Itse Dugalu

Government:

       As many of you are aware we have moved our office.  We appreciate everyone's patience as we get our district up and running again.  Next year's reunion will be in October 2010 and preparations are starting now.  If you're planning on attending and would like to volunteer you contact us at the office or on the website.  Don't forget that guests are welcome to our reunions.     

       Plans are underway for a new format for regular meetings.  In order to better serve the needs of the New Toogaloo district the nature of meetings is being shifted from "culture" meetings to Town Hall meetings.  This is being done so that your representitive can meet with the citizens in a formal environment to announce happenings and give Northern Cherokee citizens.  Regular gatherings will still be permitted if they are organized and monitored in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws however will not be run exclusively by the governing body.  Please contact us if you have any questions and we'll be happy to address them.  For more information about the Town Hall meetings please watch the Events 2010 page. 

       There are tribal positions still available, to find out how you can help make a difference for your family and friends contact us now!  We have a place for you.

                  Message From The

          New Toogaloo Representative

       This year has been full of challenges and blessings in abundance and I'm very grateful to all of you for your hard work and service that you've provided in the New Toogaloo district of the Northern Cherokee Nation of the Old Louisiana Territory.  As the year is coming to a close I want to address some of the accomplishments that we've brought to pass, current concerns and our plans for the future of our district.

       In February of this year we moved our office into a more accessible building in Columbia, Missouri.  This was no small step for our people!  In this new office we've been able to organize, regroup and address the concerns of many of our citizens.  Throughout the United States Native Peoples work hard to take care of each other and the spirit of "gadugi" is still strong with us as well.  We generally are not funded for what we do.  We sacrifice and volunteer for what we have and it is good that we do.  Our volunteers have worked hard to take care of the needs of our Cherokee people and their work will not be forgotten by us as we continue to create our own history. 

       Our annual reunion was a success and the preparations for next year's reunion are underway even now.  Many Cherokees came from all over our Old Louisiana Territory to unite with each other and renew old family ties.  For those who were not present next year's reunion will take place in October combining New Toogaloo district's tradition of celebrating the October New Moon.  These reunions are great exercises for continuing to transmit family practices and culture to the next generation in a traditional manner.  That being said, another way to prepare yourselves to participate in these reunions is by regular attendance in district gatherings.  Our faithful participants strengthen one another through hard times and learn more about their roots and themselves by frequenting these reunions together.  As individuals we are Indians and Americans, it is only by being together that we are Cherokees. 

       That last statement may require some further explanation.  Racially an Indian is an Indian, just as a White man is a White man or a Black man is a Black man.  An Irish man who comes to America forfeits his Irish citizenship and becomes an American.  He is clearly of Irish ancestory but that does not make him Irish.  After many of our people settled here west of the Mississippi River the government of the Eastern Cherokees established a Constitution that set borders for its citizens just like any European nation or most modern nations world wide today.  That same constitution excluded many of us and we were no longer considered Eastern Cherokees and had we not been united here we would have ceased to be Cherokee.  The same was true for our closer relatives the Keetoowah. 

       We continued to exist as our own body of individuals who have settled west of the Mississippi before the Trail, during and shortly after.  The United States government requires tribes to have been organized before 1900.  What that means is that Cherokees that aligned with other Cherokees after the Trail but before the twentieth century were organized legally.  At this time the U.S. government is researching our people to determine whether or not we are the descendents of known Cherokee establishments in the Old Louisiana Territory.  If we are and if we are able to meet other prerequisites we will qualify for Federal Recognition one day.  However, even if we fall short there will be a place for us in the future.

       The nature of government is not always so easy to define and various definitions ranging from clans to states exist throughout the world and even in historical Native America.  Some Native governments are large and influential like the Dine (Navajo) and (Oklahoma) Cherokee Nations.  Others, like the Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of Arizona that consists of less than 200 citizens, do very well for themselves but are not as politically powerful.  People often forget that not all Indians are the same, including other Indians.  Some tribes count fractions of Indian ancestors to determine eligibility (Indian Blood Quantum) and others use rolls to determine citizenship or a combination of the two.  Just as Indians are not all the same, governments and methods of leadership are not all the same either. 

      In Scotland clan membership can be purchased for a yearly fee if you can trace a single ancestor to the appropriate blood line.  These clans are considered National Treasures and are organized in a manner that resembles club memberships complete with magazines subscriptions and all and with federal government protection.  This is a stark contrast with the Himba and Aku nations of Africa that live in what we consider to be harsh climates as large, organized extended family units in traditional non colonized communities who, needless to say, do not receive publications from their respective governments.  In 2008 the Ainu people of Japan were officially recognized by the dominant government of the land as Indigenous Peoples and such delegations continue for other such groups throughout the world. 

