31in W x 25in H x 19in D The camel back trunk was used as a footlocker by David P. Johnson when he attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School [Pennsylvania] from 1895-1899. The trunk is made of wood, metal and leather. Embossed on the latch is the patent date, July 9, 1872. Stenciled on the side of the trunk is, Indian …
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes have harvested cranberries in dgwaget. Our word for cranberry, bokmen, describes how the fruit grows on low hanging vines near the water of swamps and bogs. The highly nutritious and antioxidant rich berries were used by our ancestors as seasonal fare, medicinal teas, natural dye and ornamentation. Today, Wisconsin is …
Daniel Bourassa was the son of French-Canadian fur trader Rene Bourassa and Anne Chevalier. He was born on October 8, 1752 on Mackinac Island, Canada. After the French and Indian War, Daniel and his family moved to Fort Detroit. With the British now controlling the fur trade in the region, more lucrative opportunities became available. At the age of 34, …
Born June 22, 1780, Daniel II was the son of Daniel Bourassa and Marguerite Bertrand. Descending from a family of fur traders, Daniel took after his father and became an agent for John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company. On March 15, 1808, Daniel married a Nishnabe woman named Theotis Pisange. Theotis’ father was Ojibwe and her mother was Odawa, believed …
Joseph Napoleon Bourassa was born March 19, 1810 in Michigan, the eldest child of Daniel Bourassa II and Theotis Pisange. As a youth, Joseph and his brother Jude were enrolled at the school at Carey Mission, under the guidance of Baptist missionaries Reverend Isaac McCoy and Dr. Johnston Lykins. Excellent students, both were invited to attend the Hamilton Literary & …
Jude Bourassa was born April 19, 1814 near the Galien River in southwest Michigan. He was the third son of Daniel Bourassa II and Theotis Pisange. With his older brother Joseph Napoleon, Jude was enrolled at the school at Carey Mission, under the instruction of Baptist missionaries Dr. Johnston Lykins and Reverend Isaac McCoy. An apt pupil, Jude was invited …
Born on June 25, 1842 at Sugar Creek, Kansas, Theodore Santa Anna was the son of Jude Bourassa and Catherine Charet. With the Bourassa’s closely associated with the Catholic Missionaries, church records indicate that Father Christiaan Hoeken christened Theodore on June 27, 1842 at two days old. During the Civil War, Theodore volunteered to fight for the north and was …
The Bourbonnais Cabin is a culturally significant home located on Tribal land near the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center. Many see it as a physical connection to the past and cherish the experience to stand where their ancestors once stood. The Bourbonnais were one of the first families that moved from Kansas to Indian Territory, establishing Citizen Potawatomi in …
Jon Boursaw is a native of Kansas and a descendant of the Bourassa and Ogee families. His Potawatomi name is Wetase Mkoh, meaning, “Brave Bear.” He has served as the legislator for District 4 since June 2013, when he beat incumbent Theresa Adame to represent Tribal members of Kansas. Jon is a descendent of two early Potawatomi leaders: Joseph Napoleon …
Bobbi Bowden is a native of Choctaw, Oklahoma, and descendant of the Trombla Family. She carries on the name Pkuhshnoqua, given to her great-great-grandmother Rozetta Trombla Bowden has served as the legislator for District 13 since June 2008, since the CPN constitution was ratified in 2007 to include representation for the entire United States. Prior to that, she served for …