Intertribal Relations View

The Council of Three Fires is an alliance of three nations. They are the Potawatomi which are known as the Keepers of the fire, the Ottawa the Keepers of trade, and finally the Ojibwa the Keepers of faith. The three tribes treat one another as family does, and there is a notable quote saying, “In this Council, the Ojibwe were addressed as the "Older Brother," the Odawa as the "Middle Brother," and the Potawatomi as the "Younger Brother" (Council of Three Fires 2020). While the flag shown is not an offical flag of the Council, it was created from Anishinaabe symbol and included the three flames to represent each tribe of the Three Fires Council. Black represents Ojibwe, red Ottawa, and yellow Potawatomi (Flag of The Anishinaabe Council of Three Fires). I found this to be a beautiful integration of symbols representing these three tribes and their common relations. The fire on the barrette can be seen as a nod to the connection and bonds these three tribes share.