The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native American peoples. In addition, the Isle Royale Agreement, an adhesion to the first Treaty of La Pointe, was made at La Pointe.
1842 Treaty of La Pointe
The first treaty of La Pointe was signed by Robert Stuart for the United States and representatives of the Ojibwe Bands of Lake Superior and the Mississippi River on October 4, 1842 and proclaimed on March 23, 1843, encoded into the laws of the United States as . By this treaty, the Ojibwa ceded extensive tracts of land that are now parts of the states of Wisconsin and Michigan, specifically the latter's Upper Peninsula.
The Webster-Ashburton Treaty was signed on August 9, 1842, between Great Britain and the United States, officially ending their boundary dispute on what now is the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota, as well as settling other claims. This news did not reach the United States parties to the La Pointe Treaty negotiation. Consequently, the Grand Portage Band, then considered to be in Canadian British territory, was not invited to join the signing of this treaty. It is now considered to occupy territory in the United States.
In 1844, the United States and Grand Portage Band signed the Isle Royale Agreement as an adhesion to this treaty.
As determined subsequently by the United States Supreme Court, the signatory tribes retain hunting, fishing and gathering rights on their former lands in this region. In addition, the Supreme Court held that the treaty obligated the United States to provide reservations for peoples of the signatory bands. For instance, it acquired land in the 1930s for the Bay Mills Indian Community, whose people had historically long been located on Lake Superior in Michigan.
Signatories The Ojibwe treaty signatories were: # Location Recorded name Name (translation/"alias") Title 1 Crow Wing River Po go ne gi shik Bagonegiizhig (Hole in the Day) 1st chief 2 Crow Wing River Son go com ick Zoongakamig (Firm Ground) 2d chief 3 Sandy Lake Band Ka non do ur uin zo Gaa-nandawaawinzo (He that Gathers Berries/"le Brocheux") 1st chief 4 Sandy Lake Band Na tum e gaw bon Netamigaabaw (Stands First) 2d chief 5 Gull Lake Ua bo jig Waabojiig (White Fisher) 1st chief 6 Gull Lake Pay pe si gon de bay Bebiizigindibe (Curly Head) 2d chief 7 Red Ceder Lake Kui ui sen shis Gwiiwizhenzhish (Bad Boy) 1st chief 8 Red Ceder Lake Ott taw wance Odaawaans (Little Ottawa) 2d chief 9 Pokegama Bai ie jig Bayezhig (Lone Man) 1st chief 10 Pokegama Show ne aw Zhooniyaa (Silver) 2d chief 11 Wisconsin River Ki uen zi Akiwenzii (Old Man) 1st chief 12 Wisconsin River Wi aw bis ke kut te way Wayaabishkigoodewe (Has a White Skirt) 2d chief 13 Lac du Flambeau Band A pish ka go gi Apishkaagaagi (Magpie/"White Crow") 1st chief 14 Lac du Flambeau Band May tock cus e quay Metaakozige ([Smokes] Pure Tobacco) 2d chief 15 Lac du Flambeau Band She maw gon e Zhimaagani (Lance) 2d chief 16 Lake Bands Ki ji ua be she shi Gichi-waabizheshi (Big Marten) 1st chief 17 Lake Bands Ke kon o tum Geganoodam (Intercessor) 2d chief 18 Fond du Lac Band Shin goob Zhingob (Balsam) 1st chief 19 Fond du Lac Band Na gan nab Naagaanab (Foremost Sitter) 2d chief 20 Fond du Lac Band Mong o zet Maangozid (Loon's Foot) 2d chief 21 La Pointe Band Gitchi waisky Gichi-weshkiinh (Great-renewer/"Buffalo") 1st chief 22 La Pointe Band Mi zi Mizay (Eel) 2d chief 23 La Pointe Band Ta qua gone e Dagwagaane (Two Lodges Meet) 2d chief 24 Ontonagon O kon di kan Okandikan (Bouy) 1st chief 25 Ontonagon Kis ke taw wac Giishkitawag (Cut Ear) 2d chief 26 L'Anse Pe na shi Bineshiinh (Bird) 1st chief 27 L'Anse Guck we san sish Akakwijenzhish (Bad Little Groundhog) 2d chief 28 Lac Vieux Desert Band Ka she osh e Gezhiiyaashi (Sails Fast) 1st chief 29 Lac Vieux Desert Band Medge waw gwaw wot"Medge waw gwaw wot" should be "Be medge waw gauc wot" Bimijiwaagaakwad (Oblique-edged Ax) 2d chief 30 Mille Lacs Indians Ne qua ne be Negwanebi ([Quill]feather) 1st chief 31 Mille Lacs Indians Ua shash ko kum Wazhashkokon (Muskrat's Liver) 2d chief 32 Mille Lacs Indians No din Noodin (Wind) 2d chief 33 St. Croix Band Be zhi ki Bizhiki (Buffalo) 1st chief 34 St. Croix Band Ka bi na be Gaa-biimabi (He that sits to the side/"Wet mouth") 2d chief 35 St. Croix Band Ai aw bens Ayaabens (Little Buck) 2d chief 36 Snake River Sha go bi Zhaagobe (Six) 1st chief 37 Chippewa River Ua be she shi Waabizheshi (Marten) 1st chief 38 Chippewa River Que way zhan sis Gwiiwizhenzhish (Bad Boy) 2d chief 39 Lac Courte Oreilles Band Ne na nang eb Nenaa'angebi (Beautifying Bird) 1st chief 40 Lac Courte Oreilles Band Be bo kon uen 2d chief 41 Lac Courte Oreilles Band Ki uen zi Akiwenzii (Old Man) 2d chief ‡Name given in Dakota.
