January 2009 many waters JANUARY 2009 Co-editors: Dr. W. ‘Will’ Stringfellow and Diana Walks In Water Osiyo, Cousins 2008 has come and gone. It was filled with saying hello to some new friends and good-bye to some dear family members. We formed the Many Waters Town. We had our first Harvest Day Gathering and began publishing our quarterly newsletter. And now we look forward to a new time. The New Year of 2009 found many of our Town buried in snow that is now rapidly melting during a stretch of warm weather. While the pristine, sparkling snow was beautiful and the accompanying new lakes of water have been a challenge, this is a time to give thanks to the Creator of All Things for the blessings in our lives. Whether it be family, love, health, home or being surrounded by our People, we have much to be thankful for. This month we have some great articles. True Dog has submitted how-to instructions on making a horn cup; Will has given us a review of the book, ‘The Texas Cherokee: A People Between Two Fires, 1819-1840’; Roger Black has put together a fun word search puzzle of Cherokee words; and an article identifying plants to be used for dyes by Walks In Water. The Bear Growls speaks to us about respect and courtesy. This month’s Bio features Gabe Gabel. Any one wanting to submit an article or biography, please feel free to do so. We all have so much to share and teach to each other.  Send them to Will at stringw@hotmail.com or to Walks In Water at walksinwater@hotmail.com. LET’S GET CRAFTY: Making a Horn Cup by True Dog Wado, True Dog for this idea. LANGUAGE FUN______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Roger Black has created a word search puzzle of Cherokee words. Lets all get more comfortable with our language!   Wado, Roger. ______ Book Review______________________________________________   By Dr. Wayne “Will” Stringfellow The Texas Cherokees: A People Between Two Fires, 1819-1840     By Dianna Everett Red River Books, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman www.TexasIndians.com site offers sale of the book. The Texas Cherokee is a book that I sought as a resource about the history of our people. Throughout the 18th and 19th century there were groups of Cherokee moving west to escape the unjust laws and encroachment of the white Euro American factions. The book begins with a statement relating the tale of the “Lost Cherokee” who left the East in 1721 and were later discovered by others of their tribe, who were hunting at the base of the Rocky Mountains. “The lost ones were living in an idyllic world similar to the Cherokee world before the advent of the European.”          The book outlines the progress that the Cherokee made in moving to Texas beginning with a visit to Spanish Texas in 1807. After hunting, exploring, and setting up villages in Arkansas around 1819-1820, Cherokee moved into northeast Texas between the Red River and the Sulphur River. The area was known as the Lost Prairie. This land is on the west side of the Red River, beginning about twenty miles from present Texarkana, Texas. This area was occasionally disputed as being a part of Arkansas, which is important to the research of family genealogy. At the Sulphur River the forests began, that reached south toward Nacogdoches and beyond along the Louisiana border. Led by Duwali, the Cherokee settled along the Sabine, Naches, and Angelina Rivers in deeper East Texas. They were welcomed by Mexico as a buffer between Mexico and the U.S. settlements. Having been raised in this area of Texas, I am well aware of the rich bounty of nuts, berries, and wild fruit, along with an abundance of fish and wild game, that were available to my ancestors (And still are). I have been told that the country was once covered by tall hardwood trees that would allow a squirrel to travel from Georgia to the plains of West Texas before the animal would not have a tree limb to run across. It was also free of the thickets that now are in northeast Texas due to logging and new growth. My father once said that he could run a horse along Sulphur River without ducking for limbs, when he was young, and before the logging operations. Pecans, hickory nuts and walnuts, and acorns littered the forests and furnished healthy forage for animals and people. Water was plentiful and clear in the area with is numerous rivers and creeks. Sulphur River has always served as a fishing and hunting paradise for locals, and my family farmed the rich land along its banks, raising cotton with mules and plows.                                                          (W. Stringfellow, 2008). The book covers the movement and politics of the Cherokee and the relationships between the Texans, Mexicans, and other Indian tribes and the eventual massacre of the Texas Cherokee by the Texas Army. It speaks of the decisions that Chief Duwali and the Cherokee had to make as they juggled their existence between the two warring factions, while still dealing with hostile tribes such as the Comanche, Towakanis, and Osages. It tells of the settlements in East Texas. In addition, the book speaks of Cherokee, from Southwestern Arkansas, passing through the Cherokee towns of East Texas to raid the tribes near present day Waco. This is especially interesting to many of us, who had ancestors in the southwestern part of Arkansas. The book speaks of many familiar places that the Texas Cherokee lived and continue to live. I certainly would recommend this book to others. It relates to many subjects that are relative to the Texas Cherokee. The book also goes into detail about the dress, customs, education, and everyday life of the Texas Cherokee. “A good source. Documents the struggles the Cherokee people went through trying to find a place where they could live in peace. Well written, not too technical or academic.”