O'siyo!!
It is time that Deer Mother tells you a story...
Once upon a time there
was a young woman who was told of her heritage. She wrote letters and petitioned to be admitted to
her tribe... she was told no... she did not have enough documentation. She went to her Father and told
him of this and he cried. He told her "I will study on this and the next time you come back from the
War on leave I will have the answers for you "
She went back to Vietnam to the blood and death
and destruction for another 5 months and then returned to her Father in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
He was a very thin and very frail old man who unknown to her was dying. He asked her to put on her
uniform of a United States Army Colonel (Not her Cammies..but her Class A with all the ribbons on
it) and then he put her in his car and began driving a very long way into North Carolina where she
was raised.. He took her to a place that she did not remember having ever been. He parked his car
and then told her they would have to walk the rest of the way ... they walked just over a mile through
a very densely wooded area and finally came to a clearing.. there was a fire burning and it was
surrounded by 13 equally old and older men than her Father. She knew in her heart that she was Face
to Face with the GrandFathers. One of the Elders gave a piece of paper to the others that she recognized
as her stationery and asked them if the person mentioned in the letter should be given tribal rights.
They shook their heads no... then one VERY VERY old man was helped to his feet by a young warrior who
sat silently behind him. He asked the Elders if he had a Granddaughter if she would be given tribal rights..
this time they all began speaking and nodding their heads YES.... he raised his hand and they silenced....
he said in their language something she did not understand but her father pushed her forward toward
the fire and told her to look at each of the Elders one by one straight in the eye. She did as she was
bade... and the elders in turn looked at her in the eye face to face one by one... then the very old
man walked up to her face and bent and kissed her and stepped behind her and pushed her forward to the
edge of the fire and spoke again to the Elders.. they bowed their heads in shame. She did not know
until later what he had told them was: "Brothers .. I give you my Granddaughter "
This is the
Story of how DeerMother went home..
My Blood Brother KenGreyWolf has walked on the lands
of our people since I have.. and he has danced the dances of our people, with me in his heart to carry
me home with him. We tease and joke and play as the otter and the rabbit... but we Ani-yunwiya Tsalagi
people are fierce in their love and devotion to each other and our family...
I have no BIA card
and in honor of our Brother Macho-Ligai I will
never have one... The acceptance of My Grandfathers
people was all
the card I will ever need.
I have spoken.....
Peace and Blessings
AwiEtsi Udaolunusti
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