Red Lake Indian Reservation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Lake Indian Reservation
Indian reservation
Red Lake welcome sign in Bejou, Minnesota in 2023
Location in Minnesota
Country	United States
Tribe	Red Lake Band of Chippewa
State	Minnesota
Counties	Beltrami Clearwater
Headquarters	Red Lake
Government
• Body	Tribal Council
Area
• Total	1,260.32 sq mi (3,264.2 km2)
• Land	883.087 sq mi (2,287.18 km2)
• Water	377.233 sq mi (977.03 km2)  29.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,506
• Density	6.2/sq mi (2.4/km2)
Website	redlakenation.org

The Red Lake Indian Reservation (called Miskwaagamiiwi-zaaga'iganing in the Ojibwe language) is a special area in Minnesota, United States. It covers about 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers). The main part of the reservation is around Red Lake, which is the biggest lake in Minnesota. This area is mostly in Beltrami and Clearwater counties.

The Red Lake Reservation is home to the federally recognized Red Lake Band of Chippewa. It is unique because it is a "closed reservation." This means that all the land is owned by the tribe together, not by individuals. The tribe claims this land because they won it in battles and lived there first. They were not given this land by the United States government.

The Red Lake Band chose not to join the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe in the 1930s. They wanted to keep their traditional system of hereditary chiefs instead of having elected leaders. As of 2011, the Ojibwe language is the official language of Red Lake. The reservation had 5,506 residents in the 2020 census.

History of the Red Lake Nation

Early Ojibwe Migrations

In the 1600s, the Ojibwa people, who speak the Algonquian language, moved into what is now Minnesota. They came from the north, near the Great Lakes. Ojibwe warriors moved first to prepare the way for their families.

They settled near what is now Duluth, Minnesota, on Lake Superior. This village was called Wi-yah-kwa-kit-chi-ga-ming. French fur traders later called it Fond du Lac. From there, Ojibwe warriors moved into the Sandy Lake and Red Lake areas. They likely took over the Red Lake region between 1650 and 1750.

Conflicts and Alliances

The Ojibwe fought against the Dakota people who lived in the Red Lake region. They forced many Dakota to leave the area. The Noka, who were the military and police clan of the Ojibwe, settled in the Red Lake region. They allowed other Ojibwe clans to join them.

Later, the Ojibwe and their Dakota allies moved into the plains of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. Some Western Dakota groups kept fighting the Ojibwe-Dakota alliance. Over time, more Dakota groups sought peace with the Ojibwe.

French and Indian War Era

William Whipple Warren, an early historian of the Ojibwe, noted their strong ties with French Canadians. This was due to fur trading and marriages between their peoples. The Ojibwe fought alongside the French against the English in the Seven Years' War. This war was known as the French and Indian War in North America. Even though the English won, the Ojibwe kept many connections with French Canadians.

19th Century Changes

In the 1850s, Catholic priests started a mission with the Red Lake Band. Later, nuns from the Benedictine monastery opened St. Mary's Mission at Red Lake. They ran a boarding school for Ojibwe girls, teaching them Christianity and English. Many residents on the reservation later became Catholic, but they also kept their Ojibwe traditions.

In 1863, the Red Lake Band and the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians signed the Treaty of Old Crossing with the United States. They agreed to give up land in the Red River and Pembina areas. They made more agreements to give up land in the following years. This happened because more European-American settlers were moving into the area.

The United States later added the Lac du Bois Band of Ojibwa to the Red Lake Band. This was because the international border survey placed the Lac du Bois Band within the US.

Resisting Land Allotment

The Red Lake Band gave up large areas of land but kept a central part of their territory. They strongly resisted the US government's efforts to divide their communal land. This was part of the Dawes Act of 1887. The Dawes Act aimed to split tribal land into individual plots for farming. Any land left over after this division would be sold to non-Indians.

Some members of the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians moved to the Red Lake Reservation. They did this to avoid being moved to the Turtle Mountain or White Earth reservations. Red Lake was seen as "untouched Indian land" because it had always stayed under tribal control.

