There are 12 federally recognized tribes and three additional state recognized tribes in the State of Michigan.
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Learn more about each tribe’s mission, values, and location below.
Federally recognized tribes
bay mills chippewa
indian community
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Mino Bimadziwiin, “Good Life” guides Gnoozhekaaning, “Place of the Pike,” or Bay Mills Indian Community to preserve and the promote the sovereignty, culture, and prosperity for our citizens, community, and employees to the benefit of present and future generations.
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
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We, the Tribal Council of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians, a Sovereign Nation, honor our ancestors and strive to empower the well being of our present and future members.
Hannahville Potawatomi
Indian Community
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The Hannahville Indian Community is a rapidly growing entity whose mission is to preserve and enhance our community’s social, economic and cultural existence.
Keweenaw Bay
Indian Community
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The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community members share our heritage and future together as one community.
We work together to protect the sovereignty of our tribe. We value growing vitality for our tribal economy, being self sufficient to protect our way of life, and guiding our daily lives by prioritizing activities that benefit the next 7 generations of our tribe.
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
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Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (or the Gete-gitigaaning in the Anishinaabe language) is a federally recognized band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, many of whom reside on the Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation, located near Watersmeet, Michigan.
Little River Band
of Ottawa Indians
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The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians descends from members of the Grand River Ottawa Bands, who historically lived along the Manistee River, Pere Marquette River, and the Grand River system in Michigan. Due to historical events, this specific group, now known as the Little River Band, had their federal recognition reaffirmed by the United States in 1994
Little Traverse Bay
Band of Odawa Indians
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Being Odawa is all about freedom. The Freedom to be a part of a people who, with integrity and pride, still have and speak our own language. The freedom to share in common with all other Odawak the customs, culture, and spirituality of our ancestors. The freedom we have today we will bring to the future through unity, education, justice, communication, and planning. We will reach out to the next seven generations by holding to cultural values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth. We will utilize our Tribal assets to provide the necessary tools to become successful, hard-working community members who proudly represent our culture. With these values we will move the Tribe forward.
Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan / Gun Lake Tribe
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We, the members of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi, will maintain our elders’ vision, integrity, spirituality, culture and economic self-sufficiency by protecting our sovereignty, treaty rights, traditions, land and natural resources for our future generations.
Nottawaseppi Huron
Band of Potawatomi
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The Bodewéwadmik (Potawatomi) people were generally Great Lakes area inhabitants who chose to live near waterways. Being near water, the communities were able to use the water for fishing, harvesting and spiritual purposes. It has been our tradition to respect the Earth and strive to cultivate its resources carefully, while also providing a harvest for our families.
Pokegon Band of
Potawatomi Indians
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Pokagon citizens have long sustained their culture and connection to their homeland; numerous place-names in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan continually reflect that connection. The Pokagon people have endured thanks partly to their values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Bravery. Adapting these deeply-rooted ideals to contemporary circumstances has made the Band an engine for economic development and a model for sustainable living in the region.
Saginaw Chippewa
Indian Tribe
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Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan (Ojibwe: Ziibiwing Anishinaabek) is a federally recognized band of 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 in Isabella County. They also hold land on the Saganing Reservation near Standish.
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
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Sault Tribe is a 44,000-strong federally recognized Indian tribe that is an economic, social and cultural force in its community across the eastern Upper Peninsula counties of Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft, Alger, Delta and Marquette. The tribe is comprised of housing and tribal centers, casinos, and other enterprises that employ both Natives and non-Natives and fund tribal programs. Sault Tribe works hard to be self-sufficient, good stewards of the land and waters, and helpful to the surrounding community.
state recognized tribes
Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
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The Burt Lake Band, historically known as the Cheboiganing Band, has a rich history in the beautiful lands around Burt Lake and the surrounding areas of Northern Michigan.
The Band is federally recognized by the United States through Treaties. Specifically, the Burt Lake Band was separately represented and separately signed the Treaties of 1836 and 1855.
Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians
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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.
We are a turtle clan and that’s our totem. Turtles hibernate for a few months each year and then come back to life. This represents each of our generations moving forward.
Mackinac Bands of
Chippewa & Ottawa Indians
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We, the Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, are the descendants of the Indigenous people of Mackinac Island, Michigan. As the rightful stewards of our heritage, we affirm our inherent right to exist, to govern ourselves, and to determine our own future. Guided by the principles of peace, resilience, and unity, we are committed to preserving our culture, advancing the well-being of our people, and securing a prosperous future for generations to come. Through education, self-governance, and community empowerment, we stand firm in our pursuit of recognition, progress, and the preservation of our sovereign identity.