~~~~~~~~Native ~~~~~~~ Americans ~~~~~~~Share~~~~~~~~~~"Amazing Grace" This hymn was written in 1779 by John Newton who, until his early 20's, was an unbeliever. A decade later he had become a devout preacher. The tune was known as "an early American Melody" and became a favorite of the Cherokees. It was sung on the Trail of Tears and can be considered the Cherokee National anthem::u ne la nv i u we tsi (God's Son) i ga gu yv he i (paid for us) hna quo tso sv wi yu lo se (Now to heaven He went) i ga gu yv ho nv (after paying for us) a se no i u ne tse i (Then He spoke) i yu no du le nv (when He rose) ta li ne dv tsi lu tsi li (I'll come the second time) u dv ne u ne tsv (He said when He spoke) e lo ni gv ni li s qua di (All the world will end) ga lu tsv ha i yu (when He returns) ni ga di da ye di go i (We will all see Him) a ni e lo ni gv (here the world over) u na da nv ti a ne hv (The righteous who live) do da ya nv hi li (He will come after) tso sv hna quo ni go hi lv (In heaven now always) do hi wa ne he s di (in peace they will live)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE "TRAIL of TEARS": Migration from the original Cherokee Nation began in the early 1800’s as Cherokees, wary of white encroachment, moved west and settled in other areas of the country. White resentment of the Cherokees had been building and reached a pinnacle after gold was discovered in Georgia, and immediately following the passage of the Cherokee Nation constitution, and establishment of a Cherokee Supreme Court. Possessed with ‘gold fever,’ and a thirst for expansion, the white communities turned on their Cherokee neighbors and the U.S. government decided it was time for the Cherokees to leave behind their farms, their land and their homes.A group known as the Old Settlers had moved in 1817 to lands given them in Arkansas where again they established a government and a peaceful way of life. Later, they too, were forced into Indian Territory.President Andrew Jackson, whose command and life was saved due to 500 Cherokee allies at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, unbelievably authorized the Indian Removal Act of 1830. In following the recommendation of President James Monroe in his final address to Congress in 1825, Jackson sanctioned an attitude that had persisted for many years among many white immigrants. Even Thomas Jefferson, who often cited the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy as the model for the U.S. Constitution, supported Indian Removal as early as 1802.The displacement of Native People was not wanting for eloquent opposition. Senators Daniel Webster and Henry Clay spoke out against removal. Reverend Samuel Worcester, missionary to the Cherokees, challenged Georgia’s attempt to estinguish Indian title to land in the state, winning the case before the Supreme Court.Worcester vs. Georgia, 1832, and Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia, 1831, are considered the two most influential decisions in Indian law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled for Georgia in the 1831 case, but in Worcester vs. Georgia, the court affirmed Cherokee sovereignty. President Andrew Jackson defied the decision of the court and ordered the removal, an act of defiance that established the U.S. government’s precedent for the removal of many Native Americans from the ancestral homelands.The U.S. government used the Treaty of New Echota in 1835 to justify the removal. The treaty, illegally signed by about 100 Cherokees known as the Treaty Party, relinquished all lands east of the Mississippi River in exchange for land in Indian Territory and the promise of money, livestock, various provisions and tools, and other benefits.When the pro-removal Cherokee leaders signed the Treaty of New Echota, they also signed their own death warrants. The Cherokee Naiton Council earlier had passed a law that called for the death penalty for anyone who agreed to give up tribal land. The signing and the removal led to better factionalism and the deaths of most of the Treaty Part leaders once in Indian Territory.Opposition to the removal was led by Chief John Ross, a mixed-blood of Scottish and one-eighth Cherokee descent. The Ross party and most Cherokees opposed the New Echota Treaty, but Georgia and the U.S. government prevailed and used it as justification to force almost all of the 17,000 Cherokees from their southeastern homeland.Under orders from President Jackson and in defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Army began enforcement of the Removal Act. More than 3,000 Cherokees were rounded up in the summer of 1838 and loaded onto boats that traveled the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers into Indian Territory. Many were held in prison camps awaiting their fate.An estimated 4,000 died from hunger, exposure and disease. The journey became an eternal memory as the "trail where they cried" for the Cherokees and other removed tribes. Today, it is remembered as the "Trail of Tears." The Oklahoma Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association has begun the task of marking the graves of Trail survivors with bronze memorials.Info provided by the Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center. For information regarding culture and language, please contact:[email protected] ------- "It should be remembered that hundreds of people of African ancestry also walked the Trail of Tears with the Cherokee during the forced removal of 1838-1839. Although we know about the terrible human suffering of our native people and the members of other tribes during the removal, we rarely hear of those black people who also suffered."-- Wilma Mankiller ~ Autobiography Mankiller: A Chief and Her People
Tammy aka Bunny ----American Indians Unite ---- ~--------------------------