In 1889, the US government announced that the Red Lake and White Earth reservations would remain. But other Chippewa reservations would be sold off, and their people moved to White Earth. The Red Lake leaders warned the US government against violating their reservation. The Red Lake Reservation was originally very large, covering about 3,260,000 acres. After the Dawes Act, the Band was forced to give up 2,905,000 acres. This left them with over 300,000 acres and most of Lower and Upper Red Lake.

After the 1898 Battle of Sugar Point, the US government changed its policy. It returned some land to the remaining Chippewa reservations in Minnesota, including White Earth and Red Lake. The current Red Lake Reservation boundaries date back to a 1904 land act. No land was divided into individual plots on the Red Lake Reservation at that time.

20th Century to Today

Today, the Red Lake Reservation is unique in Minnesota. All its land is owned and lived on by members of the Red Lake Band. Many other reservations have less than 10% of their land owned by the tribe. Red Lake is considered one of the most isolated reservations in the United States.

In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act encouraged tribes to rebuild their governments. The Red Lake Band chose not to join six other Chippewa bands to form the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Their leaders did not want to give up their traditional hereditary chiefs for an elected government. They also did not want to give up control of their land.

In the 1950s, new Red Lake tribal leaders created a constitution. This set up a democratically elected government with a chairman and council. Roger Jourdain was the first chairman, elected in 1959. He was re-elected many times and led the tribe until 1990. Under his leadership, the reservation built important things like running water, roads, and homes.

The tribe has also created a library and archives. They have a tribal archaeologist who studies and protects ancient artifacts. Tribal schools were built on the reservation so children could get an education in their own community.

The Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake reservations are known for singing hymns in the Ojibwe language.

Since the mid-1900s, the tribe has shown strong sovereignty. Because it is a "closed reservation," the tribe has a lot of control over non-residents. This includes controlling who enters the reservation or even asking them to leave. For example, the tribe has sometimes stopped journalists from entering.

The Red Lake tribe and reservation were the first in the United States to issue their own license plates. This showed their status as a sovereign nation. The tribe is working to grow its economy. They are working with the White Earth and Leech Lake bands to create jobs.

In 2018, the Red Lake Band brought a bison herd to the reservation. This project helps provide meat for tribal citizens. It is part of the Red Lake Nation's Food Initiative, which also includes a nearby garden.

Red Lake Population and People

Who Lives on the Reservation?

The 2020 census showed that 5,506 people live on the Red Lake Reservation. The population density is about 6.2 people per square mile. Most of the people, about 96.29%, are Native American. A small number are White (0.71%) or belong to other groups. About 1.1% of the population is multiracial. Also, 1.8% of the people identify as Hispanic. More than 40% of the people living on the reservation are under 18 years old.

Geography of Red Lake

Where is Red Lake Reservation?

The Red Lake Reservation has different parts spread out in northwest Minnesota. The largest part is around Lower and Upper Red Lake. These are some of the biggest lakes in the United States. The land area of the reservation is mainly around Lower Red Lake and to its west. This land is covered by prime forest.

According to the United States Census Bureau in 2020, the reservation covers a total area of about 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers). About 883 square miles (2,287 square kilometers) is land, and 377 square miles (977 square kilometers) is water.

The elevation on the Red Lake Reservation ranges from 1,100 feet to 1,300 feet above sea level. Besides the large Red Lakes, many smaller lakes are found across the reservation, especially south of Lower Red Lake.

Communities on the Reservation

Here are some of the communities located on the Red Lake Reservation:

• Little Rock
• Ponemah
• Red Lake
• Redby

Red Lake Climate

The Red Lake Reservation has extreme weather. Winters are long and very cold, while summers are short and warm. In December, January, and February, the average low temperatures are around 0°F to -8°F. The average high temperatures for these months are between 13°F and 20°F.

In the summer months of June, July, and August, the average high temperatures are around 73°F to 78°F. The average low temperatures for summer are around 51°F to 57°F.

