The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

region, upper

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the

Potawatomi language Potawatomi (, also spelled Pottawatomie; in Potawatomi Bodwéwadmimwen, or Bodwéwadmi Zheshmowen, or Neshnabémwen) is a Central Algonquian language. It was historically spoken by the Pottawatomi people who lived around the Great Lakes in wha ...

, a member of the Algonquin family. The Potawatomi call themselves ''Neshnabé'', a

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical ef ...

of the word ''

Anishinaabe The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawa ...

''. The Potawatomi are part of a long-term alliance, called the

Council of Three Fires The Council of Three Fires (in oj, label=Anishinaabe, Niswi-mishkodewinan, also known as the People of the Three Fires; the Three Fires Confederacy; or the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians) is a long-standing Anishina ...

, with the

Ojibway The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

and Odawa (Ottawa). In the Council of Three Fires, the Potawatomi are considered the "youngest brother" and are referred to in this context as ''Bodwéwadmi'', a name that means "keepers of the fire" and refers to the council fire of three peoples. In the 18th century, they were pushed to the west by European/American encroachment and eventually removed from their lands in the Great Lakes region to reservations in Oklahoma. Under

Indian Removal Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a ...

, they eventually ceded many of their lands, and most of the Potawatomi relocated to

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

, and

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...

. Some bands survived in the Great Lakes region and today are federally recognized as tribes. In Canada, over 600 First Nation governments or bands are recognized. In the US, 574 tribes or bands are federally recognized.

Name

The English "Potawatomi" is derived from the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

( syncoped in the

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the c ...

as ). The Potawatomi name for themselves (

autonym Autonym may refer to: * Autonym, the name used by a person to refer to themselves or their language; see Exonym and endonym * Autonym (botany), an automatically created infrageneric or infraspecific name See also * Nominotypical subspecies, in zo ...

) is (without syncope: ; plural: ), a

of the Ojibwe form. Their name means "those who tend the hearth-fire," which refers to the hearth of the

. The word comes from "to tend the hearth-fire", which is (without syncope: ) in the

; the Ojibwe and Ottawa forms are and , respectively. Alternatively, the Potawatomi call themselves (without syncope: ; plural: ), a cognate of Ojibwe , meaning "original people".

Teachings

The Potawatomi teach their children about the "Seven Grandfather Teachings" of wisdom, respect, love, honesty, humility, bravery, and truth toward each other and all creation, each one of which teaches them the equality and importance of their fellow tribesmen and respect for all of nature’s creations. The story itself teaches the importance of patience and listening, as it follows the Water Spider's journey to retrieve fire for the other animals to survive the cold. As the other animals step forth one after another to proclaim that they shall be the ones to retrieve the fire, the Water Spider sits and waits while listening to her fellow animals. As they finish and wrestle with their fears, she steps forward and announces that she will be the one to bring it back. As they laugh and doubt her, she weaves a bowl out of her own web that sails her across the water to retrieve the fire. She brings back a hot coal out of which they make fire, and they celebrate her honor and bravery.

History

Pottawatomi Fashion at the Field Museum in Chicago

The Potawatomi are first mentioned in French records, which suggests that in the early 17th century, they lived in what is now southwestern

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

. During the

Beaver Wars The Beaver Wars ( moh, Tsianì kayonkwere), also known as the Iroquois Wars or the French and Iroquois Wars (french: Guerres franco-iroquoises) were a series of conflicts fought intermittently during the 17th century in North America throughout t ...

, they fled to the area around Green Bay to escape attacks by both the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian Peoples, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Indigenous confederations in North America, confederacy of First Nations in Canada, First Natio ...

and the

Neutral Nation The Neutral Confederacy (also Neutral Nation, Neutral people, or ''Attawandaron'' by neighbouring tribes) were an Iroquoian people who lived in what is now southwestern and south-central Ontario in Canada, North America. They lived throughout ...

, who were seeking expanded hunting grounds. In 1658, the Potawatomi were estimated to number around 3,000. As an important part of

Tecumseh Tecumseh ( ; October 5, 1813) was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. A persuasive orator, Tecumseh traveled widely, forming a Native American confederacy and ...

's Confederacy, Potawatomi warriors took part in

Tecumseh's War Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion was a conflict between the United States and Tecumseh's Confederacy, led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh in the Indiana Territory. Although the war is often considered to have climaxed with William Henry Ha ...

