Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians facts for kids

The Little Shell Band of Chippewa Native Americans was a historic group of Ojibwe people. They were led by Chief Little Shell in the 1800s. This band lived near the Pembina River in North Dakota. The Ojibwe are part of the Anishinaabe peoples. They lived west of the Great Lakes. Many members of the band had some European family roots. This was because French-Canadian fur traders and trappers married into their families. Some of these people became known as Métis. Today, the Métis are recognized as an Indigenous People in Canada. The Ojibwe originally lived near the Great Lakes in the 1600s. Over time, they moved west into North Dakota and Montana.

Two groups that are considered successors to this band are the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota and the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. These groups are officially recognized by the United States government.

History of the Little Shell Band

The Ojibwe people, also called Chippewa, are an Indigenous group from North America. They lived near the Great Lakes when Europeans first arrived. Some Ojibwe families moved from areas like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They began moving into the northern Great Plains in the 1600s. In the Plains, they learned to use horses. They also started to adopt some customs from other Plains tribes.

As more European-Americans moved west, these Ojibwe bands were pushed from Minnesota. They moved into what is now North Dakota. Many settled near the Pembina River in northeastern North Dakota. The Little Shell Band of Chippewa lived there in the 1800s. Over many years, French-Canadian fur trappers married into the Ojibwe families. This area became a home for the Métis people. The Métis developed their own unique culture. It was connected to both French and Ojibwe traditions. Canada now recognizes the Métis as an independent First Nation.

More European-American settlers continued to move west. Many descendants of the Little Shell Band kept moving to Montana. Today, Chippewa people live on both sides of the border between Canada and the United States.

Successor Tribes

After the historic Little Shell Band, two main groups continued their heritage. These groups are officially recognized by the United States government.

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota is a federally recognized tribe. They have a reservation in north-central North Dakota. This reservation is located in the Turtle Mountains, near the US-Canada border. The Chippewa have lived in the Turtle Mountains for a long time. The tribe also has land parcels spread across western North Dakota, eastern Montana, and northern South Dakota. This makes the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation one of the most spread out in the United States.

Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana is the only Chippewa band recognized by the state of Montana. They gained federal recognition from the U.S. government in December 2019. The Ojibwe people have lived in Montana for over a century. Some members of this tribe were connected to events involving Louis Riel. Riel was a leader who faced challenges with the Canadian government. His story is told in books like Strange Empire by Joseph Kinsey Howard. You can learn more about these events in the Trial of Louis Riel.