Prairie Band Potawatomi Color Guard in National Competition

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The color guard has been in existence for 25 years and performs at many events including parades, powwows, and funerals. Recent notable performances were for Kansas Governor Brownback's Inauguration ceremonies, the 150th Tribal Commemoration ceremony, a cultural celebration at the Nelson Atkins Gallery of Art, and the 67th anniversary of Iwo Jima Flag Raising in Sacaton, Ariz. In 2004 the group marched in eight different events during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration that included three Lewis and Clark Signature Events held in Kansas City, Missouri, Leavenworth and Atchison, Kansas during the Fourth of July weekend.

In addition, We-Ta-Se has performed at Kansas City Chiefs football games, Kansas City Royals baseball games and they were the primary color guard during a memorial service for Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman ever killed in combat.

For the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation We-Ta-Se hosts their own veteran's powwow each year which draws hundreds of dancers and people from all across Indian country. In addition, as a tribute of the great respect and admiration that the Prairie Band Nation's government has for their veterans a Veteran's Memorial Wall was erected in 2003 in Prairie Peoples Park, which We-Ta-Se maintains and has almost 400 names listed on it.

The We-Ta-Se American Legion Post #410 is one of the oldest American Indian American Legion Posts in the United States. We-Ta-Se which means "one who is brave" in the Potawatomi language has approximately 85 tribal members. They have their own building on the reservation that is staffed with two full-time veterans that assists other tribal veterans in need and organizes all of the post's activities.

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posted August 17, 2012 7:40 am edt