Southeastern Native American Alliance

Vol. 1; No. 8 4 April 1996

MEETING SCHEDULE

Next Executive Council Meeting:   Thursday, 25 April 1996; to be held at
                                  1314 Wildwood Lake Road
                                  Cleveland, Tennessee 37311
Next General Meeting: Thursday, 2 May 1996; to be held at
                       1314 Wildwood Lake Road, Cleveland, Tennessee.

* * * *

A REMINDER AND A CHANGE

    A reminder that SENAA's Ramp       Besides getting stuffed on lots
Day Social is Saturday, 20 April,    of delicious home cooking, we will
beginning at 11:30 a.m.             also have a blowgun competition.
    The location has been changed.      We ask that our ramp chefs be at
Since we would be at the mercy of    the park an hour or two early,
the weather at Red Clay, we will    since the pavilion is on a first-
hold this year's Social at Tinsley    come-first-served basis.
Park in Cleveland (see map, p. 9),      SENAA will furnish drinks, paper
which has a pavilion for shelter,    plates, plastic-ware, napkins, ice
in case of rain.                      and ramps (prepared, of course).
   Remember, the Ramp Day Social       Invite a friend, fix a pan, pot
will be pot-luck, so plan to make    or bowl of something you like, and
your favorite dish to share.          come on down to Tinsley Park for
Steve & Al Swilling, Brian Davis    our first annual Ramp Day Social.
and J.R. Davis will gather ramps    It'll be fun---and "full-filling!"
for this year's feast. Anyone else
who would like to help gather
ramps is welcome.                         *       *       *       *

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 2

AUTUMN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT GETS TENTATIVE GO-AHEAD

NOTE: In order to protect the ancestral graves at the site, this report
and the report in the March newsletter are purposely vague in regard to
the exact location and the name of the developer, lest a copy of this
publication fall into hostile hands. SENAA members know the specifics.
-- T.A.S.

   In the March newsletter, we ran    will, Creator willing.
an article about a Native American
village, burial site and burial               Attitudes:
mound in Cleveland, Tenn., that         In phone conversations the
is slated for development. The    developer expressed his desire "to
site is called "Autumn Ridge" on    do the right thing," saying he has
the preliminary plat. On 26 March,    no desire to move or disturb any
a meeting   was   held   by   the    graves if there was any way around
Cleveland/Bradley County Municipal    it. "The way I see it," he said,
Council.   At that meeting, the    "it's wrong to move someone from
preliminary plat for the site was    their resting place. I think they
considered for approval.              should be allowed to   rest in
                                      peace."
         The Evidence:                   He assured SENAA, that if there
    On 11 March, an archeological    are burials on the property, he
team of two men and two women from    will work out a way to avoid them
the University of Tennessee at    and prevent their disturbance.
Knoxville,   under the direction        For the time being, at least,
of Chuck Benz, arrived on the    he seems desirous to cooperate
scene and worked until 29 March    with us.
shovel-testing the   Autumn Ridge
site.   The   official report is               The Meeting:
forthcoming,   but in interviews         At the 26 March Municipal
with the team, it was learned that    Council meeting, City Planner and
the site is Mississippian, dating    council   member    Craig   Bivens
at around 1,100 A.D., with traces    ensured   SENAA's opportunity to
of Hiwassee period artifacts.         voice Native Americans' interest
     Among items found in surface    in protecting the burials that
collections were flakes of various    most assuredly exist on the Autumn
materials used for arrow and spear    Ridge site; bringing our interest
points; pottery shards, both plain    to the attention of the Council.
and decorated; a piece of a finely       The developer was heard first,
crafted black steatite (soapstone)    being asked by Council members to
pipe bowl; an abundance of "daub"    brief them on the findings of the
(the clay used by the early Native    archeological    team    and   the
Americans to seal the walls of    ramifications of those findings.
their homes); and pieces of bone,       The developer stated that since
including skull fragments.            shovel tests were negative on the
   In at least one shovel test,    24 southernmost lots, he wished to
bone was encountered, indicating a    begin development of those lots.
possible burial.                      Since the remaining lots on the
   Though many artifacts have been    northern section showed positive
turned up over the years during    and indicated a rich archeological
cultivation of the land, we are    area, he said he would postpone
fortunate that any graves that    development of that section until
might be on the site are intact.
We hope to keep it that way -- and    (See AUTUMN RIDGE, page3)

