"Here on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation, you don’t have to scope around too much to find the different factions within our tribal population. There are the Metis, the Wannabees, the Mitchif (Mitchif is a mix of different races, including black, Chinese, Indian, French and so on). You also have the group of Indians of a higher blood quantum, and then you have the full-bloods.

Recently, we formed a group that is seeking state and federal recognition. Our group has the blood of our great Chief Little Shell of the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians.

We are the tribal group of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians with a higher blood quantum, and some of us have “full-blood” status. The official name of our group is the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians.

Over the past few decades, the Indian bloodlines in some families have diminished, some to the point where there is very little Indian blood left. In some instances, tribes feel they cannot discriminate against non-Indians for services available on the reservation — and such is the case with our reservation.

I’m not trying to be racist here, but is it fair that blue-eyed and green-eyed non-Indian members get the same benefits that I do?"

Get the Story:
Delvin Cree: Factions complicate life on N.D. reservations (The Grand Forks Herald 3/27)
pwpwd