Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Encyclopedia
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is a centralized government for six Chippewa bands in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was created on June 18, 1934, and the organization and its constitution were recognized by the Secretary of the Interior two years later on July 24, 1936...
, and as Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag Ojibweg in the Ojibwe language
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
, is an Ojibwa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
tribe located in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The tribe boasts 8,861 tribal members as of July, 2007. The Band's land-base is the Leech Lake Indian Reservation
Leech Lake Indian Reservation
The Leech Lake Indian Reservation or Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag in the Ojibwe language, is an Native American reservation located in the north-central Minnesota counties of Cass, Itasca, Beltrami, and Hubbard. It is the land-base for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe...
, consisting eleven communities defined in the tribal constitution, aggregated into three districts.
Government
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is one of six member reservations of the Minnesota Chippewa TribeMinnesota Chippewa Tribe
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is a centralized government for six Chippewa bands in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was created on June 18, 1934, and the organization and its constitution were recognized by the Secretary of the Interior two years later on July 24, 1936...
, which also includes the bands of Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Mille Lacs, and White Earth. It is governed by an Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) Constitution. The constitution establishes a Reservation Business Committee (RBC, also referred to as Reservation Tribal Council or RTC) system of governance with a Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer and three District Representatives. The current Tribal Council is as follows (with the next election year in parentheses):
- Chairman Arthur "Archie" LaRose (2012)
- Secretary/Treasurer Michael J. Bongo (2010)
- District I Representative Robbie M. Howe (2010)
- District II Representative Lyman Losh (2010)
- District III Representative Eugene "Ribs" Whitebird (2012)
Socio-Economic Initiatives
The tribe operates Palace Casino and Hotel in Cass LakeCass Lake, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 860 people, 331 households, and 192 families residing in the city. The population density was 753.2 people per square mile . There were 384 housing units at an average density of 336.3 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 30.12% White, 64.42%...
, Northern Lights Casino, Hotel and Convention Center in Walker
Walker, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,069 people, 449 households, and 258 families residing in the city. The population density was 734.3 people per square mile . There were 517 housing units at an average density of 355.1 per square mile...
, and White Oak Casino in Deer River
Deer River, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 903 people, 389 households, and 220 families residing in the city. The population density was 850.9 people per square mile . There were 415 housing units at an average density of 391.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 84.05% White, 12.07%...
. The Business Development Division also operates the Che-We-Ka-E-Gon Complex in Cass Lake consisting of a gas station/convenience store, a gift shop and an office retail supply; the Northern Lights Express, a small gas station near the Northern Lights Casino, Hotel and Convention Center; and plans to open a restaurant and marina on Shingobee Island in between Walker
Walker, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,069 people, 449 households, and 258 families residing in the city. The population density was 734.3 people per square mile . There were 517 housing units at an average density of 355.1 per square mile...
and the Northern Lights complex.
In addition to economic initiatives, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has founded two major educational initiatives: the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School, an open enrollment K-12 school, and Leech Lake Tribal College
Leech Lake Tribal College
Leech Lake Tribal College is a small, associate degree-granting, Anishinaabe college in Cass Lake, Minnesota, chartered by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission...
, an associate-degree-granting higher education institution.
Notable Leech Lake Citizens
- Dennis BanksDennis BanksDennis Banks , a Native American leader, teacher, lecturer, activist and author, is an Anishinaabe born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Banks is also known as Nowa Cumig...
— American Indian MovementAmerican Indian MovementThe American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
co-founder, writer, and Indigneous issues advocate - Dr. Priscilla A. Day — University of Minnesota DuluthUniversity of Minnesota DuluthThe University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
associate professor of social work - Dr. Priscilla Fairbanks — University of Minnesota Duluth associate professor of education
- Randy Finn — Community activist and leader. Brought the MIRACLE GROUP and Boys & Girls club in to being in Cass Lake and the Leech Lake Reservation
- Elaine FlemingElaine FlemingElaine Fleming was mayor of Cass Lake, Minnesota, a position to which she was elected in 2003. Cass Lake—officially a city, but with a population under 1000—is located within the reservation boundaries of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe...
— First Anishinaabe mayor of Cass Lake, Minnesota and Leech Lake Tribal CollegeLeech Lake Tribal CollegeLeech Lake Tribal College is a small, associate degree-granting, Anishinaabe college in Cass Lake, Minnesota, chartered by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission...
Arts and Humanities Chair - Annie Humphrey — Musician-singer-songwriter
- Dr. Jesse Lyons — self-proclaimed medical expert in the field of neurology
- Dr. Scott Lyons — Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
assistant professor of English and frequent Indian Country Today contributor - OzaawindibOzaawindibOzaawindib was an Ojibwa warrior who lived in the early 19th century and was described as an egwakwe —what a modern Ojibwa would describe as a niizh manidoowag...
— Egwakwe who served as a guide to Henry SchoolcraftHenry SchoolcraftHenry Rowe Schoolcraft was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his 1832 discovery of the source of the Mississippi River. He married Jane Johnston, whose parents were Ojibwe and Scots-Irish... - Dr. Marilyn Russell — Library director at Haskell Indian Nations UniversityHaskell Indian Nations UniversityHaskell Indian Nations University is a tribal university located in Lawrence, Kansas, for members of federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States...
- Chief John SmithJohn Smith (Native American)John Smith , also known as Gaa-binagwiiyaas —recorded variously as Kahbe nagwi wens, Ka-be-na-gwe-wes, Ka-be-nah-gwey-wence, Kay-bah-nung-we-way, Kay-bah-nung-we-way or Ga-Be-Nah-Gewn-Wonce—translated into English as "Sloughing Flesh", "Wrinkle Meat", or Old "Wrinkled Meat"...
— reportedly lived 137 years - Valerie Tanner — Assistant professor and director of Ojibwe Language & Culture at the College of St. Scholastica
- Dr. Anton Treuer — Bemidji State UniversityBemidji State UniversityBemidji State University is a public state university in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA, located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. It is a part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities .-History:BSU was founded in 1919 as Bemidji State Normal School...
assistant professor of Ojibwe language - David TreuerDavid TreuerDavid Treuer is a writer of Ojibwe and Jewish descent. He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. He attended Princeton University and was graduated in 1992 after writing two senior theses, one in the anthropology department and one in...
— Author (official website)
External links
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe - Official LLBO tribal government website
- Leech Lake Tribal College - Official LLTC website
- Cass Lake/Leech Lake Community Internet - Contains Leech Lake community journalism, blogs, calendars, classifieds and more
- Cass Lake Leech Lake Issues Forum - Online Discussion