Tribe invests in Gore community projectGORE, Okla. - The Cherokee Nation Community Work Project Program invested matching funds in the Cedar Springs Baptist Church near Gore to help with an expansion project that includes a fellowship hall, kitchen, dining room and the addition of siding to classrooms adjacent to the original sanctuary.Church members have also undertaken a research project to collect, document and display photographs, documents and artifacts chronicling the history of the area.The $3,000 initial installment is part of a more than $12,000 investment, which Cedar Springs officials will match with more than $14,000, primarily in the form of community labor.The first phase will include siding the classrooms and the research project, and the second phase will include expansion of the fellowship hall.The church's pastor, Al Phillips, said the donation was a physical and spiritual blessing."We got the project started and are halfway through with the siding phase and will start soon on phase two. Everything is going according to plan," Phillips said.Cedar Springs Baptist Church has a 50-member congregation made up primarily of Cherokee and Creek parishioners. It also draws members from Notchietown."We are a small church, and the Cherokee Nation funds are going to help us finish these projects. Without these funds, it would have taken us years to complete them," church member Eloise Locust said.The purpose of the Community Work Project is to develop stronger Cherokee communities by providing matching funding to assist communities and community-based organizations within the CN jurisdiction to organize around issues and projects that have broad community support. Projects must have a self-help focus and must improve the community's ability to be self-reliant. In 2005, CN invested more than $486,000 in 28 different organizations for improvement projects within the communities.For more information call Denise Honawa at (918) 453-5248 or e-mail at [email protected].
Osiyo everyone!! ..
Cherokee Nation Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness MonthCancer survivors pose with LeAnne Taylor during the 5th Annual Breast Cancers Survivors Camp TAHLEQUAH, Okla.- October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Cherokee Nation Cancer Programs is celebrating."Our program helps to provide funding to eligible women for yearly breast and cervical cancer screenings," said Kym Cravatt, director for the Cherokee Nation Cancer Programs.The 5th Annual Breast Cancer Survivors Camp, "Gathering, Celebrating and Honoring" drew in close to 100 breast cancer survivors, guests and other participants from across the 14-county area."This year’s camp allowed for participants to take part in a tie-dye activity, basket weaving and dream catcher making, massage and a talking circle," Cravatt said.LeaAnne Taylor, KOTV Channel 6 anchor, served as the guest speaker."LeAnne is a breast cancer survivor who recently completed her final treatment after being diagnosed in November of last year," Cravatt said. "She talked to everyone about the importance of how faith, family and other breast cancer survivors were sources of strength for her during her experience."The "Care to Be Aware" 5K Run is scheduled for October 23 to increase breast cancer awareness. The run will be held at the Cherokee Nation complex."Pre-registration deadline is set for October 20, however, others can register to participate in this event the day of the race," said Bunner Gray, health promotion educator for Cherokee Nation Healthy Nation. "The cost for the race is $15 for pre-registration and $20 for race day registration and includes a t-shirt."This race is United States of America Track and Field (USATF) certified and sanctioned with all proceeds benefiting the Native Sisters Support Circle of Cherokee County.For more information on mammogram screenings or support groups, please contact the Cherokee Nation Cancer Programs at (918) 458-4491 or toll free (877) 458-4491. For information on the "Care to Be Aware" run please contact Bunner Gray with Cherokee Nation at (918) 456-0671, ext. 2615.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps Earns Top HonorsTAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps (TLJC) recently earned two very prestigious honors among Job Corps training centers."The center was recognized for having the ninth highest ranking out of 120 Job Corps Centers for outreach admissions arrivals," said Diane Kelly, director of Cherokee Nation Career Services. "We were also recognized for making the first page of the National Performance report, which is a first in history for us. All of our staff and students are to be commended."Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps has also received recognition for their continued support for the Help-In-Crisis center in Tahlequah."Our young people help them on a weekly basis," said Joyce Rose, community service coordinator with Cherokee Nation TLJC. "They unload trucks and help them with their food pantry. They work hard and help in many different ways."Cherokee Nation TLJC offers certification programs in business and technology, culinary arts, electrical wiring, facilities maintenance, health occupations, and material handling. Students may also earn their GED while attending. New classes begin every Tuesday.For more information on Cherokee Nation TLJC, call (918) 456-9959.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps Earns Top HonorsTAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps (TLJC) recently earned two very prestigious honors among Job Corps training centers."The center was recognized for having the ninth highest ranking out of 120 Job Corps Centers for outreach admissions arrivals," said Diane Kelly, director of Cherokee Nation Career Services. "We were also recognized for making the first page of the National Performance report, which is a first in history for us. All of our staff and students are to be commended."Cherokee Nation Talking Leaves Job Corps has also received recognition for their continued support for the Help-In-Crisis center in Tahlequah."Our young people help them on a weekly basis," said Joyce Rose, community service coordinator with Cherokee Nation TLJC. "They unload trucks and help them with their food pantry. They work hard and help in many different ways."Cherokee Nation TLJC offers certification programs in business and technology, culinary arts, electrical wiring, facilities maintenance, health occupations, and material handling. Students may also earn their GED while attending. New classes begin every Tuesday.For more information on Cherokee Nation TLJC, call (918) 456-9959.