St. Croix Chippewa Indians facts for kids
The St. Croix Chippewa Indians are a Native American group. They are part of the larger Ojibwe people. In their language, Ojibwe, they are called Manoominikeshiinyag, which means "Ricing Rails." This name comes from their traditional practice of gathering wild rice.
They lived along the St. Croix River. This river forms the border between the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Today, most St. Croix Chippewa are in two main groups. One is the federally recognized St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. The other is the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Minnesota. This Minnesota group is part of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. The Mille Lacs Band is also part of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.
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History of the St. Croix Chippewa
The Manoominikeshiinyag were one of three main groups called the Biitan-akiing-enabijig. This name means "Border Sitters." They were called this because they lived close to the Eastern Dakota people. These "Border Sitters" were a smaller part of the Gichigamiwininiwag. This means "Lake Superior Men," referring to the larger Lake Superior Chippewa group.
The St. Croix Band arrived in the area about 600 years ago. Their stories say they moved south from Lake Superior. They were told to go to "the place where there is food upon the waters." This food was wild rice. When they settled in the St. Croix River valley, they had conflicts. They fought with the Eastern Dakota and the Fox tribes. Eight other Native American tribes also lived in this river valley.
Even today, the Ojibwe language has names for parts of the St. Croix River. The river's start is called "Manoominikeshiinyag-ziibi" (Ricing Rail River). Below where the Namekegon River joins, it's "Gichi-ziibi" (Big River). Below the Trade River, it's "Jiibayaatigo-ziibi" (Grave-marker River). The name "St. Croix River" comes from this "Jiibayaatigo-ziibi" name.
The St. Croix Band was once divided into many smaller groups. These included:
- Apple River Band
- Clam River Band
- Kettle River Band
- Knife River Band
- Rice River Band
- Rush River Band
- Snake River Band
- Sunrise River Band
- Tamarack River Band
- Totogatic River Band
- Wolf River Band
- Wood River Band
- Yellow River Band
Some of these bands, like the Knife, Rice, Rush, Snake, Sunrise, and Apple River bands, had close ties with the Eastern Dakota people. They often married into Dakota families. Because of this, people from these bands were seen as both Dakota and Ojibwe. Many had Dakota names. Many also belonged to the Ma'iingan (Wolf) Doodem (clan). There were also chiefs with similar names, like Zhaagobe of the Snake River band.
Changes for the St. Croix Chippewa
The St. Croix Band signed the Treaty of St. Peters in 1837. This treaty is also known as the "White Pine Treaty." Through it, they gave up land so that lumber companies could cut down the many white pine trees. These trees grew along the St. Croix River area. The treaty promised the tribes that they could still hunt, fish, and gather food in these lands.
Later, in 1850, a sad event called the Sandy Lake Tragedy happened. After this, the St. Croix Band and other Ojibwe bands were saved from a policy called Indian removal. This policy would have forced them to move far away. Many people across the United States supported them.
The U.S. government then wanted to create reservations for each Ojibwe band. The St. Croix Band believed they could keep their hunting, fishing, and gathering rights. These rights were protected by the 1837 treaty. So, they did not agree to move to a reservation. In 1854, the St. Croix Band was left out of the Treaty of La Pointe. This meant they lost their official recognition from the U.S. government. Without this status, they could no longer use their hunting rights.
The U.S. government encouraged St. Croix Band members in Wisconsin to move. They suggested the Lac Courte Oreilles Indian Reservation. There, they could receive payments from the government. Many people did move, but just as many stayed in the St. Croix valley. When the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation was created in 1855, Minnesota St. Croix members were asked to move there. Again, some moved, but others stayed outside the reservation.
As tensions grew between lumberjacks and the St. Croix Band, the U.S. government moved some St. Croix villages. They went to the Gull Lake Reservation near Brainerd, Minnesota. The Rice River Band, a part of the St. Croix Band, joined the Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa.
Scattered Communities
The United States government often broke its promises. This made the Eastern Dakota people very angry. In 1862, they declared war against the United States. This was called the "Dakota War of 1862." It happened during the American Civil War. Many Ojibwe bands, including St. Croix Band members, joined the Dakota. Some were on the Gull Lake Reservation. Others were with the Rice Lake Band, waiting for their own reservation.
The United States defeated the Dakota and their allies. They moved these groups to areas near the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Later, they moved them even farther away to the White Earth Indian Reservation. These bands then became part of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.
Meanwhile, many St. Croix Band members stayed in the St. Croix river valley. They were not on a reservation. Most did not receive land or much help with education or health from the U.S. government. People in northern Wisconsin started calling the St. Croix Band "the lost tribe." Other tribes lived on their reservations. But the St. Croix Band found new ways to live. They worked in the growing logging industry. Many St. Croix Band members became lumberjacks and river drivers.
Coming Back Together
By 1902, the Rice Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa returned to east-central Minnesota. They had moved to the White Earth Indian Reservation earlier. They settled south of Sandy Lake, near McGregor. A small group from the Rice River Band of St. Croix Band came back with them. They created the Minisinaakwaang Village at East Lake, south of McGregor.
In 1934, a law called the Indian Reorganization Act was passed. Under this law, the St. Croix Band in Wisconsin reorganized. They wrote a new constitution and got federal recognition again. They became the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. The Minisinaakwaang Village, Lake Lena Village, Kettle River, and Snake River communities in Minnesota joined the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. This happened when the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe was formed.
Today, the St. Croix Band communities in Minnesota make up District III of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. This area is mostly in Pine County. The Minisinaakwaang Village is the government center for District II of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation.
