Letter to PBP members on a dis-enrollment hearing.
From Joyce Guerrero
Our family received a letter dated May 23, 2007 from the enrollment department of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, signed by Arlene Lingo.
It is a Notice of Intent to Dis-Enroll my grandson Aaron Michael.
The letter goes on to state reasons: briefly they are that years ago when Aaron’s application was processed there was a miscalculation made by the Enrollment department and the Enrollment Committee and Tribal Council at that time. All three entities failed to catch this error if that is the case.
My Mother Agnes Wabski Kitchkommie was correctly the 4/4 full blood. Apparently my Father Joseph A. Kitchkommie came up “erroneously” the letter says.
I question the timing of this action. The fact that this letter comes at a time of this recall petition process I have to wonder who is targeting my family. I will not state if I have or have not signed the petition. I have however; as a Gaming Commissioner been put in the position of having to confront Tracy Stanhoff more than once on her lack of following protocol in the area of regulations. It is no secret as this was done in front of other Commissioners and Council members and that I have been vocal with questions in meetings to her regarding the IL project.
We have been given a date of hearing on this matter of June 4th, 2007 in front of Tribal Council to decide. I have no reassurance that the entire tribal council will decide on the fate of my grandson’s enrollment. We all know that one person now on that council overpowers the weaker ones.
My family will live with the decision of that hearing and persevere. Aaron has been for 12 years a Prairie Band Potawatomi tribal member. He asks does this mean he cannot say that he is Prairie Band Potawatomi anymore? He does not understand at his age the political ramifications and mean spirited actions that children can get caught in the middle of. I wanted to share this experience because I think this is not a good sign for our future of our tribal members.
Can an outside group go to someone and point a finger at your family and start dis-enrollment procedures? Or one individual? You will always find angry, disgruntled, unhappy people willing to participate in these causes. I welcome this hearing to be heard and share my original paperwork, if for no other reason than to prove that there was no intent to deceive or falseness committed on our behalf and I want that to be a part of that hearing that day. Is council prepared to have more hearings?
It could be your family next. Thank you so much for having this venue to get out information.
Joyce Kitchkommie Guerrero
Wow this is just unbelievable.That in this day and age the blood quantum is used as a criteria of ones ethnicity.
How can the Band go along with this??
In Canada there is a thing called a status card.Where First Nations peoples have to prove to the government that they are indeed First Nations.
A rather absurd proposition.No other peoples on the planet have to prove to others who they are or who they say they are.
To often this blood quantum is used by some to retain their power or intimate others.
It is but one more tool of colonialists to enforce their will over that of the indigenous population.
Shame on those that play this game...
Posted by: dirk | May 27, 2007 at 05:48 PM
Joyce...sorry to hear that your grandson is being singled out for dis-enrollment. The timing of the Recall Petitions and this issue does smack of reprisal.
Your grandson is a Potawatomi, regardless of what those, whose own blood quantum is in question say.
If it's a matter of documentation to prove your grandson's case, maybe I can help. I have done extensive research into the geneology and history of the whole tribe. I have a collection of documents that you are welcome to look through for anything you need to help in your grandson's case.
I'm sure that GOD will look closely and not very lovingly at those people that have choosen to attack your grand child.
Our ancestoral spirits have been awaken and am sure they aren't very happy with the direction the tribe is going!
George Wahquahboshkuk
Posted by: George L Wahquahboshkuk | May 28, 2007 at 09:10 AM
Joyce:
Sorry to hear about your situation. This is a family feud that has been going on for two years and now because your SISTER, TJ is angry with you it is being brought to the council. I have heard TJ talking about this dilemma at the powwows. TJ works in the enrollment office and mistakenly enrolled your grandson. No one would have even known about it had your SISTER told everyone. TJ your own sister wants your grandson out, she has said this over and over again. How twisted and evil to suggest that this is retaliation for signing or not signing the petition.
You also don't know much about about the council vote, the Chairperson is only the tie-breaker.
The issue with possible violations of protocol is an exaggeration. As Gaming Commissioner many employees have complained about your unprofessionalism.
Sorry to hear that your own family has turned against you and wants your grandson dis-enrolled, but don't try to turn this into retaliation.