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cherokee Nation Gives $1.8 Million To Area SchoolsCherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith (left) presents a check for more than $20,000 to Karen Rogers (second from left) of Tulsa Public Schools. Joining Smith and Rogers were Buel Anglen (second from right) and Bill Johnson (right), Cherokee Nation Tribal Council members representing Tulsa and Washington counties. TAHLEQUAH, Okla.- The Cherokee Nation dispersed $1.8 million to area schools at an education summit held at the Cherokee Nation Complex in Tahlequah."It's wonderful for the school districts and the kids," said Ron Wyrick, superintendent of Sallisaw Public Schools. "We appreciate it very much."The money is generated from the sale of Cherokee Nation car tags over the past year. Under Cherokee Nation law, the tribe gives schools within its jurisdictional area 38% of the revenue generated from the sale of Cherokee Nation car tags. The tag revenue only goes to schools whose district lines are within the Cherokee Nation's 14-county jurisdictional area because the Cherokee Nation only sells tags to Cherokee Nation citizens who live within its jurisdiction."The Cherokee Nation has committed to sharing our car tag revenues with the public schools that educate our children," said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "We are proud to continue to fulfill our promise to help fund public school education in Oklahoma.""This proves what Cherokee Nation is wanting to do in communities," said Buel Anglen, Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member representing Tulsa and Washington counties. "We are giving money to make things better in our public schools with no strings attached. I think a lot of people in our communities didn't know the Cherokee Nation could help this much.""It's going to help relieve some of the budget cuts and buy supplies for the classrooms," said Valarie Brown, federal programs director for Ketchum Public Schools. "This is the only tribe that gives funding back to the schools. I'm glad to know where Cherokee Nation's priorities lie, and that its with our children.""We're the only tribe that gives back part of our car tag revenues to public schools," said Phyllis Yargee, a public school teacher in Gore and Cherokee Nation Tribal Council member representing Sequoyah County. "I think that demonstrates we are still part of every community in the Cherokee Nation, and we want to work together with those communities to educate our children."Education funding is distributed based on the number of Cherokee children in each school, with each school receiving $99.31 for each Cherokee student. The Cherokee Nation will disburse the $1.8 million to the following schools in the eligible counties:Adair County $197,825.52 Cherokee County $280,045.44 Craig County $84,016.26 Delaware County $188,788.31 Mayes County $174,586.88 Muskogee County $176,970.42 Nowata County $36,248.15 Osage County $2,085.51 Ottawa County $31,481.27 Rogers County $201,599.30 Sequoyah County $200,506.89 Tulsa County $105,566.53 Wagoner County $36,744.70 Washington County $39,624.69 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CNEC provided financial assistance to graduating high school students through the Upton Memorial Scholarship, Omo Scholarship, and the Harold “Jiggs†Phillips Memorial Scholarship. These young people would be less likely to pursue their higher education goals without a scholarship from CNEC.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cherokee Nation Citizens Answer The Call of the Wild.......... An injured Red Shouldered Hawk has returned to the sky thanks to the efforts of two Cherokee Nation citizens who share a passion for wildlife. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW INFO***The Arkansas National Park and Wildlife Center is home to more than 200 animals and has trained wildlife specialist on staff to assist with rehabilitating injured animals. The center is funded through gate admission fees and private donations from concerned citizens like Pat Gwin (employee of the Cherokee Nation) who sent along money to board the hawk. "There is no fee to rehab animals, but we do appreciate donations," Davis (Don "Cloud" Davis citizen of the Cherokee Nation) said. "It's (give donations) just the right thing to do," Gwin said. Gwin, who has also worked as a wildlife specialist, has been involved in saving numerous wild animals and often pays for any rehabilitative costs associated with them, ranging from surgery and medication to rest and relaxation in a safe environment. While driving to his parent's house on Christmas day, he spotted a Screech Owl that had been hit by a car lying along the side of the road. "I've just done it (helped animals) all of my life," Gwin said. "I do it out of respect for the animal. This owl was hit by a car and that is not a natural way for an owl to go. Certain things deserve a certain amount of respect." Gwin has taken care of the owl ever since, even allowing it to live inside his house. "Would you want to live outside in this weather?" Gwin said while holding the small owl that seemed to feel right at home in his hands. Gwin trapped mice and birds for the owl to eat and nursed it back to health. However, an eye injury will prevent it from ever being able to hunt food for itself in the wild, so the owl is going to live at the Arkansas National Park and Wildlife Center where it will be used in a breeding program. According to Davis, if a wild animal cannot be released to the wild due to an illness or used in an educational or breeding program, federal law mandates that it be euthanized. "Basically, we’ve saved its life," Davis said. "I'm very blessed to get to do what I do. I just love them all, from chipmunks to bears. I think a love of nature is just inherited through indigenous blood."