This episode is filled with music! A Potawatomi folk artist releases her first solo album and plays a show in Oklahoma City, and the CPN Language Department teaches kids Christmas carols as part of a youth choir program. We’ll also explore the ways the Tribe gives back to the community around the holidays.
“One of my goals for 2020 is to research my heritage. There is so much Tribal information preserved and available to me, and it’s time I figure out where I fit in all of it.”
This episode explores a bit of the holiday season; a piece of craft work passed down through a family and a traditional Thanksgiving prayer in the Nishnabé language highlight ways to celebrate with loved ones. There’s also an update on the progress of CPN’s recycling program and a look at a unique extra task two employees take on once a year.
CPN hosts its annual Winter Storytelling event at the beginning of March.
After teaching Spanish for several years, Tribal member Lindsay Jones Marean returned to school to study and revitalize Indigenous languages, in particular, Potawatomi.
Submitted by Jennifer Dye Crossroads Academy – Central Street focuses on producing culturally literate scholars from its diverse student body by looking at every aspect of a child’s education through an equity lens and working hard to create an anti-racist school staff and community. This means examining school curriculum, particularly social studies, through different perspectives. Read More »
Although many cultures across the globe give presents during the holidays, for Potawatomi, the practice spans all seasons. Native customs vary between small presents on a daily basis to larger exchanges during ceremonial gatherings and diplomatic meetings. “Gift giving is one of those things that is often used to open lines of communication and to Read More »
Prior to statehood, Oklahoma served as a haven for many legendary fugitives. Cattle thefts, bank robberies and murders happened frequently, and stories passed down connect several Potawatomi families to famous outlaws. Some accounts indicate the Bourbonnais family hid Frank and Jesse James in their cabin. For one Potawatomi family, the association with Indian Territory criminals Read More »
In late summer 1838 near Twin Lakes, Indiana, U.S. General John Tipton called a meeting with the Potawatomi around Chief Menominee’s village. Menominee refused to give up what remained of his people’s land. However, the federal government claimed ownership due to prior treaties and documents signed by him and other Potawatomi representatives. Militia placed Menominee Read More »
The fur trade’s decline and colonial competition increased turmoil across Indian Country. Through the 18th to early 19th century, discord among Native Americans and the federal government continued to grow. Section five of the Cultural Heritage Center focuses on this influential time in North American history. Each Native group had their own survival tactics. Some Read More »