, the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

and the Peoria War. Their alliances switched repeatedly between

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

and the United States, as power relations shifted between the nations, and they calculated effects on their trade and land interests. At the time of the War of 1812, a band of Potawatomi inhabited the area near

Fort Dearborn Fort Dearborn was a United States fort built in 1803 beside the Chicago River, in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secretary of War ...

, where

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

developed. Led by the chiefs Blackbird and Nuscotomeg (Mad Sturgeon), a force of about 500 warriors attacked the United States evacuation column leaving Fort Dearborn; they killed most of the civilians and 54 of Captain

Nathan Heald Nathan Heald (New Ipswich, New Hampshire September 24, 1775 – O'Fallon, Missouri April 27, 1832) was an officer in the U.S. Army, during the War of 1812. He was in command of Fort Dearborn in Chicago during the Battle of Fort Dearborn. Heald ...

's force and wounded many others. George Ronan, the first graduate of

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

to be killed in combat, died in this ambush. The incident is referred to as the " Fort Dearborn Massacre". A Potawatomi chief named Mucktypoke (, Black Pheasant), counseled his fellow warriors against the attack. Later he saved some of the civilian captives who were being ransomed by the Potawatomi.

French period (1615–1763)

The

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

period of contact began with early explorers who reached the Potawatomi in western and northern Michigan. They also found the tribe located along the

Door Peninsula The Door Peninsula is a peninsula in eastern Wisconsin, separating the southern part of the Green Bay from Lake Michigan. The peninsula includes northern Kewaunee County, northeastern Brown County, and the mainland portion of Door Co ...

of Wisconsin. By the end of the French period, the Potawatomi had begun a move to the

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

area, leaving the large communities in Wisconsin. The French helped to solidify their alliance with the Potawatomi by helping them raid numerous Sauk villages and Fox villages in the early 1700s as well as by compelling the Kickapoo nation to make many concessions to the Potawatomi. * Madouche during the Fox Wars * Millouisillyny * Onanghisse (''Wnaneg-gizs'' "Shimmering Light") at Green Bay * Otchik at Detroit

British period (1763–1783)

The British period of contact began when France ceded its lands after the defeat in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

(or

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's War (also known as Pontiac's Conspiracy or Pontiac's Rebellion) was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of Native Americans dissatisfied with British rule in the Great Lakes region following the French and Indian War (1754–176 ...

was an attempt by Native Americans to push the British and other European settlers out of their territory. The Potawatomi captured every British frontier garrison but the one at Detroit. The Potawatomi nation continued to grow and expanded westward from Detroit, most notably in the development of the St. Joseph villages adjacent to the

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

in southwestern Michigan. The Wisconsin communities continued and moved south along the Lake Michigan shoreline. * Nanaquiba (Water Moccasin) at Detroit * Ninivois at Detroit * Peshibon at St. Joseph * Washee (from , "the Swan") at St. Joseph during

United States treaty period (1783–1830)

The United States treaty period of Potawatomi history began with the

Treaty of Paris (1783) The Treaty of Paris, signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America on September 3, 1783, officially ended the American Revolutionary War and overall state of conflict ...

, which ended the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and established the United States' interest in the lower Great Lakes. It lasted until the treaties for

were signed. The US recognized the Potawatomi as a single tribe. They often had a few tribal leaders whom all villages accepted. The Potawatomi had a decentralized society, with several main divisions based on geographic locations:

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

or Wisconsin area, Detroit or Huron River, the St. Joseph River, the

Kankakee River The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in the Central Corn Belt Plains of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time, the river drained one of the largest wetlands in ...

, Tippecanoe and

Wabash River The Wabash River (French: Ouabache) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 river that drains most of the state of Indiana in the United States. It flows from ...

s, the

Illinois River The Illinois River ( mia, Inoka Siipiiwi) is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and is approximately long. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, it has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins at the confluence of the ...

and Lake Peoria, and the

Des Plaines Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after th ...

and Fox Rivers. The chiefs listed below are grouped by geographic area.

Milwaukee Potawatomi

* Manamol * Siggenauk (: "Le Tourneau" or "Blackbird")

Chicago Potawatomi

Billy Caldwell Billy Caldwell, baptized Thomas Caldwell (March 17, 1782 – September 28, 1841), known also as ''Sauganash'' ( ne who speaksEnglish), was a British-Potawatomi fur trader who was commissioned captain in the Indian Department of Canada duri ...

