Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
Encyclopedia
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians are Algonquian
-speaking Potawatomi
-people located in southwestern Michigan
and northeastern Indiana
. Tribal government functions are located in Dowagiac, Michigan
. The tribal membership has grown to approximately 4,563 members as of 2009. Pokagons originated as a people along the Atlantic
coastline at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. Along with the Ojibwe and Odawa
Indian peoples, they migrated west to the Great Lakes region some 500–800 years ago in a "Great Migration."
Anthropologists generally theorize that Pokagons originated somewhere in western Asia and migrated to the Great Lakes, traveling by land across the Bering Strait to what is now Alaska
or by water along the coast of what is now California
.
Pokagons are the descendants of the allied Potawatomi villages located along the St. Joseph
, Paw Paw
and Kalamazoo River
s in what is now southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Many of the cities and streets in the Michigan area have Potawatomi names attached to them.
. During the Indian removal
s, many Potawatomi bands were moved west. However, Chief Leopold Pokagon
was able to negotiate to keep his Potawatomi band of 280 people in Southwestern Michigan, leaving them to be the only Potawatomi band not to experience the Indian Removal Act
.
Under the Indian Reorganization Act
of 1934, the Pokagon Band asked for reaffirmation of recognition by the Department of the Interior but the request was denied. After years of petitioning, the Pokagon Band regained recognition in 1994.
Regaining recognition helped The Pokagon Band open the Four Winds Casino Resort near New Buffalo, Michigan
on August 2, 2007. It is said that, were it on the Las Vegas Strip
, it would be the second largest there. Architecturally the casino's rotunda is built in the tradition of the Potawatomi people and enables the patrons to feel as if they are entering a tribal lodge. The satellite casino Four Winds Hartford
opened on August 30, 2011.
and Indiana
. The Pokagon Tribal Police Department is a full service police department servicing all areas within the Tribe's jurisdiction. The Tribal Police are charged with enforcing federal, state, and local laws, including the Pokagon Band Code of Offenses
.
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
-people located in southwestern Michigan
Western Michigan
West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for an arbitrarily selected region in the U.S. state of Michigan in its Lower Peninsula. There is no official definition for what constitutes "West Michigan." The area of West Michigan may also include parts Southern Michigan.-Definition:In general,...
and northeastern Indiana
Northern Indiana
Northern Indiana is the region of Indiana including 26 counties bordering parts of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. The area is generally sub-classified into other regions. The northwest is economically and culturally intertwined with Chicago, and is considered part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. Tribal government functions are located in Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The tribal membership has grown to approximately 4,563 members as of 2009. Pokagons originated as a people along the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coastline at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. Along with the Ojibwe and Odawa
Odawa people
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
Indian peoples, they migrated west to the Great Lakes region some 500–800 years ago in a "Great Migration."
Anthropologists generally theorize that Pokagons originated somewhere in western Asia and migrated to the Great Lakes, traveling by land across the Bering Strait to what is now Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
or by water along the coast of what is now California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Pokagons are the descendants of the allied Potawatomi villages located along the St. Joseph
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
, Paw Paw
Paw Paw River
The Paw Paw River is located in the U.S. state of Michigan in the southwest portion of the lower peninsula. It is formed by the confluence of the north and south branches at in Waverly Township in the northeast of Van Buren County. It flows approximately through Van Buren County and Berrien...
and Kalamazoo River
Kalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
s in what is now southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Many of the cities and streets in the Michigan area have Potawatomi names attached to them.
History
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians were party to 11 treaties with the federal government with the major land cession being the 1833 Treaty of ChicagoTreaty of Chicago
The Treaty of Chicago may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in Chicago, Illinois between the United States and the Ottawa, Ojibwe , and Potawatomi Native American peoples.-1821 Treaty of Chicago:...
. During the Indian removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
s, many Potawatomi bands were moved west. However, Chief Leopold Pokagon
Leopold Pokagon
Leopold Pokagon was a Potawatomi Wkema . Taking over from Topinbee, who died in 1826, Pokagon became the head of the Potawatomi of the Saint Joseph River Valley in Michigan, a band that later took his name....
was able to negotiate to keep his Potawatomi band of 280 people in Southwestern Michigan, leaving them to be the only Potawatomi band not to experience the Indian Removal Act
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830.The Removal Act was strongly supported in the South, where states were eager to gain access to lands inhabited by the Five Civilized Tribes. In particular, Georgia, the largest state at that time, was involved in...
.
Under the Indian Reorganization Act
Indian Reorganization Act
The Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 the Indian New Deal, was U.S. federal legislation that secured certain rights to Native Americans, including Alaska Natives...
of 1934, the Pokagon Band asked for reaffirmation of recognition by the Department of the Interior but the request was denied. After years of petitioning, the Pokagon Band regained recognition in 1994.
Regaining recognition helped The Pokagon Band open the Four Winds Casino Resort near New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:...
on August 2, 2007. It is said that, were it on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, it would be the second largest there. Architecturally the casino's rotunda is built in the tradition of the Potawatomi people and enables the patrons to feel as if they are entering a tribal lodge. The satellite casino Four Winds Hartford
Hartford, Michigan
Hartford is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,476 at the 2000 census. The city is located within Hartford Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
opened on August 30, 2011.
Current and Former Tribal Council Members
- Matt Wesaw – (Chairman 2009–Current) (Vice Chairman 2006–2009)
- John Arthur Miller – (Vice Chairman 1996–1997) (Chairman 1997–2001) (Chairman 2002–2009)
Tribal Court
The Tribal Judiciary is a separate, independent branch of the Pokagon Band government. The Tribal Court Judiciary consists of the Chief Judge, one Associate Judge, and three Appellate Court Justices. All members of the Judiciary are appointed by the Tribal Council to serve staggered four (4) year terms.Current and Former Tribal Court Judges/Justices
- Chief Judge Michael Petoskey –
- Associate Judge David M. Peterson –
- Chief Justice Robert T. Anderson –
- Associate Justice Matthew L.M. Fletcher –
- Associate Justice Jill E. Tompkins –
Tribal Police
The Pokagon Tribal Police Department was established in 2003 to provide direct law enforcement services to the tribal members and visitors in the ten county tribal geographic boundaries in MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The Pokagon Tribal Police Department is a full service police department servicing all areas within the Tribe's jurisdiction. The Tribal Police are charged with enforcing federal, state, and local laws, including the Pokagon Band Code of Offenses
Current and Former Tribal Police Captains
- Captain Chris VanCompernolle 2011 -
- Captain Rachel A. Sedowski-Spiegel 2008 – 2011
- Captain Mike Jungel 2003 – 2008
Gaming Commission
The Pokagon Band Gaming Commission was formed in 2007 as an independent subdivision of the Tribe. The Gaming Commission is responsible for regulating all gaming conducted within Pokagon Band jurisdiction under the Gaming Regulatory Act, the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and the tribal-state Gaming Compact between the Band and the State of MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Current and Former Commissioners
- Steve DuCharme (Chairman 2007–Present)
- Thomas R. Russell (Commissioner 2007–Present)
- Bruce V. Molnar (Vice Chairman 2008–Present)
- Bobby Siller (Vice Chairman 2007–2008)