|
This &
That
This particular page of my web site has more
information about myself and also a variety of poems, photos,
paintings, quotes and other things that I feel deeply about and
hold close to my heart. I hope you enjoy!
As odd as it may sound, I often get asked,
"what sign are you"? Well, I was born on a
Tuesday under the astrological sign of Pisces.
My life path number is 11. My Native American Zodiac sign is the
Wolf. (Hence my passion and love for the wolf and the German
Shepherd Dog). My age is the equivalent of a dog that is
6.053228962818 years old. (I'm still chasing cats :)
 I
have a great deal of Cherokee blood running through my veins and
for this I am very proud and grateful. Out of respect and honor
for my Native American heritage, I give some of my puppies Native
American names.
CHEROKEE
PRAYER BLESSING
May
the warm winds of heaven Blow softly upon your house.
May
the Great Spirit Bless all who enter there.
May
your moccasins Make happy tracks In many snows..
And
may the rainbow Always touch your shoulder..
 TRAIL
OF TEARS
"We
are now about to take our leave and kind farewell to our native
land, the country that the Great Spirit gave our Fathers, we are
on the eve of leaving that country that gave us birth...it is with
sorrow we are forced by the white man to quit the scenes of our
childhood... we bid farewell to it and all we hold dear."
Charles
Hicks, Tsalagi (Cherokee) Vice Chief on the Trail of Tears, August
4, 1838.
THE CHEROKEE
INDIAN
There are very
few people in
America
today who have not heard of the Cherokee Indian Nation. A fixture
in American history, the Cherokee Indian Nation has a unique and
proud heritage.
 The
Cherokee Indian Nation has its own legends that speak of Cherokee
history before the white man came to
America
. According to Cherokee Indian legend, a “Great Buzzard” flew
close to the earth when it was still new, and its tired wings
touched the ground in a few places. As the great bird’s wings
touched the ground and then rose again, valleys and mountains were
created that became the Cherokee land.
The original
Cherokee Indians lived close to what is now called the Tennessee
River, in the
Appalachian Mountains
. In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto discovered the
Cherokees, which was the beginning of many hard years for the
Cherokee Indian Nation. Along with horses and guns, the Spanish
also brought diseases that the Cherokee Indian Nation had never
been exposed to, and therefore had no immunity to. Though it was
the Spanish that brought death and disease to the Cherokee Nation,
the Cherokee  Indians
were blamed for the inability of DeSoto to colonize this part of
America
. An image was created of the Cherokee Indian as one of a vicious
savage, and settlers who later came to that area of the country
already believed this prejudicial notion. Though many old
“westerns” portray the Cherokee Indian Nation as a heartless
and cruel foe to the settlers, the actual fact was that it was
mostly the other way around.
Today the
Cherokee Indian Nation still survives as a proud and honorable
institution, despite the hardships it was put through by explorers
and settlers. Today, natives and non-natives alike enjoy Cherokee
Indian ceremonies and events, and the Cherokee history and
traditions are held in high regard.
WHERE
WILL OUR CHILDREN LIVE.....
A lonesome warrior stands in fear of what the future brings,
he will never hear the beating drums or the songs his brothers
sing.
 Our
many nations once stood tall and ranged from shore to shore
but most are gone and few remain and the buffalo roam no more.
We
shared our food and our land and gave with open hearts,
We wanted peace and love and hope, but all were torn apart.
All
this was taken because we did not know what the white man had in
store,
They
killed our people and raped our lands and the buffalo roam no
more.
 But
those of us who still remain hold our heads up high, and the
spirits of the elders flow through us as if they never died.
Our
dreams will live on forever and our nations will be reborn, our
bone and beads and feathers all will be proudly worn.
If
you listen close you will hear the drums and songs upon the winds,
and in the distance you will see....the buffalo roam again.
Written by Tommy Flamewalker Manasco
CHEROKEE PRAYER
"God in heaven above please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives
together.
We honor mother-earth - and ask for our marriage to be
abundant and grow stronger through the seasons;
We honor fire - and ask that our union be warm and glowing
with love in our hearts;
We honor wind - and ask we sail though life safe and calm as
in our father's arms; We honor water - to clean and soothe our
relationship - that it may never thirsts for love;
With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for
harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together.
Amen.
THE CHEROKEE ROSE
When the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the mothers of the
Cherokee were grieving and crying so much, they were unable to
help their children survive the journey. The elders prayed for a
sign that would lift the mother's spirits to give them strength.
 The
next day a beautiful rose began to grow where each of the mother's
tears fell. The rose is white for their tears; a gold center
represents the gold taken from Cherokee lands, and seven leaves on
each stem for the seven Cherokee clans. The wild Cherokee Rose
grows along the route of the Trail of Tears into eastern Oklahoma
today. It was also named as the state flower for Georgia..
LINKS
Through
Cherokee Eyes
Easter
Band of Cherokee Indians
Native
American Rights Fund
CHEROKEE TRAVELERS GREETING
I will draw thorns from your
feet. We will walk the White Path of Life together.
Like a brother of my own
blood, I will love you.
I will wipe tears from your
eyes. When you are sad,
I will put your aching heart
to rest.
|
