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Cherokee Messenger (Civilization of the American Indian Series)

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Subject: Proud & Free (Cherokees)

In this one, we have a woman of valor wiht a man of honor. Fiction,
right!
There are no men of honor anymore. The proud is Temple, part Cherokee,
living in
Georgia and forced to walk to Oklahoma along the trial of tears. For
eight
years, the Cherokee Nation presented one treaty after another, to stay
where
they were. The reservation on the Tennessee/North Carolina border and
the
detention camps are factual. Cherokees had their own constitution and
laws, also an
elected government headed by wise women. The Indians revered their
older women.
There is a bust of one in the Whittle Courtyard for all to see.

Bur free, only Stuart the honorable was white and free. This is a
rehash of
the Pocohatus and John Smith story. Being part Cherokee myself, from my
father's paternal side, I once wrote an article for a senior online
newsletter about
my encounters with actual real Indians. A few months ago, there was a
fierce
one from out West who demanded a dollar from me as I was alone waiting
for the
city bus. He appeared so ferocious I felt it was in my best interest to
give
him a one dollar bill, though I told him where he could get a free meal
-- that
a dollar wouldn't buy much.

This book traces the Cherokee nation from 1830 to the end of the
journey to
Oklahoma in 1840. It might seem like a good romance to those not
educated, or
have no first-hand experience with the Cherokees. I had a temp job in a
factory
in Pulaski doing computer work with a group from Oklahoma; people there
who
did not know me thought I was one of them! Because of the way they were
treated
by one of the Tennessee Presidents (I like to blame Johnson, but it
could
have been Jackson -- both named Andrew), many of today's offspring are
unbalance
and consider Tennessee as a war ground. The harassers from out West may
be
free for now, but they have nothing real to be proud about, of, or for.
It does
no good to let them know I'm part Cherokeee, as "part" doesn't count.

I understand now why my sister absolutely refused to admit to even one
tiny
drop of Indian blood. Though, Eileen looked just like an Indian squaw,
as did
Teresa after she was married and fat. Some segments of today's society
can be
and are extremely cruel to minorities. Little do they realize that the
so-called minorities will take over and call the shots, and they are
not educated.
They have nothing to be proud of as they've always had everything given
to them,
not have to work and succeed on their own. Temple decides to trust her
man,
honorable "traitor" Stuart, as she let her heart rule her emotions. A
foolish
decision. Women must be strong and stay strong.