This past June, Tribal Government Representatives and dignitaries from all three Shawnee Tribes attended an unveiling of a bronze sculpture of Shawnee historical figure Tecumseh. Shawnee Tribe Business Councilman Keni Hood, Eastern Shawnee Chief Glenna Wallace and Absentee Shawnee Governor John Johnson spoke to approximately 200 residents and State Representatives at the Shawnee Prairie Nature Center, in Greenville, Ohio.
Governor Johnson read quotes from Tecumseh. Chief Wallace spoke about the importance of cooperation and unity between the three Shawnee Tribes. Business Councilman Keni Hood spoke about the three Shawnee Tribes all being related and coming from the same place.
“People forget that we are the exact same families who were forced to leave Ohio and now returned together for this dedication.” Said Councilman Hood. “No matter how far our people will travel from each other, we are all related. We are reminded of this when we hear our elders speak and finish with, caaki yeelaakootiyakwe “All my relations“.”
Each Tribal Government Representative was presented a framed copy of one of Tecumseh’s famous speeches.
The 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested from Monongahela National Forest, which is part of the Shawnee ancestral homeland. The tribe’s THPO is teaming up with National Forest staff to ensure the Capitol Tree includes representation of the Shawnee Tribe. On Friday, September 15 at our General Council dinner & stomp festivities in […]
Early voting by absentee ballot (vote-by-mail) is offered in 2023. All voted ballots must be received by the Election Committee by 5:00 PM (Central) on the Thursday before the election, September 14. Voters may return their ballots by mail or deliver the ballot in person to the Election Committee. Any citizen participating in early or […]
CHIEF BEN BARNES As the celebration of Independence Day fades into the background, this is the time of year that the Business Council begins to look toward the next fiscal year and plan programming for Shawnee families. We generally have two sorts of programs: those that come from federal funding sources and those that are […]
In February of 2023, the Shawnee Tribe Business Council approved a revision to Title 6, The Shawnee Tribe Elections Act. This amendment of…
MORRIS BLUEJACKET HOMETOWN: BLUEJACKET, OK CURRENT CITY: BLUEJACKET, OK OCCUPATION: RETIRED Born in Vinita raised in BlueJacket. Graduate of BlueJacket High School. I am married to Pattie (McLain) BlueJacket for 46 years. We have One son Tab & wife Tiffany, 5 Grandchildren. I have worked in state & county government for the past 34 years, […]
HEIDI BIGKNIFE RANKIN HOMETOWN: DENVER, CO CURRENT CITY: TULSA, OK OCCUPATION: ARTIST Hatito or hello friends and fellow citizens, I am Heidi BigKnife. My Shawnee roots stretch from Vinita, Oklahoma to our tribal lands in Kansas and Ohio. I am an artist and live and work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Most of my art practice is […]
BEN BARNES (Incumbent) HOMETOWN: MIAMI, OK CURRENT CITY: MIAMI, OK OCCUPATION: CHIEF OF THE SHAWNEE TRIBE For over 25 years, I have served in leadership roles in Indian Country, professionally at director-level positions in Tribal Gaming. Since 2008, it has been a true honor and privilege to work for my own community, working to bring […]
Shawnee Tribe Behavioral and Mental Health invites you to join an upcoming trauma support group centered around the book The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.