© 1995 SENAA International
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© 1995 SENAA International
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Vol. 1; No. 9 &
10
2 May - 6 June 1996
MEETING SCHEDULE
Next Executive Council Meeting: Thursday,
27 June 1996; to be held at
1314 Wildwood Lake Road
Cleveland, Tennessee 37311
Next General Meeting: Thursday, 4 July 1996; to be
held at
1314 Wildwood Lake Road, Cleveland, Tennessee.
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*
*
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SENAA APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE CHEROKEE NATION IN OKLAHOMA
On 1 May 1996, Cherokee
Nation harmonious with the wishes of the
Repatriation Director
Charles Cherokee Nation.
Gourd appointed SENAA
as the Mr. Gourd said
that SENAA's
Oklahoma Cherokee Nation's eastern
representation of the Cherokee
Tennessee representatives,
and Nation will not only help the
SENAA Vice President and
Public Cherokee Nation, but will also
Relations Director Al
Swilling give SENAA more credibility and
as
spokesman.
negotiating power.
The appointment came to
SENAA Mr. Gourd also said that anyone
as the result of its efforts
at who questions SENAA's position is
the Autumn Ridge site and
for welcome to phone him at (918)
its position on the Moccasin Bend/
456-0671, ext. 467, for
national park proposal, which
is verification.
SENAA -- EXPOSED
On the weekend of 26 & 27
April, organizations the opportunity to
the Bradley Square
Mall, in raise public awareness and funds
Cleveland, Tennessee,
provided for their groups by setting up
local churches and other
nonprofit (See EXPOSED, page
2)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
2
EXPOSED (from page 1)
booths in the aisles
throughout traditional beliefs and those of
the mall. SENAA
participated. Christianity, Al Swilling spoke to
Displays of all
descriptions the children of Mrs. Dinsmore's
lined the walkways, as
various class and provided a craft project
organizations vied
for the for the children to make and keep.
attention -- and donations --
of The craft was a single-strand
weekend
shoppers.
bone and corn bead choker, to
Thanks to the
help of the remind them of the Trail of Tears.
Johnson family and others
who After the services, Asbury's
contributed time and items to sell
congregation presented SENAA with
to raise funds, SENAA received
a a love offering to help us fulfill
warm and friendly
response. our goals.
Approximately 150
pamphlets Our sincere thanks
to Jenny
were distributed, and we even made
Dinsmore, her class, and the
enough sales to cover
printing entire congregation of the Asbury
costs.
United Methodist Church.
NATIVE AMERICAN
SUNDAY Special thanks to
Rich Dinsmore,
On Sunday, 28 April,
SENAA's editor of the Bradley Weekly, for
President and Vice
President bringing our organization to the
appeared at the Asbury
United attention of his wife, Jenny, thus
Methodist Church by invitation of
creating the opportunity for us to
Sunday School teacher
Virginia participate in the church's Native
Dinsmore.
American Sunday. May the Creator
As President Steve
Swilling bless them all.
spoke to the congregation about
the similarities between
Cherokee
* *
* *
MOCCASIN BEND PARK IDEA GETS SECOND WIND
by, Jefferson George
[Reprinted from The Chattanooga Times; 13 April 1996]
So far, the
effort to turn and should be ready by early May.
Moccasin Bend into a national
park Along with those efforts, U.S.
has been
something like a Representative
Zach Wamp has
marathon, a tiring journey
in carried the group's banner to
which the
participants have Washington, meeting
with other
crawled along with no
end in elected officials and resurrecting
sight.
earlier legislation in Congress.
But a collection of
determined As with any
major project,
individuals feel they might
be obstacles remain, namely getting
able to see the finish line.
And everyone on the same page locally.
although some hurdles loom in the
But with existing legislation and
final stretch, these runners also
the potential for what they see as
seem to have a fresh set of legs.
a landmark interpretive center,
Next week, the
Friends of supporters think they finally can
Moccasin Bend National Park
will push the national park effort over
announce a proposed Trail of Tears the
hump -- more than 40 years
Interpretive Center that
would after the idea first entered the
anchor an
eventual 956-acre local scene.
national park. In addition, a
park "It is difficult to add land to
feasibility study conducted by
a the national park system, but it
Massachusetts firm has taken
shape (See BEND, page 3)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
3
BEND (from page 2)
certainly can be done," said
Wamp. former UTC professor, is
an
"It's fascinating to me . . .
but authority on Cherokee Indian
I don't want to get
the cart history and the Trail of Tears.
before the
horse."
