Makwa Global, LLC and companies are owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
In the mid-1700s, the ancestors of today’s Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe settled near Lake Mille Lacs in what is now considered Central Minnesota and established a way of life. The Ojibwe hunted, fished, gathered wild rice, and taught their children a profound respect for nature. While enduring hardship and poverty in the face of pressures from the non-Indian culture, they dreamt of a better future. Determined, proud, and resourceful as a people, they have preserved a rich culture for hundreds of years.
The Mille Lacs Band has become a model for Indian tribes across the country, exemplifying diversified economic development and providing meaningful services and benefits to its members and neighbors.
The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, through Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, now owns over 30 businesses worldwide, employs nearly 5,000 people and is the 40th largest employer in Minnesota. These businesses have supported building and improving schools, health care facilities, community centers, a water treatment facility, roads, ceremonial buildings, and more. In addition, funds have been donated to food shelves, schools, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and other organizations that serve the entire community.
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