Sequoyah Pilgrimage 2003

(Photo - Left)
Morgan Daisy Face Layton shows why she is aptly named as Tsquayi congratulates her.

The Cherokees came from across the blue Pacific at Hawaii where you never suspected there would be Cherokees and from various mid western state; including a Missouri contingent to convene on Zaragoza for the Third Annual Sequoyah Pilgrimage and Frontier Festival. For many, including this Northern Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma with their lovely princesses, this would be their first visit to what is widely believed to be the tomb of the famous Sequoyah located southwest of Zaragoza. This year the even coincided with the celebration of 250 years of the establishment of San Fernando de Austria present day Zaragoza complete with an incredible 250 meter long celebration cake at the Plaza Principal of this once highly prominent Spanish Colonial city. This was the third time that the ever-increasing group of Cherokees from all over the western United States convened to pay honor to their great “Old Settlers” champion and inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. Sequoyah, who at an advanced age and stick an( saddened by the Cherokee nation divisions up in toy Indian Territory, came to Mexico to the place referred to as “San Cranto” (San Fenando de Austria) in August of 1843.

(Photo - Right)
Regan Ama Tawohdi (Water Hawk) and his wife Laura Guiding Star, relax after the festivities. Regan models one of the T-shirts the people of Zaragosa had made in honor of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico’s visit.

The destination of Zaragoza´s Ninth Annual Cabalgata was the famous arena where an elevated platform offered an open air Mass celebration to initiate the festivities. Here the United States Cherokees, many of them members of the newly recognized Cherokee Nation of Mexico, were warmly welcomed by the people of Zaragoza normally a town of some 15,000 population which reportedly swelled to 30,000 for the weekend events. It was rather novel to see most of those attending the service while still astride their mounts from the cabalgata.

AT THE CAVE

The main focus especially of the first time visitors at the Epigmenio Rodriguez ranchito was the pilgrimage to the tomb of Sequoyah. There the chief medicine man Al Herrin of Tahlequah, Oklahoma delivered a biting commentary on the lack of due reverence for the tomb of Sequoyah and challenged his fellow Cherokees to make amends.

(Photo - Left)
Garrett brothers Rodney and Clay ( with son Colin ) and Regan are tireless workers for their tribe.

The chief of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico, Dr. Charles Rogers, revealed that the cave had suffered minor excavations done in the interior. “Looks like small stuff,” he cautioned, “with a shovel. We´re going to seal it up until otherwise (another time). This will be your last chance (to enter the cave but you can´t come down here unless you understand who Sequoyah is and what he did for our people. That´s just the way it is. It´s your debt to him. He paid his debt to us,” Chief Rogers underlined.

Chief Rogers then asked the White Chief Al Herrin to bless the site and blest the Cherokee proceedings of the day.

“They (the vandals) did not do any fundamental damage to it, but it´s a good lesson to us to close this thing up and whoever was treasure hunting, which is what I hope it is. They did not molest the grave but it was just because they did not think of it. It was not their intent to molest the grave.”

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The descendants of Cherokee Mary Price come in all ages. Chief Rogers with cousins Morgan, Katie and Allison Layton.

The man with the golden Armed Forces Radio Service voice, Cherokee storyteller Greg Howard, had noted the difference. “I don´t know whether anything has been taken or not,” he said of the disturbed tomb. It´s hard to say because the grave was not disturbed before. But there is definitely something different. It´s not as it should be, it´s not a place of respect and it should be. A year earlier Howard told the Eagle Pass News Guide reporter the atmosphere was “very respectful. You could almost feel something. I don´t know. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me or something, but it´s just different, like something has been moved. Sequoyah did something that no other human on earth has done,” he reminded the Cherokee group of some 150. “He gave the people a language, a writing system and needs to be honored for that.”