King said it's well known that
Wamp admitted
recently that Ross' Landing
was a major
pressure on the National
Park emigrating depot for the Trail of
Service to scale back will
make Tears in the 1830s-- about a third
things tough;
Congress isn't of the Cherokees
heading west
"closing the doors," but
projects either left from or passed through
are "raked across the
coals a there. But recent research by King
little more closely," he
said. shows that some
detachments of
Another sticking point may
be Cherokees actually traveled
the Moccasin Bend Golf
Course, through Moccasin Bend en route to
which is leased from the city and
present-day Oklahoma.
county. Before Wamp submits
a "Chattanooga
is extremely
proposal to Congress, he wants an
significant in the interpretation
agreement made with the city
and of the Trail of Tears," King said.
county regarding the
facility's "The fact that detachments started
future.
from Chattanooga, that thousands
Chattanooga Mayor Gene
Roberts of Cherokees were
held in
and Hamilton County
Executive confinement and that it was a
Claude Ramsey have said that until
population center are all
there's a bold, dazzling plan for
arguments to support an
the Bend, that area's fate is
a interpretation of the Trail of
low
priority.
Tears in the area.
"I don't know of any
definitive With more information like this,
steps," Roberts said,
"to move park supporters are hoping area
that golf course. The city
and residents will be won over to the
county would have to condemn
the idea as well. A poll of 718 county
lease, and that would cost
an residents conducted in February by
awful lot of money . . . I
can't Southern Public Opinion Research
imagine that would happen
unless found that
while future
something extraordinary was
pro- development of the Bend doesn't
posed for that
bend."
have overwhelming support in
Ramsey also wasn't aware of
any general, the top two projects
immediate discussion on the issue.
favored are a national park and an
"I've not seen any proposals
and American Indian Museum.
not known any interest," he
said. On the federal level, Wamp has
"It would not be (a high priority)
had "substantial conversation"
with
me."
with other Trail of Tears experts
Wamp has spoken with the
two from Santa Fe, N.M., and has
leaders about plans for the Bend,
spoken with U.S. Senator Ben
and thinks the impending
release Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado
of the study coupled with
the about holding a Senate field
proposed interpretive center will
hearing in Chattanooga to focus on
help make it a higher
priority. the national park efforts.
"The potential Moccasin Bend
has All of these moves have somewhat
for the city and county will knock
validated Friends of Moccasin Bend
their socks off," Wamp
said. National Park, a group just
over a
Discussions with Dr. Duane
King dozen strong with their hopes
of the Southwestern Museum in Los
pinned to the National Park
Angeles have Wamp positive
about Service and the Congressman.
the chances for success. King,
a (See BEND, page 4)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
4
BEND (from page 3)
"This is really
a national the most attractive.
historic landmark already,"
said And although they're looking to
Leighton LeBoeuf, a member of the
Washington, the group hopes to wow
group and public affairs director
a few local folks while they're at
at Moccasin Bend Mental
Health it.
Institute. "We've always had
a "It's just going to be a matter
pretty clear understanding
that of trying to cross all the right
city and county funding would not
bridges," LeBoeuf said. "This is a
be
available."
situation where we really need the
Park
supporters think the help of the state,
the city and
project can be funded
federally, the county to make it work."
and they look to other
recent But while park supporters have
additions to the National
Park been patient for
some time
Service, such as Little
River already, they may have to endure a
Canyon and the enlargement of the
while longer, perhaps borrowing a
Great Smoky Mountains
National page from those who toiled for
Park, for
hope.
years on the stadium effort.
"We don't want to continue
with "The land out there is
being
the 'No Trespassing' signs,"
said preserved . . .We can wait a long
Mickey Robbins, another
group time for an attractive proposal,"
member and a trustee
for the Mayor Roberts said. "Anything has
mental hospital, which wouldn't be to
get in line, and there are a
affected by the park. "We
want lot of things that are
more
something that will be attractive
pressing."