Treaty area boundary adjustments In Michigan, no boundary adjustments have been made.
In Wisconsin, for regulatory purposes, the southeastern boundaries of the 1842 treaty-area have been adjusted to follow distinct landmarks such as roads and streams. Furthermore, in Wisconsin, with consent of the property-owner and with tribally issued license, all treaty rights of hunting, fishing and gathering may be exercised by the members of the signatory bands.
In Minnesota, no boundary adjustments have been made. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have been mainly concerned over hunting regulations as related to this treaty. Minnesota does not acknowledge the 1842 land cession area as giving the tribes privilege over Minnesota's own claim over Lake Superior. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources approved an extension of the 1854 Treaty of La Pointe tribal fishing rights for the Grand Portage Band over a portion of the state's Lake Superior claims.
1844 Isle Royale Agreement
The Isle Royale Agreement is an adhesion to the 1842 Treaty of La Pointe, conducted at La Pointe, Wisconsin Territory on August 20, 1844. Commissioner Robert Stuart again represented the United States. The Grand Portage Band was using the resources on Isle Royale and believed it and they were in British territory. After boundary clarification was settled via the Webster Ashburton Treaty of 1842, the Grand Portage Band signed the Isle Royale Agreement with the United States as a treaty adhesion. The 1842 treaty signatories re-affirmed their treaty.
Signatories
# Recorded name Name (translation/"alias") Location 01 Wab-ish-gag-gang-e"Wab-ish-gag-gang-e" should be "Wab-ish-gag-gaug-e" Waabishkaagaagi (White Crow) Lac du Flambeau Band 02 She-mang-un-ish Zhimaaganish (Lance) Lac du Flambeau Band 03 Knisteno Ginishtinoo (Cree) Lac du Flambeau Band 04 Ude-kum-ag Adikameg (Whitefish) Lac du Flambeau Band 05 Now-uj-e-wun Naawajiwan (Middle of the Current) Lac du Flambeau Band 06 Medge-wok-gok-wud Bimijiwaagaakwad (Oblique-edged Ax) Lac du Flambeau Band 07 Ah-mon-se Aamoons (Wasp) Lac du Flambeau Band 08 San-gan-e-may Lac du Flambeau Band 09 Ke-che-wais-keenh Gichi-weshkiinh (Great-renewer/"le Bœuf") La Pointe Band 10 Tug-wug-aun-e Dagwagaane (Two Lodges Meet) La Pointe Band 11 Mis-ia"Mis-ia" should be "Mis-ai" Mizay (Eel) La Pointe Band 12 Muk-ud-a-be-nase Makade-bines (Black Bird) La Pointe Band 13 Ke-che-waub-e-sash-e Gichi-waabizheshi (Big Marten) Pelican Lake 14 Nig-gig Nigig (Otter) Pelican Lake 15 Osh-kau-bay-wis Oshkaabewis (Waiter) Wisconsin River 16 Kay-she-aush Gezhiiyaashi (Sails Fast) Lac Vieux Desert Band 17 Rim-idj-wang-auk-wad"Rim-idj-wang-auk-wad" should be "Bim-idj-waug-auk-wad" Bimijiwaagaakwad (Oblique-edged Ax) Lac Vieux Desert Band 18 Bin-ash-een Bineshiinh (Bird) L'Anse 19 Ke-nen-ance L'Anse 20 Bug-um-aug-un Bagamaagan (War-club) L'Anse 21 Shin-goop Zhingob (Spruce) Fond du Lac Band 22 Nug-un-ub Naagaanab (Foremost Sitter) Fond du Lac Band 23 Mon-go-sit Maangozid (Loon's Foot) Fond du Lac Band 24 Kah-rum-dum-ah-winso"Kah-rum-dum-ah-winso" should be "Kah-nun-du-wah-winso" Gaa-nandawaawinzo (He that Gathers