The Eagle Returns: The Legal History of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

by Matthew L.M. Fletcher

An absorbing and comprehensive survey, The Eagle The Legal History of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians shows a group bound by kinship,geography, and language, struggling to reestablish their right to self-governance. Hailing from northwest Lower Michigan, the Grand Traverse Band has become a well-known national leader in advancing Indian treaty rights, gaming, and land rights, while simultaneously creating and developing a nationally honored indigenous tribal justice system. This book will serve as a valuable reference for policymakers, lawyers, and Indian people who want to explore how federal Indian law and policy drove an Anishinaabe community to the brink of legal extinction, how non-Indian economic and political interests conspired to eradicate the community’s self-sufficiency, and how Indian people fought to preserve their culture, laws, traditions, governance, and language.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Nick]

Interesting legal history of the Grand Traverse Band which also spans culture, economics, and politics. Likely someone more familiar with the tribe's homeland and members would get more out of the book, for which there are numerous callouts to tribal members and local places. The book, though, covers not only the tribe, but discussion of several other Michigan tribes and a bit of Michigan history in general. The work at once functions as a symbol of tribal identity, at another as a supplement to Indian Law, and yet another as a book of tribal history.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very complete and interesting history of the Grand Traverse Ban or Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in Northern Michigan. To understand the history of these "tribes' and their poor treatment at the hands of both the state and federal government this is a great resource.

You will learn the current legal standing of the band and their efforts to secure their historical hunting and fish rights and legal recognition by both the state and federal government.

Unfortunately the book is rather poorly written and the editing is terrible with very long quotes and considerable redundancy. Still, worth a quick read so you truly understand the positions taken by the local indian groups.

[David Olmsted · Rating 4 out of 5]

The strength of this book published in 2012 lies in its description of the recent history of Michigan's Grand Traverse Band of Indians. All tribes have their tragic stories but none surpasses the comedy of errors perpetuated on the northwestern tribes of Michigan. While "Blood Struggle: The Rise of Modern Indian Nations" provides a better overall accounting of the national legal trends the focus of this one on an a specific area adds additional detail. The book as a whole is a bit disjointed feeling more like a collection of essays instead of a coherent narrative.