In his treatise on the Potawatomi Indians, Christopher Wetzel posits three central questions: what does “nationhood” mean for contemporary American Indian peoples, why has a sense of a single nation recently emerged for the Potawatomi of North America, and how has this uncommon resurgence in nationalism manifested among the Potawatomi? Using native-written texts, oral histories, and traditions; archival research; and participant-observation data, Wetzel explores how nine distinct bands of Potawatomi Indians are coming together once again as a united nation. In his introduction he proposes a new concept of “nation” for indigenous peoples subjected to relocation, removal, diaspora, and the like, one that can transcend physical and geographic boundaries and limitations to include a people connected by social, cultural, and ceremonial ties.
The first half of the book outlines the historical, social, and political context of the Potawatomi. Chapter 1 recounts the story of the Potawatomi from their origins to...
