John “Rocky” Barrett
Tribal Chairman
Bozho nikan, (Hello, my friend),
As we get ready to transition from summer into autumn, we are changing the landscape around our Tribal headquarters as construction continues on several projects.
The hotel and casino at the corner of Hardesty and Gordon Cooper are coming along quickly, and they’re scheduled to be open in winter of 2025. The hotel will include 126 guest rooms for visitors to events like our Family Reunion Festival, FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival, or the softball tournaments we’ll be able to host at our expanded softball fields.
The casino will include 450 slot machines, plus a small kitchen and bar. This will replace the casino next to FireLake Discount Foods, which originally opened as a bingo hall in the 1980s. Once the new casino is open, we plan to use the space where the old casino is located for additional parking.
The parking will come in especially useful for the many events we host, from Fire basketball games to festivals. This will be especially true once we complete our expansion of the FireLake softball fields. Once complete, the complex will have two artificial turf softball quads and a championship field. We’ll be able to seat 4,200 fans and be able to broadcast games as well.
If you’ve driven by the headquarters, you’ve probably noticed concrete piers being placed. These are part of the new administration building that’s under construction.
In the 1970s, a small trailer that sat about where the Cultural Heritage Center is located today served as Tribal headquarters. Currently, our administration building is located in a former healthcare facility that we renovated and began using in 1998. That building has served us well for many years, but as our Nation has flourished, we have outgrown the space.
The new building will be more than 82,000 square feet spread out over four stories. As well as serving as administrative offices, it will also include a new court room for CPN Tribal Court proceedings. The project is planned to be complete by July 2026.
Information for Tribal tag owners
If you have a CPN Tribal tag, you might have noticed the State of Oklahoma has changed its policies with the Mason Treat Act. Tribal tags are not subject to this new act, but it will affect you in a couple ways.
If you are selling or trading a vehicle, you should keep your physical tags. If you are purchasing a new vehicle, you must request a physical (not electronic) copy of the title and a temporary paper tag. Decline providing your email address, phone number or Tribal tag number to any dealership. For more information and instructions, see page 15.
It is an honor to serve as your Tribal Chairman.
Migwetch (Thank you),
John “Rocky” Barrett | Geweoge (He Leads Them Home) | Tribal Chairman
Linda Capps
Vice-Chairman
Bozho (Hello),
Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s own Tribal member Robin Wall Kimmerer will be at the CPN Cultural Heritage Center on Nov. 2, 2024. There will be an open welcome by Chairman John Barrett at 10 a.m. in the Long Room and breakfast snacks will be served. After a short presentation by Ms. Kimmerer, there will be a book signing for two of her books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss.
Braiding Sweetgrass is a New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Readers Pick, a #1 New York Times Bestseller, and a Washington Post and Los Angeles Times Bestseller. There are two versions of the book for Braiding Sweetgrass, a paper back and a beautifully done hardcover, which has been updated with a new introduction from Robin Wall Kimmerer. The hardcover special edition of Braiding Sweetgrass celebrates the book as an object of meaning that will last the ages. Beautifully bound with a new cover featuring an engraving by Tony Drehfal, this edition includes a bookmark ribbon and five brilliantly colored illustrations by artist Nate Christopherson.
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
As a writer and a scientist, her interests include restoration of ecological communities and our relationships to the land. She holds a BS in Botany from SUNY ESF and an MS and Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Wisconsin. She is the author of numerous scientific papers on plant ecology, bryophyte ecology, and traditional knowledge and restoration ecology. Living on an old farm in upstate New York, she tends to her gardens, both those that she has planted and those in the wild. Her stories of nature, plants and the land, along with excerpts of her Potawatomi language, are a gift to behold. She has captured the essence of peace and tranquility in her presentations. She is, indeed, a blessing to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and to individuals that love nature and the land.
I cherish what has been said about Kimmerer’s incredible writings. “Robin Wall Kimmerer has written an extraordinary book, showing how the factual objective approach of science can be enriched by the ancient knowledge of the Indigenous people. It is the way she captures beauty that I love the most, the images of giant cedars and wild strawberries, a forest in the rain the meadow of fragrant sweetgrass will stay with you long after you read the last page.” — Jane Goodall
CPN is proud and honored to have Robin Wall Kimmerer visit our Tribe on Nov. 2, 2024. I hope you can attend this exciting event.
