Osiyo! (Hello)


Osiyo! (Hello)

I have created this website in honor of the Native American People
& my Cherokee Heritage. It is my hope that through these pages
& this website you are able to have a better understanding &
perspective of the Native American People.
The Native American’s have lost most of their identity in the
past; land, history, culture & even whole tribes were decimated.
Today, we strive to maintain as much as we can of our heritage, history
& culture. We have lost much, yet our Pride remains intact, our Spirit
remains intact, our Ways are being taught once again, our People are regaining
their Heritage. Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Chad Smith reminds
us…“… Our ancestors who walked the grounds of this Capital (land) resoundingly
cry, ‘Don’t forget the legacy we passed on. Don’t let it lapse. Pass
it on, stronger and stronger to your children. Let the Cherokee language
laugh, speak and sing again. Let our history be known and discussed. Live
by our wisdom. Don’t let us die as a people. If you do then all our sacrifice
will be for nothing and you will lose those things that fulfill your life.’”

State of the Nation Address September 1,
2001
I invite you to come in and sit by my fire awhile, listen
to the stories and legends. Learn about the history, heritage &
culture of the Native Americans. I am honored to have you come into
my Lodge, & hope you leave with a lifted heart & an enriched mind.
I hope I am able to pass along what my Ancestors have imprinted on me
to share, and they can smile on me with much Pride.
You may begin your journey through my Web Lodge with WhiteFeather,
my ancestor. Or you can choose another page through the text navigation
at the top and bottom of the pages throughout my website. You will notice
a consistent theme of endangered animals and nature throughout my website.
Native Americans are very connected to animals and nature, we respect
& honor them. They are a part of our World & our Culture &
as such, are a vital part of my website.

Wado! (Thank You) I hope you enjoy your visit!

Posted on: September 21st, 2003 Author: admin Filed under: Web Lodge

WhiteFeather

Snow Tiger Pair Snow Tiger Pair

“When legends die, there are no more dreams.
When there are no more dreams, there is no more greatness.”
Anonymous
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Welcome to WhiteFeather’s Page
snow tiger pair

Image of Indian Maiden This page is dedicated to WhiteFeather, my 4th great grandmother of the Cherokee/Cheraw tribe.

WhiteFeather lived during the time of persecution for the Cherokee and her people. Her tribe (The Cheraw) was absorbed into the Cherokee tribe when threatened of extinction. She passed down her heritage to her children, generation to generation, this is how it was done by her people. WhiteFeather refused the White Man’s way and the Census Rolls being taken. She chose to pass her heritage down with honor in the Old Way, the Cherokee way. I am honored to be her granddaughter, Cherokee, and proudly display it.

Small Snow Tiger

Click for Map Full View

Full View Southeast Indian Culture MapThe Southeast Culture area stretches from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the arid lands beyond the Trinity River in present-day Texas; and from the Gulf of Mexico northward to varying latitudes in the present-day states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina…..The majority of Indians in the Southeast at the time of Contact made their homes along river valleys in villages…village sites were frequently changed. It can be said that the people of the Southeast were farmers first, and hunters, gatherers, and fisherman second.
Information provided by my good friend Peter Brumana
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Small Snow Tiger

“A great obstacle in researching our Indian ancestors is that Native Americans did not keep written records. And the few records kept by whites—often-unsympathetic whites—had more to do with warfare than genealogy. It is very hard for instance to go back to the late 18th century and find a record of Mr. Blue Owl of the Cherokee, Saponi, or Tuscarora Nation. …
We are left with photographs, traditions, and a process of exclusion in trying to document these ancestors. We may never satisfy the hard core skeptics. Though many of us know in our hearts, and by common sense that we do have American Indian ancestry, even if we can’t find it written in stone. ..”
By Karlton Douglas

My Note: For those of us who descend from Appalachia Indian Ancestors, we continue the search for our long lost American Indian Ancestors. The hard core skeptics say we shouldn’t rely on what we know to be true in our hearts, our Indian Heritage. We shouldn’t rely on those stories of our Indian Ancestors that have been handed down through the generations, nor should these stories be given any weight in your family heritage and genealogy. We should use only “documented” records. Family is not just cold hard facts stored on pieces of paper. Family is also in the stories, telling us who and what our ancestors were, the lives they lived. Family is in our hearts and traditions. Let us hope we never lose sight of that.
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Gingers Native & Wolf Images

Kayomi Art
Lil Kitty Graphics

Posted on: September 18th, 2003 Author: admin Filed under: WhiteFeather

The Longhunter

MoonlightMoonlight

Page dedicated to William Harrelson 2nd
He was known as LongHunter; Husband of WhiteFeather

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Small Moonlight
Small Moonlight

