Throw
a stone into the water and watch as the circles
move outward in all directions, but always connected, a beginning but no
end.
Life is like that circle. As I state in Sun Spirit's page, I am one quarter
English, one quarter Cherokee and one half Irish.
In my
research, I found that my paternal and maternal ancestors lives were entwined
with the Cherokee since the beginning. Some for better and some for worse.
The area lying east of the Coosa River in Etowah
County, Alabama was a part of the Cherokee Indian Nation and was not ceded
until 1836.
An English
ancestor, was one of the first settlers to move into the area as soon as the
Cherokee were forced to leave their lands.
A cousin of that English ancestor and one of my Irish ancestors ministered
to the Cherokee as they started the fateful journey known as "The Trail
of Tears".
Twenty years later, my paternal Grandfather was born. He later married a
Cherokee and they farmed, raised a family living in a small valley that was
part of the original Cherokee land.
The circle was complete. I am Cherokee, I played, lived and walked where my
ancestors had walked. I saw the sun rise as they did. I heard the whisper of
the trees, the call of the doves and the ripple of the river as they did.
Life is good.
Cherokee
Religion
Background by:
Midi "Conversations
With My Soul" is
used with permission
and is copyright © 2000
Bruce
DeBoer
