Powell Littlejohn, Removed, 2012

Powell was removed from the Ho-Chunk Nation rolls on September 22, 2012.

The enrollment office of the Ho-Chunk Nation presented a new document that showed the lineage of his great grandmother was 1/8 Sac and Fox of Missouri and 7/8 Winnebago. He was 1/64 shy of the required 1/4 blood quantum.  His grandfather’s enrollment is listed as ½ Wisconsin Winnebago and ½ Nebraska Winnebago.  Powell’s paternal grandfather is also of Native American descent but not enrolled, but eligible.

Powell is an active member of the tribe.  He is also known as Huc Co (Blue Bear) and is in the feast lodge as well as assists from time to time in camps for Ma ka u (Medicine Lodge). One must ask just how far back will we go and how many other Ho-Chunks are unaware of another tribe or peoples in their ancestry? I think we can all agree that if we reach back far enough, no one is full-blooded. My Coka (grandfather) Grant Littlejohn said, “Either you’re Ho-Chunk or you’re not.”

These are excerpts taken from Powell Littlejohn’s hearing statements that were given by his mother Tracy Littlejohn.