From their humble roots in Ireland, the Slavin family forebears were among the many Irish immigrants who sought independence and stability in the United States. Together, with their Potawatomi relatives, they withstood numerous challenges to help establish a firm foundation for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma.
Once neighbors in the Great Lakes region prior to colonial contact, the Potawatomi and Kickapoo people have a great deal in common. These connections have been seen in food, housing and other customs, extending even to ancestors.
This month’s update from CPN Language Department Director Justin Neely discusses the winter storytelling event held in March and tells the story of Wiske mine Zisbakwet (Wiske and Maple Syrup).
The Nadeau family, from its beginnings in France, to its early years in Michigan, overcame unfathomable challenges in Kansas and Oklahoma. From these foundations, they have built a rich legacy for their descendants and generations yet to come.
Potawatomi recognize mnokme, or spring, as the beginning of our new year when the snow began to melt after the harsh winter around the Great Lakes. After sub-freezing temperatures forced communities into smaller groups to survive, they returned to communal life. Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Cultural Heritage Center Director Dr. Kelli Mosteller believes spring showed hope after difficult cold months.
Ancestors, a platform to research family history, allows Tribal members to learn about and share information on their ancestral family. Tribal member Dennis Johnson began working on his family history 25 years ago. While looking through the “Family Manuscripts” section of his family’s records, Johnson found something interesting about his relative Joshua E. Clardy, born in 1835, who took an allotment in Indian Territory after the Treaty of 1861. He was issued the first land certificate from the federal government.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Cultural Heritage Center provides resources to keep the Tribe’s history safe and accessible for generations to come. One key way the Nation does this is through the CHC’s archives and video interviews. The Hownikan features histories of founding families each month. This article traces Wesley Lewis through freight hauling and service in the U.S. Army to his family’s impact on the establishment of present-day Wanette, Oklahoma.
This episode discusses the effects of Medicaid expansion on Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services, visits a crafting class at CPN’s Cultural Heritage Center and provides tips and tricks for credit scores for National Credit Education Month.
In 2021, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Language Department once again began offering in-person classes after more than a year of virtual learning due to the pandemic. Since many Tribal members live across the country, they continue to use online platforms during every session. Tribal members find connection through in-person and online offerings, and pass on what they learn to their families.
CPN Language Department Director Justin Neely gives a language update for February 2022 which discusses course work at Shawnee Middle School and teaching at the CPN Child development center.