Living under tribal government rule that often displays a serious pattern of abuse through nepotism practices, often overshadows people’s ability to come together for a common cause in helping others.
The reservation has experienced many tragic events in the past few months. Tribal members are losing their loved ones often, and the past several years have seen an increase in loss of life. Not all events have ended in a loss of life. A great story emerges from places where nepotism and corruption normally prevail, within the tribal government.
Our tribe has a custom when tribal members pass on in this life. One of the activities is performed by our “firekeeper.” A fire is maintained for four days before the funeral service. The fire is maintained for many reasons and kept through all types of weather. Rains, snow showers, and winds are shielded by a tarp tent covering the fire and maintained by our firekeeper. The member responsible today has been tending funeral fires for more than 10 years now and recently experienced their own tragic event, nearly losing a daughter.
With great support from workers within the tribal government, this firekeeper has been able to be with their child throughout, her hospital stays after a horrible car accident. She is now recovering well after a major setback and may soon be returning to the reservation.
Policy often dictates how long people can be away from their places of employment for insurance purposes. This practice is not different than any other place of employment on the reservation. The firekeeper has to now ask for an extension of benefits after a setback and does not have any allotted time to cover their weekly payroll hours. This is when the managers, directors, and employees of the tribal government stepped up to help out this firekeeper who has sat many nights in sub-freezing temperatures to assist those crossing over.
This particular story is not specific to any cultural aspect or why things are done differently on the reservations in this country. The story ends with finding out that almost all the people who contributed to the common cause of helping the current firekeeper in their time of need, were not the top tribal leaders or chief. They have lost their way to support their own but those they employ, who often are not tribal members and are considered “white” have come through for the firekeeper and have been contributing their vacation and sick time to support their weekly payroll when policy failed to do so and unfortunately, the top tribal leaders as well.
A Potawatomi Life 