Southern Towns District

Southern Towns District
Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Tribe
7795 Easley Dr.
Beaumont, Texas 77713

bthicketjkg@twc.com

(936) 371-0905
(please leave a Voicemail message and phone number.)

Southern District Chief, John Big Sky’, is available for inquiry to anyone of Cherokee / Tsalagi heritage, with probable family History, Photographs and Genealogy Information to reinforce Cherokee membership and family identity. He can provide Member Application Forms for those Interested. We are accepting applications for NEW members who are interested in joining this Cultural and American Indian /Indigenous family of People, in the Southern District of Texas.

Solidarity & Support for Leonard Peltier Defense

Legal Expense contact & donations, can be sent to
Cgokee999@ gmail.com

TAHLEQUAH — As a young man, Samuel Houston developed a relationship with Cherokee people that would last most of his life. He was given the Cherokee name, Kolana or Raven.

Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on March 2, 1793, Houston and his family migrated to Maryville, Tennessee, when he was 16. After this, Houston became acquainted with the Cherokee and began a life-long relationship with them.

He served under Gen. Andrew Jackson & in the War of 1812. With Jackson’s support, Houston won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1823 and then served as the Tennessee governor from October 1827 to April 1829. In 1829, after divorcing, Houston resigned from office and joined his Cherokee friends in Arkansas Territory.

“Sam Houston’s time with the Cherokee changed him for the better. He was an officially adopted Cherokee,” said Joy Montgomery who co-authored the book “Sam Houston’s Quest: The Cherokee and African-American Virtue Agenda” with her father Robin Montgomery. “From growing up with the Cherokee he, like few of his time, could walk between two worlds in full understanding of both. It made him see the world through a different lens — he was both a part of and part ‘foreign’ to both worlds. I would like to think he gained the best of both worlds and could also better see the flaws — most importantly he was an ambassador for the Cherokee.”

Houston may be best known as a Texan and a soldier. He settled in Texas in 1832 and played a pivotal role in the Texas Revolution to gain independence from Mexico. He served as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two individuals to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate in 1846. He was elected the seventh governor of Texas in December 1859, becoming the only American to be elected governor of two states.

After the Battle of Gonzales between Mexican and Texas forces in October 1835, he helped organize Texas’s provisional government and was selected as the top-ranking official in the Texan army. He led that army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836, the decisive battle in Texas’s war for independence against Mexico.

“On the eve of the Texas Revolution, just prior to the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence, he went to be with the Cherokee,” Montgomery said. “Looking at his strategy at the battle of San Jacinto — I would claim that it was due to his time with the Cherokee that he won that battle, and that Texas owes a great deal of gratitude to the Cherokee. I do (claim) as well as 13 of my family members who were at that battle.”

She said when Texas was looking to secede from Mexico, Houston was declaring that if Texas must secede it secede back to a Republic and claim Mexico as a protectorate. He was still trying to find lands for the Cherokee, and she said Principal Chief John Ross and Houston tried to work with Mexico for lands for the Cherokee

“The time that he enjoyed most was being with the Cherokee. It was where he felt most at home and most himself,” she said. “He was constantly fighting for rights of the Cherokee and Native Americans. He fought against corrupt Indian agents and broken treaties.”

Later, Houston played a key role in the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. He also joined the Democratic Party and supported President James K. Polk’s prosecution of the Mexican–American War.

As the governor of Texas, he opposed secession and unsuccessfully sought to keep Texas out of the Confederate States of America. He was forced out of office in 1861 and afterwards his health declined. He died on July 26, 1863, at age 70. A Cherokee village was located near his home where he died in Huntsville, Texas, Montgomery said.

The fourth most populous city in the United States; Houston, Texas is named in his honor.

Source: Cherokee Phoenix News / cherokeephoenix.org – 2020.

Other sources: Haley, James L. (2002) “Sam Houston,” University of Oklahoma Press; Williams, John H. (1994) “Sam Houston: Life and Times of Liberator of Texas an Authentic American Hero,” Simon and Schuster

It is understandable, concerning the ancestry and history of Indigenous American’ peoples…, that because of various actions, behaviors, and legal policy of the various Non-Indigenous People, who immigrated, or that were brought to the shores of North America either by force, or free-will; have no genuine sense of the meanings, and seriousness’ of the numerable American Indian nations and tribes that once dominated and populated the landscape and regions of the North American continent.

Because of this backdrop reason and the episodes of ‘United States’ history; most 20th & 21st Century Native American’ communities or individuals have been inundated with conflict, factionalism, separation, and vilification between themselves, their families, leadership, and also between generations, of Elders and Youth, between Full blood, & Mixed-blood American Indian populations.

