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03/08/2009 This is a story told to me many times by the elders of my people as I was growing up on turtle hill in Uncasvillage. Soon after
first contact a dispute broke out between an Eastern Woodland American Native family and a European trapper. It would seem
that this poor fellow was lost, hungry and dehydrated when he happened apron a native village, the first native family to
see this stranger took him in cleaned him up, fed and clothed him. After he was
well enough he started out on his way back to his fort, the head of this family offered him the use of a horse to help him
on his way thinking that he and his son would pick up the horse the next trip to the fort to trade wampum. A few days
later the husband and his son showed up at the fort did their trading took their house and started back home. When the European
house guest found that the horse was no longer in his barn he and some of the soldiers raced after the native family, they
call Indians, took them back to the fort tried and hung both the father and son as Indian givers. Sachem/Sagamos/Sagamore 02/26/2009 From time to time I need
to correct things being told as the truth over the internet. A Sachem in the Pequot/Mohegan
and other New England tribes is loosely translated as or referred to as a king by the Europeans after first contact. A Sagamos like in the Penobscot
and Narragansett people that came from the Terrytoons or tribes of the north are also known as their leaders. I am guessing
that that is why their leaders always wear a Plains Indian head dress when in front of camas? A Sagamore is a sub chief
or anyone within a true New England tribe that is given a position of reasonability by their Sachem and maintains that sub
chief (Sagamore) title for as long as the job is being performed as in the title war chief or public relations chief! Because the New England tribes
before first contact were a matriarch people men and women could and do hold this position of authority as needed. In order to correctly study
and understand the true leaders of American native people one must study them long before our language was basterdized by
outsiders. POWWOW or PAW-PAUS What is an American
native pawpaus? Back before first
contact before the Europeans made it necessary for the people to change the gatherings American native people held, gatherings
call a Paw-paus. Soon after first
contact because the Europeans were starting to get extremely
pushy at wanting into this very spiritual event and long before the plains Indians called their enemy by the name White eyes
the Sachem’s of the New England tribes came together to find a fast safe way
out of this situation. Long before this first contact our ancestors
knew of an evil Shaman warlock that practice Shamanism, this Shaman warlock whose name was called powwow
was an extremely evil witch. The Sachem’s
of these true American native people placed the problem in the hands of their
clan mothers, after many debates about the problem the clan mothers came up with the
name powwow and a great explanation as to why it should be used. It would seem
that our invaders from across the waters acted very much like this Sharman so why not start having an event like our paw-paus
and invite them all? The problem in
this day that was unforeseen by our ancestor is that now many of these powwows
are infested with shamans, witches and warlocks, some ever running it! This would be
a very good reason to explain why no American native advertises when and where we are holding our Paw-paus. AHO! I can and will
only talk about this very spiritual event from what I have been taught from the 40’s 50’s 60’s and 70’s
and that which I am allowed to talk about! As told to me
by the traditional elders of our New England people, this gathering was held after each of our four season Fall, Winter, Spring
and Summer or in their words South, West, North and East. Fall (south) is
the time of year for meetings to get ready to head in to the middle of the land gathering food and supplies and make ready
to last out the colder weather that is coming, at the end of this time (fall) there would be a gathering of the people and
prayers, dancing and drum for the Creators protection while on our journeys or a mini gathering. The New England people did
not carry homes around the land instead they would build homes (round and long houses) in each of the seasons, places they
stayed in for that season. In the winter time (west) the people split up into family groups (clans and headed west) because
of the food shortages at this winter time. In this winter it would be a time of hardship keeping warm and finding food and
firewood so at the end of this winter these clans would hold a gathering to share food, clothing, wood and storytelling. Spring
(North) would be the time to start back toward their main homes at the great river, for planting and repairing homes and fishing
holes. At this time I
will input the fact that these homes (except for the sachems family) is on a first come first serve bases so if the last owner
shows up both families work together an build one or the other a new home! Summer (east)
is the time for a gathering of all the people this gathering ( Paw-paus) would be a great Spiritual event and everyone would