to the entire community. . . . The
National Park Service option
is *
* * *
MAY & JUNE BIRTHDAYS
Happy Birthday Wishes to the following people:
Al Swilling . . . . . . . . 5
May Rachel Davis. . . . . .6 June
Steve Swilling . . . . . . 28 May
Brian Davis . . . . . 13 June
Pam Triplett . . . . . . . 28 May
Kelly Davis . . . . . 14 June
Shelby Sutherland . . . . . 31 May
Helen Swilling-Warren . . 24 June
CLEVELAND MUSEUM TO OPEN SOON
SENAA PRESIDENT TO BE TECH ADVISOR
On 7 June, the new
Cleveland- advisor on that exhibit and the
Bradley Regional Museum will host
script planned for the portrayal
a "kick-off party" from 5-11
p.m. of a Cherokee elder in his 70s.
at the planned facility
site. The museum,
operated by Jim and
The museum will focus on various
Carolyn Williams, are conducting
aspects of Cleveland and
Bradley an art contest for K-sixth grade
County history, including its days
school children for artwork that
before white settlers took
over. interprets their vision of seven
Among the exhibits will be
a historical characters the museum
section on Cherokee history. SENAA has
chosen to exemplify the area's
President Steve Swilling has been
history.
asked to act as their
technical
* *
* *
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
5
A DUTY TO HISTORY
[Reprinted from The Chattanooga Times, 9 May 1996]
Col. John M.
Chivington, a memory of the massacre -- led by a
Methodist lay preacher and
U.S. Christian minister -- was the
Cavalry officer, led a force that
first thing young Indians were
butchered some
200 American taught. Seeing
their intense
Indians, mostly
women and memory of the hateful
event and
children, at Sand Creek, Colorado,
its lingering ripples, he
in 1864. That massacre was dusty,
initiated the campaign that
distant history to most Americans
finally resulted in the
until late April, when leaders of
denomination's apology.
the United
Methodist Church
Hopefully, the Methodists'
acknowledged the slaughter in
a acknowledgement will help heal an
noteworthy
way.
unhealed wound and bring some
They voted to issue a
formal resolution, and peace, to people
apology on behalf of their
8.7 who remain latter-day victims of
million members to
the two the dispossession and slaughter of
American Indian
tribes whose America's native peoples.
Cheyenne and Arapaho
forebears This story is enlightening in
were among the
massacred. many
ways. It teaches that history
Their act speaks volumes
about does not just illuminate past
the value of cultural memory
and deeds and their consequences, but
history and offers a wealth
of also shapes our lives today, even
lessons. One is the
value of as we shape tomorrow's history.
history as a moral, ethical
and History is alive. Our culture
social compass in our daily lives. and
values today reflect a point
The Methodists' apology,
and on a continuum of history, from
their explicit
request for yesterday to tomorrow. So a sense
forgiveness, reminds us of
how of our time and place in history
interconnected we are as families
is crucial, and we neglect it at
and as a culture from
generation our peril.
to generation. It's
good to Our sense of history determines
remember that connectedness.
It more than our standards of social
bears on the
responsibilities, justice and ethical values. It
values and burdens we convey
to also, for example, shapes our
our children and
grandchildren. stewardship for that piece of the
What we teach our children
and Earth bestowed on us, and which we
reinforce in our cultural
values will bestow -- for better or
are the things they
come to worse -- on our children.
remember, value, nurture and
pass Our physical environment is both
along themselves to their children
a bequest and a legacy. Yet
and future
generations.
because we are such a new country,
The Methodists learned that
the relatively speaking, we seem to
Cheyenne and Arapaho
descendants value and protect it less well
of the slaughtered Sand
Creek than nations with longer histories
encampment carried an
entirely value and protect their
com-
different memory
than did munities and physical heritage.
descendants of the settlers led
by Europe, for example, abounds
Col.
Chivington.
with the physical edifices of its
The Rev. Alvin Deer is an Indian
rich history -- ancient churches,
and Methodist minister who
began cobblestone villages and well-worn
working in 1985 on the
Oklahoma paths in old public
forests.
reservations where descendants of
Because a sense of its peoples'
the Sand Creek victims live today.
histories permeates their cultural
He learned that their
embittered (see DUTY TO HISTORY, page 6)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
6
DUTY TO HISTORY (From page 5)
landscape, they
cherish and We cry for a
return to safe
respect that
landscape.
neighborhoods and simple values.
Here, where
there are few Yet we build
subdivision after
remnants of our physical history,
subdivision without sidewalks and
disrespect is commonplace. Litter
nearby playgrounds, forcing
and degradation -- billboards and
pedestrians to dirty, dangerous
decaying buildings and
unguided road shoulders and
families
urban sprawl -- are
shockingly increasingly to their cars for
worse here than
in other trips to remote recreation centers
industrially advanced but
older for leisure.
nations.