Migwetch (Thank you),
Linda Capps | Segenakwe (Black Bird Woman) | Vice-Chairman | Work: 405-275-3121 | Cell: 405-650-1238 | lcapps@potawatomi.org
Alan Melot
District 1
Bozho, jayek (Hello, everyone),
My summer travels are over and I’m so thankful that I got to see so many places and visit with so many of you. I started with a trip to Yellowstone, then a trip to our Festival in Oklahoma, then an amazing once-in-a-lifetime motorcycle trip through Canada to the Arctic Ocean, then to the Potawatomi Gathering hosted by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. Our Festival was hot, and I was glad to have our Saturday dances moved into our Arena, glad to see many of you from D1 representing our culture with your regalia — from otter turbans to cradle boards, I was impressed with your efforts.
Apparently, others were too, because D1 grabbed 3 of 9 awards at the Gathering Art Show! Many congrats to Samantha Thompson and Laura Hewuse for winning in their categories!
Amanda Funk has graciously agreed to help coordinate a fall meeting in the Pennsylvania. I so appreciate her and her contributions. We will be meeting on Oct. 5 in Reading, Pennsylvania, at the Berks History Center. Our meeting will start at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., with lunch served. I hope that we will be joined by Chairman Barrett and perhaps have another special guest. I look forward to it and expect we’ll have a good time together.
When I ran for this position about four years ago, I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish. I said I wanted to serve and empower, host events, build relationships, cultivate cultural leadership and support cultural leaders. I wanted to help people connect with each other. Since then, we have built a good Facebook group (search for District 1 – Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) to join if you haven’t already) with about 10 percent of our district represented. We’ve had meetings as much as I’ve been able to, and I was thrilled to host Laura Hewuse as she taught us to loom bead via Zoom. I’ve distributed books from our CPN authors and worked to connect teachers to those wanting cultural and language knowledge. I wanted to find a way to highlight #landback and was glad to be a part of restructuring our set-aside budget to reflect that as a Tribal priority this year. I have tried to bring attention to the importance of our language and to the Potawatomi Trail of Death Association. Finally, after being elected I learned about the Potawatomi Confederacy that has been in the works and have been delighted to play a small role in CPN signing on as a member nation.
I say all of that to say this: I do not intend to run for the D1 legislative position in our upcoming (2025) elections. I have accomplished the things I set out to accomplish, and I would love to see someone else effectively pursue their goals and visions for our District and Nation. We have so many talented and gifted Potawatomi in D1! When I took office, our previous legislator had walked on, and many contacts and information walked on with him; I hope to help the next legislator find their way a bit more easily than I did and intend to share all I’ve learned about the position with them, as I want the best for our District and Nation. If you are interested in serving our people, I encourage you to pray about this position. The deadlines for filing for office are still months away, so you have time to give it full consideration.
Finally, I want you all to know what a gift and honor it has been to hold this position of Tribal leadership. I have tried to serve well and to serve honorably. I am grateful to you all for your prayers and support and look forward to finishing my term well.
With love for all,
Alan Melot | Legislator, District 1 | alan.melot@potawatomi.org | 608 S. Sergeant | Joplin, MO 64801 | 417-312-3307
Eva Marie Carney
District 2
Bozho, nikanek (Hello, friends),
Federal Indian boarding school initiative investigative report, vol. II issued
In my July 2024 column I reported on the Washington Post investigation into the hidden legacy of Indian boarding schools in the United States. In late July 2024, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland released a new federal report that further documents the U.S. government’s systematic effort to assimilate Native children and destroy their culture, and that urges the government to formally apologize for the enduring trauma it inflicted. As Assistant Secretary Newland writes in his letter transmitting the report:
“The most important thing is that our work to tell the truth about the Federal Indian boarding school system be paired with action.
“As we have learned over the past three years, these institutions are not just part of our past. Their legacy reaches us today and is reflected in the wounds people continue to experience in communities across the United States. We should honor the spirit of the Hopi leaders imprisoned at Alcatraz, as well as the people from across Indian country who have shared their families’ stories with us, by working to heal those wounds.”
