The Hownikan features history of the Higbee family as a part of a series highlighting archival holdings on founding families.
The once-bustling Potawatomi reservation settlement of Uniontown in present-day Kansas is today a small cemetery. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation and Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation have rich histories tied to the area that was the center of the tribes’ universe in the mid-19th century. Stories passed down for generations about the community located along the Oregon Trail inspired recent geological research from experts in the state.
In 2021, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s FireLake Discount Foods joined a group of Oklahoma grocers that began accepting online purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
CPN’s new portal is a single access point for members to submit or update their personal information and research family connections.
The January 2022 Veterans Report covers the new year, highlights the role of the color guard and honor guard, and reminds veterans and their families of the monthly meeting.
Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member and National FFA Organization member Helen Spears showed two cattle at the 2021 Oklahoma State Fair. Throughout the weeklong competition, the Lamirand family descendant won four titles with two heifers.
January is designated as National Stalking Awareness Month. This January, House of Hope will be hosting a free event for the public that will focus on the dynamics of stalking and how to work with those affected by this crime. The event will be held on January 18 at 1 p.m. and located at CPN’s North Reunion Hall.
Youth programs during summer 2021 provided an opportunity for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation to purchase and place trail cameras across its jurisdiction. The images help connect students to Mother Nature and open dialogue around conservation and land stewardship. The Nation now extends access to trail camera images through potawatomiheritage.com.
Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Language Department began offering Potawatomi classes to public school systems in 2017 after the curriculum met Oklahoma state standards for a world language credit. The department expanded to Shawnee Middle School in 2021. At the beginning of the academic year, it presented sixth graders the option to take Potawatomi as a 9-week elective course.
The January 2022 Language update from CPN Language Department Director Justin Neely discusses Potawatomi language courses in area schools, on-going classes by the department, children’s book efforts, and more.