Cherokee Native Americans and Their Descendents - Descendants
The following post was on the CHEROKEE NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR DESCENDENTS post on Facebook. We thought it was worth sharing. If you have thoughts or comments, feel free to email those to: northerncherokeenation@gmail.com.
-- The Northern Cherokee Nation
Some Folks Ask About This, so here goes:
ARE YOU AN UNDOCUMENTED, DISENFRANCHISED CHEROKEE?
It has long been prophesied by our elders and ancestors, that the return of the Buffalo, the new century and seven generations would bring forth many people of Cherokee blood that want to rejoin the heritage that had been hidden from them.
Hidden from them because of the fear left from the 1800's when the white man persecuted our people. These people coming forth now, maybe with just a drop of Cherokee blood, have been given the spark by the Creator to return to the Cherokee white path, to learn of their ancestors, of our old ways, and some may want to help in bringing back our history, customs, ceremonies, stories and language, or even to recognize and practice those old ways.
I now this prophesy is true as I was in the supermarket last week and they now have Buffalo at the meat counter.
However, heart warming and proud as they may feel about those of them /us who are on this path, there are still others who reject them /us. People who have appointed themselves above everyone else and say they are the Cherokee "Experts," and say that they are the real recognized Indians and that we are not.
They say, we are considered and called a "Wannabe," or a "Twinkie" by them. These people who claim they have the knowledge concerning our ancestor's and past are the ones who are quick to point the finger at others and accuse us of being a fraud. If our old traditions were the knowledge they hold, then they would know that to judge and call down another, or by even having bad thoughts against another is against the old way of teachings. It is wrongful and is also known as bad witchcraft to talk against another and to put them below you.
When it comes to being a Cherokee or not, it does not matter how much Cherokee blood you have, it is that you DO have even a single drop and that you wish to live your life as a Cherokee. This is the old way!
Why then do these "Experts" degrade those of less blood or those who cannot prove their Cherokee heritage?
In their opinion it simply comes down to selfish greed and / or the desire for money. Money from the same government that tried to exterminate and genocide our ancestor’s some two hundreds years ago.
They say, that some of theirs and our cousins think that they are trying to steal their money or government benefits away from them. Or at least dilute their power bases.
So, in unwarranted defense, they strike back and call them /us a fraud. This is a mind-set that has been instilled in their /our cousins over the last 190 years, by this same government who tried to destroy us as a people. They wanted to eliminate us altogether, and to assimilate us into another race. That did not work, but they did create a mixed blood race, which has caused a separation between us, that may never allow us to come back together, or at least cause it hard to reunite with our recognized cousins.
But these Cherokee people coming back to the way are strong, They say, that they /we are the descendents of the survivors and They won't give up. All they want is to be accepted, recognized by their own, not by the government. They just want to assist in gaining the benefits for their cousins, not to steal those benefits. Most of them could care less if they are recognized by the United States Government, or by any State organized unit, or to be a member of one of the recognized tribes, either. They say, no...we just want to be accepted for who they are, your brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers, they and we are all your relations. All Cherokee, despite how much blood they have, so know that we are all related, and to gain anything for our people we must unify, and not continue to be divided.
Call the Cherokee people wanting to return to the white path, "Returning Cherokee," "Disenfranchised Cherokee," or "Un-recognized Cherokees," but do not call them "Wannabes'" or "frauds."
Do not look down on them or talk about them behind their backs. Don't sneer, giggle or laugh at us.
Do not refuse to talk to them if they speak to you in a respectful way.
Give these Cherokee people the same respect they are offering to you.
These Cherokee People coming back to the ways of their heritage, which will not let anyone deny them from being who they are, they do not apologize to anyone on the quantum of their blood, or the color of their skin, hair or eyes and will let no one deny them the pride and privilege of being a Cherokee.
"The Creator gave no man the power to say who any other man can or cannot be".
It should also be recognized that these undocumented Cherokee, might also be the descendants of the Cherokee people who fought against the white man, the Cherokee people who refused to be placed in reservations. The Cherokee people who hid out in the hills from the white man and kept themselves "free." These Cherokee felt that they had held to their belief of freedom and did not give in or sell out to the white mans government. These were the Cherokee who felt that they were the true Cherokee, the true warriors for our freedom. These people went through a lot to keep hidden from the white man and to be safe from removal. They had to change their names and / or take on the names of non-Indians. They kept no records so that they could not be traced. All family history was by word of mouth. Soon, not even verbal history was spoken under fear of imprisonment.
