January 16, 2014 –
MAYETTA: Hattie Mitchell, Tribal Council treasurer, represented the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation last night at Gov. Sam Brownback’s annual State of the State address given in the House chambers at the Capitol. Some other leaders from the four Kansas tribes also attended the address and were recognized at the event by the Speaker of the House.
According to Mitchell, Brownback spoke about his experiences last year with Native American groups in his speech. He mentioned that he had traveled with descendants of the survivors of the Pottawatomie Trail of Death to near Mound City to remember, acknowledge and apologize for the barbarous treatment of Native Americans moved to Kansas. In addition, he spoke about how he traveled to the graveyard at Haskell where Native children, including infants, are buried. Later on in his presentation he said, “As Governor, I acknowledge and accept responsibility on behalf of the people of Kansas and I ask forgiveness for these wrongs we have done.”
Brownback also emphasized the importance of education, water education, and other social issues. The full text of his speech can be accessed at http://www.kckansan.com/2014/01/full-text-gov-brownbacks-state-of-state.html