Darrell "Chip" Wadena, Sr. (November 11, 1938 – June 24, 2014) was an American

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

tribal executive. Born in

White Earth, Minnesota White Earth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Becker County, Minnesota, Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census. White Earth was named after the White Earth Indian Reservation, and that took its name ...

, Wadena grew up in

Naytahwaush, Minnesota Naytahwaush ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 504 at the 2020 census. Geography The community is in eastern Mahnomen County, in central Twin Lakes Township. It sits on the n ...

, and went to school there. He served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

, worked at the American Crystal Sugar Company, and in construction. Wadena served on the

White Earth Indian Reservation The White Earth Indian Reservation ( oj, Gaa-waabaabiganikaag, "Where there is an abundance of white clay") is the home to the White Earth Band, located in northwestern Minnesota. It is the largest Indian reservation in the state by land area. T ...

tribal council and as chairman of the council from 1976 to 1996. As tribal chairman, he helped start the reservation's Shooting Star Casino. During his chairmanship, a community center and clinic were built on the reservation. In 1996, Wadena was convicted in the

United States District Court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...

of bribery, conspiracy, theft, embezzlement, and money laundering, for which he served two years in prison. Dissatisfaction with his leadership, and suspicions of corruption, led to a 1990s campaign by other

White Earth Band of Ojibwe The White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, also called the White Earth Nation ( oj, Gaa-waabaabiganikaag Anishinaabeg, "People from where there is an abundance of white clay"), is a federally recognized Native American band located ...

members to end his tenure on the council. These events were covered in a 1999 documentary film by Nick Kurzon, ''Super Chief''. In 2004, Wadena made an unsuccessful attempt to regain the position of chairman; he was defeated by a candidate who had raised concerns in the 1990s about Wadena's dealings and had given evidence against him at his trial. Wadena died in

Fargo, North Dakota Fargo ( /ˈfɑɹɡoʊ/) is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, North Dakota, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 125,990, making it the most populous city in the state and the 219th-most populous city in ...

, aged 75.Doyle, Pat. (June 24, 2014). "Chip Wadena, longtime head of White Earth band, dies at 76". ''Minneapolis Star-Tribune''.

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Darrell "Chip" Wadena
obituary at Meaningful Funerals 1938 births 2014 deaths People from Becker County, Minnesota People from Mahnomen County, Minnesota Military personnel from Minnesota Native American leaders Ojibwe people Minnesota politicians convicted of crimes {{NativeAmerican-politician-stub