'Siyo! Daquadov Wodige Wehali (Browneagle). My Native American journey began several years ago when I first learned of my Tsalagi heritage. On both sides of my family were noble Cherokee women who were forced to deny their Native heritage or suffer harsh consequences. These women assimilated in to the Black culture and lived as "women of color". Many Native people did this to avoid removal from their ancestral homeland (or worse). Some Native people intermarried with Black people, and raised their offspring as Black children, with little or no exposure to their Native heritage for fear of retaliation. I am proud to claim both my African and Cherokee ancestry.