, also known as

Sauganash Billy Caldwell, baptized Thomas Caldwell (March 17, 1782 – September 28, 1841), known also as ''Sauganash'' ( ne who speaksEnglish), was a British-Potawatomi fur trader who was commissioned captain in the Indian Department of Canada duri ...

(''Zhaaganaash'': "Englishman") (1780–1841)

Des Plaines and Fox River Potawatomi

* Aptakisic (, "Half Day") * Mukatapenaise ( "Blackbird") * Waubonsie (He Causes Paleness) * Waweachsetoh along with La Gesse, Gomo, or Masemo (Resting Fish)

Illinois River Potawatomi

* Mucktypoke (: "Black Partridge") *

Senachewine Senachwine (Potawatomi: ''Znajjewan'', "Difficult Current") or Petchaho (supposedly from Potawatomi: "Red Cedar") (c. 1744-1831) was a 19th-century Illinois River Potawatomi chieftain. In 1815, he succeeded his brother Gomo as chieftain of their ...

( 1831) (Petacho or "Difficult Current") was the brother of Gomo, who was chief among the Lake Peoria Potawatomi

Kankakee River (Iroquois and Yellow Rivers) Potawatomi

* Main Poc, also known as Webebeset ("Crafty One") * Micsawbee 19th century * Notawkah (Rattlesnake) on the

Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth-longest river system in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Ha ...

* Nuscotomeg (, "Mad Sturgeon") on the

and

s * Mesasa (, "Turkey Foot")

St. Joseph and Elkhart Potawatomi

* Chebass (: "Little Duck") on the St. Joseph River *

Five Medals Five Medals (; also recorded as Wonongaseah or Wannangsea, from the Potawatomi ''Wa-nyano-zhoneya'', "Five-coin" or "Five-medal") was a leader of the Elkhart River Potawatomi. He led his people in defense of their homelands and was a proponent of ...

(: "Five-coin") on the

Elkhart River The Elkhart River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 19, 2011 tributary of the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana in the United States. It is almost entirely c ...

* Onaska on the

* Topinbee (He who sits Quietly) ( 1826)

Tippecanoe and Wabash River Potawatomi

* Aubenaubee (1761–1837/8) on the Tippecanoe River * Askum (More and More) on the Eel River * George Cicott (1800?–1833) * Keesass on the

* Kewanna (1790?–1840s?) (Prairie Chicken) Eel River * Kinkash (see Askum) * Magaago *

Monoquet Monoquet is an unincorporated community in Plain Township, Kosciusko County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. History Monoquet uh-NUH-kwetwas laid out in 1834, later being founded in 1844 when a post office was established on January 29, 1844; clo ...

(1790s–1830s) on the Tippecanoe River * Tiosa on the Tippecanoe River *

Winamac Winamac was the name of a number of Potawatomi leaders and warriors beginning in the late 17th century. The name derives from a man named Wilamet, a Native American from an eastern tribe who in 1681 was appointed to serve as a liaison between New ...

(, "Catfish")—allied with the British during the War of 1812 *

(, "Catfish")—allied with the Americans during the War of 1812

Fort Wayne Potawatomi

* Metea (1760?–1827) (, "Sulks") * Wabnaneme on the Pigeon River

American removal period (1830–1840)

The removal period of Potawatomi history began with the treaties of the late 1820s when the United States created reservations.

and Alexander Robinson negotiated for the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potowatomi in the Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1829), by which they ceded most of their lands in Wisconsin and Michigan. Some Potawatomi became religious followers of the "Kickapoo Prophet", Kennekuk. Over the years, the US reduced the size of the reservations under pressure for land by invading European Americans. The final step followed the

1833 Treaty of Chicago The 1833 Treaty of Chicago struck an agreement between the United States government that required the Chippewa Odawa, and Potawatomi tribes cede to the United States government their of land (including reservations) in Illinois, the Wisco ...

, negotiated for the tribes by Caldwell and Robinson. In return for land cessions, the US promised new lands, annuities, and supplies to enable the peoples to develop new homes. The Illinois Potawatomi were removed to

and the Indiana Potawatomi to

, both west of the Mississippi River. Often, annuities and supplies were reduced or late in arrival, and the Potawatomi suffered after their relocations. Those in Kansas later were removed to

, now Oklahoma. The removal of the Indiana Potawatomi was documented by a Catholic priest,

Benjamin Petit Benjamin Marie Petit (April 8, 1811 – February 10, 1839) was a Catholic missionary to the Potawatomi at Twin Lakes, Indiana, where he served from November 1837 to September 1838. A native of Rennes in Brittany, France, Petit was trained ...