The large lake and forests help bring a lot of rain and snow to Red Lake, about 23 inches (58 cm) each year. The big lake also helps keep temperatures milder, especially during cold periods. This is why summer low temperatures are warmer here than in other places further south that are not next to lakes.

Red Lake Economy

How the Tribe Makes Money

The Red Lake Band operates three casinos. These are Seven Clans Casino Red Lake in Red Lake, Seven Clans Casino Thief River Falls near Thief River Falls, and Seven Clans Casino Warroad in Warroad. Together, these are known as Seven Clans Casinos.

The reservation has also traditionally relied on sustainable logging and commercial fishing of walleye (called ogaawag in Ojibwe) from the lakes.

The Red Lake Nation Department of Natural Resources has worked hard to bring back the walleye fish populations. In the 1990s, walleye numbers dropped a lot, causing financial problems for the reservation. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Red Lake Band worked together. They closed Red Lake to fishing for seven years, ending in 2006. This helped the walleye population recover, and now there are stricter fishing rules. The tribe also runs the Akina Red Lake Fishery, a fish-packing plant in Redby, Minnesota.

Tribes in Northern Minnesota are working together to boost the economy in their region. The Red Lake, Leech Lake, and White Earth nations created the Northern Minnesota Tribal Economic Development Commission. They want to build more connections with local businesses and resources. In 2008, these three tribes held the Northern Minnesota Reservation Economic Development Summit and Trade Show.

Education on the Reservation

Schools for Red Lake Students

The Red Lake Reservation has its own school systems:

• Red Lake School District
  • Red Lake Senior High School
• Endazhi-Nitaawiging Charter School

Notable People from Red Lake

Here are some well-known people who are members or residents of the Red Lake Band:

• Donna Bergstrom: A retired US Marine Corps officer who has run for political office in Minnesota.
• Brenda Child: An educator and author, she is a history professor at the University of Minnesota.
• Leon F. Cook: He served as president of the National Congress of American Indians from 1971 to 1972.
• Patrick DesJarlait: A talented Red Lake Ojibwe visual artist and graphic designer.
• Adam Fortunate Eagle: A well-known Native American political activist.
• Roger Jourdain (1913–2002): He was the first elected Chairman of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, serving from 1959 to 1990.
• Bill Lawrence (1939–2010): He was the owner and editor of Native American Press/Ojibwe News for many years.
• Medweganoonind: A significant Red Lake Ojibwe chief from the 19th century.
• Charlie Norris: A professional wrestler.
• Migizi Pensoneau: A television writer.
• Gary Sargent (born 1954): A professional ice hockey player.
• Thomas J. Stillday, Jr.: A spiritual leader of the Red Lake Nation and a tribal council member.
• Andy Wells: An engineer, inventor, and founder of Wells Technology and Wells Academy, which trains indigenous people in manufacturing.
• William Whipple Warren: A Minnesota territorial legislator and the first Ojibwe historian. He wrote an important history of the Ojibwe people.

Images for kids

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  U.S. Indian Commissioner William P. Dole seated, John G. Nicolay (Lincoln's private Secretary) standing at Big Lake encampment, Sherburne County, Minnesota mid-August 1862. They were enroute to make a treaty with the Red lake and Pembina bands on the Red River that was postponed due to the Sioux. It had been planned for August 25th. Nicolay had been sent as Lincoln's personal representative to the Chippewa

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  Red Lake Chiefs ca. 1890, Photographer Frank Jay Haynes

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  Tipi summer home of John Jones, Red Lake Agency 1925

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  Bark wigwam (summer home), Ponemah Point, Red Lake Agency 1934

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  Family burial ground, Ponemah, Red Lake Agency 1934

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  Cleaning green deer hides prior to tanning, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Maple sugar, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Maple sugar industry, boiling sap, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Maple sugar industry, boiling sap, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Maple sugar industry, boiling sap, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Maple sugar industry, birch bark tipi, Red Lake Agency 1939

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  Oke-mah Wah Cumig Oke planting seed potatoes 1940, Red Lake Agency