The Potawatomis: Keepers of the Fire (The Civilization of the American Indian Series, #145) by R. David Edmunds

The Potawatomis: Keepers of the Fire (The Civilization of the American Indian Series, #145) Reviews

• 
  Kathryn

  The story of the Midwest Potawatomis -- a people who hosted intertribal councils (they kept the “councils of fire”) and were known for their role as peacemakers -- is the story of a people who, like all Native Americans, were diminished and ultimately betrayed by Europeans and Americans.
  
  David Edmunds’ book presents a detailed history of the Potawatomi, focusing on the groups found in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan and later, Illinois. Edmunds begins his narrative with the chapter “Forging the French Alliance,” which relates the Potawatomi’s first encounter with white men – French traders – and also describes the early and idyllic Potawatomi lifestyle as observed by these traders. The Potawatomis forged strong economic and personal bonds with the French, yet these friendly ties began to diminish the Potawatomi way of life as they began to over-trap – and engage in additional skirmishes with neighboring tribes -- in order to support their growing dependence on European goods.
  
  Edmunds relates that when the French were overwhelmed by the British in the New World, the Potawatomis tried to unite with other Native Americans and turned to the British for goods and friendship. But the British only used them to fight the encroaching Americans, who, when they became the last white men standing, proved to be the final demise of a people who had completely lost their way of life and economic independence.
  
  By no means did the Potawatomi give up without a fight. Although Edmund’s narrative repeatedly shows that the Potawatomi were generally inclined to find a way to peace, when the blatant lies involved in the American treaties became overwhelmingly apparent, the Potawatomis fought for their land. In order to control the “unruly” natives in the Chicago area more efficiently, the Americans built Ft. Dearborn. It didn’t work and the frightened whites, promised safe passage out of the fort by the Potawatomis, were instead slaughtered by them in the famed Ft. Dearborn Massacre. But even during this violent encounter, the Potawatomis revealed their generous natures as several rescued whites from the massacre.
  
  Ultimately it became obvious that the fight against the settlers was in vain and the Potawatomis sold more and more of their land in order to survive. The Potawatomi sided with the Americans during the Black Hawk War, providing scouts and warriors. Yet this loyalty was completely forgotten in the push to rid the Midwest of any and all Native Americans and the Potawatomi were forced to move west.
  
  Edmunds’ meticulously researched book contains a myriad of details regarding every alliance of the Potawatomi (white and native), every treaty, and every battle in which they took part during their known history from the 17th century through the 19th. As someone who resides in the same Chicago suburb which once housed a Potawatomi village and eager for information on the area’s first locals, I often wished that Edmunds had included more history on the Chicago-area Potawatomi. The reason for this omission may be that the Chicago Potawatomi were generally peaceable and their history – except for the Ft. Dearborn Massacre – somewhat uneventful. But I was surprised that the book didn’t even mention the final ritual dance performed through the streets of downtown Chicago by representatives of all the Midwest Potawatomis after they’d signed the treaty that forced them to move west, the dance that terrified white Chicagoans who completely misunderstood its purpose and meaning.
  
  Still, Edmunds doesn’t seem to miss much else and his book, which the University of Oklahoma Press claims to be “the first scholarly history of the Potawatomis,” is an enlightening and engaging read.
  
  (This review also appears at BookPleasures.com).
• 
  Bonnie

  Written by a non-native historian in 1978, this book offers a comprehensive account of the Potawatomi nation. Though it is full of detail, dates, and names, it is a compelling read and highly recommended to any student of the battles for the northeastern woodlands of North America.
• 
  William Hubbartt

  The Potawatomis ranged throughout the US upper midwest in the 1700s and early 1800s initially interacting with French and British explorers and traders. As the US became independent from the British and began a western settlement movement, the Potawatomis became embroiled in the conflicting desires of the whites seeking territorial control of what was then referred to as the northwest territories. Mr. Edmonds conducted detailed research of these events, describing the battles, naming the native chiefs, citing dates and places of significant events in the lands that would become states ranging from Ohio and Kentucky westward to Wisconsin and Illinois. Ultimately, the US government sought and facilitated their removal to areas now known as Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. Edmond cites the mismanagement, greed and ineptitude of individuals involved in the removal of individuals from their native homeland. For those interested in Midwest history, native Americans, and the conflicting issues associated with this transition, this book is an excellent read.
• 
  Kirk Dobihal

  Not an easy read. Well documented true story of the native Americans in Illinois and what is known as the old Northwest.
• 
  Steven Shook

  Edmunds' The Potawatomis: Keepers of the Fire is exceptionally well researched and presented as a timeline from ancient history to the removal period ending in the 1840s. Published in 1978, it remains as one of the only comprehensive written histories of the Potawatomi tribe.
  
  Edmunds' provides a fact-based presentation of the Potawatomi using contemporary source material and rarely inserts his own commentary regarding the people, places, and events. In other words, he allows the reader interpret the consequences of historical events rather than inserting his own personal biases in recounting the tribe's history.
  
  Overall, the quality is writing is excellent, though there are points in the book when the amount of detail/facts being presented considerably slows the flow of the story. I referred to the Notes section of the book many times. Given that much of the source material provided in the Notes has been scanned and uploaded to the Internet, the reader can verify Edmunds' interpretation of facts and dig much deeper into most historical events covered in the book.
  
  If the book were to be republished, I would strongly recommend the addition of several more maps. Some locations are presented in such an overly broad context that I sometimes became unsure of exactly the location being referred to by Edmunds (e.g., the St. Joseph Valley - Is that within present day Michigan and Indiana, or simply Michigan?). Also, there are other sources available that show the migration routes of the Potawatomis during the removal period (circa 1828 to early 1840s); including maps of these routes would have provided clearer context to Edmunds' written word. Regardless, the book is very much worth reading for those interested in Potawatomi history or history of Native Americans in the Old Northwest.
• 
  Michel Brooks

  A lot of good information on how the Potawtomis lost their land, or should I say, were taken advantage of their weaknesses and desperation. Was infomative and enjoyable but was a bit slow for me in the middle.
• 
  Eric

  Very well written. The author has successfully produced a readable, understandable history of the Potawatomis from the French era through the removal period. Well worth the read.