Way Back Wednesday: August 12, 2015 – Bicentinnial Edition of the Hownikan

As the end of powwow season approaches, we look back at the bicentennial edition of the Hownikan published in June, 1975 which promoted that year’s powwow, termed then “Potawatomi Day.” The program notes that a general council meeting would be held at St. Gregory’s College where the election of a chairman and two business council Read More »

Citizen Potawatomi on hand to celebrate Sacred Heart centennial

 On Sun., June 14, 2015 Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Konawa, Oklahoma celebrated its centennial with a Mass and potluck reception. Sacred Heart Mission and the associated school has a history in Pottawatomie County that dates back to 1876, when Fr. Isodore Robot, a French Benedictine arranged with the Potawatomi to establish a Catholic presence Read More »

Way Back Wednesday: July 29, 2015 – Treaty of Prairie du Chien

One hundred and eighty-six years ago today the contested Treaty of Prairie du Chien was contracted between the United States and the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatamie Indians. With the cession of two large tracts of land in northern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin, the tribes were to receive sixteen thousand dollars and fifty Read More »

Way Back Wednesday: July 22, 2015 – Gifted Basket

The basket, constructed in 2001 from wigwas (birch bark), wishkbemishkos (sweet grass) and gawey (porcupine quills), was originally commissioned as a present for a spiritual leader among the Three Fires communities of Walpole Island, Ontario, Canada. It was designed to honor the leader’s clan (Bear), the Clan’s role as keepers or protectors of the medicine Read More »

Way Back Wednesday: July 15, 2015 – The Treaty of Portage des Sioux

Saturday, July 18, 2015 marks the bicentennial of the Treaty of Portage des Sioux (July 18, 1815.)  The treaty was a means to affirm previous compacts and ultimately draw peace between the Potawatomi Nation and the United States, resulting from the depredations caused and faced by both sides during the War of 1812. Exhibiting his Read More »

Way Back Wednesday: July 8 2015 – Black Ash baskets

This week for Way Back Wednesday, we delve into the Tribal archives to show one of the prides of the CPN Cultural Heritage Center collections made by a Pokagan Band Potawatomi member. Josiah Brown of Shelbyville, Mich. hand crafted this 2.5 ft multicolor hamper from black ash at the age of 16 years old. Black Read More »