~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NEW INFO** Cherokee Nation to Help Build Homes in Adair County.... Principal Chief Chad Smith and Brent Kisling, Oklahoma’s state director for USDA rural development, sign paperwork for the Cherokee Nation to receive a $220,000 grant from USDA while Deputy Chief Joe Grayson, Amy Burge, field representative with Congressman Brad Carson’s office, and Bill John Baker, tribal council member look on. TAHLEQUAH, Okla.- The Cherokee Nation recently received a $220,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Cherokee Nation citizens become homeowners. "This is something different that we haven’t done anywhere else in the state," said Brent Kisling, state director for USDA rural development. "A good way to start developing wealth in rural Oklahoma is through home ownership. Partnerships with tribes, like the Cherokee Nation, is how we (USDA) can contribute to home ownership in rural Oklahoma." The grant money will be distributed to tribal citizens as part of a self-help program. The Cherokee Nation has identified twenty families in Adair County as potential homeowners. These families will be able to use this funding to purchase technical assistance services, such as the help of a construction supervisor, to help with building their home. The Cherokee Nation will also contribute funds to purchase building materials for the homes. In return, these families have agreed to work together to provide labor to help one another with construction. "We chose this area (Adair County) because it has a history of self-help and working together," said Marvin Jones, executive director of community services for Cherokee Nation. "They’ve worked together to build a water line in Bell and a community building. We wanted to see if they still had the ability to get a group project completed." "One of our greatest challenges is building enough homes for the families that need them," said Principal Chief Chad Smith. "We have identified over 5000 families that are interested in home ownership. With this grant, we can help some of them fulfill that dream, while encouraging them to be proactive and involved with the home building process. We can make each dollar go father, if we all work together." Each family was involved in designing their own home and producing house plans for construction. "These families are eager to show people that Cherokees can work together and contribute labor," Jones said. "They’re not sitting back and waiting on someone to build a house for them. The families have called this project, the ‘Our Generation’ project because this generation of Cherokees is willing to work."
Lori Piestewa On March 23, PFC Lori Piestewa and her company were ambushed near Nasiriyah, Iraq. She and her company were considered MIA. After an attempt to free American prisoners of war it was learned that Lori Piestewa, as well as several other members of her company, did not survive the ambush.Since then many people have joined to make sure that Lori Piestewa's memory is not forgotten. Here are some highlights of those efforts:The American Indian College Fund announced it has established a college fund in honor of Army Pfc. Lori Piestewa, who is believed to be the first American Indian woman killed in combat. Piestewa, a Hopi Indian from Tuba City, Ariz., died in southern Iraq. She was a single mother with a son, 4, and a daughter, 3.The scholarship will go toward any remaining unmet financial needs for college that her children have when they become college age, after taking into account other scholarships that have already been established for them. Any remaining funds will be used to underwrite an annual scholarship to a tribal college or university for a female American Indian military veteran.A fund has been set up for the family of Lori Piestewa, a mother of two children who was the first U.S. female soldier killed in the Iraq war. During the National Indian Gaming Association's (NIGA) 2003 Annual Trade Show and Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, a moment of silence was observed and prayers were offered, led by Color Guards from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Oneida Indian Nation of Wisconsin. An honor song was performed by Southern Nation drum group. Over the three-day conference, NIGA received over $85,000 in pledges to be given to the Lori Piestewa Memorial Fund.The Grand Canyon State Games announced the inaugural Lori Piestewa National Native American Games to honor Army Pfc. Lori Piestewa, believed to be the first Native American woman killed in combat. The games were held July 17-20, 2003 throughout northern Arizona and attracted thousands of participants from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii."We are grateful that the family of Lori Piestewa is allowing her name to be used with the inaugural National Native American games, " said Erik Widmark, executive director Grand Canyon State Games. "We accept this honor with great humility and profound responsibility. Lori's passion for sports will be emblematic of the energy, enthusiasm and commitment the participants will put forth in this inaugural national competition."Piestewa Peak named for Lori PiestewaSquaw Peak in north-central Phoenix will be renamed Piestewa Peak. The State Board on Geographic and Historic Names waived its five-year waiting period and approved the change by a 5-1 vote before a cheering crowd after a four-hour hearing. The board sided with dozens of supporters who said that the word "Squaw" is offensive and that the mountain should be renamed after Army Pfc. Lori Piestewa, pronounced py-ESS-tuh-wah. The Hopi from Tuba City was the first female American Indian soldier to be killed in combat.