, who accompanied the Indians on the

Potawatomi Trail of Death The Potawatomi Trail of Death was the forced removal by militia in 1838 of about 859 members of the Potawatomi nation from Indiana to reservation lands in what is now eastern Kansas. The march began at Twin Lakes, Indiana (Myers Lake and Cook ...

. Petit died while returning to Indiana. His diary was published in 1941 by the Indiana Historical Society. Many Potawatomi found ways to remain, primarily those in Michigan. Others fled to their

Odawa The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They h ...

neighbors or to Canada to avoid removal to the west. * ''Iowa'',

* ''Maumksuck'' (, "Big Foot") at

Lake Geneva , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial lak ...

* '' Mecosta'' (, "Having a Bear's Foot") *

Chief Menominee Menominee (c. 1791 – April 15, 1841) was a Potawatomi chief and religious leader whose village on reservation lands at Twin Lakes, southwest of Plymouth in present-day Marshall County, Indiana, became the gathering place for the Potawatomi w ...

(1791?–1841) Twin Lakes of Marshall County * ''Pamtipee'' of Nottawasippi * ''Mackahtamoah'' (, "Black Wolf") of Nottawasippi * ''Pashpoho'' of

near

Rochester, Indiana Rochester is a city in, and the county seat of, Fulton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,218 at the 2010 census. History Rochester was laid out in 1835. The founder Alexander Chamberlain named it for his former hometown of ...

* ''Pepinawah'' * Leopold Pokagon (–1841) * Simon Pokagon (–1899) * ''

'' (Billy Caldwell) removed his band ultimately to what would become

Council Bluffs, Iowa Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The city is the most populous in Southwest Iowa, and is the third largest and a primary city of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area. It is loc ...

in 1838, where they lived at what was known as Caldwell's Camp. Father Pierre-Jean De Smet established a mission there that was active 1837-1839. * ''Shupshewahno'' (19th century – 1841) or (Vision of a Lion) at Shipshewana Lake. * ''Topinbee'' (The Younger) on the St. Joseph River * ''Wabanim'' (, "White Dog") on the Iroquois River * (Snapping Turtle) on the Iroquois River * ''Wanatah'' * ''Weesionas'' (see Ashkum) * ''Wewesh''

Bands

Several bands of Potawatomi are active.

United States

Federally recognized This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

Potawatomi tribes in the United States: *

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Potawatomi people located in Oklahoma. The Potawatomi are traditionally an Algonquian-speaking Eastern Woodlands tribe. They have 29,155 enrolled tribal members, of whom 10,312 live in ...

(Shishibéniyék), Oklahoma * Forest County Potawatomi Community (Ksenyaniyék), Wisconsin * Hannahville Indian Community (Wigwas zibiwniyék), Michigan *

Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band The Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan is a federally recognized tribe of Potawatomi people in Michigan named for a 19th-century Ojibwe chief. They were formerly known as the Gun Lake Band of Grand River Ottawa Indian ...

of Pottawatomi (also known as the Gun Lake tribe) (Mthebnéshiniyêk), based in Dorr in

Allegan County, Michigan Allegan County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 120,502. The county seat is Allegan. The name was coined by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to sound like a Native American word. Alle ...

Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi (NHBP) is a federally-recognized tribe of Potawatomi in the United States. The tribe achieved federal recognition on December 19, 1995, and currently has approximately 1500 members. The Pine Creek Indi ...

(Nadwézibiniyêk), based in

Calhoun County, Michigan Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 134,310. The county seat is Marshall. The county was established on October 19, 1829, and named after John C. Calhoun, who was at the time Vic ...

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (Potawatomi: Pokégnek Bodéwadmik) are a federally recognized Potawatomi-speaking tribe based in southwestern Michigan and northeastern Indiana. Tribal government functions are located in Dowagiac, Michigan. ...

(Pokégnek Bodéwadmik), Michigan and Indiana *

Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation ( pot, Mshkodéniwek, formerly the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians) is a federally recognized tribe of Neshnabé (Potawatomi people), headquartered near Mayetta, Kansas. History The ''Mshkodésik'' ("People of ...

