By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Casino gambling tends to overshadow other aspects of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its "number-one, overall mission - to maintain our culture," Cultural Associate Jason Wesaw told local elected officials.
Wesaw, 30, who began his job last October, sketched in details about 4,500 acres of land that will leave tax rolls when the Dowagiac-based tribe is able to take its reservation holdings into trust, plans for a new administration center on Sink Road in Pokagon Township where a new Head Start center anticipates doubling enrollments for its second school year and the second phase of the 17-family elders village on Dailey Road near Southwestern Michigan College.
Elders Hall on Townhall Road in Silver Creek Township serves meals five days a week and provides trips "so they can spend their golden years together," Wesaw said.
Youngsters from within and outside the tribe are being exposed to the Potawatomi language and weekly Native American dishes through Head Start.
Wesaw said Chairman John Miller got called away to Washington.
In the 1700s and 1800s, the Pokagon Band "began developing quite unique relations with Catholic missionaries and the federal government. "That's one major reason why the band was allowed to stay here" when others were forcibly removed from east of the Mississippi River to the west.
Treaties signed away tribal lands through the Treaty of Chicago in 1832. "By the end of the Depression, the Pokagons' land base had eroded down to nothing," Wesaw related. "The U.S. government basically stopped recognizing the Pokagon Band as a tribal entity" until President Bill Clinton restored that recognition in 1994, ending about 60 years "in limbo. The tribe began working on that in 1982, so it took us 12 years to prove."
About 85 people from across Cass County heard Wesaw at the Board of Commissioners' 14th annual Intergovernment Forum Thursday night at Southwestern Michigan College Mathews Conference Center-East.
SMC "has been really good about letting us use the gymnasium to do cultural activities. Lacrosse is a traditional Potawatomi sport," Wesaw said. "It gets youth and adults active together. It's just another slow progression with us developing relationships within the community, and SMC has been really good to us thus far."
County Administrator Terry Proctor reported that in the 15 townships there are 79 supervisors, clerks, treasurers and trustees. "The amazing thing is 39 percent of the persons serving in those positions are new since 2002."
Dowagiac and the four villages - Cassopolis, Edwardsburg, Marcellus and Vandalia - have 14 individuals serving as mayor, village president, clerk or treasurer - and 57 percent of them are new since 2002.
Thirteen of the 15 county commissioners, except Johnie Rodebush and Carl Higley Sr., are new since 2002.
A Social Services Department includes a food commodities program.
The Housing Department helps people fix up their residences.
A cross-jurisdictional Tribal Police Department is located on M-51 south of Dowagiac. A tribal court has also been established.
Wesaw also has family members with the Huron Band of Potawatomi.