BAD VIBES

“May I just say I have very bad feelings about what we are doing here,” began Al Herrin the White Chief. “I feel a great lack of respect, a lack of reverence like we do not realize what this place represents. Cherokees honor their ancestors and especially the name of Sequoyah. We come here like we have some to Disneyland,” he frowned. “I´m sick of it. I am sickened by it. Now let´s do this right. Let´s do this like Cherokees. Let us use our spirit.”

“I wanted to say some other words. We had a pall cast over our proceedings here today by what evidently happened this morning to the space shuttle We have not heard any recent word, but I would suggest that we start this event with a few moments of silence for those astronauts who probably have lost their lives today and also for what we have come here to do.”

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Vera Parkhill, Charlie Parkhill, Sylvia Deavers. Our lovely Cherokee ladies brighten up any occasion.

The spiritual leader then asked the Cherokees to listen. “Listen to this place. A hundred and sixty years ago Sequoyah came to this place. Today we come here to honor Sequoyah and his accomplishments, what he stood for. The Cherokees at the time of Sequoyah and before were a spiritual people,” he underlined. “The spirit was with Sequoyah and I believe that the spirit of Sequoyah and the spirit of our ancestors is here with us today. And we Cherokees need to return to being a spiritual people, of listening to the spirits. They will show us the way if we will listen, if we will listen with our hearts.” The White Chief then related several examples:

“After we came here last year I felt the calling when I went back to Oklahoma to build something in front of our house. I did not even know what it was to be, but it was to be Cherokee and it was to be a place where people could gather together. I set cedar poles into the ground and I made a cone shaped roof covered with cane and I call it the Meeting Place. We lifted the roof on Thanksgiving Day. Five days later we had a lady come to stay at our Bed and Breakfast at Tahlequah out on the Illinois River. She was from Australia. She said that she, a Cherokee, had gotten a spiritual message to come to the Cherokee Nation to learn and to find out what she could give back to the Cherokee Nation. She had felt a calling and remained there a week. She had a wonderful experience there around the Tahlequah area.”

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Chief Rogers and Epigmenio Rodriquez tell the story of the Cherokee ancestors who settled the area; Richard Vann listens intently.

“Another calling I believe is being felt is in the Cherokee Nation itself a Tahlequah in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation, I have had the feeling for many years, was not a spiritual place, that the sprits of our ancestors had been replaced by lawyers and politicians. It was not a good place. But within the last three years since this tomb has been found, I have sensed a new beginning, a new feeling in the Cherokee Nation. It is not coming from the administration, it is coming up from the people. I sense and other people sense that there are vital things happening in the Cherokee Nation. There are good things happening, there are people who are feeling the call. So what I am saying is, people, believe in what we are doing here. There is a reason. It is important what we are doing here. The Cherokees are a spiritual people. We need to become again a spiritual people. There is power, there is power in the spirit, in good spirits and the key is a good heart. If you have a good heart and you listen, the spirits will show you the way. They are slowing us the way and I believe the importance of what we are doing here is that we are to be the guides: the messengers that are going to show the world the way. And, God knows the world needs it today. Of all the things that are happening and all the horrible things that are happening in the world, we need good hearts to counter balance all the black hearts that are in the world.”

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The evening included mariachis and charros who come to greet the Cherokees.

“So it is important what we are doing here today,” he concluded. “Come to this place with reverence and believe and we can make the Cherokees a great people today and a great people tomorrow and we can again recapture what we should have. Go into this place with reverence,” he pleaded.

Saturday evening around the traditional camp fire the Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico, Dr. Charles Rogers, recalled the peaceful coming of the first Cherokees to Mexico seeking refuge from the Texas colonists´ ethnic cleansing of all Indians in East Texas and to the open arms with which the people of Mexico welcomed the refugees, “buscando amparo.”

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White Bear (Clay), Fearless Bear (Colin), and Bear Mother (Carol) Garrett at one of the remaining houses of the hacienda where Sequoyah spent his last days.

