Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
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Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the land-base for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Central Minnesota, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The reservation has portions in Mille Lacs, Aitkin and Pine counties, consisting of nine Band Statues communities, as well as other land holdings in Kanabec, Morrison, Crow Wing and Otter Tail Counties.
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[edit] Reservations
[edit] Mille Lacs Lake Indian Reservation
The main reservation of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the Mille Lacs Lake Indian Reservation (Misi-zaaga'iganiing in the Ojibwe language) at the southern end of Mille Lacs Lake and composes about 60,975 acres (247 km²) of land, containing the communities of Neyaashiing (Vineland) and Chi-minising (Isle). It was initially established in 1855 under the Treaty of Washington for the Mille Lacs Indians. Under various Federal and State Executive Orders, the non-Native American have a few times thereafter altered the definition of the location of this Indian Reservation.
Neyaashiing houses the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Government Center, Nay-Ah-Shing Lower and Upper Schools and the Ne-Ia-Shing Clinic. It hosts Minnesota Historical Society's Mille Lacs Indian Museum. Grand Casino Mille Lacs is also located in Neyaashiing. Within the Mille Lacs Lake Indian Reservation but not in one of the Mille Lacs Band comminities are the central offices for Woodland National Bank and Circle of Health supplimentary Health Insurance, both located in Onamia, Minnesota. Chi-minising houses the Chiminising Community Center and District IIa Government Services Center.
[edit] Sandy Lake Indian Reservation
The often contentious portion of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is the Sandy Lake Indian Reservation (Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag in the Ojibwe language). Like Misi-zaaga'iganiing, it too was initially established in 1855 under the Treaty of Washington for the Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa. Under various Federal and State Executive Orders, the non-Native American no longer recognize the existence of this Indian Reservation. Consequently, nearly all the land within this Reservation is non-Native American owned. In addition, the Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag Community of the Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa and the Manoominikaan-zaaga'iganiing Community of the Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa are located adjacent to the Reservation. Army Corp of Engineers operate a small flood-control dam within this Indian Reservation.
[edit] Districts
Due to the large territorial spread of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is divided into three Band Statute districts and one special services district.
[edit] District I
The Neyaashiing District (District I) serves the Band members living in the western two-thirds of the Misi-zaaga'iganiing and 30-mile service area from that portion of the Reservation. In addition, any requested services outside of the pre-defined service districts are coordinated though this district.
[edit] District II
Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag District (District II) serves the Band members living in the eastern one-third of the Misi-zaaga'iganiing Reservation, all of Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag Reservation, the Manoominikaan-zaaga'iganiing Community and the Minisinaakwaang Community and 30-mile service area from those locations.
This district is further sub-divided into two sub-districts: Districts IIa and IIb. District IIa is associated with the Chi-minising Community. District IIb comprises the rest of District II. The Minisinaakwaang Community of the Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa is located approximately 6 miles (10 km) south of McGregor, MN. Minisinaakwaang Community houses the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation District II Community and Government Services Center, serving primarily District IIb.
[edit] District III
Aazhoomog District (District III) of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is located primarily in Pine County, comprises the Ne-zhingwaakokaag (Pine City-Rock Creek-Pokegama Lake) community of the Snake and Knife Rivers Band of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, Gaa-zhiigwanaabikokaag (Hinckley) and Asinikaaning (Sandstone) communities of the Kettle River Band of St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, and the Aazhoomog (Lake Lena) Village of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, and 30-mile service area from those locations. Though historically forming the western half of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians, the contemporary St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin located east of the St. Croix River is considered a Federally Recognized Tribe, not associated with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, located west of the St. Croix River.
Aazhoomog Village houses the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation District III Community and Government Service Center and the Aazhoomog Clinic of the Ne-Ia-Shing Health Clinic system. Operating out of Gaa-zhiigwanaabikokaag is Grand Casino Hinckley and their various enterprises, including a golf-course, RV park and a concert hall.
[edit] Urban district
The Urban District of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is a service district serving the large number of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe living in the Twin Cities. With a cooperative agreement with the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Urban District provides affordable rental housing units to eligible low-income Band members.
[edit] Communities
Though only nine communities are cited in the Band Statutes, the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation has ten formal communities and additional six informal communities. The ten formal communities are:
- Vineland, Minnesota (Neyaashiing)
- Isle, Minnesota (Chi-minising)
- East Lake, Minnesota (Minisinaakwaang)
- Lake Minnewawa, Minnesota (Manoominikaan-zaaga'iganiing)
- Sandy Lake, Minnesota (Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag )
- Sandstone, Minnesota (Asinikaaning')
- Lake Lena, Minnesota (Aazhoomog)
- Hinckley, Minnesota (Gaa-zhiigwanaabikokaag)
- Pine City, Minnesota (Ne-zhingwaakokaag)
- The Twin Cities (Gichi-oodenaang)
