News

The Brothertown Tribal Nation, with the support of Calumet and Cross Heritage Society, brought our members and friends a special Zoom event celebrating our Eeyamquittoowauconnuck (Brothertown Day) on November 7, 2024.

• The event is now posted on the member area on the Brothertown Indian Nation website: https://brothertownindians.org/member-news/. If you have not registered for the secure member area, the directions are listed below…
• If you want to view the original PBS documentary without the discussion of tribal members, the link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39a0gb3SSyQ&t=696s

The event was a significant success for both the Tribe and its members. About 50 people attended on Zoom. Council members attended the event, as did members of Calumet and Cross, and many, many members of the Tribe who were looking for answers about our history, stories, and identity as a tribe.  

The event began with an introduction, and the PBS Wisconsin Documentary “Eeyamquittoowauconnuck – Brothertown History,” narrated by Brothertown member Joan Schadewald, which discussed our oral history – which was run for the attendees.Following the showing, an open discussion was held with members and friends in attendance.

About the documentary: On the shore of Lake Winnebago, Joan Schadewald talks about the Brothertown Indians’ history, tribal recognition status, and 30+ years of trying to restore it. Began as an amalgamation of tribes forced from the East Coast to New York and ultimately to Wisconsin. Brothertown clings determinedly to its Indian heritage to this day. Special guest on the documentary was former Peacemaker, Councilperson, and Tribal Genealogist Caroline Andler.

Procedure to request approval for Brothertown Member area:

1. Sign on to https://brothertownindians.org
2. Click “Member Area” in the header
3. Complete the request form as completely as you can. The enrollment number is extremely helpful, but if you do not remember the number, please complete as much as you know. Including your enrollment ancestor is also important.
4. Then hit “submit,” and your request will be sent to the Brothertown Office for approval. It will be matched to our database of enrolled members and approved based on our records.

We thank all our current veterans for their selfless service and sacrifice to our Country.

Today, November 11th, please take a moment to thank the ones you know and also think about the many ancestors who have served this country for centuries.

The Brothertown Indian’s record of service began with the American Revolution and continued serving freedom for almost 250 years.  Many of our members have given their lives in service to our country while protecting the freedoms and ideals we hold dear.

Brothertown’s legacy of service to our country has extended not only in peacetime but to virtually every American military conflict, including the American Revolution (19), the War of 1812 (1+), the Civil War (122), WWI (many), WWII (many), Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East (Desert Storm, Afghanistan), as well as times of peace.

Here are a few links to learn more about our veterans:

• View the names of our veterans who served in the American Revolution (1775-1783)
• View Brothertown Veterans on float in the 2014 Flag Day Parade in Appleton
• A video of the Brothertown Indian Veteran Honor Guard leading the “Grand Entry” at the Brothertown Indian nation Powwow 2017 here…
• Veterans Day Films from PBS (Honoring Native American military Service men and women):
  • The People’s Protectors
  • The Warrior Tradition
• Links for our veteran members to VA services are included here (for Fond du Lac, States of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington, DC. Latest Veteran Newsletters can also be found on this page.

For our veterans, view all the links for veteran services information and the latest (and archived) Veterans Newsletters by clicking here…

November is Native American Heritage Month! Throughout the month, we, Brothertown Indian Nation members, take the time to recognize Indigenous people’s history, culture, and contributions to our Country, our cities, and our communities. With that in mind, we have created a page to learn about our shared history, and ancestors to help us better understand where we came from, using a variety of books, scholarly articles, and Videos.

Books and other resources:

• “NOTES ON THE MOHEGAN AND NIANTIC INDIANS” – The following ethnologic notes refer to two tribes of the eastern branch of the Algonquin linguistic stock residing in Connecticut, east of the Hudson River. These tribes and others of the Atlantic coast region were among the first to encounter European settlers almost three hundred years ago.
• “Pequot Cultural Entanglement in 17th-Century Connecticut” – Scholarly Paper by William A. Farley. This paper explores how, one particular group shifted their economic strategies to meet new challenges presented them by early encounters with Dutch and English settlers. The Pequots, who in the 1620s dominated much of southern New England, were one of the native groups most significantly affected by the European settlement of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. 
• History of the Narragansett Indian Nation (Providence College digital Library) (Brief Abstract: a concise look at the history of the Narragansett Tribe from the 1600 to present day)
• Brief article on the Tunxis from Farmington Valley (by Cynthia Griggs (from the Brothertown Citizen files) (Abstract: During the Woodland Period (1000 B.C. to Contact with Europeans) agriculture was introduced, and people planted gardens of corn, squash, and beans (called “the three sisters), and other crops. Corn replaced acorns and hickory nuts as diet staples. Bows and arrows replaced spears for hunting. Wigwams were constructed in a village setting. English Colonists encountered large villages in Windsor, Farmington, and Simsbury.
• Wyandanch: Sachem of the Montauks by John A. Strong (chapter 3 in his book detailing this topic.)
• An excellent and brief overview of the Niantic Tribe written by Lee Sultzman (Author of “History of the Niantic People.”

