The negosek (stars) and their constellations help steer our thoughts and teachings, as much of our ancient knowledge originates from the sky. Each season the sky changes and familiar constellations are seen again. Hole in the Sky refers to jiské (shaking tent), one of our oldest healing ceremonies. To cure the sick, a jiskyéwnene (medicine person) must communicate and connect …
Bmadzewen (life) and our existence are in tune with the environment. We interact with our world in concurrent cycles of four, understanding that physical and spiritual realms are always in motion. Our sacred medicines, lifecycles, directional powers, and the creation and destruction of world progress on this principle. Governing our ancient world was the season. Each season warranted and prohibited …
Wech-ksenyak [north], translated as “where the cold is”, is where Mother Earth is purified by snow and home to our winter season bbon. White is the color of this direction. With hair the color of snow, North is the place of our elders. We are reminded of the stories and teachings they gift us, as we weather the cold in …
The first Tribal Seal was created in the 1970s by Secretary/Treasurer Beverly Hughes. It was a black circle with “Great Seal of the Citizen Band of Potawatomi Indians of Oklahoma” inside the edge and featured a crossed Cherokee-style pipe and tomahawk over a fire with three logs. When the Tribe changed its name in 1996 to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, …
Played throughout the year is a popular game reserved primarily for women called gwzegé’wen [bowl and dice]. Considered a great honor, only certain women are allowed to host games and possess equipment, a right conferred through a dream. Traditionally, women were responsible for hosting annual dodem [clan] feasts in honor of their bowl and dice set. Gaming equipment includes: (1) …
A plant used to refer to the environmental conditions of a certain place. An example of an indicator plant would be Menomen or wild rice (Zizania spp.). Menomen is one of the most well-known indicator plants for the Neshnabek. Menomen is arguably the most significant cultural plant and it requires very clean, clear water that flows gently and does not …
Cedar is used to bless, purify and protect. Potawatomi use cedar and its smoke in our ceremonies to defend from and combat evil spirits.
The negosek (stars) and their constellations help steer our thoughts and teachings, as much of our ancient knowledge originates from the sky. Each season the sky changes and familiar constellations are seen again. During mnokme, the mdodowgemek (sweat lodge) constellation can be seen within the Roman constellation, Corona Borealis. The stars create the dome-shaped structure we recognize as our sweat …
Our bmadzewen [existence] is built on a sacred principle of four. Our medicines, lifecycles, directional powers, and the creation and destruction of worlds are connected through this belief, symbolized by our medicine wheel. Color: White [each color represents the four races of man Creator placed on earth] Direction: Wech-ksenyak [North] Season: Bbon [Winter] Life Cycle: Elder Medicine: Wishkpemishkos [Sweetgrass] Element: …
“You will find the path to the chosen ground, a land in the west where food grows on water.” Migrating from the east and led by our sacred Megis shell, our ancestors established a new home in the Great Lakes. Here they found the prophesized food on water, mnomen (the good seed) or wild rice. A sacred and essential food, …