CHEROKEE SONGBIRD

Following various presentations to deserving members of the tribe the lathering was entertained by songbird, Amy Hymel Brownlow, who has recorded various CD presentations in the Cherokee language including a song composed and written by Dr. Charles Rogers and family a moving plea to respect the environment of the planet before it is too late. She ended the acapella performance in the glow of the raging bonfire with a song in the Classic European tradition with the entire performance lauded as “spectacular” by the gathered Cherokees. The catchy words and music to the “family song” written jointly by Chief Rogers, his wife Sheron and son Charles have a pulsating minor chord vibrancy that hearkens back to the Joan Baez music of the sixties and speaks of Native American concerns:

Oh, what have they done to our home?
What can we tell the ancient ones,
Tell our daughters, tell our sons,
O, Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our home?

Oh, what have they one to our trees?
Cut them down or turned them brown,
concrete covers sacred ground
O Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our trees?

Oh, what have they done to our sky?
It´s hard to breathe, oh tell me why,
Can´t you hear your children cry
O, Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our sky?

Oh, what have they done to our waters?
When the fish are all but gone,
It will be too late to warn,
O Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our waters?

Oh, what have they done to our honor?
Gave us whiskey, crime and drugs,
Took away our pride of blood,
O Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our honor?

Oh, what have they done to our God?
Put indoors and locked away,
to be seen on just one day,
O Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our God?

Oh, what have they done to our home?
We´re on a path with end unknown,
We´ll all reap what will be sown
O Jah lah ghee, what have they done to our home?

The famous Cherokee storyteller, Greg Howard, then entranced the youngsters and oldsters alike with various tales from the ancient Cherokee lore based on nature and the animals, all with a message in them and the group retired to their Eagle Pass headquarters.

(Photo - Left)
Young ones learn from the elders - Bear Brothers Kyle & Cody get instruction.

The Sunday spectacle at the Plaza Principal in the Spanish Colonial Villa, once known as San Fernando de Austria including the famous parade down the main street of Zaragoza brought the Cherokee dancers in full regalia to delight the Zaragoza townspeople and visitors alike. The proliferation of mini cams and every type of photographic instrument imaginable seemed much more in evidence than a year ago.

Brownsville-Matamoros Cancer Clinic Doctor Charles L. Rogers had been named “The Individual of the Year” by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, it was revealed at Zaragoza February 1 during the 250th Anniversary celebration of the establishment of Zaragoza.

History was made when Dr. Rogers brought to the world´s attention the final resting place of Sequoyah. Historians have always suspected Sequoyah was buried in Mexico, but the exact spot remained unknown for more than 160 years. Sequoyah achieved world renown for creating the Cherokee writing system leading to the first bilingual Indian newspaper on the North American continent in 1828.

(Photo - Right)
Diane Corn Cake Sweet Garrett, Barbara Jean “Tojuwah” Garrett and young Colin Garrett enjoy the fire.

250 YEARS OF EXISTENCE

The piece de resistance was the cutting of the mammoth 250 meter long cake decorated with white icing and trimmed with gold, marking the anniversary celebration and the cutting of the ribbon. The cake, made by Saul Vasquez Talamantes, was composed of 42 bottles of oil, 980 kilo´s of flour, 39 cups of baking powder, 552 liters of water, 18 liters of cream and 3,100 eggs. Representing Coahuila Governor Enrique Martinez y Martinez, was Piedras Negras Recaudador de Rentas Rito Valdez Salinas. Also on hand for the occasion were Del Rio Mayor Sra. Dora G. Alcala, Allende Mayo, Esteban Barron Zulaica, Morelos Mayor Rogelio Amador de Hoyos Perez and the Mayor of Jimenez, Coahuila.

Zaragoza Presidente Municipal Saul Vara Rivera and Cherokee Nation of Mexico Chief Charles Rogers exchanged the traditional Cherokee sign of peace and friendship in the smoking of the peace pipe at the ceremonies it front of the Presidencial Municipal. After which, he exchanged tokens of friendship with Vara including historical research work documenting the early history of Zaragoza presented to the Zaragoza Presidente Municipal by Dr. Charles L. Rogers, the multi faceted Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico.

