In ancient times, the Dida:hnvwi:sgi (deed-ah-hnew-wee-sss-gee), the healers and medicine men, and the Adawehi (odd-ah-wee-hee) or wizards came from the Ani Wodi clan. They were most famous for making red paint used in ceremonies, for war paint, or sacred rituals and they made the red dyes used in clothing and costumes. Only the Ani Wodi were allowed to make this special red paint or dye. Curiously,although today their flag is black with red stars, their traditional color is white and their wood is locust. The wood of each clan is important for their sacred fires. The Ani Wodi were typically the keepers of the sacred fire. An Ani Wodi priest typically was allowed to create a fire lit from the sacred fire. Fire was believed to signify the separation of man from the animals.
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| Paint Clan ceremonial mask |
If a ceremony called for “magic” or illusion or intrigue, the Ani Wodi were the masters at setting it up and the tools needed to carry it off. They were reputed to have extrasensory perception capable of seeing things hidden to others like visions of the future or events that might happen far away.
The Red Paint or Paint Clan were also known as the "Corn People". They were responsible for teaching the knowledge of life, birth, death and regeneration.
As I mentioned in Part 5, The Bird Clan, many Cherokee descendants no longer know their clan. Also, since the clan is passed down by the mother, if a Tsalagi (Cherokee) man married a white woman, his children would have no clan. There are currently attempts to restore the clan tradition to all Tsalagis. Following are notable surnames of the Paint Clan:
A: Adair (Dorothy or Dotty), All Redd, Artt B: Berry (Ann), Berryhill (Neil), Breamer, Bunch (Doe), Byrd C: Candie, Cash, Caulunnah, Chandis, Chrichfield (Hattie), Colbert (Saleckie), Colbert (Tuskiehootoh), Craft, Cummins D: Double Head (Jr.-Taliwuasku), Duck (Teal) E: Easton, Ebanoy F: Face Painter, Foose (Louissa) G: Gillam (China), Gist (Wurthe), GoForth (Lisa) H: Hardgritts, Hartley, Hollow Horn, Hudson J: Jinis, Jolly (Annie), Jump K: Keeper (Keep), Kettle, Kingsman, Knight L: Lee, Ligon (Toy), Linder M: Macky, Mankiller (Waite), Manystriber (Llyod), McCoy, McDougal, Mckissic, Morrison N: Nettle Carrier O: Ohmaohla P: Parrot (Faith), Polson (Olivia), Poolay, Porkeater, Proctor, Pumpkin Boy Q: Quinley, Quintin (Sara) R: Redman (Quattie), Reily (Grace), Richardson, Rickhart, Riddle, Roundtree S: Samauls, Sasadeehee, Sasafracs, Shaman (Joe), Sharp (Jugie), Simons, Snapping Turtle (Dory), Sparks, Stephens, Stockup, Stone T: Tassel (Geo), Taylos, Telontaskee (Susie), Tohquah, Towle, Turnkey U: Ulam (Don), Underhill (Luciell) W: Watts (John), Williams, Wistawasto, Woods (Major) Y: Yahne, Yellowhammer
Not that it matters much, but the surname "Scraper" (Disugasgi), my surname, would have been part of the Paint Clan. My ancestor, Archibald (Atsilagili) was the son of a woman (Tayani) who was a member of the Paint Clan. Arch took his father's name as his surname.
ReplyDeleteWas his name Archibald Carroll
DeleteDid you get an answer to your question? As a descendant of A.C. I'm interested
DeleteThanks for your comment. After European contact, many traditions have become confused.
ReplyDeleteMy ancestry names are Double Head, Pumpkin Boy, Wurthe Gist, Tassel, Watts, Roundtree...Very proud with love.
ReplyDeleteme too.double head is a direct descendant
DeleteSame here!! I'm filling out my ancestry tree and ran across this! How interesting! Hello fellow clan!!
DeleteMy ancestry name is Proctor. From Western N.C. Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountians.
