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The following link should take you to a video of a WRAL newscast about the end of this 17-year battle.
http://cf.ibsys.com/ral/sh/videoplayer/video.cfm?ID=1230257&owner=ral
[This message has been edited by Linda (edited 02-14-2002).]
Linda,
Sincere congratulations. It’s been a long, long struggle. And yes, I have my reservations [ no pun intended ] which we’ve “talked” about. I have the utmost respect for the documentation the tribe furnished to the commission [ Kudos to Forest Hazel ]. In my opinion, the documentation was/is as good/or better than any of the six (?) NC tribes which were grandfathered in, in the early ’70s, when the NC Indian Commission was first created.
One final comment (and I’ll probably get myself into trouble for saying it), but, if I self-identified PRIMARILY as Indian, and chose a name such as, … oh, say … Merriweather REDFEATHER Oglethorp, that’d be okay. And, if I self-identified PRIMARILY as white, and chose a name such as, Merriweather WHITEFEATHER Oglethorp, that’d be okay too. And, if I self-identified PRIMARILY as black, and chose a name such as Merriweather BLACKFEATHER Oglethorp, that would be okay as well. (Red=Indian, white=European, black=African-American.) But the average person is bound to ask (or at least to think to himself), “Why’s the name at odds with the bone fife, true, self-identity?” (And THAT’S what the commission had so much trouble with. The commission’s unstated question was, “How do you essentially see yourself? Indian? White? Or Black?”)
Well, I hope I’m not a personna non gratta now. And I’m the first person to tell you that virtually ALL eastern Indian tribes have a TRI-racial (Indian, white, and black) ancestry. In fact, I’ve traced one of my lines back to a probable origin in Angola, Africa. But, I really do wish John Jeffries would think about the implications of his chosen name.
Let me reiterate; I REALLY DO wish you, and all involved, congratulations on a hard fought, and ultimately, successful struggle to receive your just recognition as bone fide Indians. Well done!
From what I’ve been told by a Native Law attorney, this should make it easier for groups in other states to go ahead and get their recognition now. There have been a lot of people upset that the Occaneechi didn’t include them in their membership rolls, they were clearly related. But the way the recognition standards go, only discrete, intact communities can be recognized. If they had admitted people from other states or people who’d moved away for a few generations they would have disqualified themselves for recognition. And since they are going for federal recognition next, they have to continue to operate this way.
BUT the fact that they now have won state recognition means that communities in other locations can use their recognition as a precedence for their own. Like in Ohio, the people related to that Jeffreys cabinetmaker documented as a Saponi Indian, can use the fact that the Occaneechi achieved recognition by showing relation to that man, so what’s up Ohio? Why haven’t you recognized us? I suppose in a sense the Ohioans have technically just received a form of recognition, since what is recognized in one state, must be recognized in another. We’d have to get Norbert over here to explain that better, it’s something like that. I think all they need do is ask for clarification from the government on that and it’s all over.
If anybody wants Norbert’s email let me know.
Oh, one more point I should make. I’m not Occaneechi. My husband believes he is, but from another location (Mecklenburg County, VA). We’ve been travelling the pow wow circuit with Blackfeather’s events and socializing with them regularly. They are good people and good friends.
I don’t know what the significance of his chosen name is, but I have heard him say things that indicate he does not identify himself as primarily black.
Hey Tasheaka, What do you think about all this? Is this going to be helpful to you all? I know that you all have been working very hard on your own recognition and I hope it will be your turn very soon.
Saponi NDN,
Ohio Saponi’s are very happy for the North Carolina Saponi in their acheivement, however, there are some questions from some personal friends that are looking for the “link” or connections as they are the decendents of the Cedarville Jeffreys. My husband is a Harding/Jones from Cedarville, Ohio. They too are related to this family.
Tasheaka, Are you impling that there is NO link between the Ohio Jefferies and the Occaneechi Jefferies????
Saponi NDN,
I am not implying anything, but I do know that the Jeffreys in this area claim no relationship to those Jeffries and seem to feel that if a connection was made that held water in court it should apply to the Jeffreys whole family here in Ohio who are documented as INDIAN.
tasheaka
Tasheaka, If it is true that there is NO connection to the Ohio Jefferyes then…. I smell a rat somewhere.
It may not be a good time to be disavowing a relationship at this point in time, if you get my meaning. Maybe a closer look will reveal what others saw.
I am honestly hoping some of the feelings on this issue can settle down. I haven’t heard all points of view, but I’ve heard enough of them to get a strong impression that there’s been some misunderstandings afoot. If anybody wants to know my impressions feel free to contact me in an email.
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