The events this past weekend culminated the four-day observance which recalled the February 1, 1753 establishment of the tiny Presidio San Juan Bautista group headed by Vicente Rodriguez in the Valle de las Animas on the Rio Escondido. The plaque commemorating toe 250th observance was then officially dedicated by the Presidente Municipal.

(Photo - Left)
David Garrett receives his name - “Walks the Path Straight”. Everyone agrees that the name fits his true heart.

FROM ACROSS THE DEEP BLUE SEA

For the very first time, the Hawaiian Cherokees were part of this year´s Sequoyah Pilgrimage. One of them young Alton Bennett was from Oahu Hawaii, who told the News Guide that there were some 25,000 Cherokees scattered among the Islands, and most meet annually. “The Cherokees came to Hawaii in the early 20th Century,” he explained “to work on the plantations which now are quickly disappearing due to proliferating urbanization on the Islands. We have pow wows on Oahu twice a year,” he informed, “one annually on Mawani, one on Kauai and one on Maui.” Bennett, who was costumed in a rare ceremonial dance attire, was similarly impressed with the friendliness of the Zaragoza townspeople toward the Cherokees. But perhaps the greatest thrill of this Fort Worth Texas born Cherokee on this trip to the mainland was meeting all the Cherokees assembled here who “came together as a people.”

THE CHIEFS ADDRESS

“The fire is beautiful,” Doctor Rogers told the assembled Cherokees before the bonfire which spiraled skyward eagerly in the pleasant Zaragoza evening the night before. “And the Cherokee people are far more beautiful than the fire, even. Now we´re going to have some trouble competing with the star think. We need to say Gah doe, to the Father of all things who has provided our earth, our stars, our families, our life as we know it. So, let´s have a Gah doe.” (Gah doe from the assembly)

(Photo - Right)
It is a very proud and emotional moment when White Chief Al Tsquayi Herrin tells Mary “Gentle Graces” Layton her Cherokee name.

“Now, we´re going to be brief about some of this because it´s going to get late, we´ve got elders - they are going to want to lie down on something other than this grass that we are getting ready to stomp down. We´re grateful for everybody here tonight. This seems new to us because we are in Mexico, for we are in the Republic that recognizes each and every one of you We recognize you. You are recognized. We are all part of one family. We are Cherokee. This is an old and ancient family of man. How we behaved like today was a learning experience. We should be grateful for any learning experience, it is what keeps us from being ignorant. So, I am personally grateful for the experience that happened today, and I am grateful for the way our White Chief handled himself, and I am grateful for Greg Howard to tell the story of Sequoyah and not to create anything new, but to remind each and every one of you what you have in your heart, for the people of your ancestors. This is nothing that we created today. We just did it as a reminder, and then you reminded us how Cherokees work.”

“So, I want to say thank you, Wa doh to you, because we learn also. And that´s important. We all must keep learning if we are going to achieve our destiny, as it is supposed to be. We have got to keep learning,” he underlined.

(Photo - Left)
Cherokee braves check out traditional bows & cane arrows with flint heads before instructing the young ones. Rodney “Cherokee Heart” Garrett and “Journey Dreamer” Smith.

Now we have got some dignitaries here tonight, and the way you get to be a dignitary around here, Grey Owl has spent the better part of his life, Chief Hicks and his group, Joe Eagle has been faithful to him, all of these chiefs who are here tonight. Our White Chief, our acting Red Chief Joe Eagle, Grey Owl, these are people who have earned our respect. Now you don´t have to give it to them involuntarily. Wait till they earn it for you, because they will each and every time. Richard Vann I want to thank him today. Today he acted as a warrior, and I thank the clan and the Vann Family for always maintaining that profile within our tribe. Wa doh, brothers.

