Menominee Indian Reservation Explained

Menominee Indian Reservation
Native Name:Omāēqnomenēw-Otāēskonenan
Settlement Type:Indian reservation
Image Alt:Tribal office
Flag Alt:Flag of the Menominee Nation
Subdivision Type:Tribe
Subdivision Name:Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:United States
Subdivision Type2:State
Subdivision Name2:Wisconsin
Subdivision Type3:County
Subdivision Name3:Menominee
Seat Type:Headquarters
Seat:Keshena
Government Footnotes:[1]
Governing Body:Menominee Legislature
Leader Title:Chairwoman
Leader Name:Gena Kakkak
Leader Title1:Vice-Chairperson
Leader Name1:To Be Determined
Leader Title2:Secretary
Leader Name2:Joey Awonohopay
Unit Pref:US
Area Note:Area includes off-reservation trust land
Area Total Sq Mi:362.791
Area Land Sq Mi:355.444
Area Water Sq Mi:7.347
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:3293
Population Density Sq Mi:9.3
Population Blank1 Title:Reservation
Population Blank1:3032
Population Blank2 Title:Off-reservation trust land
Population Blank2:261
Website:menominee-nsn.gov

The Menominee Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation located in northeastern Wisconsin held in trust by the United States for the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin. It is the largest Indian reservation east of the Mississippi River. In the Menominee language, it is called Omāēqnomenēw-Otāēskonenan, "Menominee Thing Set Apart",[2] [3] or alternatively omǣqnomenēw-ahkīheh, "in the Menominee Country".[4]

Geography

The Menominee Indian Reservation technically consists of both a 360.81NaN1 Indian reservation in Menominee County, Wisconsin and an adjacent 1.962NaN2 plot of off-reservation trust land encompassing Middle Village in the town of Red Springs, in Shawano County, Wisconsin. These areas are governed as a single unit for most purposes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the combined reservation and off-reservation trust land have a total area of 362.8sqmi, of which 355.5sqmi is land and 7.3sqmi is water.[5] The Menominee have no off-reservation trust land except that which is directly contiguous with the reservation.[6]

The reservation is mostly conterminous with Menominee County, Wisconsin. Within the county, there are numerous small pockets of territory that are not considered to be part of the reservation. These pockets amount to 1.14 percent of the county's area; the reservation takes up about 98.86 percent of the county's area. The largest of these pockets is in the western part of the community of Keshena.

The non-reservation parts of the county are more densely populated than the reservation, with 1,223 (28.7%) of the county's 4,255 total population, as opposed to the reservation's 3,032 (71.3%) population in the 2020 census.[7] The most populous communities are Legend Lake and Keshena. The Menominee operate a number of gambling facilities. Most of the reservation land is heavily forested.

Communities

Community Menominee name 2020 Population
Kesīqnæh[8] 1,257
1,670
Nanāweyah omenīkān[9] 290
Neyōpet[10] 616
Saqnawæpaniw[11] 107

Education

The Menominee founded the College of the Menominee Nation, a tribal college, in 1993. It was accredited in 1998. The main campus is in Keshena.

Language

Both English as well as the Menominee language, part of the Algonquian language family, are used.[12]

Jurisdiction

The Menominee Reservation is the only reservation in Wisconsin that is not subject to state jurisdiction under Public Law 280. This means that the Menominee Nation or the federal government generally holds legal jurisdiction over tribal members for crimes and civil disputes that occur within the reservation boundaries. The state still maintains jurisdiction over crimes on the reservation when neither the perpetrator nor the victim is a tribal member.[13] [14]

Demographics

As of the census of 2020,[15] the combined population of Menominee Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land was 3,293 (including 3,032 on the reservation and 261 on off-reservation trust land). The population density was 9.3PD/sqmi. There were 1,027 housing units at an average density of 2.9/sqmi. The racial makeup of the reservation and off-reservation trust land was 94.1% Native American, 3.8% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.1% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016-2020, the median income for a household (including the reservation and off-reservation trust land) was $44,402, and the median income for a family was $46,176. Male full-time workers had a median income of $31,439 versus $34,871 for female workers. The per capita income was $15,249. About 29.0% of families and 33.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.2% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.[16] Of the population age 25 and over, 92.0% were high school graduates or higher and 12.5% had a bachelor's degree or higher.[17]

Economy

Lumber

The Menominee Indian Reservation contains a large forest that has been managed by the Menominee Tribe for over 150 years.[18] [19] About 15 million board feet are harvested from the forest every year. This forestry work has been recognized by the United Nations.[20] Wood from the forest has gone to such places as the Milwaukee Bucks arena, Fiserv Forum.[21] The types of trees harvested at the Menominee Indian Reservation include white ash, bigtooth aspen, quaking aspen, basswood, beech, eastern hemlock, eastern white pine, hard maple, pin oak, red oak, red pine, soft maple, and yellow birch.[22]

Cannabis

In August 2015 the Menominee Indian Reservation held advisory referendums on proposed measures to legalize medical and recreational cannabis. Both passed.[23] They are sovereign on their reservation.[24]

