Understanding the Treaties
The 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, Treaty with the Chippewa, or formally known as the White Pine Treaty, is a treaty with the Ojibwe on land cession terms. Conducted betweeen Governor Henry Dodge for the United States and has representatives for the Ojibwe bands located across Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Treaty with the Chippewa, ARTICLE 5. Page 492.
"The privilage of hunting, fishing, and gathering the wild rice, upon the lands, the rivers and the lakes included in the territory ceded, is gaurantied to the Indians, during the pleasure of the President of the United States.".
ARTICLE 6. Page 492.
"This treaty shall be obligatory from and after its ratification by the President and Senate of the United States."
When the Ojibwe had signed these treaties, they had the right to harvest on the land they had ceded to the United States, it is also supposed to be backed up by the President of the United States. Even though we still have these treaties to this day, the state of Wisconsin had still convicted many Ojibwes for harvesting off the reservation without a license.
In January 1983, the federal discrict court of Chicago had stated that the Ojibwe had the right to fish on the land they had ceded. Even though they oficially had the right, it didn't mean people had to agree with it. For that action, fishermen and others had started to harass the Ojibwe at boat landings, often starting protests and violence.
"The Indians are raping the resources, it's a blatant attempt at economic terrorism. They're going out of their way to fish off the reservation."
~ Dean Crist, of Stop Treaty Abuse
Where the Ojibwe are located
Protest Sign against spearfishing