The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Ojibwe language: Misi-zaaga'igani Anishinaabeg), 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. Their land-base is the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation, consisting of two reservations and nine communities defined in the tribal constitution, aggregated into three districts.
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There are eight major doodem types found among the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. They are Bizhiw (Lynx), Makwa (Bear), Waabizheshi (Marten) Awaazisii (Bullhead), Mai'ingan (Wolf), Migizi (Bald Eagle), Name (Sturgeon) and Moozens (Little Moose). Due to the historical Mille Lacs Band of Mdewakanton Dakota that formed in part the historical Mille Lacs Indians and the Snake River Band of Isanti Dakota that became part of the historical St. Croix Band of Lake Superior Chippewa that survives today in part as the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe have a high degree of Mai'ingan-doodem members.[1]
The historical tribes forming the contemporary Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe became part of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe in the 1930s. In 1922, the various Chippewa Indian Agencies located across northern Minnesota were consolidated to form the Consolidated Chippewa Agency, based out of Cass Lake, Minnesota. Under the supervision of the Consolidated Chippewa Agency, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe was organized on July 24, 1936 under the authority of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.
Before that time, the historical tribes now forming the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe were the Mille Lacs Indians, Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa, Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe was chartered by the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe on October 8, 1939. Inclusion of the Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa in this charter caused a dispute between the Mille Lacs Indians and the Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa. The Sandy Lake Band had been recognized as an independent tribe up until it was mentioned in this document. The Sandy Lake Band is no longer independently recognized by the United States federal government, although it retains its own reservation and community, the Gaa-mitaawangaagamaag , in Mille Lacs Band District II.
The Indian Reorganization Act, together with the Charter of the Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians, also effectively divided the St. Croix Chippewa Indians into three groups: The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota and two separate St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. Like the Sandy Lake Band, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota became part of the Mille Lacs Band under the Band charter. Similarly, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin divided between those who came under the tribal charter of Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and those who sought and got full Federal Recognition, independent of both the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe owns and operates Grand Casino Hinckley and Grand Gasino Mille Lacs. The tribe has seen an economic boost since it has opened the two casinos, along with several other businesses, since the early 1990s. Using the generated revenues, the tribe has begun to aggressively invest in community infrastructure and community futures.
The tribal government structure of the Mille Lacs Band is unique in that it is one of the few Native American governments with three branches of government, modeled after the government structure of the United States.
The current Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is Marge Anderson. The executive branch houses majority of the tribal government's departments, headed by commissioners appointed by the Chief Executive.
The current Secretary Treasurer of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is Curt Kalk.
The Chief Justice of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Rayna Mattinas
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