We tell our children we value
Somehow, the
uprooted and our environment and schools, yet
transient settlers from
Europe we focus on roadbuilding and
must have traded their
cultural underfund education.
aesthetic standards for the
skills The values we transmit to our
needed to tame a rawer land -- and
children often conflict with what
those lost aesthetic
standards we say. Much of this social and
were never
recovered and cultural incohesion
results from
retransmitted.
lack of cultural historical
The exploitive standards
are perspective and too
little
the ones that continue. We find it
attention to building that
normal to
clear-cut ancient unifying fabric.
forests. Or to leave huge cuts
of So I wonder how our children can
raw earth exposed and
uncovered, be different. Or will they someday
and dumps open. To
see those have an epiphany,
like the
wounds, look, sometime, at Signal
Methodists at their Colorado
Mountain Boulevard, Hixson Pike or
convention, and be forced to tell
along any of a dozen other
main their children that they, too,
thoroughfares.
have been neglecting their
That loss of guiding
cultural heritage, and want forgiveness?
history has other
manifestations.
* *
* *
GI-YU-GA
GROUND SQUIRREL
(A Tsa-La-Gi Story)
Long ago, all the
people and Gi-Yu-Ga, the Ground Squirrel,
animals ate only plants, but there
spoke.
came a time when food was
scarce, "None of the people have done
and the people had to kill animals
me any harm," she said. "They
for
food.
don't eat me. I have decided that
This angered and frightened
the I will not inflict any disease
animals, so they held a
great upon them."
council to decide what to do.
They After the council, Gv-He, the
finally decided to give
diseases Bobcat, was angry with Gi-Yu-Ga
to the people for eating them, and
and scratched her across the back
began deciding which disease each
as she turned to leave.
animal would
inflict.
Gi-Yu-Ga still has the scratches
As they discussed the
matter, on her back to this day. * *
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
7
OUR NATIVE TONGUE
Syllabary Tsa-La-Gi Pronunciation English
Sa-qwu-i Sah-gwoo-ee
or Sa-qwu
Sah-gwoo
One
Ta-li
Tah-lee
or
Tahl
Two
Tso-i
Choe-ee
or
Tso
Choe
Three
Nv-gi Nuh-gee Four
Hi-s-gi Hee-skee Five
Su-da-li Soo-dahl Six
Ga-lv-qwo-gi Gahl-gwoe-gee Seven
Tsa-ne-la Chah-nay-la
or
Chah-nel
Eight
So-ne-la So-nail Nine
S-go-hi Skoe Ten
Sa-du Sah-doo Eleven
Ta-la-du Tahl-doo Twelve
Tso-ga-du Choe-ga-doo Thirteen
Ni-ga-du Nee-ga-doo Fourteen
S-gi-ga-du Skee-gah-doo Fifteen
Da-la-du Dah-la-doo Sixteen
Ga-lv-qwa-du Gahl-gwah-doo Seventeen
Ne-la-du Nay-la-doo Eighteen
So-ne-la-du So-nay-lah-doo Nineteen
Ta-lv-s-go Tahl-skoe Twenty
O-ni Oh-nee After
I-gv-yi-di-tlv Ee-guh-yee-deet-luh Before
U-gi-tsi-ha Oo-gee-chee-ha Daylight
A-ga-li-ha
Ah-gah-lee-ha
Sunshine
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
8
THE SECRETS OF AUTUMN RIDGE
NOTE: Lest a copy of this
publication fall into hostile hands, this
report and the reports in the March and April
newsletters are purposely
vague in regard to the exact location and the name of the
developer.
-- T.A.S.
The sun was sweltering for
most systematic, yet painfully piece-
of the seven days the
University meal.
of Tennessee archeological
team At best, reading
the final
spent studying the Autumn
Ridge chapter via a few two-meter-wide
site. SENAA's President, Treasurer
trenches was akin to reading a
and Vice President watched closely
book with key passages obscured--
from 29 April through 4 May,
as one gets the general idea, but
archeologists Rick Blatchley, Rob
misses important and enlightening
Kelly, and backhoe operator
John details.
