Potawatomi in Winter

Architect Richard Thornton is a member of an alliance of Creek, Choctaw and Seminole scholars, who over the past seven years have been intensely studying the heritage of the Muskogean peoples. Much of their activities have involved re-examination of the archives of the early Spanish, English and French exploration of the Southeastern United States. We have asked Richard to provide AccessGenealogy with some of his work.  As we add to these articles we will also be providing a question and answer section for the reader to ask questions of Richard.

Never heard of the Potawatomi Indian Tribe? The Potawatomi Nation is a sister tribe to the Ottawa and Obijwe (Chippewa.) At one time, they were part of the same tribe and living somewhere in the vicinity of Canada’s Maritime Provinces or perhaps, New England. As the tribe gradually migrated westward along the edge of Lake Erie, it eventually broke up into three bands, which eventually became distinct tribes. The three tribes still share very similar cultural traditions and languages.

Although they never lived in permanent villages until the early 1800s, the Three Sister Tribes had very rich cultural traditions. Still today, their beadwork and paintings were some of the finest in the Native American world. They had a writing system which was preserved on bark or deer skin scrolls. The original syllabary was in use several centuries ago. It is remembered in their traditions in the appearance about 500 years ago of seven prophets carrying scrolls, which accurately predicted the future. In the 1700s, French priest developed the original glyphs into a writing system that could communicate complete sentences. Modern Ojibwe and Potawatomi writing is derived from that system.

Hunkering down in the winter time

As the first snow flurries floated down in the autumn, small family bands of the Potawatomi left the lake basins and journeyed up into the hills, where ridges would block the bitter winter winds and the forests would provide game to hunt. This was a hard trek because they had to carry on their backs all of the food they had harvested or preserved during the warm months. Much of the non-perishable food supply consisted of wild rice, dried fish plus some corn, beans and dried squash. To be sure of surviving the winter in good health, though, they would be dependent on the men bringing in at least some large game such as elk, deer and bison.

Most readers would be surprised to learn that the winter homes of the Potawatomi were teepees! In fact, many Midwestern tribes lived in teepees during the winter time. The double-lined hide walls completely blocked the winter winds while simultaneously keeping the heat from modest interior hearths from escaping. The Potawatomi added an outer sheaving of reeds, which caused melting snow to drip down to the ground, rather than saturating the hides and causing them to rot.

The Lakota, Nakota and Dakota (Sioux) formerly lived in the Great Lakes Basin. They lived in teepees during the winter before ever venturing out into the Western Plains.

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation operates a 36,000 square feet cultural heritage center in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The photos displayed in this series of articles are of models in this museum. Shawnee is about an hour’s drive from Tulsa.

The Potawatomi men race up the hill to kill a bear that is attacking the camp.
Photo: Photo & model by Richard Thornton, Architect

Notes About this Material

Source: Richard Thornton, an alliance of Muskogean scholars, professors and professionals. Copyright Richard Thornton, Blairsville, GA, 2010. Used here with permission. 

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