The Anishinaabe were the three original tribes of Michigan.

They were the Council of Three Fires.

The oldest brother, Chippewa, was Keeper of the Faith.

The middle brother, Ottawa, was Keeper of the Trade.

The youngest brother, Potawatomi, was Keeper of the Fire.

 

Potawatomi Culture
Language and Ethnic Origins

LINK to source.

Potawatomi speak a language of the Algonkian language family and have lived in the Great Lakes region for at least four centuries. Throughout their history, the Potawatomi have moved and been moved many times, but their aboriginal territory was in Michigan’s lower peninsula. Oral traditions of the Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa assert that at one time, all three tribes were one people who lived at the Straits of Mackinac. From there, they split off into three separate groups, and the Potawatomi were “Keepers of the Sacred Fire.” As such, they were the leading tribe of the alliance the three Indian nations formed after separating from one another. Linguistic, archaeological, and historical evidence confirms that the Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa descended from a common ethnic origin; the three languages are almost identical. In their own language, the word Potawatomi means “Keepers of the Sacred Fire,” but they call themselves Neshnabek, which means “the True People.”

Subsistence and Seasonality

LINK to source.

Traditionally, the Potawatomi relied on hunted, fished, and gathered food resources in the summer but also maintained substantial gardens of corn, beans, and squash. Women also collected a wide variety of wild plant foods, including berries, nuts, roots, and wild greens. Men also planted and grew tobacco. Hunting was done largely by individuals or in small groups using bows and arrows, and deer, elk, and beaver were the most common hunted species. In late fall, the people dispersed in smaller groups and moved to their winter hunting territories, making camp in valleys which sheltered them from winter weather. Toward spring, the people would regroup either into larger groups for communal hunting for buffalo on the prairies or early fishing in streams which emptied into Lake Michigan.

Settlement Pattern, Social Organization, and Kinship

LINK to source.

Large villages built in summer were positioned at the edge of the forest, which was near the prairies, prime fishing streams, and Lake Michigan. Chosen village locations were usually on small streams off the lake. The location of these villages allowed the Potawatomi to hunt, fish, and gather a wider variety of resources within a circumscribed area. In these summer villages and in more dispersed winter hunting camps, the Potawatomi lived in dome-shaped wigwams of bent saplings covered with woven mats or sheets of bark.

The Potawatomi were organized into clans, and clans were likely one of the main organizational structures of summer villages. Although Potawatomi clans were patrilineal — that is, they traced their descent through the father’s line — individuals were also linked to some extent to the families of their mother’s father, which provided a wider network of kin to interact with and count on in times of stress. Since Potawatomi subsistence required the cooperation of men and women and their respective families for farming, hunting, fishing, and other subsistence pursuits, these additional links to the mother’s family provided valuable flexibility.

The clans were exogamous, so individuals could not marry a person of the same clan. Upon marriage, a couple usually went to live with the husband’s family, so each summer village included a group of men and their children who were members of the same clan and members of other clans who had married members of the main clan in that village. The intermarriages of the clans created links between different villages, and these links were both reinforced and encouraged by trade and other bonds. These bonds existed not only within the Potawatomi tribe but also with nearby villages of related Ottawa and Chippewa, whose members freely intermarried or lived with the Potawatomi.

Kin relations demanded respect between those called brothers and sisters (including parallel cousins — father’s brother’s children and mother’s sister’s children) and in-laws of the opposite sex. Joking relationships existed between brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and between nieces, nephews, uncles, and aunts. Relationships with elders were founded on the utmost respect.

In addition to the clan structure, there was also an additional division of the people which cut across families and clans to create two opposing groups based on their order of birth within the family. Within each family, the odd-numbered children ( for instance, first, third, and fifth) were assigned to the “senior side,” while the even-number children were in the “junior side.” These groupings operated in games such as lacrosse and in some ceremonies and rituals. Rivalries between these groups were sanctioned and, through fierce competition, allowed some release of tension in some social situations.

Leadership and Government

LINK to source.

Each village was led by a senior man of the major clan who functioned largely because of his seniority, the respect he commanded, and his ability to influence the people with his decisions. Traditionally, the Potawatomi probably did not have a chief of the entire tribe, but under some circumstances, such as intertribal warfare or overall agreements, these village leaders might select a single man from one of the villages to speak for them with a single voice.

