After nearly 30 years of back-and-forth with the Department of the Interior, the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians hopes a different tactic will help them achieve federal recognition.
Category: In The News
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians hopeful bill will help them gain federal recognition
Their efforts to be a federally recognized tribe will grant them access to resources like tuition, health care, and housing assistance.
Bipartisan legislation would recognize Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians
A bipartisan group of Michigan’s congressional delegation aims to create a legislative pathway for the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians to gain federal recognition and circumvent a bureaucratic process that’s dragged out for nearly three decades.
New bill would provide ‘long awaited justice’ to West Michigan tribe seeking federal recognition
A decades long push by a West Michigan Native American tribe to be recognized by the U.S. government, thereby giving members access to federal benefits, is taking a new approach.
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians applaud lawmakers for introduction of federal recognition bill
After 30 years of advocacy, bill would federally recognize tribe
LANSING – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians today applauded Michigan congressional delegation members who introduced the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2023, in the U.S. House of Representatives that, if passed, will grant the tribe federal recognition.
“On behalf of the Grand River Bands, I thank the Michigan congressional delegation members who co-sponsored this bill that will help us finally achieve our long-stated goal of federal recognition after three decades of administrative delays by the broken federal acknowledgment process,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands. “We will pursue every possible avenue to achieve our recognition and provide long-awaited justice to our members. We are honored that we are joined in this important fight by a bi-partisan majority of the Michigan congressional delegation, community organizations, other tribes and West Michigan residents who have been unwavering in their support.”
U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) sponsored the bill with U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar other bi-partisan members of the Michigan congressional delegation. The bill would reaffirm and clarify the status of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians as a federally recognized tribe.
The Grand River Bands have advocated for federal recognition for nearly 30 years through the federal acknowledgment process. Federal recognition will allow tribal members to access critical resources such as tuition, health care and housing assistance, among many others.
The tribe is still working diligently to provide additional documentation of their history for the U.S. Department of the Interior and remains able to pursue that administrative process for their recognition while the bill is pending. Multiple other Michigan tribes have achieved federal recognition through acts of Congress, including the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, that have nearly identical histories to those of the Grand River Bands.
Members of the Grand River Bands are descendants of the signatories of the 1795 Treaty of Greenville; the 1807 Treaty of Detroit; the 1821 Treaty of Chicago; the 1836 Treaty of Washington (D.C.) and the 1855 Treaty of Detroit. Multiple other treaty tribes in Michigan have been federally recognized while the Grand River Bands continue to await federal status.
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians hosting annual Homecoming of the Three Fires
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Thursday, June 2, 2023
Event celebrates rich culture of West Michigan tribes
GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians are hosting the 41st annual Homecoming of the Three Fires gathering June 10-11.
The Homecoming of the Three Fires is an annual celebration held at Riverside Park, 2001 Monroe Ave. NE in Grand Rapids, which features two days of traditional Native American music, dancing, art and food.
The Homecoming event has been suspended for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Grand River Bands are excited to return.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event, which runs from 1 p.m. until dusk on Saturday, June 10, and noon through late afternoon on Sunday, June 11. Admission is free. Event sessions begin with Grand Entries at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, and at noon on Sunday.
“We always look forward to this annual event where our tribes can gather and celebrate our traditions together,” said Ron Yob, Chairman of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. “The Homecoming also offers the community a chance to learn about our traditions and culture through dancing, music and Native American food and art vendors.”
The event is co-sponsored by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi Indians/Gun Lake Tribe and the City of Grand Rapids Office of Special Events and Office of Equity and Engagement. The event serves as a gathering in which the tribes will sing, dance and celebrate their culture.
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The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians takes next steps for tribe’s federal recognition
DATE: Friday, May 5, 2023
LANSING – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians are continuing to advocate for their long overdue federal recognition and have enlisted the support of professional historians and other experts to make their case to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“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,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands.
Since the U.S. Department of the Interior issued its proposed findings in February, Yob and other tribal members have been poring over historic documentation of the tribe’s long history in West Michigan. The Grand River Bands has agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795, and is a state recognized tribe. The Grand River Bands have formally asked for a technical assistance meeting with the Department of the Interior to discuss the proposed findings and provide additional information.
“The U.S. Department of the Interior has continuously reached out to support our efforts and we have been compiling documentation that shows our long history as a distinct political community,” Yob said. “We are so thankful for the numerous lawmakers, other tribes, business groups, community organizations and West Michigan residents who continue to advocate for our recognition. We 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.”
For more information on the Grand River Bands and a list of supporters of their recognition, visit grandriverbands.com.
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The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation recognized by the state of Michigan with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.
Tribal experts optimistic Grand River Bands will gain recognition
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians continues advocacy for federal recognition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023
CONTACT: Sydney Smith, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, ssmith@byrumfisk.com, 586-212-3103
LANSING – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians pledged to continue their advocacy for federal recognition and address additional information requested by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“While we disagree with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s initial findings on our petition, we are confident we can provide the additional information requested and ultimately achieve the long overdue federal recognition for our tribal members,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands. “The Grand River Bands has a long history in Michigan, with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795, and we are a state recognized tribe. We have support from numerous lawmakers, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, other tribes, business groups, community organizations and West Michigan residents who have and continue to advocate alongside us, and we remain confident we will be granted federal recognition and be able to provide justice and critical resources for our members.”
The Grand River Bands have advocated for their federal recognition for nearly three decades. Federal recognition would allow tribal members to access critical resources such as tuition, health care and housing assistance, among many others.
# # #
The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.