Tribal Government

The Mille Lacs Band recently drafted a new constitution to reflect the Band’s sovereignty, culture and beliefs. Although the Band is one of six Ojibwe bands in Minnesota, the Mille Lacs Band hopes to lead the effort to amend the current Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) constitution or adopt its own Band-specific constitution.

Under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934, the federal government sought to create tribal governments that reflected a mixture of government and corporate standards. The MCT constitution, like many other IRA tribal constitutions throughout the country, is difficult to interpret and reflects little understanding of the people who are governed under it.

The Mille Lacs Band's draft constitution is awaiting final review and recommendations from the Band's elected officials. If you have any questions, please contact Christinia Thomas at 320-532-8851 or 320-384-4811.