Killing Lean Bear, Part 2

Lean Bear and the other Cheyenne chiefs came away from their meeting with President Lincoln in 1862 feeling good about the outcome. They even took a detour to visit New York at the request of P. T. Barnham and visited his museum.

But in less than two years, in the spring of 1864, despite promises from Lincoln to keep the peace, things took a tragic turn. Lean Bear with his wife and tribe were camped near Ash Creek in Kansas on a buffalo hunt when troops from the Colorado Militia approached them. Unarmed, Chief Lean Bear grabbed his medal and letter from Lincoln proclaiming him a friend and peacekeeper and went out to meet the troops. Unbeknownst to him, Lieutenant George Eayre, who was in command, was acting under orders from Colonel John M. Chivington to kill all Indians on sight.

This is a preview of Killing Lean Bear, Part 2. Read the full post (693 words, 5 images, estimated 2:46 mins reading time)

Killing Lean Bear, Part 1

It was while reading one of my favorite authors, Margaret Coel’s book “Killing Custer” that I was reminded of the killing of Chief Lean Bear.

 

I have often thought about what the Native American could have done differently that might have enabled them to avoid the brutal and inhumane treatment they suffered in the 1800’s. But, my research has found that they did try everything and there was nothing that would have worked. For me, that futility is epitomized in the story of Chief Lean Bear.

This is a preview of Killing Lean Bear, Part 1. Read the full post (889 words, 6 images, estimated 3:33 mins reading time)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native American Fables: The Origin of Strawberries

When James Mooney, who worked for the Bureau of American Ethnology in the late 1800’s, lived with the Cherokee, he recorded many of their myths and legends. I love the story of the origin of strawberries because it presents the Cherokee version of Adam and Eve and gives us insight into the Cherokee’s thoughts on the power of love.

This is a preview of Native American Fables: The Origin of Strawberries. Read the full post (712 words, 5 images, estimated 2:51 mins reading time)

Unique Beings Being Unique: Cherokee vs Algonquin

 Cultures, Native American Antiquity  No Responses »

Apr242014

 

I am constantly struck by the images evoked by the term “Native American”. I find that the English language has a way of sorting and categorizing that often combines very different entities. For instance, the word” love”, in English, refers to both the concept of agape and eros as if they are the same thing. In one case, we are referring to a very unselfish affection, whereas the other is completely selfish.

I think the term “Native American” can be just as contradictory. Certainly, the Native Americans

Cherokee house

This is a preview of Unique Beings Being Unique: Cherokee vs Algonquin. Read the full post (668 words, 6 images, estimated 2:40 mins reading time)

Alien-like Skulls of Ancient America

“Alien-like skulls found in a small Mexican village recently date back 1,000 years ago.”

This quote is from a recent article by Bruce Baker in “examiner.com.”   Elongated skulls have been found all over the world.  The question asked over and over is:  “Are these skulls proof that we have been visited by aliens from outer space?”

Let’s look at the skulls found in Paracas, Peru.  Brien Foerster, contributor to

Paracas Skulls

History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, recently reported that DNA testing of the Paracas Skulls turned up “DNA mutations [that] are unknown in any human, primate, or animal known so far.”

This is a preview of Alien-like Skulls of Ancient America. Read the full post (661 words, 4 images, estimated 2:39 mins

Native American History: Rediscovery of Ancestral Pueblos

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park

 

When the Ancestral Puebloan People, popularly known as the Anasazi, Left their magnificent pueblos in Chaco Canyon and throughout New Mexico and Cliff Dwellings in Mesa Verde, Colorado these incredible palace-like structures lay dormant for over seven-hundred years.  The descendants of these people kept the ancient places sacred in their hearts, memories and stories but never returned.

So, when ranchers, explorers, and archaeologists “discovered” the ruins of these grand houses they were a great mystery to be investigated and in some cases plundered.  The earliest reference to ancient “ruins” was made by Don Juan Maria de Rivera on an expedition ordered by New Mexico Governor Tomas Velez Cachupin in 1765.  But the reference was vague and no detail provided.

This is a preview of Native American History: Rediscovery of Ancestral Pueblos. Read the full post (1082 words, 7 images, estimated 4:20 mins reading time)

Cherokee Ball Play Dance

Nachez Powwow–picture from website

 

This past weekend (March 29 and 30), there was a powwow in Nachez, Mississippi.  Native American powwows are very colorful and the dances are festive and interesting.  Dancing and singing has always been a major part of Native American life.   When James Mooney lived with the Cherokee in the 1830’s, he witnessed and wrote about the Cherokee Ball Play Dance.  Here are some of Mooney’s observations:

 

“In 1834, before the removal of the Cherokee to the west, a great game was played near the present site of Jasper, Georgia, between the settlements of Hickory Log and Coosawattee, in which there were eighteen players on a side, and the chiefs of the rival settlements wagered $1,000 apiece on the result.

 

This is a preview of Cherokee Ball Play Dance. Read the full post (1217 words, 6 images, estimated 4:52 mins reading time)

 

--Courtney Miller

 

Author of The First Raven Mocker

Book 1 of the Cherokee Chronicles

Finalist, Beverly Hills Book Awards