POTAWATOMI-GOVERNMENT

Traditional: Each village of the Potawatomi was led by a senior man of the major clan who functioned largely because of his seniority, the respect he commanded, and his ability to influence the people with his decisions. Traditionally, the Potawatomi probably did not have a chief of the entire tribe, but under some circumstances-such as intertribal warfare or overall agreements- these village leaders might select a single man from one of the villages to speak for them with a single voice.

Group decision-making for major undertakings-such as war or a large-scale change-was a slow and involved process. After long discussions of the pros and cons, a decision was reached and a feast was held to cement the peoples’ commitment to it. Thus, all were involved, and no single person had the right or responsibility to dictate to the others.

Modern: The Potawatomi tribe has sovereignty within the the state of Wisconsin. Sovereignty is the right of a nation or group of people to be self-governing. This tribe is a nation that has the ability to govern themselves, and retains the right to be an independent nation within the United States. Although a complicated issue, sovereignty is based on the fact that Native Americans owned the land that they lived on when white settlers came to Wisconsin. There are currently 11 sovereign tribes that are recognized in Wisconsin.

In 1924 Congress passed a law that made all Native Americans U.S. citizens but allowed them to retain their tribal citizenship as well. Essentially, the Potawatomi have dual citizenship and when dealing with the federal government the relationship is government to government. Like other American citizens, the Potawatomi are subject to federal laws but they are not always subject to the same state laws. The state of Wisconsin, for instance, can pass laws regulating hunting and fishing, but these laws do not extend to the Potawatomi reservation. The sovereign tribes are allowed to make their own hunting and fishing laws.

As an example of tribal government, the Wisconsin Forest County Potawatomi have a tribal government made up of six elected officers-The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and two council members. Their duties are to handle any and all agreements between the tribe and the Federal, State, and Local governments. They are to advise the Secretary of the Interior on all projects that benefit the Forest County community. They are also charged with managing the economy of the tribe including the administration of all funds, regardless of their source. They are also to encourage preservation of Potawatomi crafts, arts, tradition and culture.

The Forest County Potawatomi are governed by a Constitution. They also have their own Tribal Court which has lawful authority over matters of tribal interest including peaceful resolution of disputes through an orderly legal process.

http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/icw-162.html www.fcpotawatomi.com