Group decision-making for major undertakings — such as war or a large-scale change — was a slow and involved process. After long discussions of the pros and cons, a decision was reached and a feast was held to cement the peoples’ commitment to it. Thus, all were involved, and no single person had the right or responsibility to dictate to the others.

Religious Life, Medicine, and Healing

LINK to source.

Much of Potawatomi spiritual and religious life was organized around the clans. Each clan had a sacred bundle which was the focus of oral traditions which recorded the origins of that clan. Specific songs and dances were also associated with the clan bundles, and each clan had specific ritual obligations as well and types of knowledge, such as particular medicines and ceremonies. The clan structure and the associated bundles were the gifts of the culture hero Wisaka brought to individuals in the past through dreams or visions.

Historically, the Midewiwin or Medicine Lodge was the most important communal religious function, and initiates sought health and long life through its teachings. Religious groups such as the Midewiwin also served as links to other villages and tribes. Other ceremonies carried out by the clans in association with their bundles and relationships with personal guardian spirits gained through vision quests and dreams provided a foundation for individual spirituality which involved specific ritual obligations and taboos.

Shamans were respected and feared for their supernatural power, which could be used for good or evil. Such power was gained through the vision quest but was not used at least until an individual reached middle age. Shamans operated by performing the shaking-tent rite, which identified spiritual causes of illness, by sucking sources of illness out of patient’s bodies, or providing hunting and love charms. In many cases, shamans combined spiritual cures with the application of herbal medicines.

Seven Generation Stewardship

Seven generation stewardship is a concept that urges the current generation to live and work for the benefit of the seventh generation into the future. This concept originated with the Five Nations of the Iroquois in the Great Law of Peace (which Benjamin Franklin used to convince the fledgling United States to become a constitutional republic). The seven generation principle holds that decision-makers think seven generations ahead (about 525 years into the future, which is counted by multiplying the 75 years of an average human lifespan by 7) to determine whether the decisions they make today would benefit their children seven generations into the future.

While this is an Iroquois tradition, one can see evidence of seven-generation thinking in the governance of most, if not all, of the current Potawatomi Nations, in particular, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.

How the Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa Became One People

LINK to source.

A long, long time ago, the Chippewa, Potawatomi, and Ottawa people were enemies. A Chippewa man had ten children, all boys. He brought them up to be warriors, and all ten sons were killed in battle. There was also an Ottawa man who had ten sons who were warriors, and they, too, were all killed. At the same time, a Potawatomi man had his ten sons killed in raids as well. Each father was left without children. All three men mourned their sons and could not see the point in living any longer. They wandered away from their tribes and into the woods, looking for a place to die.

The Chippewa man traveled west until he was completely exhausted. As he came to a place to rest, he saw a tree which had a long root running toward the east. The root was as long as a tree is tall, and very thick. He laid down and rested awhile, and then looked towards the south. There, he saw another very long root — as long as the one which went to the east — running toward the south. He went to the west and north sides of the tree and found two other roots, each as long as a tree is high. All around the tree, the grass grew long and rich. He walked around the tree until he had come to the east; he realized that the four roots pointed exactly in the four directions.

As he looked up at the tree, he realized that there were also four huge branches — one to the East, one to the West, one to the South, and one to the North. The tree had beautiful leaves, but only had these four branches, each extending out as far as the roots. As he examined the tree, he could also see that the tree had a big root that ran straight down into the earth and a huge branch that went up from the center straight to the sky. There were no leaves on that branch until the very top, and then there only a few. All around the tree, he could see the blue sky, and there was no wind or breeze.

As the Chippewa man walked around the tree, he was happy and forgot all of his sorrow at losing his sons. He had never seen so beautiful a place. As he sat there, he heard a noise like someone crying. He looked around, but didn’t see anyone. At last, he saw a man walking toward the tree, weeping and mourning just as he had earlier. He saw that the newcomer was an old man, just like him, and that he approached the tree from the south. As the newcomer came to the spot, he saw how beautiful it was and stopped crying. He looked around and noticed all the things about the tree and then he saw the first man. He saw that the man was mourning and asked him why.

The Chippewa man, who was sitting at the base of the great tree, said, “I had ten sons and I lost them all in war. I decided I had nothing left to live for and wandered until I came to this beautiful place.” The other man, an Ottawa, said, “I did the same as you. I had ten sons and they were all killed and I did not wish to live. I wandered off to die and came to this place.”

