About MNE

Miami Nation Enterprises (MNE) is a political economic sub-division of the Federally Recognized Miami Tribe of Oklahoma created by Tribal leadership to pursue economic development opportunities for the good of the Miami Nation and its citizens.

MNE headquarters are located within the city limits of Miami, Oklahoma on 6.9 acres of Miami Nation trust land within the Tribal jurisdiction area in the northwest corner of Ottawa County, Oklahoma.

The Miami Nation Enterprises Board
Roger Olds - Vice Chairman
Joseph W. Leonard, Ph.D. - Chairman
Julie Olds - Secretary/Treasurer

About the Miami Tribe

In our language we are myaamia - the downstream people. Today you will hear our name pronounced Miami, a derivation of our traditional name. The United States government recognizes us as a sovereign nation, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. We originate from the Great Lakes region where our homelands lie within the boundaries of the states of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. The seat of our Nation’s government is maintained in Miami, Oklahoma.

We were among those Nations exposed to early European contact, first through the Jesuit mission in the late 1600s, followed soon after by the French and British invasion and struggle for control of the Great Lakes region. In those days we numbered into tens of thousands. The following years of struggle toward the establishment of the United States of America is a history that includes, by necessity, accounts of the efforts of our people to retain our homeland and connection to that landscape. Stories of our war chiefs, their wisdom, victories and defeats, all are recorded in history. We are known.

The treaty period was devastating marked by the massive cession of lands required at the Greenville Treaty of 1795. It was the vicious tenacity of the early leaders of this country that would lead to President Andrew Jackson signing the Indian Removal Act of 1830 that would set in motion a chain of events that would alter our place, and people, forever. The Treaty of 1840 called for the removal of the Miami Tribe to regions beyond the Mississippi. After many attempts to avoid this devastating move, in October of 1846 our ancestors, numbering approximately 500 souls, were herded at gunpoint and forced onto canal boats to begin the long journey down the Erie canal system from western Indiana to the Ohio River. The remaining journey called for the use of steam boats to take our people west, down the Ohio to the Mississippi, up to the Missouri and across to Westpoint landing near Kansas City. From that landing our ancestors made their way south by horseback and wagon to a reserve held for them in the land of the Kaw people, near modern day La Cygne, Kansas. Our ancestors remained in Kansas until the Treaty of 1867 called for their removal again, this time to the Indian Territory, known today as Oklahoma. Upon arrival in the Indian Territory our Nation numbered 68 adults.

Following the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936 our first Tribal constitution was adopted in 1939 and officially recognized us as the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Since that constitution our Nation has been governed by an elected leadership consisting of a Chief, Second Chief, Secretary-Treasurer, and two Councilpersons, these are known collectively as the Tribal Business Committee. These leaders follow in the footsteps of those before them in the constant struggle to retain our sovereignty and demand our right to self-determination through our status as a self-governing Nation.

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma has shown by action our absolute determination to perpetuate our cultural identity and to reestablish a land-base for Miami citizens. With the establishment of the Tribal Office of Cultural Preservation, and its immediate ally the Tribal Office of Natural Resources, the Miami Tribe took responsibility for the status of our resources. The Cultural Preservation Office, in full knowledge of the devastating effects of the many assimilation tactics forced on Miami people over the past 150 years, recognizes that our heritage language, and with it our cultural knowledge, must be restored to the people so that our identity as myaamia will live on. The Office of Natural Resources is responsible to work with the Nation’s growing land-base ensuring that Tribal lands are used in culturally appropriate ways. Among these are assisting in the return of Miami people to the landscape for cultural education and traditional activities, as well as using specially targeted areas for growing organic crops to support the health of the people.

Building a National land-base that includes land holdings in four states, providing scholarships, employment for Tribal members, language and cultural education efforts, as well as maintaining the massive buildings and infrastructure to maintain it all, was made possible through the economic development efforts of the Nation directed by Tribal Leadership. Miami leaders determined early on that gaming revenue must be used to establish other, more secure, forms of economic development. Since the advent of Indian gaming in Oklahoma the Miami Tribe has established two political sub-divisions, a screen printing and embroidery business, gift shop, two business services companies, loan company, environmental testing lab, and has gained 8a status for one of the business service entities. Further the Miami Tribe is considerate of the Miami city community, which bares the name of our Nation. Funds were donated by the Tribe to the city’s historic Coleman Theatre for the installation of a much needed sound system and soon the Tribe will support the community by building the first major movie complex since the 1940’s. These city support efforts are also viewed as support of our Tribal community as many Tribal members will directly benefit from them.

Today our Nation numbers over 3,250 citizens. Our continued existence is due to, and in honor of, those who walked before us, who fought and worked and struggled to remain. Their efforts brought us here. Therefore we, in respectful and steely determination, work to build for our community, provide for and teach our children, care for our elders. Our economic development efforts are vital to the solid foundation needed to allow us to rise to these responsibilities today, and to continue to support them tomorrow. We work to assure that the sun will continue to rise on the people known as myaamia.