Bozho nikanek (Hello friends), In mid–July, I hosted a gathering of Potawatomi at my home. I had recently constructed a “gazebo” of sorts — really a basic roof over a fire pit at the rear of my yard. It is often a challenge to find a location for a naming ceremony, so I was interested Read More »

Bozho nikanek, (Hello friends) In my July article, I wrote about my grandfather David Johnson’s trunk on display at the Cultural Heritage Center. It was his school trunk assigned to him when he attended the Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and contained all of his worldly possessions at the time. With schools back in Read More »

Bozho nikanek (Hello my friends), I hope this month’s column finds you well. The dog days of summer linger but early signs of seasonal change are starting to emerge. The days are definitely getting shorter. The sun seems to be sleeping in a little and getting ready for bed earlier. Evening temperatures are comparable to Read More »

Bozho (Hello), The calendar goes around so quickly these days. I always have to check and see what is happening on which days. The same holidays happen each year and you would think we would have it down by now. Due to some days being on a particular Monday or Sunday, you always have to Read More »

Potawatomi of Indiana: I’ve been giving my CPN history presentation for several years and have consistently spoken about the St. Joseph and Wabash Potawatomi in Indiana. I’ve described that even after the Trail of Death; several hundred Potawatomi were relocated to Sugar Creek Reservation in Kansas. I had the idea that these Potawatomi had been Read More »

Bozho nikanek (Hello friends), I just returned from the Gathering of Nations, held at Walpole Island, Ontario, Canada. As some of you may not know, each year, all nine of the Anishnabe Nations meet at one of the Nation’s locations. The meetings rotate locations so that over a nine-year period, each Nation hosts one of Read More »

Bozho nikanek (Hello friends), Happy September! It’s back to more traditional learning for those in school; I’ve been fortunate to do my own learning outside a classroom over the last months, since I am now focusing my law practice on human rights and immigration law, particularly on assisting victims of gender-based violence and persecution — Read More »

Bozho (Hello), Published in 1900, L. Frank Baum penned The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Baum, who dedicated his original story “to my good friend and comrade, my wife,” would perhaps be astounded that his words are still on our minds over a century later. His message: “There’s no place like home.” “What does all this Read More »