So our/ their ancestors had to hide their pride. It became so bad that soon no one spoke of their heritage and unfortunately, some younger family members were not told of their heritage just so they would be kept safe.
Theirs, Our ancestors gave up a lot, just to be free. During and after the removal of the people, times became very hard.
So the government devised yet another way to assist in the extermination of the Indians. The government offered those Indian people their own plots of land and also gave them up to $5,000.00 in cash so that they could live and farm their own lands. They even offered them slaves. But this was not without a catch. To do this, the government required these families to denounce their Indian citizenship and heritage and to never speak of it again. The government wanted these Indians to live as whites and because times were so hard for these people, many accepted the offer.
In any of the cases mentioned above, they would have never thought that one day their descendants would return to their heritage and find that we could not trace their families because of the secrets.
Today, because of that, some of their descendants cannot find a history of their family, or it is hard to find the pieces of their puzzle.. So they cannot prove, by the white man's government standards, that they are Cherokee. Their ancestors never thought that they would have to prove to anyone who they were.
Does anyone have the right to put these people down because their ancestors were the warriors who fought against being a prisoner of the white man?
No! Actually it should be quite the opposite. We as a people are our own worst enemies. As long as we continue to separate ourselves, and have divisions between us, and do not acknowledge our other Cherokee people, we will never be united really. So until we are united we have not become ONE people and we will continue to lose the strength that we should have as one people. Until this in fact happens, we will never fulfill what the Creator has taught us.
So they say; stand-up, be proud of who you are. Tell everyone that you are a Cherokee Indian and proud to be.
Make sure you fill out job applications stating who you are; an American Indian or Native American.
Join a disenfranchised Cherokee band or community organization in your state.
We all need to make a promise as Cherokee, to learn the Cherokee traditions, stories and the language and each day, choose a time to practice telling these stories or speaking our language, especially if one doesn't know it. Because it is up to us to keep our heritage alive, as one or as a whole, a family, and a people.
Our Cherokee people have a very rich heritage, and very rich part of America’s history, which continues today; show your pride in that history.
Make your ancestors proud to know you are proud to be their relations..
Do not allow anyone to take away your birthright. Stand up and be proud of who you are...you will not stand-alone!
The following post was on the CHEROKEE NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR DESCENDENTS post on Facebook. We thought it was worth sharing. If you have thoughts or comments, feel free to email those to: northerncherokeenation@gmail.com.
-- The Northern Cherokee Nation
Some Folks Ask About This, so here goes:
ARE YOU AN UNDOCUMENTED, DISENFRANCHISED CHEROKEE?
It has long been prophesied by our elders and ancestors, that the return of the Buffalo, the new century and seven generations would bring forth many people of Cherokee blood that want to rejoin the heritage that had been hidden from them.
Hidden from them because of the fear left from the 1800's when the white man persecuted our people. These people coming forth now, maybe with just a drop of Cherokee blood, have been given the spark by the Creator to return to the Cherokee white path, to learn of their ancestors, of our old ways, and some may want to help in bringing back our history, customs, ceremonies, stories and language, or even to recognize and practice those old ways.
I now this prophesy is true as I was in the supermarket last week and they now have Buffalo at the meat counter.
However, heart warming and proud as they may feel about those of them /us who are on this path, there are still others who reject them /us. People who have appointed themselves above everyone else and say they are the Cherokee "Experts," and say that they are the real recognized Indians and that we are not.
They say, we are considered and called a "Wannabe," or a "Twinkie" by them. These people who claim they have the knowledge concerning our ancestor's and past are the ones who are quick to point the finger at others and accuse us of being a fraud. If our old traditions were the knowledge they hold, then they would know that to judge and call down another, or by even having bad thoughts against another is against the old way of teachings. It is wrongful and is also known as bad witchcraft to talk against another and to put them below you.
When it comes to being a Cherokee or not, it does not matter how much Cherokee blood you have, it is that you DO have even a single drop and that you wish to live your life as a Cherokee. This is the old way!
