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Pow wows are generally, though not always, thrown by tribes. For example, the Occoneechee State Park pow wow is commonly assumed to be thrown by the Occoneechee Band of the Saponi out of Hillsborough, though actually it’s a heritage festival hosted by the park itself. Really, anybody can throw a pow wow. The Martinsville pow wow is another example. It’s hosted by the Virginia Museum of Natural history. Most of the others are hosted by specific tribal groups, whether state recognized or not. (Only the Cherokee up in the mountains are federally recognized, and they don’t fool much with us flatlanders.)
There is a lot of hulabaloo about people pretending to be Indian who really aren’t. I don’t know how much of this is based on fact. I think a lot of it has to do with someone who doesn’t look Indian and wasn’t raised Indian taking on the lifestyle because they feel a calling to reverence that part of their ancestry, however small it may seem to others. People who do look Indian and who were raised within that culture (however assimilated it may actually be), are baffled by these people and very suspicious. There have been over the years many an oddball Lord Jim type to show up with various neurotic agendas they want to play out, and they’ve done their share of mischief, so the apprehension is not without provocation.
The “cool to be Indian” accusation could be seen, with a different perspective, as the behavior of someone who senses value in old traditional values, or feels the call of an old spirituality that is more vibrant and compelling than one might suspect of something allegedly “extinct.” Or perhaps they can’t help but hear the call of Ancestors who are compensating for being outnumbered by being that much noisier.
As far as who goes to a pow wow, anybody can attend as a spectators. Without a lot of spectators a pow wow would die, since it’s funded by the admissions and by the profits of the vendors who sell their wares there. Then there are the people who come to dance, and drum and make the ‘entertainment.’ Becoming a participant is not as hard as it might seem. If you hang around other people with similar ancestry as your own, and an equivalent level of ‘recognition,’ it would not be unusual for you all to hang together, work out some appropriate regalia, and start dancing. If enough people you’re relating to accept you doing this and make you welcome, you’re on your way.
There are others up in arms about these “wannabees,” but truth is, if people like you and want to hang with you, there’s really nobody who can insist you leave if you’re behaving yourself.
Thanks Linda!
Once I get a little more research done to figure out exactly which tribe my ancestors belonged to I’ll start looking at pow wows – sound like fun.
I have found websites that claim Old Ned Sizemore (a grandfather of mine) is full blodded Cherokee, Saponi, mulungeon, and there is a quote from him saying he grew up in a tribal settlement – can’t remember the name right now. What a mixed up mess. I am trying to follow several other families that are clearly in the right place at the right time to be Indian too. I think the Hart family is probably Saponi. I don’t have any Halifax or Warren co locations so I guiess it’s not Haliwa-Saponi. I’ll get it figured out eventually.
Cheryl
Cheryl
Where are your Harts located? There were many of the Hart descendants that migrated to the hills in WVa. They were known as the Hill People.
Rosebudsaponi,
My gggggrandmother is Catherine Hart (b. c. 1790 in Ashe Co, NC, d.1865 in Grayson Co, VA). Her parents are James Hart (b. 1760, d. 1824 in Ashe Co, NC) and Catherine Sizemore (b. 1765, d. 1820 – 1830). I don’t know where James is from or who his parents are. See below for another Hart –
Linda,
George Sizemore (b. 1751, d. after 1817)is (read above) Catherine Sizemore father and his wife and Catherine’s mother is Anne Elizabeth Hart (b. 1748, d. after 1817 in Laurel Spring, NC maybe). “Old Ned” Sizemore is Edward Sizemore and is George’s father. Apparently, my George is one of two sons named George. I think mine is George Edward and the other one, born several children later probably with a second wife, is just George and was a minister. Old Ned seems to be infamous. He was born prior to 1725, married about 1742, and died in 1780. He married Elizabeth Jackson. I have Ned’s parents pencilled in as William from Henrico, VA. and Winefred Green from Mecklenburg Co, VA. One account says William came from London, England, born in 1671.
So who is this guy?
There is a group of Sizemore families in Hawkins Co, TN who say Old Ned is their ancestor and is a full-blooded Cherokee. If you do a search for Sizemore you’ll easily find their website.