In October 2015, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents raided the reservation, taking or destroying 30,000 plants. The Menominee said these were industrial hemp plants, the cultivation of which was authorized by federal law.[25] The DEA contends it was marijuana.[26]

Bison

A bison herd was put on which was once a non-tribal farm. A restoration process will include prescribed burning to bring back native grass for the bison to feed on.[27]

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Legislature. 2022-07-13. June 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220606193559/https://www.menominee-nsn.gov/GovernmentPages/Legislature.aspx. live.
  2. Web site: Menominee Place Names in Wisconsin. Hoffman. Mike. The Menominee Clans Story. 2018-10-06. October 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181005112532/https://www4.uwsp.edu/museum/menomineeClans/places/chart.aspx. live.
  3. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Reservation Pg. 188
  4. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Menominee - in the Menominee Country Pg. 144
  5. Web site: 2020 Gazetteer Files . census.gov . US Census Bureau . 13 July 2022 . October 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211026060851/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.2020.html . live .
  6. Web site: Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin . Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction . 13 July 2022 . en . 1 September 2017 . January 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220119202223/https://dpi.wi.gov/amind/tribalnationswi/menominee . live .
  7. Web site: 2020 Decennial Census: Menominee County, Wisconsin . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau . 13 July 2022 . July 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220713131759/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55078&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20(PL%2094-171) . live .
  8. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Keshena Pg. 122
  9. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Middle Village Pg. 145, Village Pg. 260
  10. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Neopit Pg. 153
  11. Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link - Zoar - Zoar Pg. 276
  12. Web site: Menominee Language and the Menominee Indian Tribe (Menomini, Mamaceqtaw) . July 12, 2008 . May 14, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080514183853/http://www.native-languages.org/menominee.htm . live .
  13. Book: Tribes of Wisconsin . July 2022 . Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Intergovernmental Relations . Madison . 11–12 . 14 July 2022 . November 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111124716/https://doa.wi.gov/DIR/Tribes_of_Wisconsin.pdf . live .
  14. Book: Moore . David . Wisconsin Legislator Briefing Book 2019-20 . 2018 . Wisconsin Legislative Council . 9–11 . 14 July 2022 . Chapter 24: State-Tribal Relations . October 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231016143200/https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lc/briefing_book/ch24_state_tribal_relations.pdf . live .
  15. Web site: 2020 Decennial Census: Menominee Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, WI . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau . 13 July 2022 . July 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220713135250/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=2500000US2175&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20(PL%2094-171) . live .
  16. Web site: Selected Economic Characteristics, 2020 American Community Survey: Menominee Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, WI . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau . 28 October 2022 . October 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028193404/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=2500000US2175&y=2020&d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Data%20Profiles&tid=ACSDP5Y2020.DP03 . live .
  17. Web site: Selected Social Characteristics, 2020 American Community Survey: Menominee Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, WI . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau . 28 October 2022 . October 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028193410/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=2500000US2175&y=2020&d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Data%20Profiles&tid=ACSDP5Y2020.DP02 . live .
  18. News: Buckley . Cara . Davis . Jamie Kelter . 2023-04-22 . The Giving Forest . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-01 . 0362-4331 . May 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501191627/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/climate/menominee-forest-sustainable-earth-day.html . live .
  19. Web site: Menominee Tribal Enterprises: Forestry . 2019-10-15 . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015193908/https://www.mtewood.com/SustainableForestry . live .
  20. Web site: Johnson . Christopher and Barbara . Menominee Forest Keepers . 2019-10-15 . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015193908/https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/menominee-forest-keepers/ . live .
  21. News: Kirchen . Rich . Preview the floors of the new Milwaukee Bucks arena as local firm awaits a name to paint on them . Milwaukee Business Journal . 2019-10-15 . October 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181030165605/https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2018/05/25/preview-the-floors-of-the-new-milwaukee-bucks.html . live .
  22. Web site: Menominee Tribal Enterprises: Our Forest . 2019-10-15 . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015193908/https://www.mtewood.com/SustainableForestry/MenomineeForest . live .
  23. News: Murray . Patty . Menominee Members Say Yes To Marijuana In Tribal Referendum . 13 July 2024 . Wisconsin Public Radio . August 21, 2015.
  24. News: Spivak . Cary . Menominee tribe prepares for vote on legalizing marijuana . Journal Sentinel. 2015-08-16 . 2015-08-20.
  25. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/report-federal-agents-raid-destroy-tribal-hemp-crop-b99602520z1-336393051.html Staff, "Agents seize marijuana plants on Menominee tribal land"
  26. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/10/26/dea-raid-on-wisconsin-tribes-cannabis-crop-infuriates-and-confuses-reformers Steven Nelson,, "DEA Raid on Tribe's Cannabis Crop Infuriates and Confuses Reformers"
  27. News: Vaisvilas . Frank . January 5, 2023 . How tribes in Wisconsin are reintroducing the bison with an eye toward food sovereignty and cultural revitalization . 2023-01-07 . Green Bay Press-Gazette . en-US.

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