Investigators examined 417 federal boarding schools that operated from 1919 to 1969 across 37 states. They identified 18,624 Native American children who were forced to attend the schools but note that the number of students was certainly greater. By 1900, per the report, 1 out of 5 Native American school-age children were attending a boarding school. A shocking number of Native American children died while being forced to attend the schools — the report documents 973 deaths — and many were buried in unmarked burial sites. The report estimates that the federal government spent more than $23.3 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars over 98 years to implement the Indian boarding school system, similar institutions and associated assimilation policies.
Like the earlier Post piece, the report is a heavy but important read. As one Native leader responded when a Post reporter (cpn.news/postarticle) asked about the findings, the revelation of the number of deaths of children while at boarding schools serves as a haunting reminder of the generational damage done to tribal languages and culture. You can find the report at cpn.news/boardingschoolreport.
Bodéwadmi Confederation update
After proposing a couple of amendments to the founding document first presented at last year’s Gathering, Chairman Rocky Barrett and the other CPN legislators attending the Tribal Leaders Conference held during the 2024 Potawatomi Gathering agreed in principle that the Citizen Potawatomi Nation should join the Bodéwadmi Confederation. Most all the 12 Bodéwadmi Nations voted in favor of the proposed amendments.
The full CPN Legislature will need to review and vote on a resolution authorizing Chairman Barrett to sign onto the Bodéwadmi Articles of Confederation, making our Nation part of the Confederation. I am optimistic that the resolution will receive the needed votes, and I am excited for the collective work the Bodéwadmi Confederation will do to benefit all Nishnabek (Potawatomi people) and the mutual support it will provide in furtherance of principles and policies that promote tribal sovereignty.
Congratulations to an August bride
The vivacious Tiffany Nemne Nikaden Carter (Crumbo Family), now Tiffany Milligan, married Terry Milligan in West Virginia in early August. This photo shows her joy! Congratulations to you both from your Potawatomi family!
Sharing our District 2 2024 hand games team photo
I was not able to fit into my July column a photo of the 2024 hand games winning team (from District 2). Congratulations to everyone for their great spirit and great game!
Migwetch (Thank you),
Eva Marie Carney | Ojindiskwe (Bluebird Woman) | ecarney@potawatomi.org | evamariecarney@gmail.com | evamariecarney.com | PO Box 5595 | Arlington, VA 22205 | Toll Free: 866-961-6988
Bob Whistler
District 3
Bozho ginwa (Hello, everyone)
The Gathering
As many of you know, the 2024 Potawatomi Gathering was hosted by the Pokagon Band Potawatomi in Michigan. They have been active and successful in working with state governments. Although they are physically located in Michigan, they managed to open a casino and hotel outside South Bend, Indiana. The language and leader meetings were held there. The craft workshops, Grand Entries and vendor booths were located at their official Native American grounds at Rogers Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan. The two locations are about 35 to 40 miles apart, depending upon the route taken.
I decided to attend the two-day language class and was very pleased that I made that decision. I managed to begin to understand how the pronouns work with other changes to the basic verb. They held classes for youth, basic (which I attended), intermediate and advanced. Classes started at 9 a.m. and lasted until 5 p.m. There were around 30 instructors from the various Nations. Citizen Potawatomi Nation was represented by Lindsay Marean, Robert Collins, Justin Neely and Wkenodan Getgadekwem.
They held a Sunrise Ceremony on Wednesday through Saturday. I was able to attend this ceremony on Thursday at which the pipe and water ceremonies were held. With their being on Lake Rogers, they offered a kayak/canoe paddle. There was a river restoration walking tour as well as a visit to their Gtegan (garden) with a discussion on their plants. Prior to the start of the conference, I drove Cora and Andy Walters to their tribal land and we visited their beautiful garden. I am including a photo of Cora and Andy as they stand beside one of the raised garden beds. If you look closely, just about touching Cora is a green bell pepper. The garden’s vegetable production is used by tribal members and some is sold to the general public. They had too many items to mention. On the sign between Cora and Andy, there is the notation to put down Sema (tobacco) as a prayer offering before taking anything from the garden.
