Bo Zho!
That is Potawatomi for hello! As I am part American Indian Potawatomi I wanted to write something of my own ancestors for American Indian heritage month. A lot of people haven’t heard of the Potawatomi’s. They aren’t as famous as Apache, Navajo or many others that we have heard about through books or movies.
The Potawatomi Indians or Bodéwadmi as they call themselves were a part of a long-term alliance called The Council of Three Fires with the Ojibwe and Ottawa . The name Bodewadimi means “keepers of the fire”.
The Potawatomi are first mentioned in French records, which suggest that in the early 17th century, they lived in what is now southwestern Michigan. During the Beaver Wars they fled to the area around Green Bay, Wisconsin to escape attacks by both the Iroquois and the Neutral Nation, who were seeking expanded hunting grounds.
As an important part of Tecumseh’s Confederacy, Potawatomi warriors took part in Tecumseh’s War, the War of 1812 and the Peoria War. Their allegiance switched repeatedly between the British and the Americans as power relations shifted between the nations.
Today, the Potawatomi are a thriving community. They provide health services and education to the people, with revenues generated from the tribe’s gaming and other business operations. I remember when I was young, the Potawatomi community were quite poor. They had issues with drugs, alcohol and health. Now, they have active programs to deal with the drugs and alcohol issues. They also have very active health programs. I know that within a relatively short amount of time they went from being the poorest tribe to the third richest tribe within the United States. In part because they got leadership that looked toward the future of their people.
The Forest County Potawatomi (FCP) have lived in Forest County, Wisconsin, since the late 1800s. Around 1880, groups settled in areas near Blackwell and Wabeno and have lived in that area since, as well as in the Carter and Crandon (or Stone Lake) areas. My mother was born and raised in Wabeno, Wisconsin, she is now one of a short list of elders of the Forest County Potawatomi tribe.
I have always loved being part American Indian. My mother used to tell us stories of when she grew up and even as an adult. There were lots of restaurants, bars and stores that would not serve Indians. They had signs up that said they wouldn’t. Much like the Afro-Americans in the south there was much prejudice about Indians. In some places that prejudice still survives. It always seem so hypocritical to me. The American Indians were here way before anyone else. Yet we were looked at as savages when the white man killed us at every chance, took our lands away and herded us like cattle onto reservations where we would starve to death over the winters. Now really, who were the savages??
Here is a timeline of the Potawatomi tribes movements.
In the beginning, the Neshnabek (Original People) settled along the shores of the great salt water (Atlantic Ocean), near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.
1,000 Years Ago
Near Saulte Ste. Marie, the Neshnabek split into three groups – the Ojibwe (Keepers of the Faith), the Odawa (Keepers of the Trade), and the Bodewadmi (keepers of the Fire). This relationship is known as the Three Fires Confederacy.
The Potawatomi moved towards Southwestern Michigan.
1634
In 43 treaties, the Potawatomi were forced by the US Government to cede all their lands between Wisconsin and Ohio.
In the 1833 chicago treaty, the largest land cession contained 5 million acres.
1838
After the signing of the 1833 treaty, most Potawatomi were forcibly removed west. This march became known as the “Potawatomi Trail of Death”.
Wow Jackie! Yes, you should always be proud of your heritage, being the original folks here, the rest of us are immigrants. My granddaughter is the 1st one on our side of the family born here…so we’re very newcomers on this continent. A couple of years ago, we participated in the celebrations of this month in D.C. – it was a wonderful party of music and dance!
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New comers are always welcomed as far as I’m concerned. Just 200 years ago the newcomers thought they were better then the old timers. found out they weren’t. I’m glad you are here Tiny! 🙂
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Jackie, I would love to learn more about your heritage. I am not of Native American blood but have always felt their ways were so much better than other ways. It offends me to see how so many have been treated and still are.
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thank you. Any questions you have feel free to ask!
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I have so many, but rarely have the words. I lived next door to a Navajo man for 2 years and simply asked him to tell me about his life and what it was like growing up on the reservation. He told me so many stories, most I would have never have had the experience to know to ask. So please, since you have all month, I’d love to hear more.
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I’ll see what I can come up with then. Be glad to write about it all. 🙂
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Interesting and uplifting to hear of the success of the Potawatomi. Great photos, too.
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thank you. The photos came from pow wows that they had in the past.
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