Rasely carefully skimmed away
the "Julie leveled the .357 magnum
topsoil, 1/2" to 1" at a time,
in on the darkened figure that loomed
two-meter-wide swathes, to reveal
over her, knife raised for the
the subsoil beneath -- and
the killing blow. A light went on
secrets of Autumn
Ridge.
somewhere across the street, at
Exposing the clay subsoil
was last illuminating the face of her
like opening an ancient magician's
attacker. The gun shook in her
secret journal, wherein lie
his hand as she stared with disbelief
secret, magical formulae. As
is into the familiar face. Tears
the case with any
magician's filled her eyes. Her senses reeled
grimoire, this earthen chronical's at
the realization that the person
text was written in its own secret who
had terrorized her and was now
code. As archeologists deciphered
about to kill her was . . .
the terrene typography, the
tale The suspense is almost painful.
it told was every bit as exciting
You've followed the heroine
and mystical as any
magician's throughout her ordeal. You've
tome; imparting new reality to our
lived with her through her most
ancestors' lives that, until now,
harrowing experiences. Her pain is
most of us had only heard
about. your pain. Now, she has finally
Equally impressive was the
care seen the face of her tormentor,
with which each thin, earthen page and
you want to see it, too. But
was turned and
examined.
you can't, because the last page
John, the backhoe
operator, is missing.
worked with
surgical skill, It's the same
frustration felt
maneuvering the
awkward-looking by the archeological
team at
back bucket as deftly as a surgeon
Autumn Ridge. Because of time
manipulates his
instruments. limits -- and
budget -- the last
Evident in his careful treatment
pages had to remain unread.
of the soil was John's
reverence Fortunately, enough clues had
for Mother Earth and the
secrets been collected to piece together a
he coaxed her to
reveal.
satisfactory scenario, albeit
The yellow-orange subsoil
was speculative and probably less
the climactic chapter of
this interesting than the real thing.
saga; where all the taunting
clues The history of Autumn Ridge, we
of previous pages came
together learned, is a long one. Evidence
and the suspense they created was
shows occupation of the site by
at once intensified and rewarded.
Native Americans from the Archaic
New revelations were stark
and (See AUTUMN RIDGE, Page 9)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
9
AUTUMN RIDGE (from Page 8)
Period (8000-1000 BC) until
the fortify their village; the same
Trail of Tears in
1838.
survival instinct that led them to
It's little wonder why
Autumn settle here at Autumn Ridge. But
Ridge was such a popular
place. there was an enemy that even the
Nestled in the cradle of
Bigsby strongest fortification could not
and Candies creeks, with a
lush repel, nor could it be fought with
forest surrounding the ridge,
it lances, blowguns or arrows -- an
was the ideal site. Hunting
and enemy that killed and maimed
fishing were good, and the
rich indiscriminately and invisibly,
bottom land surrounding the ridge
without reason or remorse. Judging
and in the nearby flood plain was
from the evidence, it made war at
ideal
farmland.
Autumn Ridge -- and took its toll.
The most plentiful evidence
of This enemy's name, in the Cherokee
Native American occupation is from
tongue, is U-Yu-Gi -- Disease.
the Mississippian Period
(700-1300 The legacy of that battle
is
AD).
recorded in the pages of Autumn
For the Mississippians, teamwork
Ridge's earthen journal.
wasn't the least of their
virtues. In just the thin ribbons that
On the northeast end
of the were examined, a disproportionate
ridge crest once stood a
village number of burials were discovered.
surrounded by a 120 meter diameter Of
the eleven graves encountered,
palisade wall one meter
thick. nine were multiple burials; most
Surrounding the wall was a
two of them inside their dwellings.
meter wide ditch. Added onto
the In one home, a small child was
palisade, either as a means
of buried beside the hearth. A burial
separating social
classes or on the other side of the hearth,
perhaps just to ease overcrowding,
and a multiple burial only two
was a second palisade the
same feet from the child's grave,
diameter as the first
extending reveal the fate of the rest of the
southwest an
additional 110 family.
meters.