Classes that were held included making medicine bags, making feast bags, bandolier bags, beaded earrings, ribbon work and finger weaving. Another workshop that was held was the making of corn husk dolls. This item is of particular interest since it takes us back to the 1800s and possibly beyond to what our ancestors’ children did since the toys of today didn’t exist. Moreover, the doll is constructed with a head but no face. This was to teach the children that everyone is the same. You should not consider yourself special and above others. On Friday night after the events had closed and Grand Entry was finished, I was invited by Eva Marie Carney and Lila of the Wasauksing Nation to learn a craft practiced by Lila and no doubt others that reside near swampy areas. Lila harvested both birch bark and wishkpemishkos (sweetgrass). The birch bark she then shapes into different size circles. When she is walking near swamp sweetgrass areas when she smells the sweetgrass, she wades out and picks the grass in the water. Lila showed us a medallion she had made and had us each make a similar item. I am including a photo of the one I made and it is dedicated to water.
A final note, the Confederation of Potawatomi Nations was voted upon and CPN agreeable to changes needed and will vote at our next legislative meeting on joining the group.
In closing, I am honored to represent District 3 and am here as your voice on any questions. So please feel free to contact me.
Nagech (Later),
Bob Whistler | Bmashi (He Soars) | rwhistler@potawatomi.org | cpn3legislator@yahoo.com | 1516 Wimberly Ct. | Bedford, TX 76021 | 817-229-6271 | cpndistrict3.com
Jon Boursaw
District 4
Upcoming District 4 Meetings
Wichita: Sunday, Nov. 3, at 12:30 p.m. at the Mid-America All-Indian Center located at 650 N. Seneca St. in Wichita. Lunch will be served. I have invited Kelli Mosteller, Ph.D., to speak about the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, where she recently was named as the Chief Executive Officer. Kelli was the Executive Director of the CPN Cultural Heritage Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma, before her recent position on the faculty at Havard University. Please RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, by calling me at 785-608-1982 or emailing me at jon.boursaw@potawatomi.org. Please identify which meeting you plan to attend. For the KC Chiefs fans, not to worry, their game is Monday night, Nov. 4.
Rossville: Saturday, Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. in the CPN Community Center in Rossville. Lunch will be served. The speakers will be Doug and Melissa Brunner Brown from WIBW-TV in Topeka and Tom Hoffman, Managing Partner of the MODUS Group, which is located in that large building at entrance to Nishnabe Trail in Rossville. He will tell us about their operation. Doug, a member of the Boursaw/Ogee families, and Melissa will describe what is involved in preparing for a newscast. Please RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 19, by calling me at 785-608-1982, or by email at jon.boursaw@potawatomi.org. Please identify which meeting you plan to attend.
Affordable Rental Housing in Rossville
The Tribe has 10 rental duplexes (20 units) in Rossville, Kansas, for enrolled CPN Elders and physically handicapped members. Eligibility for housing has been extended to enrolled members of any federally recognized Native American tribe. At the time I wrote this article, there were still a few units available, but that could have changed quickly. All units are two bedrooms with washer and dryer, stove, dishwasher, electric heat and A/C, refrigerator and water softener included. For more information on availability or submission of an application, contact the following:
CPN Rossville Housing Office: 785-584-6401
Or the CPN Housing Office in Shawnee, OK: 405-273-2833
Upcoming CPN Elders’ Potlucks
Date for the next Elder Potluck held in Rossville at noon is:
Sept. 13, 2024 Spaghetti & Meat Balls RSVP by Sept. 10th
Oct. 11, 2024 Fried Chicken RSVP by Oct. 8th
Bring your favorite side dish or dessert. Please RSVP to Tracy at 785-584-6171.
Permanent art exhibit at the trail marker near Olathe, Kansas
Just a quick note to let you know that the Johnson County Parks Department Art Selection Committee did meet in mid-July to confirm the public opinion poll on the three final art exhibits. By a substantial margin, the proposed art exhibit, Fire Keepers Circle, identified as No.1, was the winner in the public polling. A vote of the committee was taken confirming the selection of Fire Keepers Circle and that decision will be forwarded to the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Board for final approval.
