White Earth Indian Reservation
The White Earth Indian Reservation (or Gaa-waabaabiganikaag (lit. "Where there is white clay") in the Ojibwe language) is the home to the White Earth Nation, located in northwestern Minnesota. It is the largest Indian reservation in that state. The reservation stretches across all of Mahnomen County, plus parts of Becker and Clearwater counties in the northwest part of the state, along the Wild Rice and White Earth Rivers. It is about 225 miles (362 km) from Minneapolis-St. Paul and roughly 65 miles (105 km) from Fargo-Moorhead. Community members often prefer to self-identify themselves as Anishinaabe instead of Ojibwe or Chippewa. The reservation's land area is 1,093 sq mi (2,831 km²), which held a population of 9,192 residents as of the 2000 census. The White Earth Indian Reservation is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. The reservation issues its own license plates to vehicles.
The White Earth Reservation was created on March 19, 1867, during a treaty signing in Washington DC. Ten Chippewa Indian chiefs met with President Andrew Johnson at the White House to negotiate the treaty.
Chief White Cloud, a Gull Lake Mississippi Chippewa, and Chief Fine Day of the Removable Mille Lacs Indians, were among the first people to move to White Earth in 1868.
The reservation originally covered 1,300 square miles (3,400 km²), but much of the community's land was improperly sold or seized by outside interests, including the U.S. federal government, in the late 19th century and early 20th century. This was largely due to the Dawes Act of 1887 and Nelson Act of 1889, which allowed land to be divided up. In the latter half of the 20th century, state and county land was transferred to the reservation in compensation. Also, in 1989, Winona LaDuke formed the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which has slowly been pushing for the recovery of more land. The project claims that only 10% of the reservation's land is owned by tribal members.
A casino is operated by the community, the Shooting Star Casino and Hotel in Mahnomen, Minnesota. It is said to be the largest employer in the region.
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[edit] History
Originally, the United States wanted to relocate all Anishinabe people from Michigan, Wisconsin, and even Minnesota to the White Earth Reservation. They even wanted to relocate the Dakota to the White Earth Reservation. It was a policy they rigorously followed until 1898. Even before the 1889 Nelson Act took effect, groups of Anishinabe people and Dakota people, commenced to relocate to the White Earth Reservation, from other Minnesota Chippewa and Dakota Reservations. The 1920 census gives a clear example of where the Anishinabe people living on the White Earth Reservation originally lived in Minnesota. From the Mississippi Band of Chippewa's were 4,856 (well over 1,000 originally lived around Mille Lacs and many were Dakota); from the Pillagers were 1,218; from the Pembina were 472; and 113 were from the Fond du Lac and Superior Chippewa's.
On July 8, 1889, the United States broke treaty promises by forcing on the Minnesota Chippewa's yet another act of injustice. They told the Minnesota Chippewa's that Red Lake Reservation and White Earth Reservation would remain but the others would be eradicated. They also told them the Chippewa's from the other Reservations would be relocated to White Esrth Reservation. Instead of dealing with the Chippewa's of Minnesota on a nation to nation level, the Unites States instead resorted to corrupting the Anishinabe people by clearly telling the Chippewa leaders of the Minnesota Chippewa Reservations, that the decison to accept land allotments and have surplus Reservation land sold to the whites, would be up to individual Chippewa men of voting age. Chippewa leaders were outraged. They knew they could count on the average Anishinabe adult male to obey their orders. However, many Dakotas lived on the White Earth Reservation and Mille Lacs Reservation, and that led to serious problems.
Once the Anishinabe men of voting age commenced to vote, it was the whites who counted the total number of votes and not the Chippewa's. Red Lake leaders warned the United States about reprisals if their Reservation was violated. The White Earth and Mille Lacs Reservations, both overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the surplus land sold to the whites. Supposedly the Leech Lake Reservation's men also overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the Reservation surplus land sold to the whites. The events of October 1898 indicate otherwise.
At the time (1889) the White Earth Reservation covered 1,093 sq. mi. After the votes were counted, the whites claimed the White Earth Reservation Anishinabe and Dakota men of voting age, overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the Reservations surplus land sold to the whites. Only a small portion of the White Earth Reservation remained. It was located in the northeast part of the White Earth Reservation and only a fraction of the original size of the White Earth Reservation. All other Minnesota Chippewa Reservations were eradicated. The Rebellion which occurred on the Leech Lake Reservation in 1898, saved Minnesota's Chippewa Reservations including the White Earth Reservation and probably the Red Lake Reservation as well.
