Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan
Reservation
Flag
Federally recognized	September 7, 1972
Headquarters	Sault Ste. Marie
Subdivisions	5 Units[1]
Government
• Body	Board of Directors
• Chairperson	Austin Lowes
Population  (2010)Enrolled members
• Total	40,000 [2]
Time zone	ET/EDT
Website	www.saulttribe.com

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (pronounced "Soo Saint Marie", Ojibwe: Baawiting Anishinaabeg), commonly shortened to Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians or the more colloquial Soo Tribe, is a federally recognized Native American tribe in what is now known as Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The tribal headquarters is located within Sault Ste. Marie, the major city in the region, which is located on the St. Marys River.

Originally a part of the homelands of the Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda, or Sioux), who were pushed westward by the Anishinaabe Migration from the east coast, this location became known as Bawating by the Anishinaabe (the Ojibwe or Chippewa), who arrived there shortly before Europeans showed up in the mid-to-late 16th century. Bawating, sometimes seen written as Baawiting or Bahweting, is an Ojibwe word meaning "The Gathering Place."^[3] The Chippewa participated in trading with other tribes, and later with the French, British and American traders here in turn.

The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians is the largest federally recognized tribe in Michigan, outnumbering the next largest tribe, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, by a scale of about 10 to one. It was recognized in 1972 with five units in seven counties. In 1979 the tribal council included the Mackinac Band as members, nearly doubling its enrollment. The tribe's revenues from its Kewadin Casinos has enabled it to establish health centers and invest in education for its members.