(Mshkodéniwék ), Kansas

Canada - First Nations with Potawatomi people

* Caldwell First Nation (Zaaga'iganiniwag),

Point Pelee Point Pelee National Park (; french: Parc national de la Pointe-Pelée) is a national park in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada where it extends into Lake Erie. The word is French for 'bald'. Point Pelee consists of a peninsula of la ...

and Pelee Island,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation ( oj, Neyaashiinigmiing Anishinaabek) is an Anishinaabek First Nation from the Bruce Peninsula region in Ontario, Canada. Along with the Saugeen First Nation, they form the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The C ...

(Neyaashiinigmiing),

Bruce Peninsula The Bruce Peninsula is a peninsula in Ontario, Canada, that divides Georgian Bay of Lake Huron from the lake's main basin. The peninsula extends roughly northwestwards from the rest of Southwestern Ontario, pointing towards Manitoulin Island, ...

, Ontario *

Saugeen First Nation Saugeen First Nation ( oj, Saukiing) is an Ojibway First Nation band located along the Saugeen River and Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. The band states that their legal name is the "Chippewas of Saugeen". Organized in the mid-1970s, Sauge ...

(Saukiing), Ontario (

) *

Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point Kettle & Stony Point First Nation ( oj, Wiiwkwedong Anishinaabek, meaning: "in/at the bay") comprises the Kettle Point reserve and Stony Point Reserve (which is under remedial cleanup after over 50 years of occupation by the Canadian Armed Forces), ...

(Wiiwkwedong), Ontario *

Moose Deer Point First Nation Moose Deer Point First Nation is a Potawatomi First Nation in the District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario. It has a reserve called Moose Point 79. The reserve is located along Twelve Mile Bay. The First nation is a member of the Anishinabek ...

, Ontario * Walpole Island First Nation (Bkejwanong) on an unceded island between the United States and Canada * Wasauksing First Nation (Waaseyakosing), Parry Island, Ontario

Population

Clans

La Chauvignerie (1736) and Morgan (1877) mention among the Potawatomi

doodem The Anishinaabe, like most Algonquian-speaking groups in North America, base their system of kinship on patrilineal clans or totems. The Ojibwe word for clan () was borrowed into English as totem. The clans, based mainly on animals, were in ...

s (clans) being: * ''Bené'' (Turkey) * ''Gagagshi'' (Crow) * ''Gnew'' (Golden Eagle) * ''Jejakwe (Thunderer, i.e. Crane) * ''Mag'' (Loon) * ''Mekchi'' (Frog) * ''Mek'' (Beaver) * ''Mewi'a'' (Wolf) * ''Mgezewa'' (Bald Eagle) * ''Mkedésh-gékékwa'' (Black Hawk) * ''Mko'' (Bear) * ''Mshéwé'' (Elk) * ''Mshike (Turtle) * ''Nme (Sturgeon) * ''Nmébena'' (Carp) * ''Shage'shi'' (Crab) * ''Wabozo'' (Rabbit) * ''Wakeshi'' (Fox)

Ethnobotany

They regard ''

Epigaea repens ''Epigaea repens'', the mayflower, trailing arbutus, or ground laurel, is a low, spreading shrub in the family Ericaceae. It is found from Newfoundland to Florida, west to Kentucky and the Northwest Territories. Description The plant is a slow-g ...

'' as their tribal flower and consider it to have come directly from their divinity. ''

Allium tricoccum ''Allium tricoccum'' (commonly known as ramp, ramps, ramson, wild leek, wood leek, or wild garlic) is a North American species of wild onion or garlic widespread across eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Many of the common English n ...

''is consumed in traditional Potawatomi cuisine. They mix an

infusion Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often called steeping). An in ...

of the root of ''

Uvularia grandiflora ''Uvularia grandiflora'', the large-flowered bellwort or merrybells, is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae, native to eastern and central North America. Description Growing to tall by broad, it is a rhizomatous herbaceo ...

'' with lard and use it as salve to massage sore muscles and tendons. They use ''

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (formerly ''Aster novae-angliae'') is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) native to central and eastern North America. Commonly known as , , or , it is a perennial, herbaceous plant usually between tall and wi ...

'' as a fumigating reviver. '' Vaccinium myrtilloides'' is part of their traditional cuisine, and is eaten fresh, dried, and canned. They also use the root bark of the plant for an unspecified ailment. The Potawatomi use the needles of ''

Abies balsamea ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to W ...