ReplyDeleteLisa Monet@ my recent DNA ancestry has led me to watts, gist/wurthe, sequoysa,doublehead, corntassel, moytoy
ReplyDeleteThen you are related to me :)
DeleteAnd to me- Wurteh Watts Doublehead Berryhill McCoy and I have other ancestors of BirdClan Hello Family! Anyone going to the TsaLaGi National Holiday 2022?
DeleteLisa Monet@ my recent DNA ancestry has led me to watts, gist/wurthe, sequoysa,doublehead, corntassel, moytoy
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic. Congratulations.
DeleteThen you are related to me :)
DeleteFound your site on a search. Was telling a co-worker that I am descended from the Paint Clan from Guntersville, AL. Chief Bushyhead had married off his daughter, Ghegoheli, to John Gunter, for access to a settled-upon salt mine. John had her name changed to Catherine. I'm several generations from her and Gunters of that area. Thanks for publishing this information on the clan. Some of the most detail I'd found in a long time.
ReplyDeleteJohn and Catherine are my 6th great grandparents =)
DeleteI am part of this clan Catherine hunter who married John is my great great grandmother
DeleteThank you for your comment. I think it's great that you know so much about your ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI try and I would love to know more
DeleteMy Cherokee roots go back to the Still's, Downing's, and Dougherty families. I'm very Proud of my Native American Heritage.
ReplyDeleteI am also Downing and Dougherty and many others- hello family!
DeleteOne of my ancestors I found with ancestry.com was Mary Ann Polly Bigby, Paint Clan, Chapman Roll 1852 #1242 and before that Mary Ann Taylor, Silver Roll 1851 #1242. Can anyone confirm or check this info for me?
ReplyDeleteMary Ann Bigby was daughter of my ancestors James Bigby Sr. and Catherine Foreman. She is on the Drennan roll as their child. :)
Deletehello, we are related. my name is Joyce Bigby, also descendent of James Bigby Sr and Catherine Foreman
Deletejoycespillane@msn.com
I'm a direct descendent of Mary Ann Bigby as well! Are there others who have connected already?
DeleteI am also a descendent of the bigbys (my paternal grandfather and grandmother were both Direct descendants). My email is abattles68@aol.com. My name is (Shirley) anne battles.
DeleteMy Ansestors were the Lawson watts Payne Brooks stanfield Payne Collins moytoy Powell Brooks Cain banks
ReplyDeleteNice, mine are also Collins, Benge, Moytoy
DeleteAnd also McCoy from Kentucky and Virginia and North Carolina
ReplyDeleteMy family is Barnett/Benge.My 6th great grandfather married a cherokCh woman with last name Watts,her mother Moytoy.Very hard trying to find roll numbers
ReplyDeleteHer name is Wurteh.
DeleteThank you for your comment. I, too, find Native American genealogy very difficult.
ReplyDeleteHI cash look at my comment
ReplyDeleteyaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyya☻
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ReplyDeletennhjj
Years ago, my father told me that I was a Painter, meaning that the name was my last name instead of the one I inherited from him. I am told that his father was part Cherokee and that his father's father was from a family with the last name Painter, from Old Fort, North Carolina. Given such scant information, I am led to think that the Painter Family might possibly have originated from the Paint Clan. I would love to find out something more, should anyone here have comments they might have to offer.
ReplyDeleteMy family is out of the Taylor’s and Bigbys (Catherine Foreman) and there was marriage into a family named Painter later, but they were German. Their name was originally Bender, then anglicized to Painter then Panther. Just fyi.
DeleteI was told that my great great great great grandmother Gu-er-tsa (Smith) Sixkiller was from Paint Clan. I have seen where her father Cabin Smith was a full blood member of the Paint Clan.
ReplyDeleteYou are fortunate to know your ancestors. Preserve and pass on your knowledge to your descendants.