(Moore, 2005). _________________________________________________________________________ _______ USING HERBS FOR DYEING__________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _______ Herbs for Dyeing Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Flowers, fresh or dried Yellow, olive green, brown Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) Berries, Leaves Pink, violet, blue-gray, pale green, gold, olive green Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus gunnii) Bark, Dried leaves, Fresh leaves Reddish-brown, tan, gray, soft orange, brown, yellow-green, orange, red, henna (Lawsonia inermis) Leaves, powdered Varying shades of brown Indigo (Indigofera spp.) Leaves Varying shades of blue Nettle (Urtica dioica) Plant tops Yellow, yellow-green, gray-green, gold Onion (Allium cepa) Outer skins Yellow, orange, brown, olive green St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) Plant tops, Flowers Yellow, tan, brown, Olive, red, yellow Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Roots, fresh or powdered Gold, yellow, orange, dark olive green, brown Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Plant tops Yellow, yellow-green, olive *Colors produced may vary due to the weather conditions during growing, geographic variations and the season when harvested and used to make the dye bath. Sources: Dye Plants and Dyeing (Timber Press, 2003) by John and Margaret Cannon (see _Bookshelf_ The Bear Growls / Yona Dideyahvsgi___________________________________________ Osiyo, All my Relations I would like to discuss with you a very serious topic!        Protocol and Honor Cultural respect!! Personal respect for other tribes and cultures. Many of us were not fortunate enough to be brought up within our own indigenous cultures, much less taught about those of others from different tribal cultures. This is not being critical of our parents and grandparents please understand this. Granted I personally know very little about not only other tribal ways or even my own tribal practices. In order to survive my family was forced to hide and disguise our blood and heritage. We read a lot about pow wow and other gatherings. We should pay close attention to the elders and their actions. I have seen instances of people that did not know even the basic protocol of good manners. For instance, taking the seats of elders when they, the elders, temporarily leave to get something to eat or to go to the rest room. We have seen people wearing honor regalia that they did not earn. Eagle feathers or other feathers from respected winged brothers and sisters are only worn for very specific reasons by people who have earned them or been awarded them. Some are badges of rank or title in some tribes. People have interrupted ceremonies to ask questions or by trying to participate rather than observe and then ask questions later. A person should always wait to be asked to participate, and then usually the way they can take part will be explained to them. Often I have been asked if someone can touch my “medicine pouch” or they want to know what it contains. My answer is “Thank you for asking, but these are very personal and private items.” As to what they contain, my answer usually is “stuff”. Sometimes a person will offer you the privilege of examining an article of spiritual importance, like a ‘smudge pot’, an item used to burn tobacco and other herbs for purification smoke, or a rattle or drum. Always assume that these are very special items and treat them with the greatest respect possible. The owner may not tell you they are used in ceremonies; you would do best to assume that they are. Don’t exercise the item, don’t shake the rattle, or strike the drum, especially not with your bare hand, much less anything else. If a pipe is offered for your examination and the stem is not connected to the bowl, do not connect the two. Some items may look like they are used in ceremonies; others may look like ‘daily’ items. Anything may be used in a spiritual manner no matter how common it may look. You will always do best if you treat each item as a special piece. Do not assume you can take photographs, make recordings, or even take notes while attending ceremonies. Native American people have had and still have a tradition of oral history, and the history has been carefully preserved. At pow wows the rules for recordings and photos are usually carefully spelled out. Again, if not specifically allowed, assume it is not allowable. Men should stay out of women’s rituals and ceremonies unless specifically invited.  