In Michigan, the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians (GRB) has been working for more than 30 years toward becoming the state’s Michigan’s 13th federally recognized sovereign tribal nation. The GRB spent a decade on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) “active consideration” list.
But, in February, the department rejected the tribe’s application, claiming it didn’t provide evidence that a “predominant portion of the petitioning group comprises a distinct community and has existed as a community from historical times until the present,” according to the department’s ruling. The DOI noted one-third of the tribe’s current membership are enrolled in another federally recognized tribe and other enrolled members were deceased.
However, the DOI gave the GRB six months to provide documentation that it is a “distinct community.”
As a result, GRB Chairman Ron Yob said, “The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians continues to work with the U.S. Department of Interior to provide additional information on our petition for federal recognition. The department has continuously reached out to support our efforts and we have been compiling documentation that shows our long history as a distinct political community.”
The GRB has asked for help from professional historians and other experts and also has formally requested a technical assistance meeting with the department to discuss the preliminary findings.
The tribe originally encompassed 19 Ottawa bands and now has about 600 enrolled members who reside along waterways including the Grand River in present-day West Michigan. The bands have agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The state recognized the GRB as a historic Native American tribe in 1996, which provides some limited benefits. Gaining federal recognition would bring additional services, funds and resources and recognition as a sovereign nation.
Yob said he and GRB tribal members “remain confident we will ultimately achieve the long overdue federal recognition for our tribal members and be able to provide long-awaited justice to our members.”