Why then do these "Experts" degrade those of less blood or those who cannot prove their Cherokee heritage?
In their opinion it simply comes down to selfish greed and / or the desire for money. Money from the same government that tried to exterminate and genocide our ancestor’s some two hundreds years ago.
They say, that some of theirs and our cousins think that they are trying to steal their money or government benefits away from them. Or at least dilute their power bases.
So, in unwarranted defense, they strike back and call them /us a fraud. This is a mind-set that has been instilled in their /our cousins over the last 190 years, by this same government who tried to destroy us as a people. They wanted to eliminate us altogether, and to assimilate us into another race. That did not work, but they did create a mixed blood race, which has caused a separation between us, that may never allow us to come back together, or at least cause it hard to reunite with our recognized cousins.
But these Cherokee people coming back to the way are strong, They say, that they /we are the descendents of the survivors and They won't give up. All they want is to be accepted, recognized by their own, not by the government. They just want to assist in gaining the benefits for their cousins, not to steal those benefits. Most of them could care less if they are recognized by the United States Government, or by any State organized unit, or to be a member of one of the recognized tribes, either. They say, no...we just want to be accepted for who they are, your brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers, they and we are all your relations. All Cherokee, despite how much blood they have, so know that we are all related, and to gain anything for our people we must unify, and not continue to be divided.
Call the Cherokee people wanting to return to the white path, "Returning Cherokee," "Disenfranchised Cherokee," or "Un-recognized Cherokees," but do not call them "Wannabes'" or "frauds."
Do not look down on them or talk about them behind their backs. Don't sneer, giggle or laugh at us.
Do not refuse to talk to them if they speak to you in a respectful way.
Give these Cherokee people the same respect they are offering to you.
These Cherokee People coming back to the ways of their heritage, which will not let anyone deny them from being who they are, they do not apologize to anyone on the quantum of their blood, or the color of their skin, hair or eyes and will let no one deny them the pride and privilege of being a Cherokee.
"The Creator gave no man the power to say who any other man can or cannot be".
It should also be recognized that these undocumented Cherokee, might also be the descendants of the Cherokee people who fought against the white man, the Cherokee people who refused to be placed in reservations. The Cherokee people who hid out in the hills from the white man and kept themselves "free." These Cherokee felt that they had held to their belief of freedom and did not give in or sell out to the white mans government. These were the Cherokee who felt that they were the true Cherokee, the true warriors for our freedom. These people went through a lot to keep hidden from the white man and to be safe from removal. They had to change their names and / or take on the names of non-Indians. They kept no records so that they could not be traced. All family history was by word of mouth. Soon, not even verbal history was spoken under fear of imprisonment.
So our/ their ancestors had to hide their pride. It became so bad that soon no one spoke of their heritage and unfortunately, some younger family members were not told of their heritage just so they would be kept safe.
Theirs, Our ancestors gave up a lot, just to be free. During and after the removal of the people, times became very hard.
So the government devised yet another way to assist in the extermination of the Indians. The government offered those Indian people their own plots of land and also gave them up to $5,000.00 in cash so that they could live and farm their own lands. They even offered them slaves. But this was not without a catch. To do this, the government required these families to denounce their Indian citizenship and heritage and to never speak of it again. The government wanted these Indians to live as whites and because times were so hard for these people, many accepted the offer.
In any of the cases mentioned above, they would have never thought that one day their descendants would return to their heritage and find that we could not trace their families because of the secrets.
Today, because of that, some of their descendants cannot find a history of their family, or it is hard to find the pieces of their puzzle.. So they cannot prove, by the white man's government standards, that they are Cherokee. Their ancestors never thought that they would have to prove to anyone who they were.
Does anyone have the right to put these people down because their ancestors were the warriors who fought against being a prisoner of the white man?
No! Actually it should be quite the opposite. We as a people are our own worst enemies. As long as we continue to separate ourselves, and have divisions between us, and do not acknowledge our other Cherokee people, we will never be united really. So until we are united we have not become ONE people and we will continue to lose the strength that we should have as one people. Until this in fact happens, we will never fulfill what the Creator has taught us.
So they say; stand-up, be proud of who you are. Tell everyone that you are a Cherokee Indian and proud to be.