Berries/"le Brocheux") Sandy Lake Band 25 Win-je-ke-shik-uk Wenji-giizhigak (Whence from the Sky) Sandy Lake Band 26 Bug-on-a-ke-shing Bagonegiizhig (Hole in the Day) Crow Wing 27 Song-uk-um-ig Zoongakamig (Firm Ground) Crow Wing 28 I-ansh-ow-eke-shik"I-ansh-ow-eke-shik" should be "I-aush-ow-eke-shik" Aayaazhawi-giizhig (Crossing Sky) Red Cedar Lake 29 Otto-wance Odaawaans (Little Ottawa) Red Cedar Lake 30 Waub-o-geeg Waabojiig (White Fisher) Gull Lake 31 Na-quon-abe Negwanebi (["Tallest" Quill]feather) Mille Lacs Band 32 Be-dud Pítad‡ (Muskrat's Liver) Mille Lacs Band 33 No-din Noodin (Wind) Mille Lacs Band 34 Shin-e-yah Zhooniyaa (Silver) Pokegama 35 Boin-ance Bwaanens (Little Sioux) Pokegama 36 Kow-e-tas-sy St. Croix Band 37 Ah-cab-ay"Ah-cab-ay" should be "Ah-eab-ay" Ayaabe[ns] ([Little] Buck) St. Croix Band 38 Ke-che-no-din Gichi-noodin (Big Wing) St. Croix Band 39 Gah-be-mah-be Gaa-biimabi (He that sits to the side/"Wet Mouth") St. Croix Band 40 Waub-e-sash-e Waabizheshi (Marten) Chippewa River 41 Que-we-san-sish Gwiiwizhenzhish (Bad Boy) Chippewa River 42 Mah-een-gun Ma'iingan (Wolf) Chippewa River 43 Ke-wan-se Akiwenzii (Old Man) Lac Courte Oreilles Band 44 Ke-che-be-nas-sy Gichi-binesi (Big Bird) Lac Courte Oreilles Band 45 Omad-ag-um-e Omadaagamii (Choppy Waters) Lake Chetac 46 Nay-nuk-aung-abe Nenaa'angebi (Beautifying Bird) Lake Chetac 47 Ka-kake Gegek (Hawk) Lake Chetac 48 Ky-aush-ke-bar"Ky-aush-ke-bar" should be "Ky-aush-ko-bar" Gayaashkobaa (Gull-narrows) Lake Chetac 49 Shag-un-aush-eens Zhaaganaashiins (Little Englishman) Grand Portage Band 50 Ad-dik-ons Adikoons (Little Reindeer) Grand Portage Band ‡ Name given in Dakota Wm. McDonald Jno. Hulbert Clement H Beaulieu Chas. H. Oakes J Russell Jas. P. Hays, United States Indian Sub-Agent Wm. W. Warren, Interpreter
1854 Treaty of La Pointe
The second treaty of La Pointe was signed by Henry C. Gilbert and David B. Herriman for the United States and representatives of the Ojibwe of Lake Superior and the Mississippi on September 30, 1854, proclaimed on January 29, 1855, and codified as . The treaty ceded all of the Lake Superior Ojibwe lands to the United States in the Arrowhead Region of Northeastern Minnesota, in exchange for reservations for the Lake Superior Ojibwe in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. The signatory tribes retain hunting, fishing and gathering right within this region. The portions left unceded were given claims to the Mississippi Ojibwe. The Indian reservations established under this treaty are: L'Anse with Lac Vieux Desert Bad River Lac du Flambeau and Lac Courte Oreilles Fond du Lac Grand Portage Ontonagon and Red Cliff along with general land grants to the Metis.
Mole Lake and St. Croix Bands lost their federal recognition due to not being included in this treaty. Mole Lake Band and St. Croix Band's eastern half in Wisconsin re-gained their federal recognition under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, but the St. Croix Band's western half in Minnesota are not independently recognized and are considered part of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Signatories The Ojibwe treaty signatories were: