John “Rocky” Barrett
Tribal Chairman

Headshot of CPN Tribal Chairman John "Rocky" Barrett

Bozho, nikan, (Hello, my friend),

As we enter a new year, I wanted to talk about some of the exciting things that happened for our Tribe in 2024 and what we have to look forward to in 2025.

CPN and our Tribal members have had many notable accomplishments over the past year.

In March, we signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation. This compact set up guidelines for how we use federal dollars for transportation projects and streamlines the approval process, allowing us to be more efficient with some of our projects, such as road repairs. At the time of signing, CPN was only the third tribe in the country to have this sort of agreement.

Over the summer, we completed construction on our columbarium, giving Tribal members an option to choose Tribal grounds as their final resting place. We plan to create a permanent fund for maintenance and upkeep of the columbarium.

CPN enterprises, particularly our Tribally-owned Sovereign Bank, saw record growth this year. After our 2023 rebranding of the bank from First National Bank & Trust Co. to Sovereign Bank and building on our acquisition of the First State Bank chain, Sovereign Bank grew to exceed $1.2 billion in assets and is now the 19th largest bank in Oklahoma. This is a vital move to protect CPN’s long-term assets in the face of uncertain financial times. Our congratulations to Sovereign Bank President Bryan Cain on his outstanding leadership. We unveiled new signage at the Sovereign Bank location at 3030 NW Expressway in Oklahoma City. Before the end of the year, we also celebrated a ground breaking for a new Sovereign Bank location in Edmond, Oklahoma, bringing our number of bank locations statewide to nine!

Our culture and our people have also thrived this year.

At our Family Reunion Festival in June, we introduced the Aviary’s new golden eagle, Kishko, to Tribal members. Kishko was hatched in May after two of the Aviary’s golden eagles paired with each other. We hoped to release Kishko into the wild, but when his health was failing, it became necessary to intervene to save him. He is now being raised as a glove-trained bird by Aviary managers Jennifer Randell and Bree Dunham. We are honored to care for one of our traditional religious messengers, and we hope he will be a blessing to our Tribal members for years to come at ceremonies and events like the Family Reunion Festival.

Our basketball team, the Potawatomi Fire, once again won The Basketball League championship, but also became the first team in the league to win back-to-back championships and to complete an undefeated season. We look forward to the return of the Fire in the coming season.

Creed Humphrey, a CPN member from the Peltier family, earned a second Super Bowl Ring when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, in Super Bowl LVIII. Our best wishes for Creed and the Chiefs to repeat that remarkable feat this year!

We have had much growth in the last year, and there’s more to look forward to in 2025.

Construction is on schedule for our new FireLake Casino and 126-room FireLake Hotel near Tribal headquarters. The plan is to have it all complete by February. This will provide a great resource to visitors to events like our Family Reunion Festival. We also added six all-new turfed softball fields to our complex, and we plan to finalize construction of the championship field by this summer.

Of special note is the progress on our new Tribal Headquarters building, now under construction to replace the present building, a 50+-year-old structure that formerly housed a private behavioral health hospital that failed. The new four-story headquarters building will allow us to consolidate Tribal activities, including a new Tribal Court, now housed in four separate buildings.

Moving forward, we have many plans to ensure our Nation continues, not just to survive, but to thrive. We work each day to grow, to preserve our heritage, to provide resources for our Tribal members and to support the communities where we live. I am proud to serve as Tribal Chairman to our vibrant and flourishing Tribe. Thank you all for allowing me that honor.

Migwetch (Thank you),

John “Rocky” Barrett | Geweoge (He Leads Them Home) | Tribal Chairman

Linda Capps
Vice-Chairman

Headshot of CPN Tribal Vice-Chairman Linda Capps.

Bozho (Hello),

Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) officials and directors have about a 12-week stretch from late fall through early winter with conferences, planning sessions, meetings, luncheons, receptions and the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. The obligation to manage all the off-site appointments with the ongoing workload is a challenge. I refer to that period as an endurance contest. Nevertheless, it is an important time to strategize for a fresh new year. Part of the process is to analyze enterprises and programs, which is an ongoing method to identify areas for improvement.

I am fortunate to have witnessed the continual improvement of our CPN programs and enterprises throughout the years. I often reflect on the progress that has been made at CPN. I must give credit to the leadership of Chairman Barrett. His business knowledge and his depth of understanding of Indian Country have overwhelmingly contributed to the success and growth of the Tribe. Along with that triumph comes the chairman’s ability to identify the best person for the job in choosing the director for each program and enterprise. Analyzing and monitoring these programs and enterprises is such an important part of the continual improvement for the whole operation of the Tribe, as well as directors and other key personnel.

As 2025 approaches, I believe success, growth, and every positive aspect of our workforce will come together to create an extraordinary year for CPN. For any past years that were less than perfect, experience gained was superior. It is the combination of supreme experience, polished business practices and excellent employees that will produce brilliant outcomes for 2025. We are at the threshold of greatness! I have included a sample why 2025 shows supreme promise for CPN. There is too much to mention in one article.

Completion of construction for the FireLake Casino and FireLake Hotel during the first quarter of the year is still on schedule. The existing FireLake Casino is going strong despite the imminent move across Hardesty Road. There will be less than 14 days of closed operations during the transition time. Management is committed to making the changeover run as smoothly as possible. As for the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort, it continues to be a very popular attraction for both Oklahomans and travelers from out-of-state. The Grand’s specialty of excellent food, lodging and gaming is forever an unmatched experience to remember.

The first phase of the 10 ballfields will be completed by the second quarter of 2025, and the remaining fields will be completed by the fall. Ideas to round out the ballfields with a championship stadium for the 11th field are still in the planning stage. Central Oklahoma has yet to see what a fantastic sight the ballfields will be during 2025.

The new year will bring greatly improved Information Technology for CPN consisting of hardware and software that can change backup and recovery time and help with digital research. Rural Water District 3 has two main projects to improve the two water plants and will also install an additional 300 meters for the year. Sovereign Bank will continue to excel and expand its services, while Sovereign Pipe Technologies (SPT) will increase its marketing strategy and complete ISO certification.

CPN Social Services will team up with FEMA this year on some specialty projects to provide expanded local services. CPN Health Services will install EPIC software, which is a cloud-based Electronic Health Record that is in use across a broad range of practices, from community hospitals and independent practices to multi-specialty hospital groups. In addition to EPIC, CPN Health Services have definite plans for expansion to areas outside of Shawnee.

My best to all for a very successful New Year!

Migwetch (Thank you),

Linda Capps | Segenakwe (Black Bird Woman) | Vice-Chairman | Work: 405-275-3121 | Cell: 405-650-1238 | lcapps@potawatomi.org

Eva Marie Carney
District 2

Headshot of CPN District 2 Legislator Eva Marie Carney.

Bozho, nikanek (Hello, friends),

Further Bodéwadmi Confederation Update

During our Legislative Executive Session in December, I learned that I remain in the minority in advocating that we authorize Chairman Barrett to sign on to membership in the Bodéwadmi Confederation. A range of concerns were expressed. I continued to advocate that we take a seat at the decision-making table, especially since the confederation is still in its earliest stages. But I have just one vote. If you have views about joining, and haven’t shared them with your legislators, this is the time to contact them.

Loveless Cafe group, 2024

2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit Report

In December I attended the 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit as CPN’s representative. One Tribal leader from each of the 574 federally recognized Native nations is invited to the summit, as are certain federal employees and contractors. It pays to live Uber-distance to the U.S. Department of the Interior, as I’ve had the opportunity to attend a number of these nation-to-nation summits during President Obama’s presidency and this summit.

I’ve included a photo I took of President Biden from my sixth-row seat. I had the opportunity to visit with Jennifer Bell, CPN citizen, former head of CPN Public Information, and now Communications Director and Specialist for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education, and CPN citizen and my Juneau relative Josh Barnett, Director, Office of Public Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior. I should also mention that Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of the Interior Deb (“Auntie Deb”) Haaland — our first Indigenous cabinet secretary — and many other tribal and U.S. political leaders were present. I treasured the opportunity to catch up with friends and to make new connections within Indian Country.

President Biden at 2024 White House Tribal Nations Summit

You may have seen press reports that among the initiatives announced for the final days of the Biden Administration was a new proclamation establishing the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was announced during the summit that this new national monument will tell the story of the oppression endured by thousands of Native children and their families at this site and the harmful legacy of the broader Indian boarding school system that the federal government operated or supported across the country for more than 150 years. Further context provided was that this action builds on President Biden’s historic presidential apology and the leadership of Secretary Haaland to establish and lead research and listening sessions with tribes and Native communities across the country as part of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.

Another new initiative shared was that the Departments of the Interior, Education, and Health and Human Services and the White House Council on Native American Affairs are publishing a 10-year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization that calls for strategic actions to address the United States government’s historic role in the loss of Native languages across the lower 48 states, Alaska and Hawai’i. The plan lays out a long-term, all-of-government strategy that works with tribal nations, the Native Hawaiian community, urban Native communities, Native language experts, schools, community organizations, and the philanthropic sector for the protection, preservation, reclamation and revitalization of Native languages. The plan’s proposals would: 1) expand access to immersion language environments, 2) support community-led revitalization efforts, and 3) develop, grow and sustain Native language support networks. The plan also recommends ways to address a chronic under-investment in Native language revitalization to date. I will follow plan developments and keep you updated.

What’s Next for District 2?

I have filed my paperwork to serve you as the District 2 Legislator for another term. I hope I continue to have your confidence and your vote!

What do you think of a mural tour? The U.S. Department of the Interior offers tours for groups of eight or more. The building has the most New Deal-era murals of any federal building in the nation; guided walking tours are offered by appointment, free, for groups of eight or more, by advance reservation. Let me know if you’d like to tour the mural one Friday in the near future! Learn more at doi.gov/interiormuseum. Let me know if you are interested. If I have at least eight folks interested, I will schedule a tour.

In my next column I’ll share more photos and details of the District 2 Nashville meeting held in late December. For now, here’s a photo of the lovely folks who attended.

Migwetch (Thank you),

Eva Marie Carney | Ojindiskwe (Bluebird Woman) | ecarney@potawatomi.org | evamariecarney@gmail.com | evamariecarney.com | PO Box 5595 | Arlington, VA 22205 | Toll Free: 888-849-1484 (voicemail)

Bob Whistler
District 3

Headshot of CPN District 3 Legislator Bob Whistler.

Bozho, ginwa (Hello, everyone),

Last 2024 D3 meeting

Our final meeting in 2024 was held on Saturday, Nov. 16, also at the Texas Native Care facility, with a very nice turn out. Chairman Rocky Barrett and retired TCU Professor Scott Langston each provided different approaches in explaining quantum. It was very interesting from both and each received many questions. The Chairman’s program was focused on blood degree as created by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, while Professor Langston covered how quantum came about during the Spanish inquisition in the 1400s. The Chairman brought printed copies of his program, and I have retained a copy. If anyone is interested in receiving a copy of his program, send me an email and I will reply with a copy of the program. Professor Langston’s program was a PowerPoint, and I have no copy that may be sent out.

The Chairman also provided an update on the changes with our bank, an overview on how the pipe is being produced by Sovereign Pipe, and construction that is underway. The construction includes the new FireLake Casino, a hotel adjacent to the new casino and the new administrative building.

Chairman with eldest, youngest and who drove furthest

We recognized the eldest, Rosalie Palmer, with a blanket. When she received the blanket, she mentioned that many years ago, her mother had been recognized as the eldest at a meeting and also received a blanket. The youngest, Ian Jones at 7 years of age, was there with his brother, twin sisters and their dad. Ian was presented with a saddle blanket. The person who drove the furthest was Jason Tade. A photo of the Chairman along with Rosalie Palmer, Ian Jones and Jason Tade accompanies this article. I also have a photo of Sterling Tade, the Chairman and Jason Tade. Sterling and his dad brought a very large drum to our meeting. It was roughly about three feet high with about a four-foot diameter. There were many drum sticks to try it out.

Sterling Tade, Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett and Jason Tade

E-mail contacts

Periodically I will send out brief messages, which may be an advance notice of a planned meeting that may be near you. Due to privacy, the Nation will not just arbitrarily provide each district representative with the contacts for the members in their districts. The only way we may have your email address is if you send it to us. For me, I have made it very easy. Go to the website I created for information on me, which is bobwhistler.com. On the website there is a link to send me your email contact. The reason I bring this up is that several D3 Tribal members have recently advised that they were not aware of a meeting until they read it in the Hownikan and they had missed the RSVP deadline. I don’t send out many emails, and you may want to be on the list to ensure you don’t miss something that might be of interest or important to you.

I am proud and very honored to represent District 3. I am your voice to the executive and legislative groups. So, if there is an area where I may be of assistance, please contact me.

Nagech (Later),

Bob Whistler | Bmashi (He Soars) | rwhistler@potawatomi.org | cpn3legislator@yahoo.com | 1516 Wimberly Ct. | Bedford, TX 76021 | 817-229-6271 | cpndistrict3.com

Jon Boursaw
District 4

Headshot of CPN District 4 Legislator Jon Boursaw.

Happy New Year!

Peggy and I hope each of you had a joyful and safe holiday season. I look forward to 2025 with great expectations and enthusiasm as I continue to foster awareness of the history and presence of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Kansas and my endeavor to connect with and serve CPN members across the state.

Outstanding News for The Rossville Duplex Residents

In late November we were informed that the Citizen Potawatomi Nation was awarded a grant totaling $330,265 from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) to be used to upgrade the 20 duplex units in Rossville, Kansas. The award of this grant was made possible through the efforts of CPN member Darwin Bickford, who is a manager in a bank in Manhattan, Kansas, that is affiliated with the FHLB. When he saw the original announcement about the grant being offered, he immediately contacted the Tribe to see if we were interested. This project will be put out for bid, and it will include as a minimum walk-in showers, new water heaters and new water softeners. We are hopeful that sufficient funding will be available for additional upgrades.

Annual 2024 District 4 Meetings

Once again, we were able to have annual District 4 meetings in Wichita and Rossville this year. At the Wichita meeting Dr. Kelli Mosteller, the former Director of the CPN Cultural Heritage Center, gave an extensive overview of her new position as the Executive Director of the recently opened First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. This facility is very large, as she reported it to be 179,000 sq. ft. That is four and half times larger than our Cultural Heritage Center. We had approximately 50 attendees at this meeting.

Two weeks later we had a district meeting in Rossville and had the pleasure of having two presentations. The first was given by Doug and Melissa Brunner Brown from the local CBS TV station. Melissa gave a very informative presentation on the ethics in TV News Broadcasting, while Doug, a CPN member, spoke on his project to develop an archive library of all of the various visual media collected over the 70 plus years the station as been reporting the news.

They were followed by an extremely interesting presentation on what goes on in that building located next to our duplex housing. Tom Hoffman, the Managing Partner of the Modus Group, and his son, Matthew, gave an amazing summary of what they do. In short, they produce circuit panels that don’t look anything like the panel in your house. They custom design and manufacture circuit control systems that range in size from a refrigerator to a whole room. They are now involved in producing control systems for the massive distribution centers being built across the country. We had approximately 120 attendees at this meeting.

We were pleased to have Chairman Barrett and Vice-Chairman Capps attend both meetings. At both meetings, Chairman Barrett gave us an extensive update on the current activities and projects ongoing in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Upcoming CPN Elders’ Potluck

Date for the Elder Potluck held in Rossville at noon are:

February 14 | Chicken Pot Pie | RSVP by the 6th

Bring your favorite side dish or dessert. Please RSVP to Tracy at 785-584-6171.

What’s ahead of me in 2025

I will run again for re-election as your District Legislator in the upcoming election cycle. I want to continue to be part of the legislature as the Tribe continues to grow and expand. I will continue to serve CPN members throughout the district as I have done in the past.

Megwetch (Thank you),

Jon Boursaw | Wetase Mkoh (Brave Bear) | jon.boursaw@potawatomi.org | 785-608-1982 | 2007 SW Gage Blvd. | Topeka, KS 66604 | Office Hours: Tuesday 9-11 a.m. | Thursdays 3-5 p.m. | Other times as requested

Gene Lambert
District 5

Headshot of CPN District 5 Legislator Gene Lambert.

Bozho (Hello),

This isn’t just a new year. It is an opportunity to create a new and lasting you.

Let’s do things differently this year and instead of New Year’s resolutions, let’s make a list of accomplishments and build on those.

Never mind the times you said, “This year I will start going to the gym,” or “the bad habits will cease to exist.”

Looking back at unfulfilled promises you made to yourself can be depressing to say the least. Take a different approach.

Compliments are more satisfying and give you more personal power when they come from your inner voice.

If you are at all like me, I have a tendency to scold myself for what I did not succeed at instead of completed ventures.

Often, we expect more from ourselves than others. Be gentle in your thoughts. As they say, thoughts become things.

We have a lot of changes coming our way personally, professionally and in our continued spiritual pursuits.

One of the most concerning might be the outside world coming in and changing who we thought we were.

World tensions can make us uneasy if we don’t stay in present time, letting the mind wander into the “what if.”

Could have, would have, should have has no place in a mind focused on today.

I heard someone say, “Live as if there is no tomorrow, and plan as if you will live forever.” Does that make sense? It does to me.

Change is difficult for me even though I am aware of the assets it sometimes brings.
I work on accepting change every day.

While I am not always successful, I keep working on the good found in change.

My great-grandfather used to tell me about the change in his world. He shared, “Sugie, I went from covered wagons to jets in the air.” Wow! Imagine for a moment that did not happen or the concerns he had at the time regarding change.

You could liken it to the world we live in today and the changes occurring around us.

What would great-grandpa think of the space station or rockets headed to Mars?

We are getting a little far out there from the original subject here, but the human mind has developed at the same pace and some of us are having a little trouble keeping up. Maybe that is why the good Lord allows generational change.

Sometimes it is just different. Think how boring it would be if people or the world never altered, changed or grew.

Let’s go into 2025 visualizing the very best that could happen in your world.

Take care of each other, and I do love you all.

Thank you for this opportunity in time.

Your representative,

Gene Lambert (Eunice Imogene Lambert) | Butterfly Woman | glambert@potawatomi.org | 270 E Hunt Highway Ste 229 | San Tan Valley, AZ 85143 | Cell: 480-228-6569 | Office: 480-668-0509

Dave Carney
District 8

Headshot of CPN District 8 Legislator Dave Carney.

Bozho nikan, (Hello friend),

Happy 2025! I am really looking forward to meeting up with District 8 Citizens both in Oklahoma and throughout the district.

2024 was a good year, both as far as district outreach and as far as the progress of the Nation.

With the ARPA funds received from the federal government, the Nation is building a much needed replacement casino for the original FireLake Casino that had its origins as both a bingo hall and a bowling alley. Additionally, a family style, budget friendly hotel is being built next to the new casino. The ballparks are being improved and expanded and the problem ridden administration building is being replaced with new construction.

In District 8 we had three opportunities to gather together: One in Idaho, one in Montana and one in Oregon.

Chi migwetch (Many thanks) to all District 8 citizens who came to the Fall Feast gathering in Portland. We had some excellent presentations this year from the district.

Teri (Melot) Schwiethale gave an engaging talk on the Trail of Death and Potawatomi Trail of Death Association website. She spoke about the organization and what they are doing to preserve our Potawatomi history.

Teri (Melot) Schwiethale, center, spoke about the Trial of Death and was also the farthest traveled.

Simon Luedtke spoke enthusiastically about his experience with the Mdamen program, which the group enjoyed learning more about.

Generally, the food for the Fall Feast is Thanksgiving style faire. This year, we enjoyed Indian Tacos and three sisters salad from a local Native caterer.

Prize recipients were:

Youngest enrolled citizen: Darian Bolen of Portland, Oregon

Wisest citizen: Angel Arrasmith of Seattle, Washington

Farthest travelled: Teri Schwiethale of Port Angeles, Washington

Art contest winners were:

Anita Carly Redheart of Tillamook, Oregon for a unique “forest inspired” ribbon shirt.

Mitch Saffle of Portland, Oregon for an amazing set of beaded Native style earrings, called Desert Sunset.

Susanna Sutton of Vancouver, Washington for a lovely set of watercolors, named “Fires” which was inspired by our Tribal seal.

Simon Luedtke speaks about his experience with the Mdamen program.

Combining a craft with a presentation and demonstration, we discussed traditional hand games and had some volunteers simulate the game. Special thanks to John Edwards Kochanowski for keeping the beat with the big pow-wow drum. Meeting attendees then put together “hand game kits” complete with beads, bones and pointer sticks to take home and play with their families.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. I am thankful for the contributions of Robert White and Julie Jackson with set up and drumming, the Eilers for their organization skills and being greeters and Natalie Mitchell and Jacqueline Renée for their valuable craft and organization skills. Chi migwetch (Many thanks)!

More news on future CPN District 8 events will be forthcoming.

It is my honor to serve as your Legislator,

Dave Carney | Kagashgi (Raven) | dcarney@potawatomi.org | 360-259-4027