Posted by: joe | May 28, 2007 at 02:55 PM
I am getting "confused" here sister and grandsons.Family members calling for the dis enrollment of other family members.
How is it possible for one member to be Native and another not.
This is absurd.
While certain members play the whiteman's game others profit,others get revenge,others play petty games and the status quo stays the same.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
I feel for you Joe.
It must be a maddening/depressing situation.What does this say to the children and more importantly your grandchild.
Or when one knows,that whats needed is community unity and solidarity.
Posted by: dirk | May 28, 2007 at 07:08 PM
I feel for you and this whole dis-enrollment issue. Being outside the reservation and not residing in the State of Kansas, I, as a PBPN member know how many other members feel when it comes to feeling dis-enrolled in a sense. We may not have the misfortune or the harassment or the ill-Intentions of being dis-enrolled, but living outside the "hotzone" of the rez, we as PBPN members do not benefit in many ways or have a final say so's or reap the luxuries because we are the outside off the rez tribal members, a to bad so sad attitude from our own. And the most hypocritical humorous thing about all of this, is, yet every year we gather as a "nation" and yet we survive as individual tribes. I always identified my self as "Potawatomi" but I see I must explain which band/tribe, discrimination is alive and well amongst ourselves. Your grandson has my blessings, I hope he is reinstated soon.
Posted by: sandra bodah | May 29, 2007 at 03:37 PM
Sandra,
You are missing the point. Joyce is saying that her grandson is being dis-enrolled because of retaliation from the Chairman. In reality this dis-enrollment process was begun years before Chairman Stanhoff was elected. Apparently her grandson should never have been enrolled in the first place. Now her sister (the grandson's aunt) wants him out. In fact, there are suspicious circumstances for her grandson being enrolled in the first place. The person who deserves our sympathy is the Chairperson for being blamed for anything bad that occurs on the rez.
Also, be aware Sandra that you will not have the opportunity to vote on the recall election because you live off the rez, no absentee ballots allowed. To vote you must actually travel to the rez and be at the council meeting on the day of the vote.
Posted by: joe | May 29, 2007 at 06:18 PM
Well, I am an enrolled Ponca Tribal member and still may be more PBPotawatomi than alot of enrolled members. I continue to follow the Potawatomi ways of life and know who "I" am regardless of my enrollment status. Joyce, I would suggest you teach that grandson of yours "our" ways, beliefs, and LANGUAGE...stop worrying about the money!
Posted by: Kaye | May 30, 2007 at 08:16 AM
No Joe, I was not missing the point but in fact, making one that you just reinforced and proved.There are no absentee ballots for outside members off the rez, and travel ?, yes?! because we all have that option and financial advantage if we want to be heard or be considered a participating member of the tribe or make our vote count. And for those of us who have families and other obligations, I'm sure travel should be even more easier, because if we don't vote, we can't complain, correct ??
Yes, there are procedures that have been in place for dis-enrolling, and I personally don't think there is a " retailiation" happening here, but the misfortune and possible mishandeling of admin. Maybe if we had proper investigations from non-related family with in the administration departments, this whole thing could be settled.
Posted by: Sandra B | May 31, 2007 at 05:48 AM
It is easy to say you are Prairie Band Potawatomi it is much harder to walk the path as a Prairie Band Potawatomi.
I believe in our democratic system. I believe in the election of Tracy. Do I always agree with her, no, but that is a good thing. Do I want her removed, absolutely not. She has been the first with education, successful business experience and fore site to sit in the Chair position. The leaders of this recall vote are not qualified in my opinion to run the Tribe. That is why they were probably not re-elected.
I do believe Tracy has and will continue to hold this office with integrity and sound ethics. You do not need to be raised on the reservation to know what is needed on our reservation. If that is the case how does Badger know what is needed since he was not raised on the reservation. I was raised on the reservation and I am very proud of where I come from. I still have strong ties to home. As to all of you I to have my vision of what our Tribe will one day be and will be able to provide for our People.
The arguments I have read are all opinion and personal observation. Business is not based on opinion or personal observation, it is based on facts and the decisions should be made from facts. Tracy has not violated our constitution therefore there is no basis of fact to recall her.
