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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