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 3

AUTUMN RIDGE (from page 2)
the archeologists had made their    may be revoked if the developer
report and advised him of his    voilates the Council's instruction
options.                              or if the archeological report
    SENAA's   President and Vice    indicates   that   more extensive
President represented the Native    testing is warranted.
American interests at the meeting.      Approval of the preliminary plat
Upon completion of the developer's    is a first step, and does not
statement, SENAA representatives    allow the developer to do any work
voiced   the   organization's and    at the site beyond that approved
Native Americans' concerns for our    by the Council; nor can he sell
ancestral burials and our desire    the property or any portion of it
that any graves found on the site    until a second reading by the
remain undisturbed, rather than    Council, at which time all factors
disinterred and relocated.            will be considered.
    SENAA also advised the Council        So far, the developer has been
and   the   developer,   at their    very cooperative, and has agreed
request,   of state and federal    to provide SENAA with photocopies
Native American grave protection    of the archeological report. The
laws, and the proper procedures to    Municipal Council has also been
follow in the event that a grave    very understanding,   and   seems
is accidentally disturbed while    willing to assist Native Americans
developing the south side of the    in preserving the integrity of our
property.                             ancestors' graves, in this case.
   SENAA made the Council aware of
the developer's statements that he    AN UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT
would not disturb any burials if       During the archeological study,
if he could avoid doing so.           another interesting discovery was
    With   instructions that the    made.   The property immediately
developer would only develop the    south of the Autumn Ridge site was
southernmost 24 lots specified on    discovered to be the site of an
the preliminary plat, and pending    Archaic period settlement.   The
the results of the archeological    site is so heavily laden with
study, the Council approved the    evidence that one can scarcely
preliminary Autumn Ridge plat.        walk without stepping on something
                                      of significance.
WHAT IT MEANS                             SENAA has slated that site as
Since approval was given pending    its next preservation project.
the archeological reports,   and      The Cherokee Nation and TIC have
providing the developer confines    been notified of the Autumn Ridge
his initial work to the southern-    site, and their support requested.
most portion of the property, it        *       *       *       *

STARS IN OUR MIDST

    Move over, Chuck Norris! Look    the guardians of Moccasin Bend.
out, Stallone! Make way, Jamie Lee       The terrific trio will make
Curtis!   New action heroes are on    their film debut on 22 April, on
the scene -- and they ain't faking    Chattanooga's   PBS station WTCI
it!                                   (UHF channel 45).
   Three of SENAA's NARF officers,      Though SENAA won't be mentioned,
Steve Swilling, Pam Triplett and    we're proud of our celebrities.
Lynn Triplett, may be destined for       I just hope I can get their
Hollywood after appearing in a    autographs before their new-found
documentary about NARF's work as    fame goes to their heads.

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 4

MOCCASIN BEND
Preserving the Resource

by, Ray Zimmerman

[From EnviroLink Magazine]            VISIONS OF THE PAST,
   Visiting Moccasin Bend is like    VISITORS OF THE FUTURE
"walking into a shipwreck or a      Imagine reenactors demonstrating
time capsule." So says Jim Ogden,    the life of a civil war soldier or
historian   at   Chickamauga   and    a Native American Indian. Visitors
Chattanooga   National    Military    on guided walks might view the
Park.   Ogden's comments focus on    campsites and fortifications, but
the Civil War era artillery and    they would also have first-hand
infantry fortifications and hut    experiences   of   the    cultures
sites remaining from a two-month    represented.   Children on a field
occupation in 1863.                   trip may learn to throw a spear
   In the words of Tom Kunesh of    with an atlatl, chip an arrowhead,
the    Chattanooga     InterTribal    or weave a basket. Families would
Association,   Moccasin Bend   is    hear a storyteller tell legends of
"... the last best piece of native    the Cherokee and Creek nations or
culture in our region following    view a video on the ceremonial
the near-total   destruction   of    life of the Mississippian culture.
Citico Mound,    Heritage Landing,       That's one view of the way
and Ross' Landing."                   Moccasin Bend could be developed
   "The   archeological   material    to reveal its important past and
records a history of 12,000 years    significance in modern develop-
of human habitation and inter-    ment. In fact, most plans revolve
action with the natural world,"    around the development of some
says Friends of the Moccasin Bend    sort of center that explains the
member   Frank M. Robbins, III.    historical significance   of the
Moccasin Bend   "is a   treasure    Bend   and    gives    visitors a
standing   idle.    Making   it a    perspective of Chattanooga that's
national park could be a highly    quite   different    from    other
attractive asset to the tourism    attractions.
industry."                               Native American groups envision
    There seems to be no lack of    a center that is respectful of the
opinion as to what Moccasin Bend    Bend's sacred ceremonial sites.
is -- and what it should be.    According to Kunesh, any center
Fearful and still smarting from    should be   an interpretive and
such destructive construction as    cultural center outside the 960
the bulldozing of Cameron Hill and    acres of sacred space.   No new
the   paving of   Ross' Landing,    concrete structures should mar the
several attentive, active, and at    land,   and interpretation should
times,   aggressive groups   have    focus on revealing what is there
proposed   plans   that   preserve    and its significance to Native
Moccasin    Bend     and     allow    Americans.   The cultural center
Chattanoogans   and visitors   to    would serve Native Americans and
enjoy and respect   its bounty.    Native Americans and show visitors
While they   differ in the way    that native culture is not dead.
Moccassin Bend should or should         Friends   of   Moccasin Bend
not be developed, the groups all    envision a center that opens the
agree on   the vast   historical    Bend's "time capsule." The center
significance of the thousands of    would   provide   an educational,
acres of land enclosed by a twist    enriching   experience   for   the
and turn of the Tennessee River.      (See MOCCASIN BEND; page 5)