Welcome to WhiteFeather’s LongHunter Page

The Long Hunter was peculiar to Southwest Virginia only, and nowhere else on any frontier did such hunts ever originate. Most, if not all of the long hunts originated on the Holston in the vicinity of present day Chilhowie, but were made up of hunters who lived on both the Clinch and Holston rivers…these long hunters were native to the area and were land owners, or residents along the waters of these two rivers. When the pioneer settler moved toward the extreme frontier, he had long since been preceded by the long hunter. There is no braver lot than these early hunters. Not only did they endure the rigorous winters in crude shelters but the danger of sickness, privation, exposure, hunting accidents,etc…

Photo used with permission

Early Pre-Colonial Longhunter The long hunter today would be called a scientist, naturalist, explorer, or some other high-sounding name, for he had to be master of many arts. He knew the sky and what a sunset foretold; he knew the wind and could tell it by smell, as to whether dry or moist, and could wet his finger with spittle and tell in which direction it was blowing. He could, in numerous ways, tell the seasons, predict the weather, and by the stars he could tell the time and direction. He knew the plants and where they grew, and by feeling the moss and shaggy bark of a tree, determine the north and find his direction by night. He knew the medicinal properties of plants and how to treat his wounds and ailments therefrom. He knew his rifle, how to use it, repair it, and even in some instances how to make one… The long hunters usually went out in October and returned the latter part of March, or early in April. The long hunters seldom hunted in parties larger than two or three men.
Source: Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia: By Emory L. Hamilton. (PUBLICATION 5 – March, 1970)
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Small Birds

From “History of Kentucky” by Collins: It says a group of men were great hunters, among them were, leader Elisha Walden, …..bold “enterprising and fearless”; Henry Skaggs also came. He and his brothers were noted hunters, and “nothing but hunters”, and it was from the Skaggs men that Skaggs Creek of Rock castle, crossed and redressed by later travelers along the Kentucky Road, got its name. Other members of the party were Charles Cox, William Newman, and WILLIAM HARILSON, another professional hunter, and like the Skaggs men something of an exception for most hunters practiced at least one other occupation, usually farming.

Click to View Full Size Map

Full View Cumberland Gap MapMany of these men were hunting land also….. The hunters would go out in small groups of three or four men with only enough supplies for three or four days. The station site for Walden’s party of 1761 was on Wallen’s Creek in what is now called Lee County, Virginia. Some hunters were on the Clear Fork, a stream not reached by going through the Gap; WILLIAM HARRELSON and the Blevins men hunted around the mouth of Obeys River. Robert Crockett of the same family, as Davy was killed by Indians in the Roaring River Country on the Plateau, all of which would indicate that at least some of the hunters went in the same general direction as had James Smith and all may have taken Tollunteeskee’s Trail up the mountain and over, we do not know. Family Tradition has long held William 2nd Harrelson as being known as “Long Hunter.”

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Early Colonial & Longhunter Links

The Long Hunters
The Long Hunters In TN
Forts,Stations & Settlements
Early American Roads & Trails
Frontier Forts of Southwest Virginia
Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia
History of Western North Carolina
New River Valley Historical Notes
Wise County, VA. Long Hunter Excerpts

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Moonlight Stars

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Beverly Lu Art
Lil Kitty Graphics

Posted on: September 17th, 2003 Author: admin Filed under: Longhunter

Su San (ni)

Red Fox
Red Fox

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Small Red Fox
Welcome to Su San (ni)’s Page

Indian Maiden
Su San (ni) of the Cheraw Tribe
Wife of Joseph Harrelson and possible relation of Whitefeather

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Cheraw
(Also called Sawra) Lived along the banks of the Great Pee Dee River in South and North Carolina, and also Virginia. They spoke the Siouan language. In 1534 the Cheraw first encountered the European People.

A few facts of the Cheraw Tribe
1600
Population 1,600

1715
Joined several other Tribes to fight against the Colonists and Traders

1730′s
Some Cheraw joined the Catawba Tribe, others moved to Robeson County, NC & eventually formed the Lumbee Tribe

1759
Smallpox epidemic killed many of the remaining independant Cheraw

1768
Population 50-60

1768
Last recorded mention of Cheraw as a separate tribe

Present Day
Cheraw Tribe Extinct

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A Tribute To Our American Indian Heritage
Photos of some famous Indians from separate, yet distinguished Tribes. May the wrongs done to The People never be forgotten and may the memory of them live forever in our hearts.

Bullet

Ten Bears
Comanche		 Geronimo
Bedonkohe
Apache		 Chief Joseph
Nez Perce
“I was born upon the Prarie where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun”
Ten Bears
Commanche
“When legends die, there are no more dreams. When there are no more dreams, there is no more greatness.”
Anonymous
“I am tired of fighting. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more”
Chief Joseph
Nez Perce

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AMERICAN INDIAN LINKS
The Cheraw Indians
A timeline history
The Lumbee Indians
A history of the Lumbee tribe
Cherokee Trail of Tears
National Historic Trail
A historical overview
Native Genealogy
Resources for searching your
Indian Ancestors
Cyndi’s List
A comprehensive list of American Indian Links

Stars

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Photos From
Mikes Native Amercian Photographics

Gingers Native Backgrounds

Posted on: September 16th, 2003 Author: admin Filed under: Su San (ni)