Make sure you fill out job applications stating who you are; an American Indian or Native American.
Join a disenfranchised Cherokee band or community organization in your state.
We all need to make a promise as Cherokee, to learn the Cherokee traditions, stories and the language and each day, choose a time to practice telling these stories or speaking our language, especially if one doesn't know it. Because it is up to us to keep our heritage alive, as one or as a whole, a family, and a people.
Our Cherokee people have a very rich heritage, and very rich part of America’s history, which continues today; show your pride in that history.
Make your ancestors proud to know you are proud to be their relations..
Do not allow anyone to take away your birthright. Stand up and be proud of who you are...you will not stand-alone!
WE ARE AT WAR FOR OUR VERY SURVIVAL, WE NEED YOU TO CHEROKEE UP!!!
The picture above is a pencil drawing of Chief Dragging Canoe. He left everything he had ever known, left everything he had ever cherished, left most of his clan and the only home he had ever known to fight for the right of his Nation and for Cherokees to be free. Look into his eyes and then tell me you will not fight for your Northern Cherokee family. If you cannot do EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING you can to help, then you are worthless to your people, you are worse than those who criticize and harp about the ‘Wannabee Cherokee’. By not helping your people, you are hurting us more than our enemies and frankly we don’t want nor need your kind of Native American. You are supposed to support your Nation, and help your Tribe. We are at WAR.
Every day Chief Grey Elk and I have people calling or emailing and asking absolutely insane questions and sometimes demanding we help them:
Can you tell me what tribe I belong to? NO.
Can you help me find my great aunt who is supposed to be Cherokee? NO.
How can I join a Cherokee group? We are not a club, seek your answer elsewhere.
My rent is due; I need help to pay it. Don’t care.
You have to help me with my family tree so I can join your group and get a monthly check. Seriously? Hell No.
And the list goes on and on. Most of these are either non-citizens or people that we have never heard from since they got a card 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. They don’t even know where we are; most think we are in Tahlequah, or part of the Cherokee in Oklahoma. News Flash, WE ARE NOT.
We do not get funding from the state or federal government. Every cent we get is from donations and goes to pay the nation’s bills. If anything is left, then it goes to the fight for Recognition. Everyone in your Tribal government from the Chief, Deputy Chief, Council and Tribal Secretary work for free. Most of us work 40+ hours a week to pay our own mortgage, car payments, etc., then turn around and give money to the tribe to pay the Tribal mortgage, utilities and repairs. Of course, if you cared about your Nation and your Tribal family you would already know this.
We do this because we are Cherokee and we are fighting a WAR for our survival.
It has become quite easy to tell who are the Real Cherokees and the ones who claim that in name only. Your Deputy Chief is going on the War Path. I AM SICK OF EXCUSES.
#1 The Chief and I (Deputy Chief) both live more than 3 to 4 hours away from the tribal headquarters, but yet, we manage to show up.
#2. We don’t have to ask what to do, we just do it.
#3. We make the time to find out what needs to be done because we give a damn about what happens to our people and our nation, it is important to us to do so. Obviously, it is not important enough to all of those that call wanting something for nothing, most we have not heard from in 10, 20 or even 30 years.
#4. Even if you are disabled or inhibited in other ways, you could make phone calls, write letters, etc. Even if you cannot hold a weapon, you can fight.
If you can’t seem to pull $5.00 a month out of your daily spending on McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, beer, cigarettes or your $600.00 phone, then our failure falls on YOU. If you can’t CHEROKEE UP, then our next 7 generations will know why because I will tell them. If you want recognition by any government including our Tribal government, then you better get busy and make a plan to send in $5.00 a month, let me repeat myself, send in $5.00 a month. We will see who the real Cherokee are and who wants us to succeed or fail. If you don’t want us to succeed, go on down the road, tear up your card and stop calling. We only want true and honest Cherokees who are willing to work to help our people.
Here is the TRUTH; you are either Cherokee or you’re not.
Does this letter upset you, Good, now just maybe we have your attention!
