Dancing for Our Tribe

Potawatomi Tradition in This Millennium

Visual storyteller Sharon Hoogstraten, a Citizen Potawatomi, discusses her work photographing present-day Potawatomis.

Today, Potawatomis wear traditional regalia that has been passed down through the generations and modified to reflect the influence and storytelling of contemporary life.

The Potawatomis once spread across Canada, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin before they were forcibly removed and relocated by the U.S. government as it expanded its territories westward. Despite being subjected to more treaties than any other Tribe, Potawatomis have maintained and restored their rich heritage.

Hoogstraten's more that 150 formal portraits, accompanied by handwritten statements from the subjects, tell a story of people who live in a world of both assimilation and pride.

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