I want to thank all the elders here tonight. Without you this would be less of an experience. We would be an incomplete family without the elders. Everybody who is not an elder should say Wa-doh to these elders and with each other. Because that is indeed being a Cherokee. the kindness and give and take, the brotherhood, the sisterhood, the family, this is what a Cherokee is. If they want to say “What is a Cherokee?” You are not going to find the answer in a book. You are going to find it in your heart. There is no book that can tell you what a Cherokee is. Only your heart. But if you don´t get up and do something about it, and have the courage to do that which is risky, that which could look foolish, that which is probably more comfortably left unsaid, you will never become what your ancestors were. What was the point of their existence if we are going to let them down in that manner? I don´t think our blood has become that un noble, and I don´t think you have thought that our blood has become that un noble. Many of us are mixed. We have some pure bloods here, we are grateful for their blood, we are grateful for our blood. And it is the same appreciation of how we got here. So, I could not be more thrilled with being in this setting with these Cherokees that are here tonight.

(Photo - Right)
All the cowboys were enchanted by the Cherokee

Grey Owl ....will you come forward please? Both of us would have nothing So, we are richer, you all are richer, and we could not be more thrilled. I feel like we are taking advantage of you, to be truthful. Grey Owl has an announcement to make, so I am going to turn it over to him right now. (about this time, the bonfire gave a mighty spontaneous rush skyward, and the Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico took advantage of the occasion) Every time we speak, the fire goes up. This is what age and experience gets for you. The ability to do that: I am a young Chief, and it is going to take a while before I can do that (make the fire arise) on cue.

Grey Owl opened with kudos for Chief Rogers “First of all, I would like for every one to give a big hand to our honorable Chief Rogers for all that he has done, not through experience, but the hard work. Some of you people who have never been on the inside do not realize the extent of all the hard work that goes into it (a pilgrimage) the phone calls and trips and everything to put something like this together. And I would like everyone now to give honorable Chief Rogers a big hand.”

The Chief of all the Cherokee Nation then resumed his words to the gathered Cherokees: “Now that that has been said, let me say this; That hand is probably for my wife Sherin (applause) eighty percent of that hand was probably hers. So now that I have confessed that let us move on.” He had reserved his most poignant remarks for this moment.

(Photo - Left)
Frankie Ajila (Fire) Herrin gets ready for the parade in Zaragosa.

“The language we deem, the culture we deem, will be our land. Today when you were at the tomb, we were literally standing on Cherokee soil. That soil is in their name, (and it is) acknowledged by the (Mexican Government to be ours under the Mexican Constitution. Today, after 164 years you all were standing upon Cherokee land. That was our soil today. So your feet have (walked) where the ancient Cherokee were, and walked (Previously) there were some cases 40 - 50 years ago, when there was land that went back to the Western nation. In the northeast they allowed the Eastern Cherokee - maybe 80 90 years ago - (their own land) but for the most part,” he emphasized, “there has not been any new group get their sovereign land except for the Katumwah since about 1785. So, we are the fourth band to have our own soil, and you all were standing on it today. It took a lot of work, but without you the work would not have been done. So today you were on Cherokee land,” he added triumphantly, “your land.”

(Photo - Right)
The Chief and this Mexican father both know that the future is in our children.

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Chief Rogers, the Mayor and his wife all have smiles for the crowd.

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How can we call them elders, when we see them dance from one side of the street to the other for 6 miles.

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These Cherokee troupers walked the entire parade route. ( Chief Griggs, White Chief Herrin, Gail Buzzard, Frankie Herrin, Judy Gentry, Yvonne Johnson, Joe Gentry - who danced the entire way - Chief Rogers )

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Not one cross word, not one dishonorable deed, have we ever witnesses among these thousands of people who come to Zaragosa yearly.

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Chiefs & Warriors prepare to lead the pilgrimage to Sequoyah through the streets of Zaragosa.

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Horses and riders came from all around - this picture doesn’t begin to show the amount of visitors to Zaragosa.

