Vanderhoef receives Eagle Feather from the Brothertown Indian Nation

Tim Vanderhoef /submitted photo

Tim Vanderhoef of Salem, has received an Eagle Feather from the Brothertown Indian Nation at the Brothertown Homecoming Gathering and Drum Social on Saturday, Oct.  22, in Fond Du Lac.

The Eagle Feather represents the Warrior Spirit or the spirit of a lost soldier.

Mike Pelky, Brothertown Veterans Representative released the following statement:

“In a special ceremony, followed by an Honor Drum Song, 12 [of these] Veterans were honored with the presentation of an Eagle Feather, for service to their families and to the Nation. This is one of the highest honors in the Native Tradition. These Veterans were greeted and thanked by all in attendance at homecoming.”

Vanderhoef, a native of Racine, is a descendant of the Brothertown Tribe, tracing his ancestry back to the Narragansett Indians through his mother’s lineage. Vanderhoef has been helping the tribe in its efforts to regain federal recognition since the early 1980s, and has been volunteering as Brothertown Nation Newsletter co-editor along with his cousin, Megan (Stark) Fulopp of Senoia, GA, who is also a native of Racine. Vanderhoef also appeared with six other Brothertown Family Veterans on their float, participating in the Appleton Flag Day Parade on June 11.

The Brothertowns are an amalgamation of seven Atlantic Coast tribes and one of the first Christianized tribes, moving to Wisconsin starting in 1832. Their tribal headquarters are located in Fond du Lac, though the original tribal lands in are located about 10 miles NE in Brothertown on the Eastern shore of Lake Winnebago. Their current information and past history are located on the tribal website at www.brothertownindians.org.