View source for Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation

{{infobox ethnic group
| group            = Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| flag             = 
| flag_caption     = Tribal Flag
| image            = Chippewa michigan logo.png
| image_caption    = The official Saginaw Chippewa Logo designed by Elder Julius Peters
| population       = 3,296
| popplace         = {{Flag|United States}} ({{Flag|Michigan}})
| langs            = [[English language|English]], [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]]
| rels             = [[Christianity]], [[Midewiwin|traditional tribal religion]]
| related          = [[Potawatomi]]
}}
'''Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan''' ({{langx|oj|Ziibiwing Anishinaabek}})<ref>[https://ojibwe.net/nations-map/ https://ojibwe.net/nations-map/]</ref> is a federally recognized band of [[Ojibwe|Chippewa]] (a.k.a. Ojibwe) located in central [[Michigan]] in the United States.

The tribal government offices are located on the [[Isabella Indian Reservation]], near the city of [[Mount Pleasant, Michigan|Mount Pleasant]] in [[Isabella County, Michigan|Isabella County]]. They also hold land on the Saganing Reservation near [[Standish, Michigan|Standish]]. As of February 2007, tribal membership was approximately 3,296.<ref>"[http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_SLRP_TribalConsultation_190694_7.pdf]", February, 2007, MDOT State Long-Range Transportation Plan (2.1.11)</ref> The [[2010 United States Census|2010 US Census]] reports 2,414 persons living in the Mount Pleasant, Michigan micropolitan area are Native American.

The tribe operates the [[Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College]], a two-year community college open to all in the region.

==Economy==
The tribe owns and operates several gaming and recreation facilities on its property in Mount Pleasant:
*[[Soaring Eagle Casino]]
*Soaring Eagle Waterpark and Hotel
*Soaring Eagle Hideaway RV Park
*Waaboose Run Golf Course
*Retreat at Soaring Eagle

In addition, it operates Eagle Bay Marina and [[Saganing Eagles Landing Casino]] in [[Standish, Michigan|Standish]]. These generate revenue for investment in education and welfare for the tribe, including such facilities as a new elders' center.

Besides its gaming enterprises, the tribe owns the Sagamok Express Mobil Gas Stations in Mount Pleasant and Standish, the Cardinal Pharmacy and Migizi Economic Development Corp. at the Sowmick Plaza in Mount Pleasant. It also makes online sales through Amazon and Walmart.com under its Ziibiwing Commercial Services Warehouse in Mount Pleasant.

==Government and operations==
[[Image:MichiganIndianReservations.svg|thumb|270px|Map showing sites of Indian reservations in northern Michigan.]]
In 1966, the nation was among the four founders of the [[Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan]], established to pool resources for development and to improve relations with state and federal governments. Others are the [[Bay Mills Indian Community]], [[L'Anse Indian Reservation|Keneenaw Potawatomi Indian Community]], and [[Hannahville Indian Community]]. They have worked together since. In the early 21st century, the Council consists of members from 11 of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan.

The tribe operates community facilities, including a substance-abuse treatment center, a community clinic, and health facilities. In the early 21st century, the tribe opened a new Elders' Center.

The tribe operates the Saginaw Chippewa Academy (an elementary school). They also have Native American advocates and tutors who work with students in the local public schools.

In 1993, the tribe elected their first female Tribal Chief, [[Gail George]], who served until 1995.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=January 2021 |title=In memory of SCIT's first female chief, Gail George 1946-2020 |volume=32 |pages=1 |work=Tribal Observer |issue=1 |url=http://www.sagchip.org/tribalobserver/archive/2021-pdf/01012021-v32i01.pdf |access-date=2023-07-28}}</ref>

In 1998 the tribe established Saginaw Chippewa [[Tribal College]]. Since 2007 it has been an accredited two-year community college. The Nation has an agreement with [[Central Michigan University]] that allows students to readily transfer credits to CMU to complete a 4-year degree there.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe also operates the Ziibiwing Cultural Society (a tribal museum). It encourages use and teaching of the Ojibwe language. The reservation has the largest community of [[Ojibwe language]] speakers in Michigan.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}

The tribe hosts a [[pow-wow]] every year during the last full weekend in July. This competition pow-wow takes place at the grounds on "the Hill" (the only rise on the otherwise flat Isabella Reservation). The Hill is also the site of the tribal campgrounds and the Chippewa Indian Methodist Church.

On December 2, 2019, the tribe signed a [[memorandum of understanding]] with the [[Michigan Department of Natural Resources]] to co-manage the [[Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park]] in [[Sanilac County, Michigan|Sanilac County]]. This agreement marks the first state-tribal co-management of a [[List of Michigan state parks|Michigan state park]].<ref>{{cite news| author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->| title=Saginaw Chippewa And State Of Michigan To Begin Co-management Of The Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park| date=December 3, 2019| website=nativenewsonline.net| url=https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/saginaw-chippewa-and-state-of-michigan-to-begin-co-management-of-the-sanilac-petroglyphs-historic-state-park/| access-date=May 21, 2020| archive-date=December 7, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207124650/https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/saginaw-chippewa-and-state-of-michigan-to-begin-co-management-of-the-sanilac-petroglyphs-historic-state-park/| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.sagchip.org/ Official Tribal Website]
*[http://www.sagchip.edu/index.htm Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130102601/http://www.sagchip.edu/index.htm |date=2012-11-30 }}
*[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151023151502/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml], Census Fact Finder
*[http://www.mainlymichigan.com/nativedata/ Native Americans in Michigan Databases] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222101207/http://www.mainlymichigan.com/nativedata/ |date=2015-12-22 }}, Mainly Michigan website, includes "Durant Roll of 1908" and "Mt. Pleasant Indian School Register (1893 to 1932)"

{{Native American Tribes in Michigan}}
{{Anishinaabe}}
{{Native American rights}}
{{Isabella County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:American Indian reservations in Michigan]]
[[Category:Anishinaabe communities in the United States]]
[[Category:Anishinaabe reservations and tribal-areas in the United States]]
[[Category:Ojibwe in the United States]]
[[Category:Federally recognized tribes in the United States]]
[[Category:Great Lakes tribes]]
[[Category:Isabella County, Michigan| ]]
[[Category:Native American tribes in Michigan]]
[[Category:Ojibwe governments]]
[[Category:Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation| ]]