Apparently, there were more than 2,200 people who filed Eastern Cherokee Applications in 1906/1907 to receive Federal $ saying that Old Ned is their relative and that he was Cherokee. The Whitetop, VA Tribe (southwest, VA) limited membership to Old Ned’s ancestors. They were all living in Cherokee Hunting Reserve property. I have other ancestors who lived there (Baldwins). None of their applications (ECA’s) were accepted. There were some applications accepted,but I’m not sure what line – maybe the folks in Hawkins TN? There is a book by Frank Schuler who studied the ECA’s. I need to take a look at it.
In 1746 Old Ned was in Lunenburg, VA owning 400 acres on the So side of the Banister River in Halifax Co. (and I’ve been thinking no one in my family was in Halifax or Warren county so they couldn’t be Haliwa Saponi – well maybe they could be or they lived with them).
In 1748 he had 270 more acres on the Banister River and 400 acres on Little Buffalo Creek.
After 1749 he may have moved to SC.
One account says he moved with the New River Settlers in 1767 to the border of Fincastle/Montgomery Co, VA and Surry Co, NC.
Another account says he had been in GA 8 mos in March 1764. he petitioned for land on the north side of the great Ogechee (had 5 -6 children). This land was deeded away in 1772.
In 1774 he was in Surry Co, NC next door to James Hart.
1776 he signed oath of allegience to US in Botetourt Co, VA.
In 1780 the “Tory” Sizemore (many think this is him) was hanged by Col. Benjamin Cleveland in a corn field Wilkesboro, NC.
His eldest son, Edward died in Hawkins Co, TN and Owen, another son was also there – that must be where the family in TN comes from. Other sons were on the Royalist payroll in SC in 1781.
He probably had more than one wife and one account says he had at least one child out of wedlock. An interview of a woman who knew him says he was a large person and was an Indian. Another account said he was a chief. Somewhere there is a quote from Old Ned himself that says he grew up on a Catawba reservation.
Old Ned is “a man often thought to be Melungeon” according to an article at http://www.interracialvoice.com. The article refers to a book by J. Jordan called Cherokee By Blood.
So, I’m not clear on exactly which type of Indian this guy is. I’m going up to DC at the beginning of May to do some research at the DAR library and so far my list of books to find (for Old Ned)includes the Jordon book, a book entitled Kin Old Ned Sizemore, by Edith Jackson Hankins, and a book on Families of Hawkins Co, TN that has in its surname list 12 surnames that are on the two chart pages surrounding Old Ned. If his father came from London he can’t full blooded can he? He seems to have moved around in the migration patterns of other tribes – not Cherokees.
This research, finding many of my surnames and families in the right places to have been Indian or to have been living with Indans is really intriguing. They all seem to me to have English names, but now I’m wondering about how many might have been Indian. Bill Childs had a record for me from a court case in which one of my Baldwin ancestors (from WhiteTop, VA) testified that “they” were always throwing the Indian thing in “our” faces. It was testimony of descrimination (Sp?). Anyway, I can’t wait to get finished with this semester and get on the road to find out more.
Cheryl
Very interesting. Why do you say you have William and Winifred pencilled in as his parents?
I can see why none of those applications were accepted. Cherokee weren’t living way out there in the eastern Piedmont. BUT, researching their applications may be extremely rewarding.
Linda,
I have them ‘pencilled’ in because I found them at a website and don’t have the source for the information. I also don’t have the documents for the land purchases – just website sources. I usually take what other people claim and try to prove that it is correct. My mother and I have proven several sources wrong in the past. But, at least these sources are good leads for where to look next.
I need to print out some maps for Virginia and NC to get a good bird’s eye view of the wanderings of my families that I suspect are Indian. I’ve seen a couple forum postings about maps, but haven’t gotten to it yet. I also need to look at the information about the various tribes to see who my ancestors were living with. I hope I can get this done in the next couple weeks before my trip to No. VA.