[edit] Communities
White Earth Reservation has many settlements located within its borders. Among those which are predominantly non Indian, are Mahnomen which is the largest settlement on the Reservation; Waubun which is now about predominantly Native American when including the mixed blood population; Ogema which is another settlement which is now about predominantly Native American when including the mixed blood population; and Callaway which is now about predominantly Native American when including the mixed blood population. Predominantly Indian settlements include Elbow Lake; Naytahwaush which is the largest Indian community on the Reservation; Pine Point; Rice Lake; Twin Lakes; and White Earth which is the second largest Indian settlement on the Reservation.
Other tiny settlements which are probably predominantly Native American include Mahkonce which is very rural; Maple Grove Township; Pine Bend which is a tiny settlement; Roy Lake which is a popular tourist and vacationers destination; and the region around Strawberry Lake which is also popular with vacationers. The total citizenship of the White Earth Reservation is near 25,000. Most, however, live off-Reservation. Many are Dakota. They have been forced by the whites to lose their Dakota Nationality.
[edit] Demographics
White Earth Reservation is predominantly white. That is because of the Nelson Acts. The 2000 census reported a population of 9,192 for the White Earth Reservation. The Native American population was reported as 3,378 which is far less than the Indian population of Leech Lake Reservation. When including mixed bloods and Hispanics, the Native American population is 4,154. The white population was reported as 5,105. The white population is permanent, or not nomadic like much of the white population of the Leech Lake Reservation.
According to the chairwoman of the White Earth Reservation, the Indian population of Indian Reservations are really much higher than counted during census counts. She claimed many Reservation families had more than one family sharing the same residence. In some cases up to three families shared the same residence. During census counts they likely will not participate for fear of being evicted from their homes. That obviously means the population of the White Earth Reservation and most other Native American Reservations, are much higher. The Indian population of the White Earth Reservation is likely over 5,000. In fact, it is likely larger than the white population.
[edit] Economy
White Earth Reservation has an economy which is similar to other Native American Reservations. In 2011, the government of the White Earth Reservation employed near 1,750 employees. The tribal payroll was near $21 million. Obviously, the government of the White Earth Reservation employs many non Indians if the Indian population of the Reservation is less than 3,500. However, the real Native American population of the White Earth Reservation, is obviously higher than reported in the last census. Some reports claim up to 10,000 citizens of the White Earth Reservation live in the Twin Cities Metro Area.
Among the businesses owned by the government of the White Earth Reservation are government positions, an Event Center, a Hotel, the Shooting Star Casino, the White Housing Authority, the Reservations College and many other business enterprises. The poverty rate on the White Earth Reservation may be near 50%. The unemployment rate on the White Earth Reservation is near 25%. The White Earth Reservation is classified as the poorest Reservation in the State of Minnesota.
[edit] Topography
White Earth Reservation is situated in an area where the praire meets the boreal forest. About half the Reservation is covered by a forest and lakes. However, the forest is a regrowth. In the late 19th century, lumber companies destroyed the original forest that covered the Reservation. An act that greatly upset the Anishinabe people. The western part of the Reservation is prime prairie land. Many farms are located in the western section of the White Earth Reservation. Another area where quite a few farms are located is the extreme northeastern section of the Reservation.
The denses cover of forest is situated between Callaway and Pine Point, on up to just west and north of Mahkonce. The further one goes north the forest becomes less dense, especially around the Pine Bend and Rice Lake regions. The region between Mahkonce and Pine Bend has a few farms. Many lakes dot the Reservation's land. Large lakes include Bass Lake; Big Rat Lake; Lower Rice Lake; Many Point Lake; North Twin Lake-South Twin Lake; Roy Lake; Round Lake; Snider Lake; Strawberry Lake; Tulaby Lake; and White Earth Lake.
State Forest in the White Earth Reservation include the 160,000 acre White Earth State Forest. The Reservation's land is still recovering from the impact of the destruction the lumber companies caused over a century ago. The Reservation is especially beuatiful during the spring, summer and autumn.
[edit] Climate
Climate conditions on the White Earth Reservation are extreme. Winters are long and cold. During the winter months of December, January, and February average low temperatures are 1, -6, and 0 at Mahnomen. Average high temperatures for the same winter months are 20, 14, and 21. The summer months of June, July, and August have high temperatures that average 76, 81, and 80 at Mahnomen. Average low temperatures during the same summer months are 52, 56, and 54 at Mahnomen. Precipitation is obviously influenced by the forest and many lakes which are located within the Reservations borders. Average yearly precipitation at Mahnomen is over 22 inches a year.
[edit] References
- White Earth Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Minnesota United States Census Bureau
- Treuer, Anton. The Assassination of Hole in the Day. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2011.
- Treuer, Anton. Ojibwe in Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2010.
[edit] External links
- White Earth Reservation
- White Earth Land Recovery Project
- "White Earth" at Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
- Archival Images of White Earth Mission from the Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives
Coordinates: 47°13′39″N 95°43′13″W / 47.2275°N 95.72028°W
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