The Modern Era: Historical Background

According to the Tanner Report (1974), "the Indians living in the vicinity of present day Sault Ste. Marie are descendants of Chippewa bands identified with Lake Superior and the St. Mary's river outlet for an estimated period of possibly four hundred and fifty years". The Original Bands of Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Indians were an identifiable tribal organized entity long before their first contact with white explorers which occurred about the year 1620. The archaeological and historic records report that "evidence of Indian fishing at about 2500 B.C." according to Cleland (June 1976). This group was formerly known as the Bahwehting Band (meaning the Rapids) of Sault Ste. Marie.

By the eighteenth century, the Anishinabeg bands were identified by the French and British governments with whom they negotiated as those bands living at various geographic locations throughout the Great Lakes basin. By March 28, 1836 the United State negotiated a Treaty [7 Stat. 491] with bands located at Maskigo, Grand River, Michilimackinac, Sault Ste. Marie, L'Arbre Croche, and Grand Traverse. The Sault Ste. Marie Bands identified in the Treaty were further subdivided by "Tacquimenon", "Grand Island", "Carp River", "Mille Cocquin", "Michilimackinac", "Bay de Nocquet", "Chocolate River", "Grosse Tete", "Beaver Islands", "Ance" "Manistic" "North Shore of Lake Michigan" and "The Chenos". These historic sites still have settlements of Anishinabeg people living on or near them today. These identifications were adopted by the United States of America following the War of 1812 and, in numerous treaties negotiated with our people, we were treated as a single unit of government.

Michigan needed to became a state by 1837 so that they could share in a five percent kickback from the sale of land within it's boundaries from the federal government.