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 5

MOCCASIN BEND (from page 4)
visiting public   by   preserving    nations consider wildlife safaris
important artifacts and areas. The    a major part of their economy.
focus would be on sharing the many       Ecotourism has the appeal of
stories in the many voices of    solving two problems at once --
those who lived there.                providing protection for fragile
                                      resources and providing economic
GAINING NATIONAL PARK STATUS          opportunities at the same time.
       Secretary of Interior Bruce    Can it work at Moccasin Bend?
Babbitt toured the Bend in June      Friends of Moccasin Bend believe
1995 and lent his support for its    so -- if the Bend joins Lookout
preservation.                         Mountain and Chickamauga Battle-
   "(We must) . . . preserve this    field as   a portion   of   that
extraordinary slice of America's    national   park.    According   to
heritage    for   our   kids   and    Robbins, the National Park Service
future generations," Babbitt told    is "...the best agency to protect
reporters."We can't let developers    the Bend -- bar none."   He points
pave over such an important part    out the resolution   passed   by
of our national heritage."            Congress in 1950 and signed by
      Though enthusiastic, Babbitt    President   Harry Truman,   which
stopped short of any commitment on    authorized    expansion   of   the
the government's part to take on    Chickamauga    and     Chattanooga
the responsibility for the Bend.      National Military Park to include
   Park Superintendent Pat Reed    the Bend.
Reed was   more direct   in his       "The resolution was an historic
comments:   "Resources    of   the    precedent," Robbins says.
Chickamauga    and     Chattanooga       "Development of Moccasin Bend
National Military Park are already    can happen in a way that maintains
stretched too thin to accept more    respect for the Native American
responsibility," he says.             sites at the bend, but allows all
Despite federal reservations and    citizens to enjoy its beauty."
tight   purse   strings,   Robbins       Other groups agree, as well. In
believes the best way to provide    1995, members of the Chattanooga
the    public    with    such   an    InterTribal Association voted in
interpretive site is through the    favor of the National Park concept
development of a national park at    because the National Park Service
Moccasin Bend.                        has specific rules and regulations
   "A visitor center would provide    for dealing with and protecting
protection for the artifacts at    cultural resources. Neither state
Moccasin   Bend   and   complement    or local governments have such
existing   facilities    for area    regulations.
visitors,"   Robbins says.    "In       A national park   would help
addition, such a cultural center    Native Americans   battle   three
would keep   the visitors in town    fronts for the preservation of
longer and provide a boost to the    sacred sites in the Chattanooga
local economy."                       area, Kunesh says.
The use of natural and historical       "Those three threats to relics
resources as a means of economic    are big money developers, water
development    is    hardly   new.    level fluctuations, and individual
Residents of the Yellowstone area    looters," Kunesh says, adding that
run a variety of businesses that    he believes the sites should not
serve visitors to the park, from    be disturbed   by even academic
cafes   and   guide   services to    archeologists.
airports and lodges. Many African    (See MOCCASIN BEND, page 6)