bring food and work together repairing and rebuilding the prayer circle of course with a great opening in the East to allow
room for Creator and all of the ancestors to enter. While the people
are fellowshipping, telling their story of the past season and learning of members past while gone west and new members arriving
while gone and so on the fire keeper and helpers would clean and clear the circle and get the fire ready for the time Creator
comes to visit with the people. The Sachem, with
a warrior on each side to help and tend to any needs while dancing around this circle, these warriors would carry the Sachems
gifts and staff if necessary to Creator and would be at the head of a line so as to pray to have a friendly gathering before
entering the circle. Sachem would at
this time ask the people to please place any bad feelings, gossip, and bad thoughts at the east door, if they wanted them
back after the paw-paus just let Creator know otherwise Creator will take them into his fire to burn forever and the people
can be cleansed enough to enjoy dancing and drumming with Creator and the ancestors. Each family (clan)
had their own prayer staff with prayer bags and medicine pouches from past family members and animal family members, this
staff would usually be carried into the circle through the east by the family’s Clan Mother. Next would be the elder
women then elder men, younger women and children, last but by no means least would be all of the warriors keeping a close
eye out for any unwanted guests. As you may now start to see this gathering is a little different from a modern day powwow
that you may have gone to, this would be because first, remember we are of the matriarch society, but most of all I am writing
about a Paw-paus not a powwow! They had no need
for fancy ropes or railings around this circle each member would place their skins or fur blankets around and all knew that
the correct way into Creators church was through the East, even our animal friends (always welcome into our church) seem to
know that they are welcome to come dance and fellowship with the people, the ancestors and Creator, if they made a mistake
someone, usually the fire keepers helper, would just pick it up and carry on with the gathering. No vendors nothing to sell
every family would bring something for meals and the young women would cook, every family would also bring things for trade
and give away. Creator would
come into the circle and take over the fire usually for about week. I have broken
no code or promise made to my elders by not going into our spirituality aspects
during this gathering so traditional people please understand that we need to at least get something out on the net so non-natives
can see that we still do our church. AHO! Sachem Speaks November 2008 I recently was told of something that sickened me more than I ever thought possible. Is it any wonder that my Traditional Mohegan's ancestors are upset by the way that the land they called home for so many years is now being cared for by a new breed of Natives. The last straw for me and them was in learning that the Boy Scouts had sold the most sacred church of my ancestors to a Casino. The Mohegan's named Cauchegan rock after one of their own. (It has been changed by non Mohegan's to its present spelling.) Many years ago, my ancestors turned the rock over to a non profit organization, so that it could never be misused by the conquering nations of the world. Now it has been sold for one dollar to a Casino who in turn donated one million dollars to this same group, the Boy Scouts of Connecticut. My ancestors weep, I weep. Sachem Walkingfox September 15, 2008 When I read this story this morning, it brought back some not so pleasant memories of high school in Connecticut. Forgotten part of states history When ever I would play basketball with my friends who were mostly African Americans, they would always make remarks about how bad it had been for their Ancestors who had been slaves. I would listen to their stories and then at the next meeting at my grandfathers Mohegan Church I would tell my Elders what they had said. The Elders would always say that many of our people had been slaves too. Long before there was African slavery in this country, white people had been making slaves of our people. For so many years we heard about the poor Africans slaves and how badly they had been treated, when we knew all along that our people had also been slaves, but no one ever cared or talked about it. Except us. The Elders also talked about the order of feeding slaves. First the white owners and their children ate, then their dogs and the animals, then the African American slaves ate, then if there was anything left over the Native slaves had to fight with the dogs for it. I did a report about all of this my freshman year in high school. My father had encouraged me to write about it, because it bothered me so much. I had to stand up in class and say in front of the same people I played ball with, "You know, you all complain to me about how bad it was that your Ancestors were slaves and how we should all feel sorry for you, but none of you have ever said that you were sorry about my people being slaves." I got an A on the report, I also got a lot of cold shoulders for a couple of days, but after that, they stopped whining