allotting communal Indian land to individual households, and selling the surplus. He proposed to consolidate the American Indian peoples in the west of the state, and sell off their vacated reservations. Groups of Anishinasbe and Dakota people began to relocate to the White Earth Reservation from other Minnesota Chippewa and Dakota reservations. The 1920 census at White Earth identifies the different original bands of its population: there were 4,856 of the Mississippi Band of Chippewa (well over 1,000 originally lived around Mille Lacs and many were Dakota); the Pillagers had 1,218; the Pembina had 472; and 113 were from the Fond du Lac and Superior Chippewa.

On July 8, 1889, the United States broke treaty promises and told the Minnesota Chippewa that Red Lake Reservation and White Earth Reservation would remain, but the others would be eradicated. They said the Chippewa from the other Reservations would be relocated to White Earth Reservation. Instead of dealing with the Chippewa of Minnesota on a nation-to-nation level, the Unites States representatives organized a vote by individual Chippewa men of voting age on the issue of accepting land allotments and selling the surplus to whites, with monies to go to the tribes for their support. Chippewa leaders were outraged. They knew they could count on the average Anishinabe adult male to obey their orders, but worried that the Dakota would vote against their interests.

During the referendum, whites counted the total number of votes and the Anishinaabe did not trust them. Red Lake leaders warned the United States about reprisals if their Reservation was violated. At both the White Earth and Mille Lacs reservations, tribal members voted overwhelmingly to accept land allotments and have the surplus land sold to the whites. The Leech Lake Reservation was reported to vote the same.

In 1889, the White Earth Reservation covered 1,093 square miles. The Red Lake Reservation covered 3,260,000 acres or 5,093 sq. mi. As a result of allotments and sales at the Red Lake Reservation, the band lost all but 300,000 acres to land sales. In compensation, the United Stated added on large areas of forest and agreed to not allow allotments to occur.

Only a small portion of the White Earth Reservation remained. It was located in the northeast part of the original White Earth Reservation and was only a fraction of the original size. All other Minnesota Chippewa reservations were vacated and closed, with the lands returned to public domain for sale. Only Red Lake Reservation stayed large.

In 1898, the United States accepted the 1898 Bankrupcy Act which is also known as the 1898 Nelson Act. That was the event that set off the Rebellion of 1898. For years the whites had been clearing the forest on and off reservations in the north of Minnesota, and Chippewa leaders were outraged. As the US refused to deal with Chippewa leaders, they believed the implementation of the 1889 Nelson Act was fraudulent, for ending the Leech Lake Reservation. They considered the closings of several reservations violations of their treaty rights.

At the Leech Lake Reservation, events were occurring in the mid and late 1890s which the United States knew might lead to an Indian Uprising. Bugonaygeshig was probably one of the principal Pillager leaders at the time. Chief Gewezance may have been the main Pillager leader. He was assassinated. In 1898, US officials arrested Bugonaygeshig on bootleggging charges. The Leech Lake Band believed these were false charges and that the US was trying to subdue unrest by the arrest.

In October of 1898, Bugonaygeshig and other Pillager leaders had had enough. The US tried to arrest Bugonaygeshig and another Pillager again, but they escaped when many Chippewa forced their way to where the Indian police held chief Bugonaygeshig. They helped the two Chippewa men slip away and they fled to the island of Sugar Point.

Knowing the incident was growing beyond control of the Indian police, the Leech Lake Indian Agent telegraphed for military support. On October 5, 1898 a force of 78 American soldiers invaded the Leech Lake Reservation to end the Indian Uprising. In the Battle of Sugar Point, the Pillagers defeated them. As news of the victory reached the White Earth Reservation, many probably started to think about joining the Pillagers for a war against the United States.

Bugonaygeshig and many other Pillagers refused to surrender after the Battle of Sugar Point. Soon after the battle, US forces were reinforced by more than 200 American soldiers. By early 1899, the Pillagers had still refused to surrender. In the same year (1899) a delegation of Pillager leaders paid a visit to Washington D.C., to hold talks with American leaders. That is likely when the plans for establishing the Chippewa National Forest probably commenced. The Chippewa National Forest may be the Leech Lake Reservation. It was officially established in 1908. The Ga-za-ga-skwa-ji-may-kug is a closed Reservation.