Politics in itself is a strange bedfellow. As we see on a daily basis the fighting and infighting of Republicans and Democrats. Unfortunately our own council has built many surf domes around their position. I do not always agree with their decision or their work ethics. But we, the people elected them. Therefore I will support them and debate with them if I disagree with their position on an issue. I will also accept their decision in the end. They have a right to their opinion, that is why we elected them. I, like all of the Tribal members, have a right to our opinion. We each have a right to debate and negotiate with the Council. The bottom line, we the people elected each of the Tribal Council members. If we do not like the job they are doing then we do not vote for them in the next election. But until that time we work with them and support our Council' final decision.
It is important for the Tribal Council to work as a whole with the interest of the Tribe as their guide. Their decisions will affect many generation of our people to come. As to the Shab be nay land, those contracts were set in place many years ago by another council. Time has proven they were not good decisions. I feel the Council today has done an excellent job working on the Shab be nay land development and have made fair decision for all parties both Indian and non-Indian in the work they have performed on this development. That is the Potawatomi way to be fair, honest and just to all with sound ethics and morals. That is what my Grandfather, Joseph Nioce taught me. He also taught me that fairness, honesty, ethics and morals were ours to give away or keep. No man can take this away from you unless you allow this to happen. He was and is right.
It is easy to say you are Prairie Band Potawatomi it is much harder to walk the path as a Prairie Band Potawatomi.
Our support belongs with the general election results, and I will support Tracy.
Cecil Walker
Posted by: Cecil Walker | May 31, 2007 at 01:17 PM
It is easy to say you are Prairie Band Potawatomi it is much harder to walk the path as a Prairie Band Potawatomi.
I believe in our democratic system. I believe in the election of Tracy. Do I always agree with her, no, but that is a good thing. Do I want her removed, absolutely not. She has been the first with education, successful business experience and fore site to sit in the Chair position. The leaders of this recall vote are not qualified in my opinion to run the Tribe. That is why they were probably not re-elected.
I do believe Tracy has and will continue to hold this office with integrity and sound ethics. You do not need to be raised on the reservation to know what is needed on our reservation. If that is the case how does Badger know what is needed since he was not raised on the reservation. I was raised on the reservation and I am very proud of where I come from. I still have strong ties to home. As to all of you I to have my vision of what our Tribe will one day be and will be able to provide for our People.
The arguments I have read are all opinion and personal observation. Business is not based on opinion or personal observation, it is based on facts and the decisions should be made from facts. Tracy has not violated our constitution therefore there is no basis of fact to recall her.
Politics in itself is a strange bedfellow. As we see on a daily basis the fighting and infighting of Republicans and Democrats. Unfortunately our own council has built many surf domes around their position. I do not always agree with their decision or their work ethics. But we, the people elected them. Therefore I will support them and debate with them if I disagree with their position on an issue. I will also accept their decision in the end. They have a right to their opinion, that is why we elected them. I, like all of the Tribal members, have a right to our opinion. We each have a right to debate and negotiate with the Council. The bottom line, we the people elected each of the Tribal Council members. If we do not like the job they are doing then we do not vote for them in the next election. But until that time we work with them and support our Council' final decision.
It is important for the Tribal Council to work as a whole with the interest of the Tribe as their guide. Their decisions will affect many generation of our people to come. As to the Shab be nay land, those contracts were set in place many years ago by another council. Time has proven they were not good decisions. I feel the Council today has done an excellent job working on the Shab be nay land development and have made fair decision for all parties both Indian and non-Indian in the work they have performed on this development. That is the Potawatomi way to be fair, honest and just to all with sound ethics and morals. That is what my Grandfather, Joseph Nioce taught me. He also taught me that fairness, honesty, ethics and morals were ours to give away or keep. No man can take this away from you unless you allow this to happen. He was and is right.
It is easy to say you are Prairie Band Potawatomi it is much harder to walk the path as a Prairie Band Potawatomi.
Our support belongs with the general election results, and I will support Tracy.
Cecil Walker
Posted by: Cecil Walker | May 31, 2007 at 01:20 PM
Insightful, right on comments from Cecil! I support Tracy too, general election vote should stand. We can't keep having elections every year. Tracy should stay!
Posted by: joe | June 01, 2007 at 08:31 AM