News

74th Annual Appleton Flag Day Parade

The Veteran’s Committee is inviting and encouraging our Brothertown Indian Nation veterans to participate in honoring “Old Glory” once again in the Appleton Flad Day Parade on June 14th, 2025.

We, as Brothertown Veterans, have participated in the annual parade for several years. We do so with pride to show our respect and honor for all our Veterans.  This year, parade coordinators are pleased to focus on the 250th year of service to our country and our freedom of the US Marine Corps and the US Navy.

Take a moment to view the Veteran’s Revolutionary Memorial Wall (with 19 known Brothertown veterans who had served! 250 years ago during the Birth of the Nation)

Our Brothertown Veterans’ strong presence is more important than ever. Let’s come together on our float in the parade to celebrate all the branches and our relations/ancestors who have served, currently serve, and will serve in our military Branches.

Come and help us show our gratitude for their service. You will not regret being alone on this ride. Please have your Brothertown Veteran caps and vests on during the parade, showing our great pride and support of Flag Day and those who have defended it.

Please call Mike at (920) 892-2556 or the BIN office at (920) 929-9964 or email: binveterans@gmail.com as soon as possible to let us know that you will be joining us. As the date approaches, details about when and where to meet will follow.

Water and snacks will be provided. You will ride on the float in the superb company of our veterans. Please come and join us.

Great article by Frank Vaisvilas, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

**One small tweak our Brothertown members could add to this excellent article is that we were forced to accept US citizenship instead of asking for it. Our ancestors only wanted to stay on our lands with title to the lands they worked, just as we had with a past treaty. This is an important distinction, but the article is correct—we became U.S. Citizens 186 years ago. Read the whole

After President Donald Trump recently threw his support behind a North Carolina’s tribe’s attempt to gain federal recognition, some people in Wisconsin are wondering if there might be hope for an Indigenous tribe in Wisconsin to regain its status 186 years after losing it.

Wisconsin is home to 11 federally recognized tribes, and officials from Brothertown have been trying for decades to restore its status and become number 12.

Those efforts have the support of many local elected officials, such as several mayors in the Lake Winnebago area, which the tribe calls home. The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors and Gov. Tony Evers also back the effort; the governor already refers to Brothertown as Wisconsin’s 12th tribe.

Read Frank Vaisvilas’s entire article here…

The boxes include opioid overdose-reversal medication naloxone and are now offered at the Community Center. You can read the entire story here at the Fond du Lac Reporter.

The placement in the BINCC is due to a partnership among several local agencies fighting against fentanyl and helping prevent overdose deaths; Narcan is now more accessible in Fond du Lac.

Nonprofit organization Clinton Foundation collaborated with ADVOCAP, the Fond du Lac County Health Department, Holy Family Warming Shelter, and local parents affected by overdose to install Overdose Aid Kits (O.A.K.s) throughout the community.

The metal O.A.K. boxes include opioid overdose-reversal medication naloxone — commonly known under the brand name Narcan — as well as other resources.

Anyone can get naloxone inside free of charge with no questions asked, whether to use it in an emergency or to keep on hand.

Where can I find them in Fond du Lac?

The first of several new boxes was installed in the ADVOCAP lobby, 19 W. First St., on Jan. 7, and a second box at ADVOCAP is available on the back porch.

Previously, kits were installed at:

• the Gratitude Club, 295 Ruggles St., and Lighthouse Christian Church, 401 S. National Ave

As of January, the rest of the boxes are at the following locations:

• Beacon House, 166 S. Park Ave.
• Brothertown Indian Nation, 311 Winnebago Drive.
• Critter Junction, 154 Satterlee St.
• Holy Family Warming Shelter, 73 E. First St.
• Hope Lutheran Church, 260 Vincent St.
• Rainbow Bridge, 212 N. Main St.
• Sippel Funeral Home, 1311 Thorp St. in St. Cloud.

Please fill out and return the Survey so we can learn and adapt to what our Veterans need from the Brothertown Nation

Dear Brothertown Indian Nation Veterans,

I am reaching out to you in hopes of learning what interests you have in becoming a participating member of our group. We would like to know what if anything listed below might entice you to join us. There is a lot of fellowship and fun when we meet. We are very informal and welcoming.

If you have an interest, give me a call at 920-892-2556 for call the office at 920-929-9964 and talk to Dawn. Tell us what number(s) on the list would interest you. You could also check the boxes and send the check list back to Dawn at the BIN Office at P.O. Box 2206, Fond du Lac, WI. 54936. Or email filled out form to: BrothertownOffice@BrothertownIndians.org

I Hope to hear from you, Mike!

Download and either fill in the form on your computer or print and fill out by hand. You can email or send by mail.

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.