Communities

Eleven communities make up the villages of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, with two additional communities with substantial number of Leech Lake Band members. Nearly all Leech Lake communities are located in or near the woods of the Chippewa National Forest. The largest Pillager (Noka) community is Cass Lake, which is situated on the southwestern shores of the lake by the same name. The next largest Noka settlements are Ball Club, Inger, Bena, and Squaw Lake. Some of the Pillager communities are located along only one road, with each side of the road lined with houses. Since the Reservation's land is almost entirely within the Chippewa National Forest, it is extremely difficult to expand human settlements. Of course, the Noka want it that way.

• Ball Club
• Bena
• Cass Lake
• Deer River (part, population 0)
• Inger
• Longville (part, population 0)
• Mission
• Oak Point
• Onigum
• Pennington
• Smokey Point
• Squaw Lake
• Sugar Point

Demographics

Leech Lake Reservation has a larger non-Indian population. That is because of the events which occurred in the late 19th century. At the present time the number of citizens of the Leech Lake Reservation is 9,566. Most, however, live off the beautiful Reservation. According to the 2000 census, Leech Lake Reservation had a total population of 10,205. Native Americans made up 4,561 of the total population of 10,205 but when including mixed bloods and Hispanics, the total Native American population was 5,016. The white population was 5,278. There are at least two white settlements on the Reservation. They are Whipholt and Federal Dam. Federal Dam had a population of over 500 early in the 20th century but now has a population of a little over 100. Whipholt has a population of 99. Much of the white population may be nomadic, that is, owners of more than one residence. They may claim a residence (cottage) on the Leech Lake Reservation but live for much of the year off the Reservation.

According to the chairwoman of the White Earth Reservation, it is not unusual for one Indian family to share their home with two or three other families, which means Reservation Indian populations are higher than counted by the census. As a result of certain requirements, the owner of the residence sharing the same residence with other families, will not participate in census counts to avoid eviction. She said that she wanted Indians hired to canvass the Reservations during census times. The real Indian population of the Leech Lake Reservation is obviously higher than 4,561. It could be over 6,000.

Resorts

Leech Lake Reservation has well over 100 resorts and campgrounds within its borders. Vacationers are attracted to the area to fish the many lakes scattered throughout the beautiful Leech Lake Reservation, or to do some hiking and camping. The campgrounds and resorts bring needed tourist revenue to the Leech Lake Reservation.

Economy

Leech Lake Reservation has a similar economy to that of many other Native American Reservations. The unemployment rate is 46% according to a 2006 report. Per capita income for the Leech Lake Reservation is $9,453. The poverty rate on the Leech Lake Reservation is at 31%. As nearly all the land area of the Reservation is within the Chippewa National Forest, opportunities for development are limited.

The Leech Lake government has expanded into the casino business, each located on a lake. They currently own three casinos. However, the average citizen of the Leech Lake Reservation is the real solution to improving the economy of the beautiful Leech Lake Reservation.

Topography

Leech Lake Reservation has a land that is almost entirely covered by a forest. However, in the late 19th century the forest was cleared by the whites. The present-day forest is a regrowth. Elevation across the Reservation is uniform. It usually ranges between 1,300 feet above sea level to 1,400 feet above sea level. Large lakes within the Reservations border include Cass Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, and Leech Lake.

Climate

Climate conditions at Leech Lake Reservation are extreme. Winters are long and cold. Summers are short and warm. Average low temperatures at Cass Lake during December's, January's, and February's are -2, -10, and -6. Average high temperatures for the same winter months are 20, 15, and 22. During the summer months of June, July, and August the average high temperatures at Cass Lake are 74, 80, and 77. Average low temperatures for the same months are 49, 55, and 52. As one would expect with all the trees and lakes, the precipitation in the region is significant. At Cass Lake the average yearly precipitation is over 25 inches.

References

• "Leech Lake Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Minnesota", United States Census Bureau
• Aaniin Ekidong: Ojibwe Vocabulary Project, St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center, 2009.
• Treuer, Anton. Ojibwe in Minnesota, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2010.
• Treuer, Anton. Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales & Oral Histories, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2001.

External links

• Official website
• Cass Lake Leech Lake Issues Forum - Online Discussion