True, the deaths and multiple
Homes and other
structures, burials could have been the result
including a council house,
stood of battle with an invading tribe,
in close proximity inside
the except that burying the child
palisade, with other
structures beside the hearth appeared to have
outside on the southeastern slope
been an act of loving, bereaved
of the
ridge.
parents. The other burials being
The time and effort required
to so near the child's appeared to
build the massive palisade, not to have
been done in the same spirit
mention the buildings themselves,
by grieving friends and relatives;
with only stone and wooden tools,
essentially reuniting the family
was enormous. Seeing their
work, in the spiritual realm as they had
one could sense the comradery the
been on the physical plane.
villagers must have felt, as
they Whatever caused so many deaths
worked together toward this common we
can only speculate. The pages
good.
unread no doubt solve the mystery,
As the
study progressed, but alas, we perhaps
will never
however, another factor in
the know the truth until we join them
lives of these villagers
slowly in the spiritual realm. Perhaps
came to light that evoked a
more we know all we need to know for
solemn
empathy.
now; that being that their graves
It was a matter of survival
for are at Autumn Ridge and need our
our ancestors that led them
to (See AUTUMN RIDGE, Page 10)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
10
AUTUMN RIDGE (from Page 9)
protection from backhoe and
heavy Band of Cherokee Indians and the
equipment operators less
adept Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. That
than John
Rasely.
failing, there is the possibility
In this case, we are
fortunate. that the state of Tennessee will
The developer, sensitive to
our buy the property and set it aside
feelings, has agreed to meet with
as a historical landmark.
SENAA members, Tennessee
State Steps are now being taken by
Archeologist Nick Fielder, and the
SENAA Public Relations Director to
archeologists who conducted
the have the site listed on
the
study, to decide on a course
of National Registry of Historic
action that is agreeable to
all Places.
concerned.
May the Creator, U-ne-la-nv-hi,
Among proposed solutions is
the continue to protect this site, and
possibility of SENAA obtaining the
bless us with such good fortune
property and deeding it to
the on every site we undertake to
joint possession of the
Eastern rescue. *
* * *
TRAIL OF TEARS CENTER EYED FOR NORTH SHORE
by,
John Wilson
[Reprinted from Chattanooga Free Press, 18 April 1996]
A group planning
a Trail of of major new expenses associated
Tears Interpretive
Center at with construction and operation of
Moccasin Bend is eyeing a location the
center.
on the Tennessee River in
the U.S. Park Service
officials
vacinity of Manufacturers Road in
have cited budget cutbacks and
sight of the popular
Tennessee inability to take on
certain
Aquarium.
additional projects.
Jay Mills, vice president
of Mr. Mills said, "If visitors
the Friends of
Moccasin Bend could see the museum
from the
National Park, said the site
is Aquarium, they would recognize
outside the boundaries of
the that it is not a long distance
proposed national park on
the away."
Bend, where the city, county
and He said there are discussions
state own more than 900
acres. underway of a
water connection
He said siting the museum
out- between the Aquarium and its
side the national park area
is allied attractions at Ross'
preferred "because we do not
want Landing and the museum.
to impact the
archeological Mr. Mills said the
museum at
remains within the park site, nor
that location "could be the
do we want to be intrusive in
a terminus for the Riverwalk and at
visual
sense."
the same time be the gateway to
Earlier, a proposal to build
an the Moccasin Bend National Park."
amphitheater on state-owned
land The 35-year-old archeologist
at Moccasin Bend ran into
heavy said the Trail of Tears topic "is
opposition and was
withdrawn. something both
Native Americans
Mr. Mills said it is
projected and others
as well are
that the Trail of Tears
museum increasingly interested in."
would be operated by a
nonprofit He noted that several detach-
group. He said
that would ments of Cherokees went out from
alleviate the federal
government (See CENTER, page 11)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
11
CENTER (from page 10)
Ross' landing in 1838 in
their institutions and individuals would
forced exodus to the west and some
cooperate in making those items
some went across Moccasin
Bend. available to
the Chattanooga
"This was one of the
primary museum.
staging area when the
Cherokees Shirley Hoskins and
Shirley
were rounded up. This is
where Lawrence, who are planning a
they saw their homeland for
the Cherokee memorial in Meigs County
last time and where they
said at the location of
another
goodbye to the land," he
said. departure point for the Trail
of
Harley Grant, a
Chattanoogan Tears, said they believe the two
who is chairman of the
Tennessee projects can
compliment one
Commission on Indian Affairs, said
another.
he believes if the museum is
built They said the effort in Meigs
that many artifacts taken earlier
County is to have a memorial wall
from Moccasin Bend
will be in which the names of those who
returned.
went on the Trail of Tears are
He said he knows the
locations displayed and to have an American
of many such artifacts in museums
Indian genealogy center.
and private collections.
