Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians facts for kids

The Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians, also known simply as the Pillagers, were an important group of Chippewa (Ojibwe) people. Their name in the Ojibwe language is Makandwewininiwag, which means "Pillaging Men." The French also called them Pilleurs, meaning the same thing. This name was used because they were known for their military actions, often leading the way for the Ojibwe people as they moved into new areas, like the lands of the Dakota people. The Pillagers first settled near Leech Lake in what is now Minnesota, at the start of the Mississippi River. From there, they slowly moved westward.

History of the Pillagers

How the Pillagers Got Their Name

The Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians had many names over time. Their original Ojibwe name, Makandwewininiwag, means "Pillaging Men." This name was given to them because they were known for being strong warriors and for their military actions.

Some of the names they were called include:

• Chippeways of Leech Lake (used by explorers Lewis and Clark in 1806)
• Pilleurs (a French name meaning 'plunderers', used in 1809)
• Rogues (also used in 1809)
• Pillagers (this name became official in the Treaty of Fond du Lac with the United States in 1847)

Later, scholars and government agents tried to write down their Ojibwe name in different ways to show how it sounded. One common spelling that came into use was Makandwewininiwag.

Pillager Sub-Bands

The Pillager people were made up of several smaller groups, called sub-bands. These groups were often named after the places where they lived.

Some of the main sub-bands included:

• Northern Bands
  • Red Cedar (Cass) Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (their Ojibwe name, Gaa-miskwaawaakokaag, means "where there are many red cedar")
  • Turtle Portage Band of Chippewa Indians (they lived near Turtle River and Turtle Lake)
  • Lake Winnibigoshish Band of Chippewa Indians (Wiinibiigoonzhishiwininiwag)
• Eastern Bands
  • Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag Ojibweg)
    • Bear Island (on Leech Lake)
    • Boy Lake
    • Pine Point (on Leech Lake)
  • Pillager (Makandwewininiwag)
    • Upper Crow Wing River (Gaagaagiwigwani-ziibiwiniwag, meaning "Raven's Wing River Men")
    • Wing River
• Western Bands
  • Otter Tail Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
  • Otter Tail River

Coming Together: Unification of the Pillagers

Over time, through agreements with the United States government, many Pillager bands settled on reservations in north-central Minnesota. Most of them were placed on three main reservations, which were set up by the 1855 Treaty of Washington:

• Cass Lake Reservation
• Lake Winnibigoshish Reservation
• Leech Lake Reservation

Later, the size of the Leech Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish reservations almost doubled.

When the White Earth Reservation was created in 1867, some western Pillagers who lived near Otter Tail Lake decided to move there. This way, they would have their own land.

In 1934, the Pillager groups from Cass Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, and Leech Lake decided to join together. They also merged with the White Oak Point Reservation of the Mississippi Chippewa and the Removable Lake Superior Chippewa Bands.

These groups from central Minnesota formed what is known today as the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. They mostly live on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.

Today, the main groups that continue the legacy of the Pillagers are:

• Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
• White Earth Band of Chippewa

In the same year (1934), the Leech Lake and White Earth bands helped create a new government for their people. They were two of six bands that formed the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. This larger tribe helps manage overall government and services for these Ojibwe communities in Minnesota.