Cherokee group on 'spiritual journey'

Band has long history in the Mother Lode

 By GEORGE SNYDER
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: November 15, 2005, 06:14:43 AM PST

TWAIN HARTE — November might be Native American Heritage Month, but for the members of the Tuolumne Band of Cherokee Indians, pursuing family, cultural and spiritual legacies is a year-round endeavor.

"We're interested both in the history of the Cherokee people and in the history of the Cherokee here in California and Tuolumne County," said Gary Danielson of Sonora, a founder, elder and president of the 45-member group.

Founded six years ago, the group is composed of Tuolumne County residents, mostly in their 50s, 60s and 70s, with varying degrees of Cherokee ancestry. It is registered as a nonprofit with the state of California.

Meetings, which are open to everyone, are from 2 to 4 p.m. the fourth Sunday of every month at the Tuolumne County Library.

"We don't demand a blood quantum (degree of Native ancestry) and don't expect to be federally recognized," said Danielson, "but we think of ourselves as a community and a family."

Sharing stories, traditions

Recently, about a dozen members of the Tuolumne Band of Cherokees gathered in the Twain Harte home of Ray and Lynda Word. Guests, some wearing handmade throat latches and other traditional regalia, brought pine needle baskets, carved walking sticks and other artifacts.

"We like to get together and share stories and trace our fam-ily history," said Word, 59. "In many ways, it's a spiritual journey."

Before the advent of Europeans, the Cherokee — who originally called themselves the Aniyunwiya, or "principle people," in their Iroquoian language — occupied about 40,000square miles in the southern Appalachian Mountains, including western North and South Carolina, northern Georgia and Alabama, southwest Virginia and the Cumberland Basin of Tennessee and Kentucky.

The Cherokee population was estimated to be about 50,000 in 1674 even after suffering huge losses from European diseases introduced by Spanish invaders.

Additional smallpox plagues kept the Cherokee population at about 25,000 until the removal of most of the tribe to Oklahoma in the late 1830s.

Many Cherokee today call themselves Tsalagi, from the name of the modern Cherokee Nation, Tsalagihi Ayili.

The main Cherokee Nation is centered in Tahlequah, Okla. Recent census estimates say people claiming Cherokee ancestry or tribal membership in various other state and federally recognized bands across the United States might exceed 375,000.

Many have roots in Oklahoma

Meanwhile, Danielson said the Mother Lode has a long history of Cherokee presence, some as early as 1820.

As an example, a monument on North Tuolumne Road about two miles north of Tuolumne City marks the 1853 placer mining camp founded by two Cherokee brothers on what is known as Cherokee Creek.

One of the first books written about the famed Mother Lode outlaw Joaquin Murrieta or Murieta, depending who spells it, was published in 1854 by John Rollin Ridge. A Cherokee, he came to California's gold fields following the upheaval to his family and the Cherokee Nation surrounding removal and the "Trail of Tears" in 1838-39.

So it's not surprising that many members of the Tuolumne Band of Cherokee Indians have roots in Oklahoma.

"During the Depression," Danielson said, "most of our parents came to California."

A common theme in the gatherings are stories of white parents and grandparents with Cherokee blood who remained silent about it because of prejudice.

"A lot of people with Cherokee blood were ashamed," Word said. "Things are different now. We here all have a common interest in learning about our Cherokee ancestors."

In addition to genealogy, history and giving cultural presentations to local schools, members such as Pat Stevens of Jamestown are interested in developing the spiritual side of her ancestry.

"Most Native Americans have another way of looking at the world," she said. "It's inside of us. All of my life I have been looking for something, and I've found it here. Nature is always spiritual, and the more we learn about it and the Creator, the better it is."

As part of her quest, Stevens has taken part in many activities such as visits to Native spiritual leaders, including the late Hopi elder Thomas Banyacya.

"When he would eat," she said, "he would scrape a little food to the side and offer it to the Earth. There are certain people out of all the millions who respect the creatures and the world. It's the Indian way.

"The Earth is our mother, and we should take care of her."

For more information, call the Tuolumne Band of Cherokee Indians at 586-0495 or visit Tuolumne Band of Cherokees

Bee staff writer George Snyder can be reached at 536-9005 or George Snyder

Special thanks to Bea Woodward for passing this on!

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December 2005 Reports

Last updated on December 06, 2005