Videos of our Parent Tribes…

Mohegan Tribe- Spirit of Aquai: Mohegan Indian Origin Story

Narragansett Tribe:

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center Virtual Tour The Story of the Pequot People:

History of the Montaukett (Montauk) Tribe

History of the Pequot Tribe

Legends of the Narragansett Tribe: Incredible Stories of Native American Culture

From the Fond du Lac Reporter – Daphne Lemke October 22, 2024

(The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WTMJ, The Green Bay Press Gazette, Yahoo News, and other outlets also picked up our story. This reach of our tribal message is great news for the Brothertown Indian Nation!) Now to the Fond du Lac Reporter…

BROTHERTOWN – The Brothertown Indian Nation’s annual homecoming had something extra to celebrate this year, with a Wisconsin State Historical Society historical marker unveiling at Dick Family Cemetery.

Tribal representatives came together with the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Calumet & Cross Heritage Society, as well as community leaders and members, for the dedication ceremony on Oct. 19 at the small Lakeshore Drive cemetery in the town of Brothertown.

The Dick Family Cemetery is the smallest Brothertown Indian Cemetery in Wisconsin. It holds a private graveyard for the Dick family, who were descended from the Narragansett tribe of Rhode Island, according to Calumet & Cross Heritage Society, a nonprofit organization that collects, preserves and shares the history of the Brothertown Indian Nation.

Read the full article on the Fond du Lac Reporter here…

The additional reach of the article and links: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Green Bay Press Gazette, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, The Sheboygan Press, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, Yahoo News, and others…

WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) –Wyatt Williams, Multimedia Reporter

For the complete article and video of BIN Chair Phyllis Tousey and BIN member James Pendleton, click here…

Many observed Christopher Columbus Day on Monday, but many tribal groups are pushing to swap it for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  They say it should recognize the many tribes who were pushed off of their land. They hope to find mutual respect and love moving forward.

Mayor Doug Diny and many tribal members spoke at an event celebrating Indigenous people from the past and present. They sang tribal songs and spoke the language that connected them to their ancestors.

The movement started in 2021 when President Joe Biden declared October 14th Indigenous People’s Day. The rain and gloomy skies made for a cold day, but it didn’t stop many from gathering on Washington Street. 

James Pendleton, a member of the Brothertown Indian Nation, said, “I think it shows a lot. We even had the mayor here the entire time, and that shows a lot. It’s important these people need to know what’s going on in our community as well. I mean, we’re also members of the community…”

Phyllis Tousey, Brothertown Indian Nation Chairwoman, continued, “…It helps people that are here, native people, young children to know, hey, you’re important, we value you, we recognize who you are.”

After the event wrapped up, the group made a meal for everyone there to share while enjoying their time together.

We will gather at 2:00 pm at Kickbush Plaza (146 W. Washington St. – Wausau, WI – Look for us behind the Marathon County Public Library near the Wisconsin River)

Please take a look at the event poster below…

We, the undersigned Indigenous people and allies, invite you to make this year’s  Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Oct.14th) a powerful celebration of Indigenous wisdom and resilience and of our shared commitment to living in harmony with Mother Earth and all of our relatives.

Brothertown Indian Nation Chairperson Phyllis will be speaking about our Tribe and Restoration.

We seek for Indigenous Peoples’ Day to:

• Help end the confusion, lies, and lacking historical information that has led to the celebration of Christopher Columbus, a person who, along with other European colonial explorers, took part in horrific violence, land theft, slavery, and genocide against Indigenous people.
• Be a celebration of the incredible resilience and contributions of Indigenous people in the face of over five centuries of land theft, genocide, and many other forms of violence.
• Be a Federal Holiday that completely replaces the celebration of Christopher Columbus. 
• Be celebrated in Central Wisconsin by 2many nations and people from around the state.
• Deepen our connections of solidarity and advance our movement for peace and the protection of basic human rights for all, our democracy, and Mother Earth

Please share this Poster and Facebook Event. 