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Deputy Chief Joe Eagle Gentry, Chief Grey Owl Griggs, Chief Charles Kingfisher Rogers, and Wolf Warrior Ray Vann lead a procession of Cherokees to a ceremony to be honored by Mexican dignitaries in federal, state, and municipal positions.

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John Campbell and his family built this Eagle Float (with wings that moved) and brought it all the way to Mexico from Missouri. They can always be counted on to shoulder responsibility with enthusiasm.

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The Princesses aboard John Campbell’s Eagle Float delighted the crowd.

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Townspeople crowd in close to get a chance to greet the Cherokees.

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Richard Vann is a true Cherokee brave - and Mary Vann is a credit to our tribe.

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The Cherokee Princesses dance in circles around their Chief to thunderous applause from thousands of spectators. These girls stole countless Mexican boys’ hearts.

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Cherokees from Hawaii make a good showing spiritually and are serious about their dance. We are proud to call them our friends.

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Bill Human came to Mexico with the Cherokee name Soaring Eagle, but after hundreds of children asked for “Featherman”, he left with a new name.

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When the crowd was too thick to pass, the Chief would call for the dancers to clear the way.

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Jan & Jim Miller are distinguished and very gifted visitors who we hope will return often.

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Ray Wolf Warrior Vann & lovely wife Esther at Zaragosa Arena.

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Yvonne Cornsilk Johnson personally hugged most of the city of Zaragosa.

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Individually or together, they exhibited the best of Cherokee traits - They were gracious, compassionate & beautiful. Northern Cherokee Princesses Carlee Campbell, Kimberly Griggs, Amanda Buzzard, Nikki Casey & Leslie Griggs.

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Young Mexicans and young Cherokees mingled together and had a great time.

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Judy and Joe Eagle Gentry can always be counted on to work hard for their Cherokee family.

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The handsome Vann family always represents our tribe well.

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Chief Grey Owl Griggs, a special friend to the Cherokee Nation of Mexico, always has a smile.

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Newcomers listen to find out what they are in for.

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The Major and his horse greet Cherokee brave Ray Waheeyah Vann.

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After a six mile walk through Zaragosa, Ray Vann discovers the soothing powers of the same warm springs that Sequoyah knew.

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It doesn’t take much - just a hair braid - to get the naturally beautiful Princesses ready. But it does take four hands.

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Mexican Beauty (Senorita Tourismo) poses with Cherokee Beauty (Barbara Hackett).

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The Chief and his son are always happy to be flanked by the Vann brothers.

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Foremost Cherokee linguist Durbin Feeling and his sweet and beautiful wife Cris finally have a chance to sit and relax after greeting thousands of Mexicans and helping to continue the nearly 200 year old friendship.

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Everyone turns to Barbara Hackett when it’s time to wrap the turbans. Here Charles Prophecy sits for her while the Trussells have breakfast.

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Our Cherokee braves show the young ones how to use bows and arrows.

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As Amy Brownlow sang the Cherokee Prayer for Peace by campfire light, all the Cherokees present were deeply moved, many to tears.

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Chief Jahtlohi draws inspiration from the fire as he speaks to his people.

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A wise diva keeps her instrument warm until performance time.

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Yvonne Cornsilk and Gary Johnson - Don’t judge a book by it’s cover; This sweet, pretty little thing will jump on a horse in a heartbeat or dance for miles, and he hangs right in with her, so you know he’s tough!

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Cherokees of all ages join in the festivities.

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Kamama (Butterfly) Rogers and two local charmers - just two of the thousands of Mexican friends we make each year.

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You can almost hear this young Cherokee saying “I love making new friends!”.

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We Cherokees attempt - and almost succeed - to shake hands with every single person along the route. At the end of the day we have met thousands and thousands of people.

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A good Cherokee who works hard for his family and his tribe - John Campbell.

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After a long day and a long wait for a ride, these Cherokees are still smiling.