White Earth Indian Reservation - History

History

Originally, the United States wanted to relocate all Anishinaabe people from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to the White Earth Reservation, which was in the western part of the state. They planned to open the land of the vacated reservations to sale and settlement by European Americans. The US government even proposed relocating the Dakota people to the White Earth Reservation, although the people had been traditional enemies since the Anishinaabe had invaded their land. The US continued to promote this policy until 1898.

Before the Nelson Act of 1889 took effect, groups of Anishinaabe and Dakota peoples began to relocate to the White Earth Reservation from other Minnesota Chippewa and Dakota reservations. The 1920 census details provide data on the origins of the Anishinabe people living on the White Earth Reservation, as they indicated their original bands. There were 4,856 from the Mississippi Band of Chippewa (well over 1,000 had come from Mille Lacs, and many were Dakota); the Pillagers numbered 1,218; the Pembina Band were 472; and 113 were from the Fond du Lac and Superior Chippewa bands.

On July 8, 1889, the United States broke treaty promises by forcing on the Minnesota Chippewas yet another act of injustice. They told the Minnesota Chippewas that Red Lake Reservation and White Earth Reservation would remain but the others would be eradicated. They also told them the Chippewas from the other Reservations would be relocated to White Earth Reservation. Instead of dealing with the Chippewas of Minnesota on a nation to nation level, the Unites States instead resorted to corrupting the Anishinabe people by clearly telling the Chippewa leaders of the Minnesota Chippewa Reservations, that the decision to accept land allotments and have surplus Reservation land sold to the whites, would be up to individual Chippewa men of voting age. Chippewa leaders were outraged. They knew they could count on the average Anishinaabe adult male to obey their orders. However, many Dakotas lived on the White Earth Reservation and Mille Lacs Reservation, and that led to serious problems.

Once the Anishinaabe men of voting age commenced to vote, it was the whites who counted the total number of votes and not the Chippewas. Red Lake leaders warned the United States about reprisals if their Reservation was violated. The White Earth and Mille Lacs Reservations, both overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the surplus land sold to the whites. Supposedly the Leech Lake Reservation's men also overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the Reservation surplus land sold to the whites. The events of October 1898 indicate otherwise.

At the time (1889), the White Earth Reservation covered 1,093 sq. mi. After the votes were counted, the whites claimed the White Earth Reservation Anishinaabe and Dakota men of voting age, overwhelmingly voted to accept land allotments and have the Reservations surplus land sold to the whites. Only a small portion of the White Earth Reservation remained. It was located in the northeast part of the White Earth Reservation and only a fraction of the original size of the White Earth Reservation. All other Minnesota Chippewa Reservations were eradicated. The Rebellion which occurred on the Leech Lake Reservation in 1898, saved Minnesota's Chippewa Reservations including the White Earth Reservation and probably the Red Lake Reservation as well, and the Chippewa Reservations of Wisconsin. Chief Bugonaygeshig is far more important than the average Anishinaabe realizes. Ga-wa-ba-bi-gan-ni-kug is fortunate to still be around, and to be living amidst the new forest.