Federal Recognition
Ojibwe group in Minnesota seeks recognition


A group of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota is seeking recognition through an act of Congress.

The Warroad Ojibwe are descendants of famed Ojibwe leader Kakaygeesick, also known as Everlasting Sky. In 1904, then President Theodore Roosevelt granted a total of 215 acres to Kakaygeesick and other Ojibwes in the Warroad area.

Today, the six acres that remain are still recognized as Indian lands. But the Ojibwes who live in Warroad aren't legally Indian although the Canadian government recognizes them at First Nations citizens.

The Warroad Ojibwe could go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs process but that takes time and can be very costly. So Don Kakaygeesick, the great-grandson of Kakaygeesick, is seeking help from members of Congress. Experts and local officials say the tribe has a solid case for recognition.

Get the Story:
Warroad Ojibwe want U.S. government to recognize their existence (Minnesota Public Radio 10/24)