Contact Information
If you are not receiving emails from me, it is because I do not have your current email address or what I have is incorrect. All you need to do is email me your email address.
Megwetch (Thank you),
Jon Boursaw | Wetase Mkoh (Brave Bear) | jon.boursaw@potawatomi.org | 785-608-1982 | 2007 SW Gage Blvd. | Topeka, KS 66604 | Office Hours: Tuesday 9-11 a.m. | Thursdays 3-5 p.m. | Other times as requested
Gene Lambert
District 5
Bozho (Hello),
It is difficult to choose the subject matter for our articles on a month-to-month basis. God knows there are numerous issues to consider. For those who know me, you know foster care and our CPN children are of top priority. As has been said many times, they are our future and occasionally need a helping hand.
I wrote an article about 10 years ago now and realized it needed to be brought to light once again. Our lives pass by and our intentions may be good regarding the needs of others. We are all so busy just trying to keep our own heads above water it is stashed in the tomorrow category. Today is all we have.
However, this is about our children — CPN children and the difficulties they face being homeless, in foster care, or in less than perfect families needing assistance.
We have our own Child Protective Services under the control of Citizen Potawatomi Nation directed by Ashlee May, MS, and the main concern for Ashlee and her staff is doing what is best for the child in all circumstances. I have had the challenge of working with a situation requiring CPS assistance and I have never been so impressed with the urgency and competence in which it was handled.
There is a broad range of assistance for family preservation, which could be anything from family counseling, parent training, or learning household budgeting to the removal of the child temporarily or permanently. The goal in such a case would be reunification of the blood family after home environments improve.
In the meantime, a temporary support family may be needed.
Permanence in a family environment or adoption could be possible should the safety of the child continue to be in question.
If you are not from Oklahoma jurisdiction and want to help a Potawatomi child in other states, you must first be licensed for foster care where you live. This does not alleviate the need for additional approval from Citizen Potawatomi Nation once you have state approval.
If you do live in Oklahoma and think this would be something you want to know more about, please consider sharing your home.
The Nation has additional concerns regarding an Indigenous child. It is important to assist in the continued education of the Potawatomi culture.
If you are interested in being a part of a support team for our children, you can talk to Ashlee or anyone on the team for more detailed information.
This is something I want to do on a temporary basis. These needs occur all over the country and it is my personal intention to try and help on a temporary basis until permanent placements are decided.
It is my belief that there isn’t one of us out here who has not needed a helping hand in some form or fashion in our lives. It pleases me to be able to give back in the same way. It is commendable to do it your way whatever your calling is.
Take care of yourselves and help one other person.
Love you all,
Gene Lambert (Eunice Imogene Lambert) | Butterfly Woman | glambert@potawatomi.org | 270 E Hunt Highway Ste 229 | San Tan Valley, AZ 85143 | Cell: 480-228-6569 | Office: 480-668-0509
Mark Johnson
District 7
Bozho nikanek (Hello friends),
At this year’s Family Reunion Festival, I arrived a day earlier than I normally do to take care of something that has been a long time in the making, planning and construction, but well worth the wait. As Vice-Chairman Capps described in her July column in the Hownikan, the CPN Columbarium has been completed, and we were able to place my father and mother’s ashes in their final resting place. The time and effort and planning that was placed in this project by the Tribal staff has made this spot on earth a truly special place. I look forward to many visits in the future, and hope that you take the time to visit should you be in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Feel free to reach out to me for further information on how you get your loved one’s ashes interred in our Tribal Columbarium.
It was also great to spend time visiting the many construction projects that are currently underway in support of Tribal Enterprises. The ballfield expansion project and the hotel and FireLake Casino are well underway and will be completed before the next Festival. Please start your planning now for next year’s Festival and come take part in your Tribal Heritage. It will be a trip that makes memories that will stay with you forever. It always feels like home to me.
On Saturday, Oct. 19, Rande Payne and I will be hosting a combined District 6 and 7 meeting and Fall Festival in Visalia, California. You should receive your invitation postcard with instructions on how to register for this event. We normally have around a hundred or so members and guests attend, and it is always a great time for information sharing and to gather as a Tribal Nation, as a run up to Native American Heritage Month in November. We always have a great meal, so if you register and then discover that you cannot attend, please remember to cancel your reservation.
