Located at far northern Wisconsin, adjacent to Lake Superior, is Bad River Reservation. Below is a map of Bad River Reservation and links to google earth photos of New Odanah Town. It is more than 90% woodlands. In Ojibwa Language it's named Mashkiiziibi. Ojibwa's of Bad River region were known as "Ma-ji Si-peague." Translation is Bad River People. Maskiiziibi is supposed to mean Bad River. It don't. It means Marsh River. If they actually named Bad River "Marsh River," they'd have identified themselves as "Mash-ki Zi-beague." Translation is Marsh River People. Their word for "bad" is "Maad-ji." Notice how whites combine Ojibwa words? It's correct name is "Ma-ji Sip-pi Ish-kon-i-gan," which means Bad River Reservation in Ojibwa Language. A very small part of BRR is located on Madeline Island. Their population has increased little since 1900. Around 1900, Bad River Reservation had a population of around 1,000. Today the Ojibwa population at BRR is less. Their somewhat in a stall. We expect their population to increase very slowly. It was in 1854 when Ojibwa leaders signed La Pointe Treaty which established Bad River Reservation and nearly all other Wisconsin Chippewa Reservations. Bad River flows from it's mouth at Lake Superior south to Odanah. In 1960, Bad River flooded which caused a relocation away from the dangerous river. A new community was established several miles east of Odanah. At BRR's wikipedia page they used to include information about 1960's flood. That information told of 1,000's of BRR Ojibwa's being relocated away from Bad River. Long before whites settled that region, Ojibwa's knew the river often flooded and named it Bad River. Of course, they named the waterway Bad River because it flooded every now and then. Some of the floods were major. By naming the waterway Bad River, it became a constant indication to Ojibwa's that it was a location not to establish large settlements at. A sand bank was built by Ojibwa Soldiers 500 to 600 years ago to contain their canoes for migrations east to combat white invaders. It's located north and northwest of New Odanah. An Ojibwa Naval Base was located there. Canoes numbering over 10,000 were contained on the sand bank. Some of the canoes were large enough to hold 20 to 40 sailors. Most held 10 or less. Ojibwa's who lived at the Bad River region were traditionalists. Strong protests against European religions caused serious civil unrest among Ojibwa People. Ojibwa's follow Ojibwa Prophesy. They don't follow European Prophesy. Some left for Buffalo's (he was an idiotic employee of whites who thought only of himself and had no authority to sign treaties for Ojibwa People) Estate which is now Red Cliff Reservation. After Ojibwa Soldiers butchered Buffalo to death for illegally signing treaty, those who converted to European Religions left for his estate.
A couple of years before 1854's La Pointe Treaty, Ojibwa leaders ordered many of their people to pack their belongings to prepare for a migration west. It was Seven Fires Prophesy which led them to commence their exodus. It was not to obtain annuities at Minnesota! They left at a wrong time probably to escape detection! This migration is known historically as Sandy Lake Tragedy. Several hundred Ojibwa's died on their migration west. Ojibwa People must not believe what whites have written about their history. Again I will mention Seven Fires Prophesy. Though a great many Ojibwa people did go west, many continued to live at Wisconsin. And those Ojibwa's who were captured by whites, were eventually forced back to their Wisconsin homes. Most reached Montana and further west.
A Reservation of 194.2 sq. mi. or 503.1 sq. km. was set aside for Ojibwa's of Bad River. However, after 1887's illegal Dawes Act was utilized by American leaders, much of Bad River Reservation (55,408 acres) was illegally purchased by whites. Authentic Ojibwa leaders agreed to allow land allotments as long as if they were in compact form and could not be sold. Non authentic Ojibwa leaders who signed treaty had no authority to sign treaties for Ojibwa People. Authentic Ojibwa leaders knew their land very well and knew their land was not agriculture land. Allotting land to them made no sense. An estimated 115,968 acres was allotted to 1,610 Ojibwa's. All allotted land remains a part of Bad River Reservation. In other words, Bad River Reservation was not opened to white settlement because there was no surplus land left after land allotments were distributed. As written earlier, nearly 100% of Bad River Reservation is woodlands. Bad River Reservation leaders have allowed whites to settle on Reservation land adjacent to Lake Superior. Most whites who live at BRR live along southern shores of Lake Superior. Nearly all Ojibwa communities are located along U.S. Route 2. They include Birch Hill which is located along Reservation Highway 5 and on their domain's eastern border. Birch is located 1.5 miles northwest of Birch Hill. Franks Field is over a mile northwest of Birch. New Odanah is 4 miles northwest of Franks Field. It's capital of Maji Sippi Ishkonigan. Old Odanah is located 2 miles northwest of New Odanah. Diaperville is located a half a mile west of west Old Odanah, along Caville Road. There are no Ojibwa communities located along southern shores of Lake Superior. Only a small area east of Marengo has farms. All remaining land is woodlands. There are locations at BRR's northwest where unorganized settlements are located. They number about 5. On BRR's map below, they are indicated with a UO. They are located along Old Odanah Road, Johnson Road, Reykdal Road, Kagerville Road and Goslin Road. There are no settlements at BRR's south.
An interesting bit of information to mention about this Reservation, is Ojibwa leaders of Bad River Reservation, have allowed Yamassee Seminole's to purchase 40 acres of Reservation land and set up Oklevueha Colony. This colony claims they are still at war with United States and are not American citizens. Seminole's and all other Muskogean Indians, are Ojibwa or Ojibwa and non Ojibwa Natives. BRR's leaders will not allow any Rocky Boy Tribe of Ojibwa's near their Reservation. We know that!
New Odanah Road View
New Odanah Road View
New Odanah Road View
New Odanah Road View
New Odanah Road View
New Odanah Road View
Demographics of Bad River Reservation
Land Area: 194.2 sq. mi. or 503.1 sq. km.
Population: 1,278 (2020 census)
Ojibwa's: 66% (843)
Whites: 22% (281)
Mexicans: 7% (89)
Mixed Bloods: 4% (51)
Blacks: 2% (26)
Language: Ojibwa