'' to make pillows, believing that the aroma prevented one from getting a cold.Smith, Huron H., 1933, Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians, Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 7:1-230, page 121 They also use the balsam gum of ''

'' as a salve for sores, and take an infusion of the bark for

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

and other internal afflictions.

Location

The Potawatomi first lived in lower Michigan, then moved to northern Wisconsin, and eventually settled into northern Indiana and central Illinois. In the early 19th century, major portions of Potawatomi lands were seized by the U.S. government. Following the Treaty of Chicago in 1833, by which the tribe ceded its lands in Illinois, most of the Potawatomi people were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Many perished en route to new lands in the west on their journey through Iowa, Kansas, and Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), following what became known as the " Trail of Death".

Language

Potawatomi (also spelled Pottawatomie; in Potawatomi ''Bodéwadmimwen'' or ''Bodéwadmi Zheshmowen'' or ''Neshnabémwen'') is a

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

Algonquian language spoken around the Great Lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin. It is also spoken by Potawatomi in Kansas, Oklahoma, and southern

. Fewer than 1300 people speak Potawatomi as a first language, most of them elderly. The people are working to revitalize the language. The Potawatomi language is most similar to the

Odawa language The Ottawa, also known as the Odawa dialect of the Ojibwe language is spoken by the Ottawa people in southern Ontario in Canada, and northern Michigan in the United States. Descendants of migrant Ottawa speakers live in Kansas and Oklahoma. The ...

; it also has borrowed a considerable amount of vocabulary from Sauk. Like the Odawa language, or the Ottawa dialect of the

Anishinaabe language Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian lan ...

, the Potawatomi language exhibits a great amount of vowel syncope. Many places in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

have names derived from the Potawatomi language, including Waukegan, Muskegon,

Oconomowoc Oconomowoc ( ) is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The name was derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk, the Potawatomi term for "waterfall." The population was 15,712 at the 2010 census. The city is partially adjacent to the Town of Oco ...

Pottawattamie County Pottawattamie County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. At the 2020 census, the population was 93,667, making it the tenth-most populous county in Iowa. The county takes its name from the Potawatomi Native American tribe. The c ...

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropo ...

, and Skokie.

Potawatomi people

* Ron Baker: played for the New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards. *

Charles J. Chaput Charles Joseph Chaput ( ; born September 26, 1944) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the ninth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, serving from 2011 until 2020. He previously served as arch ...

(born 1944 - son of a Potawatomi woman): Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia from 2011 to 2020. *

Kelly Church Kelly Jean Church ( Match-e-benash-she-wish Potawatomi/Odawa/Ojibwe) is a black ash basket maker, Woodlands style painter, birchbark biter, and educator. Background Kelly Church, a fifth-generation basket maker, was born in 1967. She grew up ...

(Potawatomi/Odawa/Ojibwe): basket maker, painter, and educator. *

Robin Wall Kimmerer Robin Wall Kimmerer (born 1953) is an American Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology; and Director, Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, at the State University of New York College of Environmental Scienc ...

: botanist and writer - author of ''

Braiding Sweetgrass ''Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants'' is a 2013 nonfiction book by Potawatomi professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, about the role of Indigenous knowledge as an alternative or complementary appro ...

''. * Simon Pokagon: the "Hereditary and Last Chief" of the Pokagon Band. * Leopold Pokagon: head of the Potawatomi in the Saint Joseph River Valley. *

Jeri Redcorn Jereldine "Jeri" Redcorn (born November 23, 1939) is an Oklahoman artist who single-handedly revived traditional Caddo pottery.

: the Oklahoman artist who revived traditional Caddo pottery. * Topinabee: head of the Potawatomi of the Saint Joseph River Valley. *Stephanie "Pyet" Despain: winner of the cooking competition, '' Next Level Chef''.

References

External links

*
Hannahville Indian Community; Wilson, MI

Citizen Potawatomi Nation
official website

Forest County Potawatomi

Kettle & Stony Point First Nation

Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi
(Gun Lake)
Moose Deer Point First Nation

Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians

Potawatomi Author Larry Mitchell

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Treaty Between the Ottawa, Chippewa, Wyandot, and Potawatomi Indians

Potawatomi Migration from Wisconsin and Michigan to Canada
{{authority control Algonquian peoples Great Lakes tribes Native American tribes in Kansas Native American tribes in Illinois Native American tribes in Michigan Native American tribes in Wisconsin Native American tribes in Oklahoma Algonquian ethnonyms Native American tribes in Indiana Native American tribes in Nebraska