Mr. Grant said he believes
many *
* * *
SENAA'S VIEWS ON MOCCASIN BEND
by,
Al Swilling
Public Relations Director
"Friends
of Moccasin Bend printed articles that
represent
National Park" (FMB) is a
rather their views and arguments for
misleading title, when you
think their proposal.
about
it.
In each article, through each
At first glance, one would think
argument for their proposals, runs
they were friends of Moccasin Bend the
thread of truth wrapped in a
itself; trying to preserve
it thin veneer of concern. That
because they value it for what it
thinly veiled thread is greed.
is -- a Native American
burial Their rhetoric abounds
with
ground and historical site.
One such terms as "economic impact",
would also think that FMB members
"economic potential", "boost the
are sympathetic to the wrongs done
local economy", "ecotourism,"
to the Cherokees and other tribes
"economic opportunities", and "use
who were driven from their
home- "of...historical resources as a
lands by thievery and deceit. But,
means of economic development" --
sadly, that isn't the
case. all used to
describe and validate
Reading this
issue of our their planned
exploitation of
newsletter, one might also get the
something that doesn't rightfully
impression that SENAA supports the
belong to them. FMB and CITA are
proposals made by FMB and
the unabashedly proposing to exploit
"Chattanooga InterTribal
Associa- the remains and burial places of
tion" that Moccasin Bend be made a
our ancestors for their own
national park. But, that isn't the
financial gain; yet not a word
case,
either.
about sharing that income with
To be fair, and to give
equal those who alone have the right to
time to the opposition, we
have (See VIEWS, page 12)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
12
VIEWS (from page 11)
possession under the 1990
Native of its proponents, the national
American Graves Protection
and park proposal might almost seem
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) --
the attractive, except for another
Cherokee, Creek, and other south-
disturbing proposal -- putting the
eastern indigenous
tribes. artifacts
from Moccasin Bend on
As far as I know, no one
from display in a museum.
either group has the
voluntary Cherokee Nation
Repatriation
consent of our people to use
the Director Charles Gourd adamantly
artifacts, burials, or remains at
opposes the display of any
Moccasin Bend for
profit.
artifacts taken from the burials
CITA claims to speak for
Native at Moccasin Bend or any burial
Americans, yet the Cherokee Nation
site.
in Oklahoma says that CITA
does When asked his opinion of FMB's
NOT speak for
them.
and CITA's proposed display of the
No one from CITA or
FMB has artifacts, he said,
"No. No
spoken to the tribes to
obtain artifacts or remains are to be
permission to speak
on their displayed in any manner.
Those
behalf, nor have they earned
the objects are to be put back in the
privilege. How can anyone
speak ground where they came from, and
for others without first speaking
under no circumstances are any
to those he claims to
represent? more to be dug up."
SENAA earned, with
considerable It all boils down to the same old
effort, its privilege to speak on
story: if Indians have anything
behalf of the Oklahoma
Cherokee of value, there is a faction of
Nation. Also, we were
appointed non-Indians that won't rest until
the honor by the tribal government they
possess it, by whatever means
-- not through self-proclamation.
necessary. And they expect the
It is precisely because we first
government to back them up, as
sought to abide by the will of the
always -- still clinging to the
Cherokee Nation that
we were pathetic myth of Manifest Destiny.
entrusted as its representatives.
If not for the ulterior
motives
* *
* *
OPTIONS BEING SOUGHT FOR AIRPORT
Land Owners in Dry Valley Area Being Contacted
by, Allen Mincey
[Reprinted
from the Cleveland Daily Banner; 29 May 1996]
The city of
Cleveland has city to find willing sellers for
contacted six property owners
in such a facility -- instead of the
the Dry Valley Road area to see if use
of eminent domain -- led to
they would agree to sell
their this procedure.
land for a new municipal
airport. "This has been
on-going for a
Cleveland Planning
Director few months," Bivens said. "I've
Craig Bivens said this
morning talked with the six property
that City Manager George Wood has
owners, and only one to date has
authorized him to "work with
some signed the option."
property owners to secure
options The property owner, Ralph Smith
to purchase" about 350 acres
of of McMinn County, died last week,
property for a new
airport. Bivens said. The
planning director
Bivens said that
legislation said the city would not
hold
passed last year that requires
the (See AIRPORT, page 13)
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
13
AIRPORT (from page 12)
Smith's son to any agreement
his All property owners would have
father had signed if the son
was to be willing to sell
their
against the
agreement.