       We are in the middle, distinct from other groups but not so different from any of them, and as an individual nation we continue to pave the way for how our future will develop.  We will resemble different nations in different ways but we will always be ourselves, Northern Cherokees. 

       A word on recognition, a word that has become a catch phrase during our generation.  Like many other minority groups throughout the world we still have those who choose to single us out as a threat.  There are those who desire greatly to make certain that we are never "Federally Recognized."  No we are not a Federally Recognized Indian Nation.  But what does that mean?  What are we?  Often people who have spoken against us have pointed out oddities of "Cherokee groups" and thrown our name in the hat suggesting that all groups are exactly the same.  The Northern Cherokee Nation of the Old Louisiana Territory does not endorse or promote "wannabe" names such as "Princess Dream Catcher" or "Chief White Eagle."  We do not support the combining of Indian cultures into a Blended New Age Nation.  Does that mean that there are no citizens of ours who at one time or another perpetuate negative stereotypes of Indians?  No, but as a government we work towards rectifying misconceptions particularly amongst our own people and also others who are interested in understanding us.  Our Nation is not a religious institution.  We have citizens that practice religions ranging from the prominent Baptist faith, to Jehovah's Witnesses, to Catholicism to Mormonism and to more traditional practices and everything in between.  The leadership is not profitting off of the name "Cherokee" and we are in fact spending time and money out of our own pockets and work weeks to keep our people together and the results have been amazing.  At times it seems like we are doing the impossible.  No single individual is doing this, it is the work of many people together. 

       The word "wannabe" has been pinned on us more than a time or two over the last 15 years or so.  What is it that we want to be?  We are Indians of Cherokee descent whether we like it or not.  Federal Recognition either will or will not happen for us but we'll still be a body of people of common heritage.  The states of Missouri and Arkansas know who we are today and if we were fraudulent our government would have been stopped back in the 70's.  Beverly Baker is the elected leader.  She has been illegally voted out in the past and reinstated legally by decision of the Elders of our people.  Mel Carnahan, as governor of Missouri, upheld the recognition of our contributions to the state by Governor Kit Bond who recognized us personally in 1983.  This was well before the glorification of Native Americans in films like "Last of the Mohicans" and "Dances With Wolves." 

       Perhaps we are "wannabes."  We want to continue to exist as individuals and we wish to remain united.  But under this definition who is not a "wannabe?"  However, for clarification, we do not "wannabe" the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma or the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.  They are great nations, but we are not them.  We do not "wannabe" the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.  All three of the federally recognized nations are a blessing to this country in their own ways but we are not the same people.  We share common ancestors with all three of the federally recognized tribes in times predating the 1700's but we have gone our own way and will likely continue to do so. 

       We are still working on our petition for federal recognition.  Looking through the files of our citizens, some who have legal documentation of their ancestory through military paperwork, Biblical accounts and local newspapers dating back to the turn of the previous century and others who are related however distantly to these people, I can't help but be amazed at our histories and our people.  Even when our ancestors were shamed for their heritage they passed it on in their own way and we have received it!  The federal government in the past has given us money to complete the federal recognition process and more and more we feel we are approaching that time.  The work is hard, tiring, and at times seems without reward, but it seems to be near at hand.  Even still, the courage of our Northern Cherokees permits us to also spend our time sustaining one another.

       Thank you, my brothers and sisters for your help in making us what we are today.  Please do not be discouraged.  If you have needs do not be so prideful as to not look for help.  If you are currently at a time where your needs are met, look after those who may be traversing through times of great need.  We go through all cycles in this life and we benefit greatly by being merciful and generous to those who one day we may be relying on. 

New Toogaloo leadership, 2 November 2009

This Month:

       Winter is underway and while the Eastern shore has taken a very strong hit and most of the midwest has been spared it is still very important that we are taking care to keep ourselves prepared for surprises.  Food storages for at least 3 days worth of food and water are recommended to those who can afford them and keeping your information updated with us will also help in facilitating emergency help here locally.  If anyone is able to volunteer time or talents to building up an emergency contact committee please contact us by e-mail so we can get things underway. 

       It's nearly time to renew your fishing licenses.  The last day of February marks the beginning of the new fishing year, be sure to get your licenses taken care of before this time.  Follow the link provided to find the answers to any questions about hunting and/or fishing in Missouri.

http://mdc.mo.gov

       Don't hesitate to E-mail us if you have any questions.  Also please send pictures or family news if you're a part of the district.  

Steven's Lake Park, the site for many of our activities. 

Happy Hollows Shelter, named for our old Cherokee settlement located in the vicinity of the shelter.

The Firepit that we use so often for our local gatherings