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Red Lake Ojibwe - Minnesota (U.S.)

Native American

image by Donald Healy, 29 January 2008

The band
The flag

See also:

The Band

map image by Peter Orenski based on input from Don Healy

Red Lake Ojibwe - Minnesota

One of the northernmost bands and reservations of the Chippewa or Anishinabe people found in the United States, the 565,000 acres (NAA, 280) belonging to the Red Lake Ojibwe is found in north central Minnesota.

The center piece of the reservation is the large Red Lake for which the reservation is named. That lake, actually two - Upper Red lake and, naturally, Lower Red Lake connected by a very narrow mouth - is also the center piece of the seal of the Red Lake Ojibwe Nation.

The Flag

The seal of the Red lake Ojibwe bears the image of both Upper and Lower Red Lake as well as several of the rivers that feed the lakes. This image appears above a grove of coniferous trees recalling the pine forests of northern Minnesota. The seal is formed by this image being surrounded by a ring edged in red. Across the top of the ring appear seven totem animals of the Ojibwe which also reflect the wildlife of the area. Included among these totems are the: Bear, Turtle, Bullhead, Otter, Eagle Marten (the largest of the weasels) and the Kingfisher. These animals all appear in black and represent the various clans of the Ojibwe people.

Hanging from this circular seal are two eagle feathers. The addition of the feathers helps turn the seal into an image recalling the warrior shields of the past. The seal is used on a white flag to represent the Tribe.

© Donald Healy 2008
information provided by Peter Orenski, 29 January 2008