"The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has celebrated the return of roughly 1,600 acres of ancestral land along the Missouri River after a struggle lasting more than 50 years.
The land was part of the Winnebago Reservation established by the 1865 treaty. After the Missouri River shifted, portions eventually lay on what became the Iowa side of the river.
In the 1970s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers condemned Tribal land during river work and plans for a recreation project that was never built.
After decades of advocacy, Congress approved the Winnebago Land Transfer Act, and it was signed into law July 12, 2024, returning approximately 1,600 acres to be held in trust as part of the Winnebago Reservation.
On August 8, 2026, Tribal citizens gathered at the returned Iowa land for an official Land Back Celebration.
More than five decades later, the land is again under Winnebago stewardship.
What could the return of ancestral land mean for future generations? 🪶"
#nativeamerican #Winnebago #LandBack #sovereignty #IndigenousPeoples
Sources:
• Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — Winnebago Land Transfer Act & August 8, 2026 Land Back Celebration
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources — 1,600-acre transfer to the Winnebago Tribe
• U.S. Government Publishing Office — Winnebago Land Transfer Act
