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Minnesota Now with Nina Moini
Cathy Wurzer, Melissa Townsend and Alex Cheng

On this day in MN history: Landmark decision protects Ojibwe hunting, fishing treaty rights

Supporters of Ojibwe spearfishing rights
A May 1989 file photo shows protestors and supporters of Chippewa spearfishing activities in Wisconsin at Butternut Lake.
Allen Fredrickson | AP 1989

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On this day, Jan. 25, in 1983, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a ruling that confirmed the rights of Lake Superior Ojibwe to hunt, fish and gather on off-reservation lands. It was a huge advancement in treaty rights for many Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Anton Treuer, a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Ojibwe language professor at Bemidji State University, joined host Cathy Wurzer to look back at the historic decision.

We also heard a clip from the 1985 MPR documentary “American Indians in the 1980s: New Struggles for Old Rights” that captured the turmoil and violence surrounding the decision. The documentary was produced by Jerry Cassidy and provided by the MPR Archive.

Learn more about the treaties that apply to Minnesota and Wisconsin in the virtual “Why Treaties Matter” exhibit.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.