about their poor Ancestors, at least around me. Inserted from <http://www.sachem-uncas.com/speaks.html> July 15, 2001 I recently went with a friend and her Mother to visit the Peabody Museum at Yale University because we had heard that they had a new exhibit for the Indians of Connecticut. Since New England Indians were the first to be assimilated by the Colonial invaders and this area has such a rich Native American history, I was expecting to see a lot of information about our Woodland Tribes. However, once you get into the Museum building, if you wish to see the Connecticut Indian exhibit, you must either take an elevator to the third floor or climb two flights of stairs. Once you finally do get to the third floor, you will find the Indian exhibit along the side wall of a large room that leads towards an Egyptian exhibition, which as it turns out, is much more elaborate than the one for Connecticut's Indians. It only took me about two or three minutes to look over the so-called "Connecticut Indian Exhibit", which seemed to only be concerned with prehistoric Indians. There was not a single mention of Sachem Uncas or his descendants, nor of the many interactions that had happened between the Indians and the Colonists, actions that would ultimately determine the future of a state that is now known as Connecticut. I sat down to rest on a nearby bench and noticed a young couple and their children passing by. The little boy said to his father, " Hey dad what's the cave man doing," referring to a figure of an Indian in the exhibit. They kept walking and went towards the Egyptian room. It broke my heart. Sadly, the father did not take the time to correct his son's mistake, nor did he show much interest in looking at the Indian exhibit. Somewhere in this proud, old building, there should be a whole lot more information and space dedicated to our Connecticut Indians, than what I found here today. I did notice that conveniently located on the first floor of the Museum, just as you come in, there are some very nice exhibits for many of my brother Nations. But what about the Native people who were already living here when the European Colonists first arrived in this area? The very land that the entire University of Yale now rests on, was once sacred Indian ground and it is the duty of those in command of such things at Yale, to show the proper respect for the people who were the first to inhabit our part of Mother Earth, which is now known as the state of Connecticut. Peabody provided financial support for the education of his nephew, O.C. Marsh, who received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale in 1860. It was at Marsh’s urging that Peabody provided $150,000
in 1866 to establish Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History. In the same year, Peabody gave the same amount to Harvard
to found the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. 02/17/2009 I was wandering around the internet today and
though that I would check and see if the University in New Haven (Yale) had at least make an attempted to improve relations
with the founders of the land that they work, study and live on, alas sad to say NO! I would love to have someone, anyone visit the Peabody
Museum at Yale University and write to me on their thoughts of my home states care and understanding of our ancestors I should
think that that would be an excellent term paper for some Yale students on anyone else for that matter. Taw-but-ni or thank-you Forgotten part of state's history Dutch kept American Indian slaves in 18th-century Catskills,
documents acquired by the State Library reveal By PAUL GRONDAHL, Staff writer First published in print: Sunday, September 14, 2008 ALBANY -- Historians had long known of this dark
chapter in New York's history, but an 18th-century document recently acquired by the State Library adds details to the fact
that Indian slaves were kept in the Catskills. A 1720 deed of transfer of a large Dutch farm
in Orange County near present-day Goshen detailed legal descriptions of the land -- and human property: "William an Indian
Man ... Lawrence an Indian Man ... Casar a Negro Man." The transfer was among three boxes of documents
contained in the Wawayanda Patent Papers (1705-1840), recently purchased from Harold Decker, a private collector and historian
in Orange County. The price was not disclosed. "It's the first document I've seen that specifically
names Indian slaves," said Paul Mercer, senior librarian in the manuscripts and special collections division. Mercer said the documents will join an important
collection at the State Library pertaining to African-American slaves in New York. "It's been understood in historical terms that
Indian slaves existed, but it's important that we now have a document that actually provides names," Mercer said. "We never learned about this in our classes on
the reservation. It just wasn't freely talked about," said Mike Tarbell, educator at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Schoharie
County, a Mohawk of the Turtle clan who grew up on the St. Regis Mohawk reservation in Franklin County. "But I'm glad it's coming to the surface now,"
Tarbell said. "Enslaving of native peoples was done all over the world, so I guess it's not surprising that there were Indian
