Wild Rice Harvest By Chippewa – Permit Torn To Shreds

The Minnesota DNR (Department of Natural Resources) has issued a surprise one day legal permit to Chippewa. The license allows individuals to harvest wild rice without having a state wild rice harvesting license. The 1855 authority’s intention was to harvest wild rice at Hole-in-the-box Day Lake in remembrance of Chief-Hole-in-the-Day. This was to bring attention to the treaty of 1855 and clean water issues. The DNR has prevented a court battle by doing so.

For those unaware, the treaty with the Chippewa, also known as the treaty of Washington, was conducted between the United States and the Pillager and Mississippi Chippewas. The Chippewas are a historic band that settled at the headwaters of the Mississippi River, in the present day state of Minnesota.

The DNR commissioner is allowed to issue such permits for educational purposes.
In a dramatic turn of events though, the Authority Chair LaRose tore the permit into shreds in front of news channel cameras, unimpressed by the “permission slip”.

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