About The Menominee Indian Nation
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
The Menominee Indian Tribe carries a legacy that spans more than 10,000 years, with deep ancestral roots in the region now known as Wisconsin, as well as parts of Michigan and Illinois. For millennia, the Menominee people lived in harmony with the land, cultivating a rich cultural and spiritual connection to the forests, rivers, and lakes that defined their territory.
At the dawn of the Treaty Era in the early 1800s, the Menominee homeland stretched across an estimated 10 million acres. However, a series of seven treaties with the United States government throughout that century dramatically reduced their land base. By the end of the 1800s, the Menominee were left with just over 235,000 acres—an immense loss of ancestral land that deeply impacted the tribe's way of life.
The challenges continued into the 20th century. In the 1950s, the U.S. Congress enacted the Menominee Termination Act, stripping the Tribe of its federal recognition. This devastating policy threatened not only their legal status but also the preservation of their cultural identity and self-governance.
Despite these hardships, the Menominee people never gave up. Through a tireless, community-driven grassroots movement, they fought to reclaim their rights and sovereignty. Their resilience paid off in 1973, when Congress passed the Menominee Restoration Act (Public Law 93-197) on December 22, officially restoring the Tribe’s federal recognition.
This pivotal moment marked not just the return of legal status, but the resurgence of a proud nation determined to preserve its heritage, protect its land, and shape its own future.
Origin Story
When Grandfather made the earth, he also made the sun and the stars. He then created the many spirit beings and gave them the forms of animals and birds. The animals were underground beings. The principal underground being is the great Silvery White Bear. The birds, mostly eagles and hawks, are the Thunders—the sky dwellers. The principal Thunderer is the Invisible Thunderer, represented by the golden eagle symbol.
Grandmother, the earth, gave birth to a daughter, the moon. The daughter gave birth to twins. One of the twins grew to become a man. Grandfather gave him many powers so that he could complete the building of the world. He built the hills and the mountains and made the forests, lakes, and rivers.
When the building was completed and before there were people on the earth, at the place where the Village River meets the Bay In Spite of Itself, a Great Light Colored Bear emerged from underground and started traveling up the river. As he traveled, he spoke to Grandfather. When Grandfather saw that the Bear was still an animal, he determined to allow the Bear to change his form. The bear was pleased at what Grandfather was going to grant him. So Grandfather changed him into a man, and he became the first Menominee, though he still kept his light skin.
The Great Ancestral Bear traveled along the river and, after a while, found himself alone. Looking up to the sky, he saw a great golden eagle circling overhead. He decided to call himself the Golden Eagle and said, "Golden Eagle, come down and be my brother." Thereupon, the Eagle descended, changed into a man, and became the brother of the Bear.
The two Brothers then traveled together. While they continued traveling up the river, they pondered on who they would call upon next to become their Brothers. While considering, they saw a Beaver approaching. When they met, the Beaver requested to be taken into the clan of the Thunderers. But, being a woman, she was called Beaver Woman and instead was adopted as the younger Brother of the Bear.
As the journey continued, the Bear also adopted the Wolf, the Crane, and the Moose as Brothers, and each changed into a man. The five Brothers traveled up the river. One day, the Bear told the Wolf, Crane, Moose, and Golden Eagle to go on separate journeys. Through their travels, each Brother met other animals and birds, and each Brother adopted some of them as Younger Brothers. The Younger Brothers changed into men and, all together, became the first Menominee people.
The Five Great Clans
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