Gess guah dah
ᎠᎵᏕᎵᎩ ᏅᎦᏫᏴᎯ; ᏃᏈᏏ ᏅᏬᎯᎵ ᏓᎶᏂᎨᏍᏙᏗ
The picture above is a pencil drawing of Chief Dragging Canoe. He left everything he had ever known, left everything he had ever cherished, left most of his clan and the only home he had ever known to fight for the right of his Nation and for Cherokees to be free. Look into his eyes and then tell me you will not fight for your Northern Cherokee family. If you cannot do EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING you can to help, then you are worthless to your people, you are worse than those who criticize and harp about the ‘Wannabee Cherokee’. By not helping your people, you are hurting us more than our enemies and frankly we don’t want nor need your kind of Native American. You are supposed to support your Nation, and help your Tribe. We are at WAR.
Every day Chief Grey Elk and I have people calling or emailing and asking absolutely insane questions and sometimes demanding we help them:
Can you tell me what tribe I belong to? NO.
Can you help me find my great aunt who is supposed to be Cherokee? NO.
How can I join a Cherokee group? We are not a club, seek your answer elsewhere.
My rent is due; I need help to pay it. Don’t care.
You have to help me with my family tree so I can join your group and get a monthly check. Seriously? Hell No.
And the list goes on and on. Most of these are either non-citizens or people that we have never heard from since they got a card 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. They don’t even know where we are; most think we are in Tahlequah, or part of the Cherokee in Oklahoma. News Flash, WE ARE NOT.
We do not get funding from the state or federal government. Every cent we get is from donations and goes to pay the nation’s bills. If anything is left, then it goes to the fight for Recognition. Everyone in your Tribal government from the Chief, Deputy Chief, Council and Tribal Secretary work for free. Most of us work 40+ hours a week to pay our own mortgage, car payments, etc., then turn around and give money to the tribe to pay the Tribal mortgage, utilities and repairs. Of course, if you cared about your Nation and your Tribal family you would already know this.
We do this because we are Cherokee and we are fighting a WAR for our survival.
It has become quite easy to tell who are the Real Cherokees and the ones who claim that in name only. Your Deputy Chief is going on the War Path. I AM SICK OF EXCUSES.
#1 The Chief and I (Deputy Chief) both live more than 3 to 4 hours away from the tribal headquarters, but yet, we manage to show up.
#2. We don’t have to ask what to do, we just do it.
#3. We make the time to find out what needs to be done because we give a damn about what happens to our people and our nation, it is important to us to do so. Obviously, it is not important enough to all of those that call wanting something for nothing, most we have not heard from in 10, 20 or even 30 years.
#4. Even if you are disabled or inhibited in other ways, you could make phone calls, write letters, etc. Even if you cannot hold a weapon, you can fight.
If you can’t seem to pull $5.00 a month out of your daily spending on McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, beer, cigarettes or your $600.00 phone, then our failure falls on YOU. If you can’t CHEROKEE UP, then our next 7 generations will know why because I will tell them. If you want recognition by any government including our Tribal government, then you better get busy and make a plan to send in $5.00 a month, let me repeat myself, send in $5.00 a month. We will see who the real Cherokee are and who wants us to succeed or fail. If you don’t want us to succeed, go on down the road, tear up your card and stop calling. We only want true and honest Cherokees who are willing to work to help our people.
Here is the TRUTH; you are either Cherokee or you’re not.
Does this letter upset you, Good, now just maybe we have your attention!
Gess guah dah
ᎠᎵᏕᎵᎩ ᏅᎦᏫᏴᎯ; ᏃᏈᏏ ᏅᏬᎯᎵ ᏓᎶᏂᎨᏍᏙᏗ
Osiyo Northern Cherokee Family,
Today we will present a short genealogy lesson. The world today is chocker block full of experts. Religious experts, archeology whizbangs, those experts steeped in the knowledge of anthropology. Historical experts, genealogy experts, mystical guru’s, and shamanistic teachers. Each with their own theory on where and when early humans originated from and migrated to. We will not go into any of their beliefs and/or theory’s. Remember, a theory is at best, a wild guess that cannot be proved now or ever. Most are backed up but nothing but conjecture or even better, a mystic vision brought on by some illicit substance. These EXPERTS are usually collage professors surviving on million-dollar grants.