property for a new airport to be
"The property owners have
each built in that area, Bivens added.
expressed a willingness to
discuss "And then, we have no assurances
(the options)," Bivens
said. if we
would get funded our
The site would be south of
what application," he added.
aeronautic studies labeled
the Placing an airport
on the
best location, which was in
the property at the Moore farm was
Tasso area (Rattlesnake Springs).
estimated to cost about $5.7
Owners of that property, the Moore
million. Bivens said if the other
family, had said they did not want
property is used, "you would have
to sell their property and fought
a more expensive airport, no doubt
against any moves by the
city about that."
toward condemnation of what
they He said that additional costs
called "productive farmland"
for could be up to $4 million.
an
airport.
Funding would be sought from
The state legislature passed
a federal sources, which might pay
bill that requires county approval up
to 90 percent of the project,
if the city wishes to use eminent
and state sources, which could pay
domain proceedings outside
the an additional 5 percent. The city
municipality
boundaries. The would be required
to fund the
Bradley County Commission went on
remaining 5 percent, if federal
record last year opposing
such and state funding is approved.
condemnation
proceedings.
"And it would be up to the City
"After that was halted by
the Council to approve that funding,"
state legislature, it pretty much
Bivens said.
left it up to us contacting
people Bivens did not identify
the
in the community," Bivens
said. other property owners, but did say
"That's our first and
foremost that the 350 acres of property is
task, finding if there are willing
all adjoining. The 350 acres
sellers."
needed is comparable to what was
An analysis
revealed that being looked at north
of this
Cleveland and Bradley County needs
alternate site, he said.
an expanded airport, Bivens
said, He added that if one land owner
so searching for
appropriate decides not to agree to the option
property became the next
step. for the land, then
the airport
"The options we
are talking could not be built in that area.
about, as written, are for
12 "We have no time frame whatso-
months," Bivens said, "which
is ever for securing these options,"
much longer than
options on Bivens added,
saying that
property are normally
written discussions with the property
for."
owners will continue.
This is due to
several land [EDITOR'S NOTE: SENAA contacted
studies that would have to
be Craig Bivens and was told that
conducted on the
property if the land studies that would be
options are granted, he said. This
conducted on any potential airport
would include an
environmental site would include archeological
assessment that could take
from studies. Bivens will contact SENAA
six months to a
year.
when such a study is scheduled.]
*
*
*
* *
2 May - 6 June
1996 SENAA
Newsletter
14
FESTIVAL OF FIRE
Native American Drums, Dance and Art
July 26, 27, 28, 1996
For three days in late
July, Surrounding the arena will be
while the Olympics are being held
booths filled with Native American
in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the
vendors representing the artwork
nearby suburb of Duluth will
be and fine crafts from Native People
the site of another
celebration, all over the United States. A
that of Native American
drums, special jury has been selected to
dance, arts and crafts. During the
ensure that all work for sale is
weekend of 26, 27, and 28
July, made by Native Americans and of
the building and
surrounding the highest artistic quality.
grounds of the Gwinnett Fine
Arts Also in separate booths will be
Center will host a
continuous artists from seven
of the
display and performance of Native
federally recognized tribes of the
American culture. Festival
of Southeast United States. This art
Fires, a Cultural Olympiad event,
and fine craft work will also be
is the only full-scale Festival of for
sale to the public.
Native American culture under
the The Festival of Fire will also
auspices of the Olympics in
the offer the De-ne-yo-la A-lo-he
Atlanta
area.
U-na-na-de-he (Children of the
Each of these three days,
from Earth Camp) for children, which
10 am until 9 pm, visitors will be will
teach them about the cultures
offered a wealth of visual
and of the Southeastern tribes.
musical entertainment, which
is A more in-depth preview can be
also an education
about the read in the 29 May 1996 issue of
indigenous Americans' lives.
An the Cherokee One Feather.
arena has been created in
the Exciting visuals and additional
field adjoining the Fine
Arts information about all the Festival
Center which will be the site for
of Fire events can be explored on
the drums, song,
dance, and the Internet. The address is:
storytelling ongoing
throughout http://gwinnett-arts.wl.com.
the day, all three
days.
* *
* *
© 1996; White Eagle Publications,
Cleveland, Tenn. 37311.
All Rights Reserved.
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