Battle Creek, Michigan (August 15, 2023) — Tribal Council Members of the 12 Potawatomi Nations’ located across North America have instituted the first-ever Bodéwadmi Confederation on July 27, 2023.
A consensus was reached at the Tribal Council Summit during the 2023 Potawatomi Gathering, hosted by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), with seven Tribal Councils voting in favor of the resolution and the other five Councils unable to vote at the meeting. The Bodéwadmi Articles of Confederation will be ratified at a later date.
“This marks a historical moment,” said NHBP Tribal Council Chairperson Jamie Stuck. “First-of-its-kind for the Potawatomi Nations, this Confederation will enable our Nations to have a stronger and much larger voice, with all of us collaborating to achieve the common goals not only for our People today but also for the next Seven Generations.”
Many other Councilmembers present verbally expressed overwhelming support for the new Confederation. Match-E-Bash-She-Nash-E-Wish Tribal Councilmember Ben Brenner agreed with the spirit of the document and its goals: “This document and the new confederacy symbolize our commitment to the preservation and knowledge of our Culture, Language and ways.”
Article I of the newly formed Bodéwadmi Confederacy states, “the Confederation seeks to promote unity, cooperation, and mutual support among Nations, and to advance the interest and well-being of its citizens and Indigenous peoples.”
The new Confederacy is intended to represent 12 Potawatomi Nations and Tribes whose extensive geological footprints cover parts of Northern Canada, the American Midwest, and as far south as Oklahoma and Texas. Altogether, these Nations and Tribes represent the tens of thousands of enrolled Potawatomi Tribal Members who reside all across North America and beyond.
The Bodéwadmi Confederacy is designed to include the following Tribes:
- Anishanabeg of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation
- Beausoleil First Nation
- Chippewas of Nawash First Nation
- Citizen Band Potawatomi Nation
- Forest County Potawatomi
- Hannahville Indian Community
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
- Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Nation
- Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish (Gun Lake Pottawatomi)
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
- Walpole Island First Nation
- Wasauksing First Nation
While the Tribal Councils must still ratify the Bodéwadmi Articles of Confederation, the Preamble states: “We, the Bodéwadmi Confederation of Tribal Nations, represent a diverse network of Potawatomi tribal nations and desire to work collectively toward furthering principles and policies that promote Tribal Sovereignty.”