How the Pokagon Band Avoided Removal: Archaeological Evidence from the Faunal Assemblage of the Pokagon Village Site (20BE13)

Archaeological Indices of Resistance: Diversity in the Removal Period Potawatomi of the Western Great Lakes

“…Pokagon's strong identification with Catholicism has been described in the widely repeated anecdote of his trip to Detroit to recite Catholic prayers in Potawatomi and request the return of the "black robes" (Catholic priests) to his people (Clifton 1984:68). Secunda (2006) makes a convincing case that Pokagon's interest in having the service of a "black robe" was perhaps as strongly motivated by his desire to develop a counterweight to the activities of the Baptist missionary Isaac McCoy at the nearby Carey Mission as it was by faith. McCoy was initially welcomed because of the economic opportunities provided by the Baptist mission.…”

“…Stephen Benack first enters the historic record in 1795 as a "chief residing near the Tippecanoe-Wabash confluence (Schurr 2006). Slightly later that area became well-known because of the nearby site of Prophetstown (1808-1811), a major center of Native resistance to American expansion.…”

“…Menominee was the wkama of a village located in Marshall County (Figure 1). He first enters the historic record in 1818 when he signed a treaty for a reservation near Twin Lakes in Marshall County (Secunda 2006). He is later recognized as a spiritual leader.…”

“…By the end of the Removal period, it had grown to be one of the largest villages in northern Indiana. At its peak it contained 12 cabins, a chapel, and had access to a blacksmith, a grist mill, and a sawmill (located between Menominee's village and that of Chechawakose's, near where Benack lived) (Secunda 2006). Menominee consistently refused to cede his reservation, which was held in joint title with three other wkamek.…”

“…He was affiliated with the "Wabash band" of Potawatomi. The Wabash band did not actually live on the Wabash (most of the band lived on the Tippecanoe), but were called such because they went to Logansport (on the Wabash) to trade and receive annuities (Secunda 2006). In addition, Ashkum's village was located near the Michigan Road (Figure 3), the best land route to Logansport at that time.…”