We all know the drill taught in schools for the last 200 hundred years. We all crossed over the Bearing Straight from Asia about 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Despite archeological evidence dating some of us back to 35 thousand years and carbon 14 dating going back even further, this goofy theory is still being taught in schools. Ok fine, these very well compensated experts have their theory’s, and so do we. Who better to present theories about our history than us? Instead of conjecture, and paycheck driven theory, how about old Cherokee legends. The experts know very little of our old legends. They make common sense to us. Our whole world is driven in many ways governed by COMMON SENSE. One of our legends tell us that when “Unegas” whites, are faced with common sense, they will resist. If common sense is forced on them, they will violently rebel. Ok fine. Enough about that.
Some of the early legends say that the Island we lived on MAY BE off the east coast of Brazil, was being attacked by a vast number of warriors from the main land of South America. When they looked down on us from the mountain peaks, they observed that we lived in buildings that went into the clouds. After secretly observing us for some time they determined that we had weapons of unimaginable power. This will be discussed in another legend about one of our early peace belts. Their leader called off the attack telling his warriors that if we were attacked, we would destroy all of mankind. This legend ends there. The next legend begins with our island being destroyed by a volcanic eruption. We built huge log rafts and 14 of the clans escaped. More about the number of clans later. Legend says that we came ashore somewhere on the east coast of Central America. Personal interviews with Mayan Priest indicate that we “dwelt” with them for “a time” and then traveled to a place called Canyon De Shelly. We lived there for a time and then for reasons no one knows, we left this place leaving no trace of our culture, and returned to the country of the Mayans, where according to them we “dwelt” with them for another “period of time” and then departed toward the Northeast. From here on our legends take over from the Mayan Legends. If any of you doubters have the nerve, go “talk” to some Mayan Priests discover how much more they know about our clan system that we do. “OR” how little do we know about theirs.
This ends this part of chapter 1 of the origins of Cherokee history. Much more on chapter 1 later. Chapter 2 on our history in North America will come soon. Please remember this. What we have presented here is based on ancient legends. We are in sole possession of most of these legends. Much of this story comes from old manuscripts written on everything from bark parchment, cane writing, old rolled up sections of wagon canvases and only translated from Cherokee into English in the last 200 years. Just one more thing. Sequoya did not invent the Cherokee form of writing, but he did a miraculous job of modernizing it. In the old times only, the Priest could read and write. It was forbidden for anyone else. Copies of the 91 to 104 symbols of what is now know as the old script still exist. We have these. Several groups out there can write and converse in “Old Script.
We know that bringing some of this old knowledge back to light will probably upset some the old elders and of course the all-knowing scholars but this does not belong to them. This belongs to all Cherokee’s. The authors of these writings will stay anonymous for now or until they decide otherwise.
Kenn Grey Elk
Da Na Da Go Huh i
Now on to something more interesting, like making sure your nation survives in the next century. We keep track of as many Cherokee groups as we can. Many of these groups fail for lack of support of their members, most lack any records of their culture or history, some get absorbed by other groups and simply fade away. We are very blessed to have preserved many of the old writings, records, medicine books, ceremonies, and the only complete record and information on the clan system. Very few groups can even agree on how many clans there were or are now. What is all of this worth to you? We have existed in the past by a few dedicated donors, but we need more. WE need all of you to donate. With property and building insurance, improvements to your grounds, utilities, office supplies, postage and much more. We must have a dependable source of monthly income. I have asked before that you donate the cost of a Big Mac meal $ 10:00 once a month, I am asking again to sustain your Nation into the future.
REMEMBER, WE RECEIVE NO STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING AND ALL OFFICE STAFF (1) ARE VOLUNTEERS.
Show pride in your nation, your pride in the fact we have survived 275 years as a separate group that refused to sign peace treaties or give up any of our land without a fight. We have survived the Indian removal acts signed by the Missouri legislature, which meant being shot or hung in the middle of he night or removal to “Indian Territory” Oklahoma if we survived. We have withstood vicious attacks from other Cherokee tribes who claim we are appropriating a culture they barely know anything about. We still, currently, are in conflicts with Missouri law makers on several issues and yet we do and always endeavor to persevere. Hang in there with your tribe. Enjoy this fight, Support your Nation. Remember we fight for you.