They talked over the past, and while they were talking they forgot their sorrow and felt happy. While they talked, they heard the noise of a person crying. Far off, they saw a man approaching, mourning and crying. It was an old man, about the same age as the other two, and as he walked along wearily. They watched him as he came from the west and approached the west root of the tree. He stopped and examined the root, and he began to notice how beautiful the tree and the place was and wiped away his tears. As he came up to the tree, the Chippewa man and the Ottawa man asked him who he was and why he was mourning. He answered that he was a Potawatomi and that he mourned his ten sons lost in war. Like them, he had wandered off to die.

They each told their stories and saw that the same thing had brought them to this place. The Chippewa man said, “It is the will of the Great Spirit that has brought us here to meet.” They all agreed. They walked around and explored the place together, and saw that the air was very still and calm around the tree. It was very quiet and it seemed to them that every word they spoke could be heard by the spirits. Together they said, “The spirits have sent us here to hold council together. There has been too much fighting in our lives.”

The Chippewa man said, “I think I had better go back to my people.” The Ottawa man agreed, saying, “Yes, I think it has been wrong for us to fight all the time. We have suffered and neglected our children. It is best for us to go home.” And the Potawatomi man said, “All this is true. It is wrong to allow all these people to die because of the fighting between us. We should all go home, and stop the fighting between our tribes and live in peace.” They lit their pipes and smoked, agreeing on what they had said. They talked a long while. As they smoked and talked, the Chippewa man, having been the first to get to the tree, felt he had a right to speak first. “Our people should unite as one. I will be the eldest brother. And the Ottawa will be our second brother. And you, Potawatomi, will be the youngest brother.” They all agreed.

The Chippewa man said, “My brothers, I will make a pipe and a stem for it. When I get home, I will present it to my people. I will tell them that I had ten children who were all killed in war; but I will wash that away. I will paint the stem of the pipe blue, like the sky, and we will use this pipe when we make peace with other nations.”

And the Ottawa man said, “I will do the same. I will remind my people of my sons, and I will have them quit fighting.”

The Potawatomi said, “I, too, will make a pipe of peace. I will call a council of our people and tell them of our resolution, and explain the foolishness of allowing our people to be killed.”

The Chippewa said again, “It is good. Our spirits have brought us together at this point, and have brought us to agreement.” They agreed that in ten days they would all meet and bring their tribes to the roots of the tree, and at these roots their tribes would live, each sheltered by one of the great branches. And then they all went their separate ways home.

When he got home, the Chippewa man took tobacco and put it in his pipe. He was not a chief, only an old man. He took the pipe to the Chief and told him that it was the pipe of peace. The Chief smoked it with him. The old man told all his people to make peace. He told all the head chiefs of different Chippewa bands to take the pipe, and to tell his story and to explain that the pipe was to be used in friendship. The smoke from the tobacco would soothe and purify their hearts and maintain peace. The older people, who had learned the lesson of peace through their losses, would teach the messages to the younger people, who would carry it on. The same thing happened with the Ottawa and the Potawatomi.

Ten days later, they brought their people to the roots of the beautiful tree. As they all got there, each set up camp on one root of the tree. The Chippewa man brought a chunk of wood, and so did the Ottawa man and the Potawatomi man. Together, they started a common fire and brought food so they could cook together. As they began cooking, they took tobacco and lit the pipe of the Chippewa man from the fire they had built together. They were going to offer the pipe to their chiefs to smoke together, but they thought that they should it first offer the pipe to the Great Spirit who had brought them together. They pointed the pipe stem straight up in the air by the tree. Then they pointed the stem to the east and offered it to the spirit of the east. Then they pointed to the south and offered it to the spirit of the south, and then to the spirit of the west, and lastly to the spirit of the north. Then they turned the stem down toward the central root of the great tree, offering it to the spirit that keeps the earth from sinking in the water.

After this, they offered the pipe to the Chippewa Chief and he smoked it, and passed it to the braves and warriors. They all smoked. The man of the Ottawa tribe did the same, as did the Potawatomi tribe. After that, they all lived as one people, and said, “We will keep this fire to represent our bond with each other, and the Potawatomi will be keepers of this sacred fire.” The three old men made rules for the people to live together, and presented them as a path that their people must follow. From the point at which they met under the tree, they must live always in peace and friendship. From that time forward, they kept their rules and the three tribes lived in peace and intermarried with each other and came to be almost as one people.

