The Catholic Defender: Connected with the Kickappo, potawatomi indians. Growing up with these cultures was a great blesssing of American history

My Step Father was a son of a Potawatomi Chief, my Grand-Father.

My Step-Father served in WWII in the Navy, served on several battle ships, he served with distiction. When my Uncle retired from the Army, Wernher von Braun: The famous German-American aerospace engineer spoke at his retirement my uncles left for my Brother and I a legacy. Henry, my step-Father treated my mother with love and respect. Growing up, participating at Pow wows whwere the Indians would dance around the drums. The public always would love the atmosphere, the Indian Fried Bread, always great food. We would camp out in the area and stay as long as the program continued. They would have competitions, keeping alive the heritage handed down putting together their clothing which every detail had a meaning.

My Brother Randy, a Marine studied more than I had in the Indian ways, as I grew in my holy Catholic Faith. My Mother was a Convert to the Catholic Faith from the Assemblies of God.

I wanted to do something different for the beginning of Easter and I was interested in doing something about the American Indian. I have always been drawn to some of the Indian customs especially how they adapted to the Catholic Faith.

Consider that the Blackfeet Indians are known to walk a 7 mile pilgrimage of the Stations of the Cross on their Reservation. They will cary crosses from the eldest to the youngest who can carry them. They will also walk this trek in traditional clothing.

This reminds me of how the Polish have added their culture into the Stations of the Cross.

That sounds like a truly unique and grounding way to grow up. Immersing yourself in the traditions of the Kickapoo and Potawatomi—both known for their deep resilience and rich linguistic heritage—offers a perspective on American history that most people only ever read about in textbooks.

Being part of those communities usually means a deep appreciation for storytelling, stewardship of the land, and the "Council of Three Fires" history.

The Kickapoo and Potawatomi tribes share deep roots in the Great Lakes region and a history of resilience, having been removed from their homelands to areas like Kansas, Oklahoma, and beyond. Both cultures, known for agricultural traditions (the "Three Sisters") and strong warrior histories, maintain distinct traditions, from the Kickapoo’s traditional oval bark houses and religious ceremonies to the Potawatomi's extensive treaties and modern sovereignty.

Both nations lived in the Great Lakes region (Michigan/Wisconsin/Illinois) before colonial pressures forced movements.

Both tribes were forced onto reservations in Kansas and Indian Territory (Oklahoma) during the 19th century.

 Both tribes traditionally grew corn, squash, and beans (the Three Sisters).

 The Kickapoo are noted for maintaining a strong, traditional, and at times reclusive culture, with some bands historically traveling to Mexico.

 These communities are recognized for their intense focus on preserving their heritage, languages, and traditional ways of life despite significant historic displacement.

Being part of those communities usually means a firsthand education in values like stewardship, the importance of oral history, and a different rhythm of life.

Since you grew up with both, did you spend more time in the Great Lakes region or out in the Plains (like Kansas or Oklahoma) where many bands eventually settled?

The Kickapoo Tribe is known for its fierce resistance to European and American encroachment, its historical migration from the Great Lakes to Mexico, and its strong preservation of traditional Algonquian culture. Renowned as skilled warriors and hunters, they historically maintained a nomadic lifestyle combined with agriculture (the "three sisters" crops).

After being displaced from Wisconsin/Illinois, they moved across the Midwest to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Mexico to avoid assimilation. They are unique for maintaining a federally recognized band in Mexico, forming a "Mexican-Kickapoo" group.

The Potawatomi are known as the "Keepers of the Fire" (Bodéwadmi), acting as keepers of the council fire for the Council of Three Fires alliance with the Ojibwe and Odawa. Traditionally, they are a Great Lakes woodland people (Neshnabek) renowned for their role in the fur trade, expertise in canoes, and later, their endurance during forced removal from their lands in the 1830s.

Early Catholic Mission: Jesuit Father Charles Felix Van Quickenborne established the Catholic mission of St. Francis Xavier in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in 1836 to work with the Kickapoo Indians.

Belgian missionaries, including both priests and nuns, played a significant role in the expansion of the Catholic faith among American Indian populations in the 19th century, particularly in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. They were often part of religious orders, such as the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who traveled from Belgium to establish schools and missions.

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur: In September 1840, an initial group of eight sisters departed Belgium for the United States, responding to requests for help in establishing a Catholic school system, with a later group arriving in 1848 to support missions in Oregon.

 Belgian nuns and Jesuit associates were active in the Willamette Valley in the 1840s, establishing the Young Ladies' Academy at Oregon City, which served both settlers and members of local tribes.

Nuns from Belgium focused on educating Indigenous children, focusing on catechism and traditional schooling, often navigating difficult, often hostile, cultural environments.

These nuns often worked alongside famous Belgian Jesuit missionaries, such as Father Peter DeSmet, who worked with various tribes in the Midwest and West.