ReplyDeletemoytoy wolf clan,and nancy cornstalk
ReplyDeleteTeetarskeeskee 8x grandmother, paint clan. Also Misahpelewa Big Turkey Cornstalk
ReplyDelete1663–1695
10th great-grandfather on my maternal grandfather side. Finding out so much
I adopted the name Sonjal Tetereskee Skee after matrlineal ancestor Susie Gourd Teetarskeeskee. Red Paint Clan
DeleteMy 5th generation grandfather was Ghi-Go-Ne-Li, Chief of the Paint Tribe-Conseenee Bushyhead. Born 1745 died 1835. Anyone with info on my grandfather, please contact me at the email address. Thanks
ReplyDeleteDid you ever find any information? This appears to be my 6th generation grandfather
DeleteGhi-Go-Ne-Li would be my 6 or 7th grandfather as well
DeleteIf there is anyone descending from the Lee family please comment below!
ReplyDeleteMy moms tribe cherokee paint tribe and my dads im not sure she was a chiefs daughter that was banned because she married a white man she married 3 times her name was nancy hick's,wilkerson, and then to ward sometime in that time she was accepted back into the tribe and i cant find anything else i know her old role number if you could help me search it would be appreciated
ReplyDeleteYes my grandmother, Nellie Hicks is related directly to Ahneewakee Red Paint Clan through Nancy Elizabeth Na-Ye-Hi Conrad
DeleteYou should contact the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The librarian there can help you with the research.
ReplyDeleteDirect descendant of Chief Oconastota. Many Bird Clan names sound familiar from my grandmother’s stories. Listed as Bird Clan on Dawes Roll.
ReplyDeleteAnyone from the Pritchitt family?
ReplyDeleteMy Thru Lines via ancestry indicate my 4th great grandfather, John Radford,married Debbie Tsa-La-Gi Catawaba tribe. My 5th great grandfather was Chief Oconostota of the Cherokees. He married Oolootsa of theRred Paint Clan.
ReplyDeletePat Nov 1, 2020
direct descendant of cheif oconstata, his daughter elizabeth married william underwood
ReplyDeletemy name is scott mayes.and i have a family member who was 1/8 cherokee by blood her name was mahala jane jones.that makes me 1/4 cherokee by blood.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone!! My heritage follows this path. Wutteh, Chief Sequoyah, Ayoka Guess,Adams, Crawford, Bass. I'm trying to find out more. My information tells me Wutteh was Ref Paint Clan, Cherokee.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy great great grandmother is Lee Annie clay county Kentucky
ReplyDeleteMy name is Edward king I posted my great great grandmother Lee Annie clay county Kentucky
ReplyDeleteVery pleased to find this information. Wurteh of the Paint Clan is my sixth great grandmother. Hello everyone 🙂
ReplyDeletehi my fiancé is looking for more family members who can help us in establishing his native american ancestry as it is of dire importance to get custody of our sons back!! his name is christopher conley gist, father johnnie lee gist-descended from wurteh we are told. he has his dna done on 23andme as well! if anyone can help us at ALL please contact conley.gist@gmail.com we would greatly appreciate it thank you!
ReplyDelete-michelle [soon to be] gist
I have been researching my ancestry and came across the names: Sytha Winbush Lucas, daughter to Hawk Toh Hek Lucas Sithia Aarminta. Hawk Toh Hek Lucas' parents were Chu Cow Ta Toh Hek and E-Ye_Chah-Kah Hek. Sithia was daughter to Cun Na Qua Tee Gee Gee Kee Na and TaNo Cud Le Hee Arminta.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have any information on these names? I am just curious to learn more. I believe they are all Paint Clan. Thanks for any input in advance.
I too descend from Thomas Lester and Sythia.
DeleteHey, I don’t have any information to add, but I’m also one of their descendants and I was really curious where you heard about them potentially being painter clan?
DeleteI am descended from Sythia Lucas who married Thomas Lester.
DeleteSo throughout the years I would hear the ladies in my family talk about us being relation to the Tinch family in or around Tennessee as well as hicks and butte, james and a couple others. does anyone have any idea about them being paint clan
ReplyDelete