Cheryl
Hello, There is going to be a PowWow at Morshes Park in Columbia City, Indiana on the 13th and 14th of August, State Road 205. Many people wear their regalia. Bill Miller has been there in years past to perform. I don’t know if he is going to be there this year. He is a truly great performer, very gifted. It is hosted by the Miami. It is called the “MIHSIHKINAAHKWA POW WOW”. Wear bug dope or have it at the ready. Don’t forget a flash light to find your car. Jeanne
Brothers and sisters, the great Shawnee Denial is still going on. the shawnee were present in the Cumberland Plateau & adjacent areas of VA-NC-KY-TN for over 150 years but you wouldn’t know it by doing a casual search. Please see my site http://www.shawnee-traditions.com/Names for a start in understanding this denial. There is a reason these poeple have been rejected by the Cherokee, they aren’t Cherokee, they are Shawnee and they aren’t Melungeons either, that’s just another attempt by the whites and white friendly reds to deny the history of the Shawnee. May the memory of the Shawnee rise again, including all the names the whites and white-loving reds used to deny the Shawnee their place in history like Chickamauga, Mingo, Musee and more.:)
Don Greene wrote: Brothers and sisters, the great Shawnee Denial is still going on. the shawnee were present in the Cumberland Plateau & adjacent areas of VA-NC-KY-TN for over 150 years but you wouldn’t know it by doing a casual search. Please see my site http://www.shawnee-traditions.com/Names for a start in understanding this denial. There is a reason these poeple have been rejected by the Cherokee, they aren’t Cherokee, they are Shawnee and they aren’t Melungeons either, that’s just another attempt by the whites and white friendly reds to deny the history of the Shawnee. May the memory of the Shawnee rise again, including all the names the whites and white-loving reds used to deny the Shawnee their place in history like Chickamauga, Mingo, Musee and more.:)
Thought I would bring this one back…has a good link, which may be useful to some.
Bezon brothers and sisters, I have an e-book coming out this summer (07) titled Shawnee Heritage which will contain a little of my research. If I don’t get back to you all, the contact info can be found at my revamped web site. Recent discoveries have added greatly to our understanding of the Shawnee of the Colonial period and perhaps why they have suffered so badly in American histories. If anyone needs or wants to contact me please write me at shawneeprof@earthlink.net or shawneedig@yahoo.com Thanks for including my work 🙂 🙂
Don’s here? What a surprise for me since he rarely visits forums. Bezon ne kah noh kahnah Don!
Don is a good friend of mine who I talk to on a fairly regular basis and has dubbed what I have sent him on my family “The Steve Pile”. He is dead on about the whole Shawnee Denial thing as well. They are just
simply “overlooked” by most when it comes to finding out about their families.
Anyway, It was mentioned in this thread that someone was going to hunt up maps of the areas where their family was from for a “bird’s eye view”. As a suggestion…just make sure that when you do, you pull up the maps from that era, and not ones of today, as what once was is not what is today as far as counties and place-names go.
If all it takes is one drop of black blood to make a person black, then there’s no inherent reason why one drop of Indian blood wouldn’t make a person Indian. The only reason we don’t think this way is because, at one point, a certain class of people got enormously wealthy by qualifying as many people as possible for hereditary slavery. At the same time, they gained enormous quantities of real estate by denying that other people were Indian.
I agree Linda,
I do believe if the British “immigrants” did not profit from this land and slavery, they could have cared less who was mixed with what. The British initially came to this country to make a PROFIT back in 1607. And “their white” descendants are still benefiting from it…… Old Money. Just my 2 cents.
Don Greene wrote: Brothers and sisters, the great Shawnee Denial is still going on. the shawnee were present in the Cumberland Plateau & adjacent areas of VA-NC-KY-TN for over 150 years but you wouldn’t know it by doing a casual search. Please see my site http://www.shawnee-traditions.com/Names for a start in understanding this denial. There is a reason these poeple have been rejected by the Cherokee, they aren’t Cherokee, they are Shawnee and they aren’t Melungeons either, that’s just another attempt by the whites and white friendly reds to deny the history of the Shawnee. May the memory of the Shawnee rise again, including all the names the whites and white-loving reds used to deny the Shawnee their place in history like Chickamauga, Mingo, Musee and more.:)
Thought I’d bring this one back as it has an interesting link.
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