slaves in New York." No details are known about the Indian slaves
mentioned in the 1720 document and it will be up to researchers to find out more, Mercer said. Decker wanted his collection
to end up at a public research library so the documents would be accessible to scholars. Archaeologist Paul Huey, who has excavated American
Indian sites in the Capital Region, called the document important confirmation of Indians held as slaves in New York, although
he found prior evidence in written records of Indians captured by Europeans in the state, sold as slaves and shipped to Bermuda. Huey's hypothesis is that Indians were not enslaved
in large numbers by the Dutch in the Fort Orange vicinity during the Colonial era because they didn't want to offend their
trading partners in the lucrative beaver trade. "The Dutch were very careful to maintain good
relations with the Indians and were more likely to use African slaves," said Huey, a scientist with the state Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation at Peebles Island. American Indians were widely enslaved across
North America during the Colonial era, according to Sean Rafferty, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University
at Albany. But little documentation about such enslavement exists, in contrast to African slaves. "This is an important acquisition because it's
the first I've heard of documentation of Native American slavery in New York," said Rafferty, who specializes in American
Indian rituals and burial practices in eastern North America between 1000 B.C. and 1000 A.D. (Page 2 of 2) Some historians estimate that as many as 50,000
Indians were kept as slaves in North America during the 17th and 18th centuries, Rafferty said. "There was a wide spectrum of status in the term of
slavery in that era," Rafferty said. It ranged from indigent white people who signed on as indentured servants to get out
of debt to those equated as property, freely bought and sold, such as Africans and Americans Indians. It's hard to determine what treatment the Indian
slaves received on the 60,000-acre Orange County farm, referred to as a "plantation" in the 1720 document, which also transferred
ownership of four horses, three mares, two cows, one bull, one steer and two sows. "I don't think the matter of Indian slaves was
necessarily covered up," Mercer said. "It's more a matter that this is something that history forgot." Paul Grondahl can be reached at 454-5623 or by
e-mail at pgrondahl@timesunion.com. July 15, 2001 I recently went with a friend and her Mother to visit the Peabody Museum at Yale University because we had heard that they had a new exhibit for the Indians of Connecticut. Since New England Indians were the first to be assimilated by the Colonial invaders and this area has such a rich Native American history, I was expecting to see a lot of information about our Woodland Tribes. However, once you get into the Museum building, if you wish to see the Connecticut Indian exhibit, you must either take an elevator to the third floor or climb two flights of stairs. Once you finally do get to the third floor, you will find the Indian exhibit along the side wall of a large room that leads towards an Egyptian exhibition, which as it turns out, is much more elaborate than the one for Connecticut's Indians. It only took me about two or three minutes to look over the so-called "Connecticut Indian Exhibit", which seemed to only be concerned with prehistoric Indians. There was not a single mention of Sachem Uncas or his descendants, nor of the many interactions that had happened between the Indians and the Colonists, actions that would ultimately determine the future of a state that is now known as Connecticut. I sat down to rest on a nearby bench and noticed a young couple and their children passing by. The little boy said to his father, " Hey dad what's the cave man doing," referring to a figure of an Indian in the exhibit. They kept walking and went towards the Egyptian room. It broke my heart. Sadly, the father did not take the time to correct his son's mistake, nor did he show much interest in looking at the Indian exhibit. Somewhere in this proud, old building, there should be a whole lot more information and space dedicated to our Connecticut Indians, than what I found here today. I did notice that conveniently located on the first floor of the Museum, just as you come in, there are some very nice exhibits for many of my brother Nations. But what about the Native people who were already living here when the European Colonists first arrived in this area? The very land that the entire University of Yale now rests on, was once sacred Indian ground and it is the duty of those in command of such things at Yale, to show the proper respect for the people who were the first to inhabit our part of Mother Earth, which is now known as the state of Connecticut. Peabody provided financial support for the education of his nephew, O.C. Marsh, who received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale in 1860. It was at Marsh’s urging that Peabody provided $150,000
in 1866 to establish Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History. In the same year, Peabody gave the same amount to Harvard
to found the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. 02/17/2009 I was wandering around the internet today and
