The Potawatomi

The Potawatomi

The Potawatomi lived at one time in the southwest section of Michigan. Then, they spread out and moved to other areas such as the land around what is now the city of Saginaw. Of the three groups, the Potawatomi were known as the best farmers. They grew more of their own food than the other two groups. Crops included squash, corn, melons, and beans. They also used maple sap to make syrup and sugar.  They lived in villages, but moved their villages with the seasons. In the warm months they lived near rivers and lakes in round wigwams or rectangular lodges. In the winter, the villages often broke up into small groups of families that moved into the forests where the hunting was good. The Potawatomi used canoes for fishing and going short distances, but they did not travel by water as much as the other two groups. Like the other two groups, the Potawatomi used sleds and snowshoes in winter. They were well known for their quill embroidery, basketry, and beadwork.