The Red Lake Indian Reservation covers 1,258.62 sq mi (3,259.81 km²) in parts of nine counties in northern Minnesota, United States. It is divided into many pieces, although the largest piece is centered about Red Lake, in north-central Minnesota, the largest lake entirely within that state. This section lies primarily in the counties of Beltrami and Clearwater. Seven other counties also have land that is part of the reservation. The second-largest section is much farther north in the Northwest Angle of Lake of the Woods County, near the Canadian border and has no permanent residents. Between these two largest sections are literally hundreds of mostly tiny non-contiguous exclaves of the reservation in the counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods, Koochiching, Roseau, Pennington, Marshall, Red Lake, and Polk. It is home to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, and is the most populous reservation in the state according to the 2000 census, which recorded 5,162 residents. The only place in Minnesota with a higher Native American population is the state's largest city, Minneapolis, which recorded 8,378 Indian residents that year. The reservation's largest community is Red Lake, on the south shore of Red Lake. With the large lake in the heart of the reservation's territory, its total land area, 880.324 square miles (2,280.03 km2), is only about 70% of the reservation's surface area.
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Allied with the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians, the Red Lake Band first negotiated the Treaty of Old Crossing with the United States in 1863, and made additional agreements in the following decades.
With the realization that border between the United States and Canada was improperly placed due to land survey errors, the corrected boundaries included the Northwest Angle within the United States, and the Lac du Bois Band of Ojibwa found itself in the United States. Without an independent federal recognition from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Lac du Bois Band was consolidated with the Red Lake Band. While the tribe ceded large tracts of land, it successfully resisted attempts at allotment, which divided land on other reservations in Minnesota and elsewhere. During this period some of the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians, refusing relocation to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation or to the White Earth Indian Reservation, escaped to the Red Lake Indian Reservation because it was "untouched Indian land".
The current reservation is entirely owned by the Red Lake Band, making it unique among reservations in Minnesota (some tribes own less than 10% of the land on their reservations). While this is a source of pride for tribal members, it also means that Red Lake is the most isolated reservation in the United States. The tribe asserts a significant level of sovereignty, which can cause tension when outsiders attempt to visit (journalists have been barred from entering on multiple occasions), and also when crimes are prosecuted because jurisdiction can be unclear. The reservation was also the first in the United States to issue its own vehicle license plates.
Per capita income is lower at Red Lake than on any other reservation in the state. It was estimated at US$8,372 in 1999 according to the Northwest Area Foundation. Approximately 40% of residents live below the poverty line. Between 1990 and 2000, the population also increased by 40%. Many people have been returning to the reservation after experiencing difficulty finding employment elsewhere. This is believed to be partially fueling the epidemic level of crime on the reservation; 3,500 court cases were filed in 2004. The majority of the crimes are drug-related, and violence has also been a significant problem. The majority population is consisted of children, with approximately 60% of the residents under the age of 18.
Some in the community have expressed hope that interest may be renewed in the tribe's traditions, and that this form of "traditional values" may improve life on the reservation. However, others have a more pragmatic view and believe that the community needs to focus on education and finding ways to get people to work and paid adequately. The majority of professions on the reservation have pay in the vicinity of $7 per hour as of 2005. The tribe operates three casino operations, though it is reported that even those operations are not prosperous. A small operation is located in the village of Red Lake, the 13,000 ft². River Road Casino is located seven miles south of Thief River Falls, and the Lake of the Woods Bingo and Casino is in Warroad. Seven Clans Casino Red Lake is located in Red Lake, Minnesota. The three casinos combined are known as Seven Clans Casinos.
Crime and poverty are factors on the reservation. The tribe was led from 1959 to 1990 by Roger Jourdain, a cousin of tribal archeologist Ginger Thompson, who became a rather well-known and respected leader due to his comments against the United States government and his pragmatic attitude. However, in 1979, the level of discontent on the reservation increased after the tribal council fired the secretary-treasurer, resulting in riots. Fourteen buildings were set afire, including the law enforcement center and Jourdain's home. Two teenagers also died as a result of gunshot wounds.
In the past, industry on the reservation has primarily consisted of logging and commercial fishing of walleye in the lakes that give the community its name. However, walleye production dropped significantly in the 1990s, adding to the region's financial strain. However, the community receives $50 to $60 million each year in US federal subsidies. The local school district reportedly spends more money per student than any other in Minnesota.
The poverty level of the tribe, coupled with financial difficulties in state government, led Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2004–2005 to propose a joint casino operation co-owned by the White Earth, Leech Lake, and Red Lake bands, and the state government. It would have operated in the populous Twin Cities area, where some of the most successful Indian gaming facilities in the country are located. However, the plan quickly became unpopular and was deemed illegal by Attorney General Mike Hatch. The tribe soon pulled out of negotiations.
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