The Creation Of The World

LINK to source.

In the beginning of things, there was nothing but water everywhere and no land could be seen. On the waves, a canoe floated, and a man sat in it and wept because he had no idea what would happen. After a while, a muskrat climbed up on the canoe and said, “Greetings, grandfather! Why are you crying?” The man answered, “I have been here a long time, and I cannot find any land.” The muskrat replied, “But there is earth under all this water!” The man asked the muskrat to get him some land, and the muskrat dove down and came up again with both paws full of mud. He dived again and brought up a ball of earth in his mouth. The man did not think this was enough land to live on.

The man asked the muskrat if he was all alone, and the muskrat answered no. The muskrat gave out a call and the animals chiefs of the water swam up to the canoe. The first to come was a white muskrat. “I hear that you want to see us,” he said to the man.

“Yes,” answered the man, “I want you to bring me some earth so I can make the world. I will make it a good world where we can all live.” The animals agreed and they all began to dive. They all brought up earth, and the man they called Grandfather kneaded the mud that they brought, and molded it into a long column that reached from the surface of the water to the earth beneath it. It showed above the waves, and he kept adding to it. They kept on day after day until it was finally solid and there was a lot of land there. Then the man planted a great tree there. He kept adding to the island.

As the man worked on the north end of the island, he noticed that the ground grew dry and dusty. He asked his animal helpers how they liked what he had made, and they told him that it was a good place to sun themselves. He told them to keep on bringing him earth, and he would make it better. Thus, he kept on until the world was completed. Then he told his animal friends that it would be covered with green grass and trees. He took a stick and marked out where he wanted the rivers to run, and then he had the muskrats dig out the channels.

At last, the man built a wigwam. When he had it ready, the muskrats were close by in a lake, so he went over and planted rushes along the shore for them. Then, he got into his canoe and paddled out into the ocean, and called on the muskrats to help him again while he built another world. He built it up until it met the first one. “Now,” he said, “I have it the way that I want it.”

One day he walked up to the north end of his island and found some people there. He approached them and asked them where they came from. They were the Potawatomi, and they asked who he was.

“I am Wi’saka,” he replied.

The Potawatomi replied, “Well, we have heard of you, you must have come from above, as we did.”

“No,” answered Wi’saka, “I have always been here, and I made this earth and all that you can see on it.”

“Well then,” said one, “You must be the Great Spirit.”

“Yes,” answered Wi’saka, “That is who I am. Who can do any more than I have?” Wi’saka asked the muskrats to dive into the lake and fetch him some tasty roots. When he had plenty, he told them to stop, and then he gave the roots to the Indians. They camped beside his lodge and he lent them his cooking utensils. He showed them how to make clay pots and how to cook their food. Wi’saka showed the people the forest that he had made, and in the woods he showed them how to peel bark and make household utensils like baskets. He showed them how to make string to tie their lodge poles together. He instructed them how to gather and prepare reeds to weave mats, and how to make rush-mat wigwams. The next day, he told them that there would be animals in the world, and deer, buffalo, and other game appeared. In this way, Wi’saka made the world right for the Potawatomi.

Seven Grandfather Teachings

LINK to source.

The Seven Grandfather Teachings have always been a part of the Native American culture. Their roots date back to the beginning of time. These teachings impact our surroundings, along with providing guidance toward our actions to one another.

According to the story, long ago, a messenger sent to see how the Neshnabék were living, discovered that the Neshnabék were living their life in a negative way, which impacted their thoughts, decisions, and actions. Some had hate for others, displayed disrespectful actions, were afraid, told lies, and cheated. Others revealed pride or were full of shame. During his journey, the messenger came across a child. This child was chosen to be taught by the Seven Grandfathers to live a good life. He was taught the lessons of Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Wisdom.

*** “Neshnabek” is an alternate spelling of Anishinabek, which is a name the Chippewa and Potawatomi people use for themselves in their own language.

Before departing from the Seven Grandfathers, they told him, “Each of these teachings must be used with the rest. You cannot have Wisdom without Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth. You cannot be Honest if you are only using one of the other teachings. To leave out one teaching would be embracing the opposite of what the teaching means.” The Seven Grandfathers each instructed the child with a principle. It was then up to the child to forget them, or to put them to use.