Our women should extend the same courtesy and honor to the men. Sometimes the other sex will have a role to play; a bringer of food or water, or fire tender. A note from the Bear’s wife for you younger women…. During your moon time, (menses) do not handle anyone else’s spiritual items without permission, examine weapons, or possibly even regalia. The strictness of traditions varies tribally. Usually just quietly stepping back politely if offered should indicate sufficient reasons. Our own Cherokee heritage is a matriarchal society; this is not considered a time of “putting down” a woman, but her powers are considered to be at their greatest at this time. We all try our best to honor our people and those of other tribes. We can accidentally insult them instead. This can lead to our being shunned or ignored when we only meant the very best. There are people who are rude and obviously not only have no clue, but they don’t even care, we have all seen them. In our own rituals and practices we should understand well- meaning ignorance and seek to gently instruct people new to our ways. Now that I have addressed some common practices, we will move on. We can very politely ask for instructions. Never assume that we know it all. Sometimes we are invited to dance, sit at a drum, or sing. Quite often to refuse is insulting (we have been offered an honor.) If one is uncertain, we should politely ask for help and advise from someone we know. (Again, ladies, we do have some concerns discussed above.) One more note: Please carefully examine the ‘new age’ ceremonies (drumming circles, ect.) where participation is allowed for a fee. Many of these are not sanctioned by any tribal authority even if they are supposedly done to ‘honor’ Native American ways. Many of our people find them extremely insulting. There are those who are very well meaning, but there are also those who exist just to make money. Just be aware that these things do happen. These are all issues that we will benefit from discussing and learning from each other as we get together. I have much to learn! I am asking for your help and input, too. I have spoken       Yona Biography_________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Gabe Gabel First of all I am Emmette Jorden's wife, though I have kept my name for professional reasons.   Some of us, by the time we reach our sixties, have gone through several names. Those of us who are enrolled in the Texas Cherokee, (even if I am Emmette's wife, don't expect me to spell it in Cherokee) fall into basically two categories.  Some of us grew up knowing we were Native Americans with relatives who were at some time enrolled tribal members, and those like me who's families had lost or denied tribal affiliations.  An incredibly large number of American citizens have been told that there was Native American blood somewhere in the family but it was so far back that there was no way to prove it.  That was my father's side of the family.  On the other hand, my mother's grandmother was a full blood raised in an Indian orphanage.  Given the times and the places she lived, her Native American blood was totally hidden from the family, and only recently, after my mother's death, was I informed by another relative of that part of my heritage.  I only wish that my mother could have known, she would have been so proud of it. I grew up feeling an affinity for nature and the earth.  Part of it was the love of the wild places that my parents shared.  But I had it, and felt the need of contact with the earth, even stronger than they did.  I am incredibly blessed to have been able to find a life that gives me the contact that I need.  I have always loved most Native American things I learned, and the spiritual connections with the earth that are theirs felt like mine.  As an artist, many of my creations reflected this, and still do.  I do not know how much racial memory is in our genes, but if it exists, it certainly explains a lot.  I was raised without the training in the traditions of the Cherokee people, I know almost nothing of the ceremonies and celebrations, but the sacredness of all things is something that has always been part of my belief system. I am a professional artist and have been for over thirty years.  I am a bronze sculptor and a painter.  I am also an author of a book on sculpture.  I travel to art shows on a regular schedule, and Emmette and I also have a gallery here on our farm; yes, you are all invited to come by anytime.  Emmette will also tell you as much as you wish to know about our intensive gardening methods, and I will send you home with plant starts for your flower beds.   Gardening and saddle mules are our other loves. I had the good fortune to be raised where I could explore the natural places, and also the good fortune to have had to live without them at times.  It makes you appreciate them even more.  I have worked for a phone company, a bank, and even the public school system as a sixth grade teacher.  I have lived in the Deep South, the cities of the east and west coasts, the desert and the mountains.  I have learned just how diverse this nation is and why many of its people are different from me in their beliefs and values, and why they are the same.   All my relations...as much as the wolf and the eagle.