We have PAYPAL for your convenience, or if you wish you may send a generous check made out to NCN and mail to NCN, P.O. Box 413, Cuba, MO. 65453
Today we will present a short genealogy lesson. The world today is chocker block full of experts. Religious experts, archeology whizbangs, those experts steeped in the knowledge of anthropology. Historical experts, genealogy experts, mystical guru’s, and shamanistic teachers. Each with their own theory on where and when early humans originated from and migrated to. We will not go into any of their beliefs and/or theory’s. Remember, a theory is at best, a wild guess that cannot be proved now or ever. Most are backed up but nothing but conjecture or even better, a mystic vision brought on by some illicit substance. These EXPERTS are usually collage professors surviving on million-dollar grants.
We all know the drill taught in schools for the last 200 hundred years. We all crossed over the Bearing Straight from Asia about 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Despite archeological evidence dating some of us back to 35 thousand years and carbon 14 dating going back even further, this goofy theory is still being taught in schools. Ok fine, these very well compensated experts have their theory’s, and so do we. Who better to present theories about our history than us? Instead of conjecture, and paycheck driven theory, how about old Cherokee legends. The experts know very little of our old legends. They make common sense to us. Our whole world is driven in many ways governed by COMMON SENSE. One of our legends tell us that when “Unegas” whites, are faced with common sense, they will resist. If common sense is forced on them, they will violently rebel. Ok fine. Enough about that.
Some of the early legends say that the Island we lived on MAY BE off the east coast of Brazil, was being attacked by a vast number of warriors from the main land of South America. When they looked down on us from the mountain peaks, they observed that we lived in buildings that went into the clouds. After secretly observing us for some time they determined that we had weapons of unimaginable power. This will be discussed in another legend about one of our early peace belts. Their leader called off the attack telling his warriors that if we were attacked, we would destroy all of mankind. This legend ends there. The next legend begins with our island being destroyed by a volcanic eruption. We built huge log rafts and 14 of the clans escaped. More about the number of clans later. Legend says that we came ashore somewhere on the east coast of Central America. Personal interviews with Mayan Priest indicate that we “dwelt” with them for “a time” and then traveled to a place called Canyon De Shelly. We lived there for a time and then for reasons no one knows, we left this place leaving no trace of our culture, and returned to the country of the Mayans, where according to them we “dwelt” with them for another “period of time” and then departed toward the Northeast. From here on our legends take over from the Mayan Legends. If any of you doubters have the nerve, go “talk” to some Mayan Priests discover how much more they know about our clan system that we do. “OR” how little do we know about theirs.
This ends this part of chapter 1 of the origins of Cherokee history. Much more on chapter 1 later. Chapter 2 on our history in North America will come soon. Please remember this. What we have presented here is based on ancient legends. We are in sole possession of most of these legends. Much of this story comes from old manuscripts written on everything from bark parchment, cane writing, old rolled up sections of wagon canvases and only translated from Cherokee into English in the last 200 years. Just one more thing. Sequoya did not invent the Cherokee form of writing, but he did a miraculous job of modernizing it. In the old times only, the Priest could read and write. It was forbidden for anyone else. Copies of the 91 to 104 symbols of what is now know as the old script still exist. We have these. Several groups out there can write and converse in “Old Script.
We know that bringing some of this old knowledge back to light will probably upset some the old elders and of course the all-knowing scholars but this does not belong to them. This belongs to all Cherokee’s. The authors of these writings will stay anonymous for now or until they decide otherwise.
Kenn Grey Elk
Da Na Da Go Huh i
Now on to something more interesting, like making sure your nation survives in the next century. We keep track of as many Cherokee groups as we can. Many of these groups fail for lack of support of their members, most lack any records of their culture or history, some get absorbed by other groups and simply fade away. We are very blessed to have preserved many of the old writings, records, medicine books, ceremonies, and the only complete record and information on the clan system. Very few groups can even agree on how many clans there were or are now. What is all of this worth to you? We have existed in the past by a few dedicated donors, but we need more. WE need all of you to donate. With property and building insurance, improvements to your grounds, utilities, office supplies, postage and much more. We must have a dependable source of monthly income. I have asked before that you donate the cost of a Big Mac meal $ 10:00 once a month, I am asking again to sustain your Nation into the future.