Once again, I would like to say what an honor it is to serve you as your District 7 Legislator. As always, give me a call and I will be happy to work with you on any questions you may have or provide you with additional information you may need to access Tribal benefits that are available to you. Please also take the time to give me a call or send me an email with your contact information so that I can keep you informed of the happenings within the Nation and District.
Migwetch (Thank you),
Mark Johnson | Wisk Mtek (Strong as a Tree) | 559-351-0078 | mark.johnson@potawatomi.org
Dave Carney
District 8
Bozho nikan, (Hello friend),
In the next couple of editions (October and November) of the Hownikan, I will be posting photos of the Idaho and Montana District 8 Gatherings scheduled for mid-August. I am writing this column a few weeks before these events occur and I’m deep in the planning and packing stages. How do you pack two meetings and two Naming ceremonies into a suitcase? I am about to find out.
Having said that, our annual Fall Feast is also gathering energy and is scheduled for Oct. 19 in Portland, Oregon. Getting together, sharing culture, listening to presentations and sharing food are important activities as we build our district community. The district is large, with the highest density of citizens in Portland and Seattle – that’s the thinking behind alternating this annual event between these two cities.
Here are some of the details:
Taborspace (dining room) | 5441 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97215 | 2 to 5:30 p.m.
Serving Indian Tacos (early dinner). Feel free to bring a side dish or dessert to share.
Come be a part of your Tribe!
Presentations, prizes and a craft.
Please RSVP by Oct. 4 to dcarney@potawatomi.org.
During most of our district gatherings, we have a Native American art contest for enrolled CPN artists only. This staple of our meetings was suggested and inspired by one of our Elders, Dr. Steve Lynch. Dr. Steve summed up his thoughts by speaking about how we revere traditional Tribal art and how we honor our ancestors by continuing to create art. Art and traditions evolve or cease to live. We will be carrying on this art contest tradition in Idaho, Montana and at the Oregon event, and I look forward to seeing what our people are creating.
Recently, Steve Lynch suffered a stroke and is on a difficult road to recovery. If you would like to share some get well wishes, please send notes or cards to: Steve Lynch, 2435 North Webster Street, Portland, Oregon 97217.
Also, I have asked this of District 8 citizens before — if I named you in the past, please send me a quick e-mail with your name, Tribal ID number and the Potawatomi name you received. I am cross-checking with Tribal Rolls to make sure these are recorded. And, of course, if you named someone, please feel free to give me that info also so I can verify it with Tribal Rolls. Several citizens have sent me a reminder of their name and it’s much appreciated.
It is my honor to serve as your Legislator,
Dave Carney | Kagashgi (Raven) | dcarney@potawatomi.org | 360-259-4027
Paul Wesselhöft
District 9
Bozho, nikan (Hello, friend),
Here We Go Again!
A Facebook “friend” asked me why I “write so much about Indian issues?”
I informed him that I was Native American of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
His response was, “Aw man you’re white…lmao. Dude, you don’t live on a reservation. And your name is Wesselhöft.”
My response was, “I’m a blue-eyed Indian. Do you have a problem with it?”
This ignorant man was not worth my time explaining that my Potawatomi father had brown eyes and a dark complexion, and that I more genetically take after my non-Indian mother. I didn’t tell him that I’m the great-great-great-grandson of Chief Abraham Burnett. I didn’t give him the time explaining that our Potawatomi ancestors assimilated early and many of them intermarried with the French and other white people.
I didn’t explain that many in our Tribe in the last two centuries as well as this one intermarried with white, brown and black people. We welcome all our members, including those who do not have prominent ancestral Indian features. I didn’t tell him that our Nation determines membership not by blood quantum. Blood quantum was the federal government’s measure to get rid of Indians. I didn’t tell him that our Tribal members come in all colors, names and physical characteristics.
He simply was not worth my time.
Migwetch (Thank you),
Paul Wesselhöft | Naganit (Leader) | reppaul@gmail.com | pwesselhoft@potawatomi.org