Bois Forte Indian Reservation facts for kids
The Bois Forte Indian Reservation is a special area of land set aside for the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa people. In their own language, Ojibwe, they are called Zagaakwaandagowininiwag, which means "Men of the Thick Woods." This reservation helps protect their land and culture.
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Parts of the Reservation
The Bois Forte Indian Reservation is made up of three main parts in northern Minnesota, United States.
Nett Lake Reservation
The Nett Lake Indian Reservation is the biggest part. Its Ojibwe name is Asabiikone-zaaga`iganiing, meaning "At the Lake for Netting." This area surrounds Nett Lake and is home to the community of Nett Lake, MN. It covers a large area in Koochiching and St. Louis counties.
Deer Creek Reservation
The Deer Creek Indian Reservation is the second largest section. It is located in Itasca County, near the town of Effie. This land was originally for another group, the Little Forks Band. Today, the Deer Creek area is kept as a natural resource reserve. This means it helps protect important plants and animals for the Bois Forte Band.
Lake Vermilion Reservation
The smallest part is the Lake Vermilion Indian Reservation. Its Ojibwe name is Onamanii-zaaga'iganiing, which means "At the Lake with Red ochre." This section is on Lake Vermilion in St. Louis County, near the city of Tower. This part of the reservation is easy to reach. The Bois Forte Band runs a fun resort here called Fortune Bay Resort Casino. They also have a golf course and a special place called Atisokanigamig, which is a Heritage Center. It teaches about their history and stories.
The reservation also includes some smaller pieces of land scattered around. In total, the Bois Forte Reservation covers about 199 square miles.
People of Bois Forte
In 2020, about 984 people lived on the Bois Forte Reservation and nearby trust lands. Most of the people living here are Native American. Some people are also White or from two or more backgrounds. A small number of people are Hispanic or Latino.
The Bois Forte Band is part of a larger group called the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. In 2007, there were over 3,000 people officially part of the Bois Forte Band.
History of the Land
The Bois Forte community made their first agreement, called a treaty, with the United States government in 1854. This treaty set aside land around Lake Vermilion for them. Later, in 1866, more treaties officially created the Nett Lake and Itasca County areas. The Lake Vermilion lands were clearly defined in 1881.
Over time, some laws made it possible for timber companies and settlers to gain control of parts of the reservation land. By 1981, only about 41% of the Nett Lake reservation was still owned by the tribe. However, good news came in 2022! A group called the Conservation Fund returned over 28,000 acres of forest land at Nett Lake back to the Bois Forte Band. This was a big step in getting their ancestral lands back.
A lot of the reservation land, about half, is wetland. The 7,300-acre Nett Lake is famous for growing a lot of wild rice. It is said to be the biggest producer of wild rice in the entire United States.