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 6

MOCCASIN BEND (from page 5)
Friends of Moccasin Bend recently    in place at Williams Island, just
received a grant of $25,000 from    downstream from the Bend, where
the Benwood Foundation to study    there are   numerous prehistoric
the   feasibility    of    gaining    village   sites.   The   State of
national park status.   They have    Tennessee owns the island, which
engaged the firm of Thomas I.    is managed by the Tennessee River
Martin of Cambridge, Mass., as a    Gorge   Trust.     However,   this
consultant in their endeavor.         arrangement also suffers from lack
The enthusiasm for national park    of a revenue source.   The state
status for Moccasin Bend among    does not currently fund interpre-
local   government   officials is    tation   or   protection   of the
guarded, at present. Both Mayor    Williams Island site, and there is
Gene Roberts and County Executive    no source of revenue for such
Claude   Ramsey   have   indicated    developments in the near future.
reluctance to cede land on the    The archeological digging   that
Bend currently owned   by local    takes place at Williams Island may
governments.                          also be controversial   to some
In July, Roberts and Ramsey told    elements in the community.
reporters that the cost to the
city and county to give up their    TIME WILL TELL
portion of the Bend might include        As Chattanooga moves into the
$1.5 million to void the lease    21st century, numerous development
with Moccasin Bend Golf Course,    opportunities will be evaluated
and $250,000 to replace the police    and pursued, but any such plans
firing range.                         will undoubtedly remain on hold
"I would like to see the National    until the issue of revenue is
Park Service have a plan for a    resolved.
park, and not just intend to put         But during   discussions of
it in   their inventory,"   says    financing,     preservation    and
Roberts. "The portions of the Bend    development, it should never be
now owned by local government are    forgotten that the resource at
protected by covenants that allow    Moccasin Bend is finite.    Once
only institutional   and   recre-    gone, it can not be replaced. And
ational development. We don't want    all of us would be the poorer for
to give up that protection until    its loss.
we know what will happen to the        Until a decision is reached to
land."                                Moccasin Bend, important sacred
                                      and   historical sites   must be
BANDING TOGETHER                      protected. Pam Triplett and Stuart
Some officials have promoted the    Aitken are two members of a Native
idea of a partnership plan to    American Reserve Unit (sic) of the
promote protection   and   inter-    Hamilton County Sheriff's Office
pretation of the Bend. This would    that patrol the area daily. Since
allow participation of the private    the unit began its patrol, looting
sector    and    all   levels   of    has decreased dramatically.
government.
   A partnership model is already        *       *       *       *

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

Happy Birthday Wishes go to the following people:

J.R. Davis . . . . . 13 April Tina Swilling-Falkowski . .3 April
Miss Virginia Johnson . . 9 April

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 7

DO-TSU-WA -- REDBIRD

    Do-tsu-wa was the daughter of    beautiful redbird.
the Sun, I-ga E-hi Nv-do.                That is how the redbird came to
    One day, Spreading Adder and    be, and why the Cherokees call it
Copperhead killed Do-tsu-wa. When    Do-tsu-wa.
she died, her spirit became a

YO-NA -- BEAR

Long ago, in the Smoky Mountains,    on his body   grew   thicker and
there lived a young Cherokee boy    longer, he grew great claws on his
named Yo-na.   Yo-na liked playing    his hands and feet, and his snout
in the forest so much that, after    grew long from always sniffing
awhile, he was spending all his    about.   Finally, he was no longer
time there, and would not answer    human. He had become a bear. That
when his mother called for him.       is how the black bear came to be.
   As Yo-na spent more and more of       To this day, the Cherokees call
his time in the forest, the hair    the bear Yo-na.

4 April 1996 SENAA Newsletter 8

OUR NATIVE TONGUE

Syllabary      Tsa-La-Gi          Pronunciation              English
               TA-LA-DU           Tah-lah-doo                TWELVE
               I-YA-NV-DA         Ee-yah-nuh-dah             MONTHS

Yu-no-lv-ta-nv Yoo-no-luh-tah-nuh January

Ka-ga-li Kah-gah-lee February

A-nv-yi Ah-nuh-yee March

Ka-wo-ni Kah-woe-nee April

A-ne-s-gv-ni Ah-nay-skuh-nee May

Di-ha-lu-yi Dee-hah-loo-yee June

Gu-ye-qwo-ni Goo-yay-koe-nee July

Ga-lo-ni Gah-low-nee August

Du-li-s-di Doo-lee-stee September

Du-ni-nv-di Doo-nee-nuh-dee October

Nv-da-di-wa Nuh-dah-dee-wah November

V-s-gi-ga Uh-skee-gah December