The Menominee Nation welcomed the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe from California to the Menominee homeland on September 23rd.  They rested for a few days and then continued their journey to Washington, D.C., to press for federal recognition. They call their journey the “Trail of Truth.”

The Menominee tribe, AIM (American Indian Movement), and supporters from other Wisconsin Tribes came to support the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe on their cross-country journey.  

Brothertown and AIM member James Pendleton represented our Tribe by carrying the Brothertown Indian Nation flag, given by the Council, to show our support. The ‘Trail of Truth” journey which began in California and continues to Washington, DC, where they will arrive on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 14th.

Please view the Videos and photos about the event at the bottom of this article.

About the Trail of Truth and the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe:”…We, the Muwekma Ohlone, along with other unrecognized tribes throughout California, don’t have access to educate our children for free,” Chairwoman Nijmeh said. “To uplift them from the generational trauma that we have faced, the poverty that we still live in. It’s real. It’s very real for us. We’re not going away. And that’s what this truth is about and this journey.” Click here to learn about the Truth Riders, the Muwekma Ohlone, and their struggles…  

About the Menominee: The Menominee Indian Tribe’s current reservation was created in 1854 through a treaty with the United States of America. On June 17, 1954, Congress implemented Public Law 108, known as the “Termination Bill,” which President Eisenhower signed into law.

Despite many barriers, the Menominee persisted. On April 20, 1972, Wisconsin US Senators introduced Senate Bill No. 3514 in response to the Menominee’s ambition to seek reversal of termination. With the dedication and persistence of Tribal members and a coalition of supporters, President Nixon signed the Menominee Restoration Act into law on December 22, 1973. The Restoration Act was passed after two and a half years of congressional testimony. It provided for the federal recognition of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, thereby returning the nation to trust status and sovereign immunity. Learn more about the Menomonee Tribe here….

About AIM (American Indian Movement): AIM stands for the preservation of culture, language, ancestral lands, and treaties and for ending the exploitation of Native American spirituality and cultural misappropriation. We serve our tribal communities, protecting our women and children while honoring our MMIP. Learn about AIM and their efforts for the benefit of all Indigenous Tribes

Event Photos and Videos:

“As a Brothertown Member, I am honored to stand in solidarity with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and the Truth Riders passing through the State of Wisconsin on their trip to Washington, DC. I want to especially thank the Council leadership for allowing me this distinction in representing our Tribe.” – James Pendelton

James Pendleton, Brothertown and AIM member, carried the Brothertown flag in the Truth Riders’ honor guard.

The Truth Riders video of thanks… (Credit Menominee Indian Tribe Facebook)

Drone View of the Trail of Truth Arrival (Credit Menominee Indian Tribe Facebook)

Click if your group would like to endorse and help promote this event…

Please share this post on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/Brothertown-10-12-Forum-Fb 

On Monday, the White House released a presidential proclamation recognizing National Voter Registration Day, 2024. In his proclamation, President Biden writes: “The Department of the Interior is working to increase Indigenous peoples’ access to voter registration.”

If you are not registered to vote, please do so today.

Read the entire presidential proclamation on Native News Online here…

Double event ahead—mark your calendars! Everyone is invited! The annual homecoming and the unveiling of a historical marker for the Dick Cemetery.

On the morning of October 19th, Calumet and Cross Heritage Society, Inc., in partnership with the Brothertown Indian Nation, will be hosting an unveiling ceremony in Brothertown, Wisconsin for its recently installed Dick Family Cemetery historical marker. Stick around because, in the afternoon, the Brothertown Indian Nation will be hosting the annual Brothertown Homecoming at the Community Center in FDL! Come out on Saturday, October 19th, and see the new Cultural Center and the historical marker, then enjoy some delicious food and good times with your tribal relatives!

For more information on the Agenda for the unveiling ceremony for the new Dick Family Cemetery historical marker on the morning of October 19, 2024, followed by the Brothertown homecoming immediately after, Click here…

*Calumet and Cross created the Dick Family Cemetery marker through the Wisconsin Historical Society with generous support from the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and the Chilton Area Community Foundation.