What Indigenous land am I on in Olivet?

Before Father Shipherd ever stepped foot on this hill, this land belonged to the Nottawaseppi (not-ah-wa-sep-ee) now known as the Huron band of Potawatomi (pot –uh- wot-uh-mee).

The name Potawatomi is defined as “Fire Keepers” or “people of the place of fire” and they are a part of a group of three tribes called the Three Flames Confederacy. The Three flames confederacy also includes the Ojibwe (Ow-jeeb-way) and the Odawa (ah- dawah). (Fig. 2)

History and Hardship

The Potawatomi tribe originated in southwest Michigan before being forced westward to the Great lakes region by the Iroquois tribe. From there, the Potawatomi found themselves on the glistening shores of lake Michigan, where they would eventually build strong trades with the French settlers.

Unfortunately, as Europeans advanced westward, the Potawatomi were removed forcefully from their land yet again. In a mass relocation named The Death Trail, most of the Potawatomi found themselves living in Oklahoma and Kansas. They are known today as the Prairie Band of Potawatomi and Citizen Potawatomi in those regions. (Fig. 1)

This new land differed greatly from the climates and habitats they were used to. They were pushed from the lush woodlands and mineral rich Great lakes of Michigan to the dry, wildfire prone, land of the American prairie.

Through multiple treaties and relocations, their original land was taken and destroyed by unsustainable practices brought by colonization. The once biodiverse land fell prey to industrial farming, logging, and development and the animals who lived there were pillaged to fit the

needs of the new inhabitants.

Photo referred to as Fig. 1 throughout the article, shows a map of the Potawatomi tribe. Photo from MSU Project Geo.

Where are the Potawatomi today?

Referred to as Fig. 2 throughout the article, showing the original locations of the tribes. Photo provided by the University of Maryland's Department of Entomology.

Today the Huron Band of the Potawatomi reside primarily in Athens and Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they have contributed countless sustainable environmental methods for us to learn from.

Practices like subsistence farming and water conservation, taught to non-indigenous communities, have continued to grow our land biodiversity and help us be better stewards of the land.

Despite their success in land conservation, indigenous perspectives on sustainable land management are still put to the side in countless UN Climate meetings.

In addition, Indigenous communities are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, while they contribute almost no carbon emissions.

Although there still seems to be many hurdles to jump over, the Potawatomi are still thriving today with more land being acknowledged and better connections being forged with non- indigenous communities every year.

Next time you find yourself at Fire Keepers Casino, remember the mighty people who put it there, as its name is no coincidence.

For more information on this article, visit:

• https://nhbp-nsn.gov/timeline/1840-forced-relocation/

Written by Asia Sherman