REMEMBER, WE RECEIVE NO STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING AND ALL OFFICE STAFF (1) ARE VOLUNTEERS.
Show pride in your nation, your pride in the fact we have survived 275 years as a separate group that refused to sign peace treaties or give up any of our land without a fight. We have survived the Indian removal acts signed by the Missouri legislature, which meant being shot or hung in the middle of he night or removal to “Indian Territory” Oklahoma if we survived. We have withstood vicious attacks from other Cherokee tribes who claim we are appropriating a culture they barely know anything about. We still, currently, are in conflicts with Missouri law makers on several issues and yet we do and always endeavor to persevere. Hang in there with your tribe. Enjoy this fight, Support your Nation. Remember we fight for you.
We have PAYPAL for your convenience, or if you wish you may send a generous check made out to NCN and mail to NCN, P.O. Box 413, Cuba, MO. 65453
NCN Deputy Chief Tawny Eagle Letter to the Nation March 20, 2019
"Whole Indian Nations have melted away like snowballs in the sun before the white man's advance. They leave scarcely a name of our people except those wrongly recorded by their destroyers. Where are the Delawares? They have been reduced to a mere shadow of their former greatness. We had hoped that the white men would not be willing to travel beyond the mountains. Now that hope is gone. They have passed the mountains and have settled upon Tsalagi (Cherokee) land. They wish to have that usurpation sanctioned by treaty. When that is gained, the same encroaching spirit will lead them upon other land of the Tsalagi (Cherokees). New cessions will be asked. Finally the whole country, which the Tsalagi (Cherokees) and their fathers have so long occupied, will be demanded, and the remnant of the Ani Yvwiya, the Real People, once so great and formidable, will be compelled to seek refuge in some distant wilderness. There they will be permitted to stay only a short while, until they again behold the advancing banners of the same greedy host. Not being able to point out any further retreat for the miserable Tsalagi (Cherokees), the extinction of the whole race will be proclaimed. Should we not therefore run all risks, and incur all consequences, rather than to submit to further loss of our country? Such treaties may be alright for men who are too old to hunt or fight. As for me, I have my young warriors about me. We will hold our land."
Tsiyu Gansini (ᏥᏳ ᎦᏅᏏᏂ) “He is dragging his canoe” Dragging Canoe
Tsiyu Gansini (ᏥᏳ ᎦᏅᏏᏂ) “He is dragging his canoe” Dragging Canoe
Northern Cherokee Nation
The NCN is a non-profit organization and state recognized tribe composed of approximately 14,000 people of Cherokee descent. Most NCN are descendants of those Cherokees who did not emigrate into Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), some of which emigrated prior to the Trail or Tears when the Cherokees were beginning to be pushed west of the Mississippi.
For more History follow these links.
CHICKAMAUGA TIMELINE
"THE GREAT CHEROKEE CHILDREN MASSACRE AT YWAHOO FALLS"
WAMPUM BELT
REASON FOR LEAVING OUR HOMELAND IN THE EAST
SPANISH TREATY
NATURAL DISASTERS
FORCED REMOVAL
STATES AGAINST INDIANS
NEW HOPE
LEGAL GENOCIDE
FEDERAL RECOGNITION
BRINGING THE CHILDREN HOME
HISTORICAL CHEROKEE MARRIAGE
IN ANCIENT TIMES I
THE EARLY TIMES II
THE COLONIAL PERIOD III
SEQUOYAH IV
THE CHEROKEE REMOVAL V
THE CHEROKEE TODAY VI
For more History follow these links.
CHICKAMAUGA TIMELINE
"THE GREAT CHEROKEE CHILDREN MASSACRE AT YWAHOO FALLS"
WAMPUM BELT
REASON FOR LEAVING OUR HOMELAND IN THE EAST
SPANISH TREATY
NATURAL DISASTERS
FORCED REMOVAL
STATES AGAINST INDIANS
NEW HOPE
LEGAL GENOCIDE
FEDERAL RECOGNITION
BRINGING THE CHILDREN HOME
HISTORICAL CHEROKEE MARRIAGE
IN ANCIENT TIMES I
THE EARLY TIMES II
THE COLONIAL PERIOD III
SEQUOYAH IV
THE CHEROKEE REMOVAL V
THE CHEROKEE TODAY VI