Each one of us represents the child. We must faithfully apply the teachings of our Seven Grandfathers to our own lives. We must place our trust in the Creator. We must also never forget to be sincere in our actions, character, and words.

Love

Knowing love is to know peace.

Our love must be unconditional. When people are weak, that is when they need love the most. Love is a strong affection for another. This can form between friends and family. Love is an attachment based upon devotion, admiration, tenderness, and kindness for all things around you. For one to love and accept themselves is to live at peace with the Creator and in harmony with all of creation. Love knows no bounds. We must accept it sincerely and give it freely.

Respect

A way to honor creation is by showing respect.

There should be no part of creation that should be excluded from the honor that we are to give. We demonstrate respect by realizing the value of all people and things, and by showing courteous consideration and appreciation. We must give respect if we wish to be respected. We honor the traditional roles that we fill and the teaching we have been given. We honor our families and others, as well as ourselves. We are not to bring harm to anyone or anything. Respect is not just an action, but a heart-grown feeling.

Bravery

Facing a problem with integrity is a true demonstration of bravery.

We do what is right even when the consequences may be unpleasant. We face life with the courage to use our personal strengths to face difficulties, stand tall through adversity, and make positive choices. We must stand up for our convictions and have courage in our thinking and speaking. All of these actions together will lead to ceaseless bravery.

Truth

Truth is having the knowledge of our cultural teachings.

It gives us the ability to act without regret. We must understand, speak, and feel the truth, while also honoring its power. Truth should not lead us to deceptions. We know who we are in our heart. By knowing that, we also know the truth. Our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual gifts will guide each one of us in our journey.

Honesty

Facing a situation is to be brave but having the courage to not only do the right thing, but also saying it, is honesty.

We must allow truth to be our guide. We must first be honest with ourselves. This will allow us to be honest with others. We must give full value to both the efforts of our own and others. When we walk through life with integrity, it is then that we know honesty. Be truthful and trustworthy. We must also remember to accept and act on truths through straightforward and appropriate communication.

Humility

Humility is to know that we are a part of creation.

We must always consider ourselves equal to one another. We should never think of ourselves as being better or worse than anyone else. Humility comes in many forms. This includes compassion, calmness, meekness, gentleness, and patience. We must reflect on how we want to present ourselves to those around us. We must be aware of the balance and equality with all of life, including humans, plants, and animals.

Wisdom

The mixture of these teachings, combined with the experiences of life, is what we refer to as wisdom.

It is given to us by the Creator to be used for good. Wisdom carries other meanings, which also include intelligence or knowledge. When we cherish our knowledge or intelligence, we are also cherishing our wisdom. We must use sound judgement along with the ability to separate inner qualities and relationships. We must use a good sense and course of action to form a positive attitude. We must remember to listen and use the wisdom that has been provided by our Elders, Tribal leadership, and our Spiritual leaders. We must also always remember that Wisdom comes in all shapes, sizes, forms, and ages.

Federally Recognized Potawatomi tribes in the United States:

To learn more about the Potawatomi Nation, in history and today, visit the websites of the federally recognized tribes.

Two Major Treaties
Treaty of Tippecanoe, 1832

Follow this LINK to the full document.

On October 26, 1932, the US government entered negotiations with the Potawatomi of northwestern Indiana, who were the only Natives who still held a claim in the region. The land purchased by the government was most of the northwestern part of the state of Indiana.

The treaty provided for establishing a reserve along the Yellow River and to build a mill on that reservation. In exchange for the land, the tribe was granted an annual payment of $20,000 for a term of 20 years. The tribe was also granted $100,000 in goods and a lump sum payment of $62,412 for payment of debts owed by the tribe.

The government also offered assistance in moving to new lands in Indian Territory and providing farming implements to assist them in cultivating the land they would move to.

Treaty of Yellow River, 1836

Follow this LINK to the full document. You can also try this LINK.

The treaty between the federal government and the Potawatomi people was a repeal of the 1832 peace treaty, which promised that the Potawatomi people could keep their land in northern Indiana. The United States broke the 1832 agreement and forced the Potawatomi to sell their reservation land for $14,080 and move west. Many Potawatomi refused to move, but ultimately the federal government would send them on a forced march to their new reservation in Kansas. This forced removal became known at the Trail of Death.

This treaty is significant because it was the treaty that was used as the excuse for the removals from northern Indiana, including the Trail of Death, even though several of the chiefs never signed this or any other removal treaty.

The Series