Potawatomi Nation Gathering in Michigan's UP This Week

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Discussion »

WILSON, MICHIGAN - The 17th Annual Gathering of the Potawatomi Nation will meet this week at the Hannahville Indian Community in Wilson, which is in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Hannahville Indian Community is the only Potawatomi tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Prairie Band bound for the U.P.

The Gathering of the Potawatomi Nation starts today and will conclude on Saturday. The theme of this year's Gathering is "One People - One Spirit - Living Our Potawatomi Language."

Gathering activities kick off with the lighting of the sacred fire followed by an All Potawatomi Tribal Council meeting and Economic Development conference. A Language conference is also on tap to begin tomorrow.

Thursday through Saturday will be filled with events including a golf tournament, activities for youth including a teen dance for ages 13-17 and the Miss Potawatomi contest. Additionally there will be tours of the Hannahville Indian community, sports activities, arts and crafts sessions, vendors and a powwow.

The Gathering of the Potawatomi Nation will attract tribal members of the nine various Potawatomi tribes from the United States and Canada.

The Potawatomi Nation traces its origins to modern day Ontario, Canada and migrated into what is not the United States to Michigan, northern Indiana and Illinois and into Wisconsin.

The Potawatomi are known as the "Keepers of the Fire."

Many Potawatomi were forcibly removed from their tribal lands to northeastern Kansas and Oklahoma during what is known as the Trail of Death in 1838.

United States

Kansas:     Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation,
Mayetta, Kansas

Michigan:     Hannahville Indian Community,
Wilson, Michigan
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe),
Dorr, Michigan
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi,
Athens, Michigan
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians,
Dowagiac, Michigan

Oklahoma:     Citizens Band of Potawatomi,
Shawnee, Oklahoma

Wisconsin:     Forest County Potawatomi,
Crandon, Wisconsin

Canada

Ontario:     Walpole Island Potawatomi,
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Wasuaksing/Parry Island Potawatomi,
Parry Island, Ontario

posted August 10, 2011 9:15 am edt