CITIZEN POTAWATAMI

THE POTAWATAMI ARE A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN OKLAHOMA WHO SPEAK ALGONQUIN. THEY ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF THE MISSION BAND OF POTAWATAMI WHO LIVED IN INDIANA. WITH THE INDIAN RENEWAL ACT IN 1833 THE MISSION BAND MARCHED TO KANSAS. OF THE 850 POTAWATAMI PEOPLE FORCED TO MOVE, 40 DIED ALONG THE WAY. IT IS KNOWN AS THE POTAWATAMI TRAIL OF DEATH.

THEIR HEADQUARTERS ARE IN SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA. THERE ARE 26,900 MEMBERS IN OKLAHOMA. THEY HAVE BANKS, A CASINO, GAS STATION, A TRUCK STOP, AND A BINGO HALL. IN 2006 THEY OPENED A LARGE POTAWATAMI NATIONAL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER/HERITAGE CENTER WHICH HAS A LIBRARY, A MEETING ROOM, AND MUSEUM STORE. THEIR INTERTRIBAL POWWOW IS NO LONGER HELD. THEY DO HAVE A THREE DAY FAMILY REUNION FESTIVAL IN JUNE.


THEY MOVED TO KANSAS AND LIVED ON THE SMALL RESERVE WITH PRAIRIE BAND POTAWATAMI NATION. THE PRAIRIE BAND ADAPTED TO THE PLAINS CULTURE. BUT THE MISSION BAND STAYED WITH THEIR WOODLAND CULTURE. BOTH GROUPS HAD DIFFERENT CEREMONIES AND SUBSISTENCE STRATEGIES BUT THEY SHARED LAND. SEEKING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES THE MISSION BAND CHOSE TO TAKE SMALL FARMS RATHER THAN TO LIVE WITH THE PRAIRIE BAND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MOST OF THE ALLOTMENT S OF OF THE MISSION BAND TOOK SMALL FARMS RATHER THAN LIVE WITH PRAIRIE BANDS. THESE NEW ALLOTMENTS OWNERSHIP WERE SOLD TO WHITE SETTLERS AND TRADERS. IN 1867 THE MISSION POTAWATAMI SIGNED A TREATY TO SELL THEIR LANDS TO PURCHASE INDIAN TERRITORY WITH THEIR PROCEEDS. THE TRIBE TOOK U S CITIZENSHIP. FROM THIS TIME FORWARD THEY BECAME KNOWN AS CITIZEN POTAWATAMI.


BY EARLY 1870'S THEY HAD RESETTLED IN INDIAN TERRITORY. IN 1877 THE DAWES ACT FORCED THEM TO ACCEPT ALLOTMENTS AGAIN. THE REMAINDER OF THEIR RESERVATION IN OKLAHOMA WAS OPENED TO NON INDIAN SETTLEMENTS. THE GOVERNMENT GAVE AWAY 450 SQUARE MILES OF THEIRS TO THE SETTLERS.

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