Pëgėgen

Sakiwnik was born in 1775 mixed of Odawa & Ojibwe. The Odawa winter camp was among the St. Joseph Potawatomi, & when Topinabee came across Sakiwnik, he noticed a rib hanging from his scalp lock so he called him "pëgėgen." in 1830, pëgėgen was baptized into the Catholic faith as Leopold Pokagon. Durring the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, Pokagon's village (wshkebgeshketokiwek - they grow / plant green leafs) in present day Niles, MI was ceded, but bein the resiliant leader that he was, negotiated for his people to be able to stay in the territory of Michigan. Under the agreement that they be removed to Harbor Springs area, but that land was not available. Monies were pooled together from the treaties & just under 900 acres of land were purchased in Silver Creek TWP near Dowagiac, MI around Priest Lake. Later on Pokagon deded 40 acres of that land to the Catholic church where present day Sacred Heart Catholic church stands. Pokagon passed away in 1841 & is buried with his wife Elizabeth Topinabee under the Southwest front corner of the church.