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Classification: Query
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Message Board Post:
My forbearers were Cherokee Indian from both upper middle Tenn and for Georgia and
Alabama. My father was born in Tahlequah, I. T. I went to College where the studend
body was predominately Indian. I am familiar with Indian lore in general and with the
Five Civilized Tribes in particular.
Nearly everyone who has an Indian forebearer seems to have descended from an "Indian
Princess." However, there is no such critter. {except amoung the Natchex in Miss.
who had a hiarchy and rorality like the Aztec and wore feather cloaks and capes.}
Indian society generally was set up with the female line being dominant for social order.
A man went to live with his wife's folks and she owned any property. The husband
provided protection and hunting for food. The women did the food gethering and planting,
if any, and ruled the roost in the tent. The tribe had a civil chief and a war chief but
the grandmothers frequently determined if the tribe would go to war. Chiefs were elected
by general concesses. Depending on the availability of food, Indians tended to live in
small scattered bands or clans with sub-chiefs The concept of roality was non-existant.
The idea of Indian Princesses was
an invention of white men. I hope I have not dis-allusioned you too much. Jim
Woolbright, Goingsnake clan