Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
The Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (Gros Ventre: ’ak3ɔ́ɔyɔ́ɔ, lit. 'the fence' or ’ɔ’ɔ́ɔ́ɔ́nííítaan’ɔ, 'Gros Ventre tribe') is shared by two Native American tribes, the A'aninin (Gros Ventre) and the Nakoda (Assiniboine). The reservation covers 1,014 sq mi (2,630 km2), and is located in north-central Montana. The total area includes the main portion of their homeland and off-reservation trust land. The tribes reported 2,851 enrolled members in 2010. The capital and largest community is Fort Belknap Agency, at the reservation's north end, just south of the city of Harlem, Montana, across the Milk River.
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation | |
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River in Fort Belknap Indian Reservation | |
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Flag | |
Location in Montana | |
| Coordinates: 48.2°N 108.6°W | |
| Tribes | Fort Belknap Indian Community: Assiniboine (Nakoda) Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| Counties | Blaine Phillips |
| Established | June 1, 1888 |
| Tribal Council | 1904 |
| Headquarters | Fort Belknap Agency |
| Government | |
| • Body | Andrew Werk Jr. |
| • President | Gerald Healy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,014.064 sq mi (2,626.41 km2) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • Total | 3,182 |
| • Density | 3.1/sq mi (1.2/km2) |
| Website | ftbelknap.org |
In 2013, the tribes received some bison and have reintroduced them to the local range. In June 2015, the U.S. Department of the Interior sent some 3500 offers to buy back fractionated land worth more than $54 million, affecting the future control of 26,000 tracts of land within the boundaries of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. This was under the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations, established as part of the federal government's 2009 settlement of the landmark Cobell v. Salazar suit over federal mismanagement of revenues due Indian landowners under the trust program.