Our Story

We were originally one people! Using the Midewiwin scrolls, Potawatomi elder Shup-Shewana dated the formation of the Council of Three Fires to 796 AD at Michilimackinac. In this council, the Ojibwe (Chippewa) were addressed as the "Older Brother," the Odawa (Ottawa) as the "Middle Brother," and the Potawatomi as the "Younger Brother."

Consequently, whenever our three Anishinaabe nations are mentioned in this specific and consecutive order of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi, it is an indicator implying Council of Three Fires as well. In addition, the Ojibwe are the "keepers of the faith," the Odawa are the "keepers of trade," and the Potawatomi are the designated "keepers/maintainers of/for the fire".

In the early 1800's, during war with the newly formed USA who was given the right to administer Indian Territories following the Treaty of Paris of 1763, many of our members were forcibly removed and or experienced massive loss of lands through a series of questionable treaties with the United States of America.