Because of the colonial and commercialized intent of both Spanish, English as well as French explorers and migratory settlers from those Nations during the 17th Century, and the eventual conflicts that lead to the creation of the U.S. Government; and all that followed during the 1800’s between Presidents, states, religious groups and missionaries, and the Industrial & Capital owning business interest and railroad system – American Indian peoples, had to deal with a stark reality of either fighting to the death, against such invasion and negativity towards their Indigenous cultures OR/ to slowly accept and accommodate, assimilate, and appropriate these European, and ‘American’ forms of culture, living, and working to survive in the society that came upon them, uninvited to the reality that caused certain instances of inter-racial marriages, rape & violations, or separation from Tribal families into ‘Non-Indian’, white culture to a point that lead to a denial, and dismissal of any former or family Identities of being, of an American Indian heritage or proudness and continual practice of Indigenous culture, languages.

As the Modern Age emerged, with electricity and World Wars; the U.S. Federal government began to increase policies that reduced dependence and independence as American Indian People with one another and their Tribes, communities and towards individualism, material survival and trauma in an ever increasing, technological reality for the entire human citizenry of North America.

With consumerism, lack of legal status and religious liberty and rights as American Indian people; more and more American Indian youth and adults forgot their cultural past and heritage that defined the realities of their Ancestors and of the Seven Generations to come.

There were however; some older generations who kept the secrets and heritage of their Tribal past’s alive and well, in spite of having to hide or only practice when no one else was around, or when going into mainstream society, etc. Due to religious ideas, indoctrinations, and notions of a predominant white Catholic or Protestant Christian world-view, and reality…, in mainstream society of the United States during the 20th Century – most American Indian people, had lost all ability to speak their traditional language, or think in their traditional psychology and to pursue relationships with the Divine Creator’ and practice ancestral Spirituality.

Before & after the end of the ‘Indian Wars’ period, and with federal recognitions of certain remaining American Indian nations – the U.S. government began qualifying members of these Indigenous Peoples, with certain criteria that would allow only the documented, enrolled, and familial record holding members of these remaining American

Indian Nations; as the ONLY TRUE, accepted American Indian Peoples’ of the United States and within the said Tribal jurisdictions and qualifications for Identity.

Eventually; this concept and it’s results would cause even more identity crisis, trauma, and uncertainties regarding many individuals with Indigenous heritage, or those with partial American Indian demographics and genetics.

With the end of World War II, and into the Cold War period between the U.S. and Soviet Union of Russia; the emerging resurgence of American Indian identity and organizations would increase during the Post-World War II Era. During the 1960’s, the National Indian Youth Council  emerged and contributed to the increase in awareness of American Indian identity, and also as a forerunner of the American Indian Movement, or A.I.M.

As the American Indian Movement engaged the federal government, and increased in membership, alliances among Young generations of Tribal communities; at the same time, an environmental awareness was also emerging within the U.S. and among non-‘Indian’ Americans.

Perhaps as a by-product, of all of this – more and more families, individuals, and youth became interested in Genealogy and seeking out the answers to questions, or to open-up old-family secrets, of an American Indian past, ancestors, and heritage that had been covered up, and hidden on purpose within those families. This Particular dilemma, provided a doorway to knowledge, learning…., and also as a starting path for many people, of mixed-bloodlines, ethnicity, racial backgrounds, upon what would become known, in a symbolic sense of the word, THE RED ROAD.

As the 1970’s, 80’s, & 90’s moved onward and into the 21st Century of today – there were & are probably more individuals examining and searching their familial past and records, etc. to confirm and present themselves as part of, or to become affiliated with present-day American Indian tribes and nations across the United States. With the success of genuine portrayals, and participation in the Arts’ & Film of Native American heroes, characters, songwriters, musicians, poets, performance artist and writers – during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s; the pursuits of identifying ancestors and finding factual evidence of American Indian Heritage – continued to fuel an increase in Indigenous identity and reorganizing previous communities, that had been dismissed or negated by the Federal Govt. or other federally recognized tribes and nations.

This reality can become difficult at times due to the previous discussion I have presented earlier in this commentary. While being born into the modern way of life, and society, technology-based world of today…, what some would call THE WHITE ROAD, and depending on all of material culture, commercial production / supply of all human needs, and life in the U.S., with all comforts and entertainment amenities that are provided and so on – those who are determined and resolute to follow their path’ of discovery and reassertion into the realms of Identity and Reconciliation to an American Indian ethos’ and way of life as best they can…, can continue to educate & learn themselves, from resources, various Tribal Elders and teachers, as well as finding local Indigenous groups and sovereign communities that are committed to THE RED ROAD, to an Indigenous / Native American path for their communities and as individuals as the World and 21st Century continues to move on, unravel with all the uncertainties and unseen good and dangers to come?!*

Wado Equa.