though that I would check and see if the University in New Haven (Yale) had at least make an attempted to improve relations
with the founders of the land that they work, study and live on, alas sad to say NO! I would love to have someone, anyone visit the Peabody
Museum at Yale University and write to me on their thoughts of my home states care and understanding of our ancestors I should
think that that would be an excellent term paper for some Yale students on anyone else for that matter. Taw-but-ni or thank-you November 2008 I recently was told of something that sickened me more than I ever thought possible. Is it any wonder that my Traditional Mohegan's ancestors are upset by the way that the land they called home for so many years is now being cared for by a new breed of Natives. The last straw for me and them was in learning that the Boy Scouts had sold the most sacred church of my ancestors to a Casino. The Mohegan's named Cauchegan rock after one of their own. (It has been changed by non Mohegan's to its present spelling.) Many years ago, my ancestors turned the rock over to a non profit organization, so that it could never be misused by the conquering nations of the world. Now it has been sold for one dollar to a Casino who in turn donated one million dollars to this same group, the Boy Scouts of Connecticut. My ancestors weep, I weep. Sachem Walkingfox Inserted from <http://www.sachem-uncas.com/speaks.html> Forgotten part of state's history Dutch kept American Indian slaves in 18th-century Catskills,
documents acquired by the State Library reveal By PAUL GRONDAHL, Staff writer First published in print: Sunday, September 14, 2008 ALBANY -- Historians had long known of this dark
chapter in New York's history, but an 18th-century document recently acquired by the State Library adds details to the fact
that Indian slaves were kept in the Catskills. A 1720 deed of transfer of a large Dutch farm
in Orange County near present-day Goshen detailed legal descriptions of the land -- and human property: "William an Indian
Man ... Lawrence an Indian Man ... Casar a Negro Man." The transfer was among three boxes of documents
contained in the Wawayanda Patent Papers (1705-1840), recently purchased from Harold Decker, a private collector and historian
in Orange County. The price was not disclosed. "It's the first document I've seen that specifically
names Indian slaves," said Paul Mercer, senior librarian in the manuscripts and special collections division. Mercer said the documents will join an important
collection at the State Library pertaining to African-American slaves in New York. "It's been understood in historical terms that
Indian slaves existed, but it's important that we now have a document that actually provides names," Mercer said. "We never learned about this in our classes on
the reservation. It just wasn't freely talked about," said Mike Tarbell, educator at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Schoharie
County, a Mohawk of the Turtle clan who grew up on the St. Regis Mohawk reservation in Franklin County. "But I'm glad it's coming to the surface now,"
Tarbell said. "Enslaving of native peoples was done all over the world, so I guess it's not surprising that there were Indian
slaves in New York." No details are known about the Indian slaves
mentioned in the 1720 document and it will be up to researchers to find out more, Mercer said. Decker wanted his collection
to end up at a public research library so the documents would be accessible to scholars. Archaeologist Paul Huey, who has excavated American
Indian sites in the Capital Region, called the document important confirmation of Indians held as slaves in New York, although
he found prior evidence in written records of Indians captured by Europeans in the state, sold as slaves and shipped to Bermuda. Huey's hypothesis is that Indians were not enslaved
in large numbers by the Dutch in the Fort Orange vicinity during the Colonial era because they didn't want to offend their
trading partners in the lucrative beaver trade. "The Dutch were very careful to maintain good
relations with the Indians and were more likely to use African slaves," said Huey, a scientist with the state Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation at Peebles Island. American Indians were widely enslaved across
North America during the Colonial era, according to Sean Rafferty, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University
at Albany. But little documentation about such enslavement exists, in contrast to African slaves. "This is an important acquisition because it's
the first I've heard of documentation of Native American slavery in New York," said Rafferty, who specializes in American
Indian rituals and burial practices in eastern North America between 1000 B.C. and 1000 A.D. (Page 2 of 2) Some historians estimate that as many as 50,000
Indians were kept as slaves in North America during the 17th and 18th centuries, Rafferty said. "There was a wide spectrum of status in the term of
slavery in that era," Rafferty said. It ranged from indigent white people who signed on as indentured servants to get out
of debt to those equated as property, freely bought and sold, such as Africans and Americans Indians. It's hard to determine what treatment the Indian
slaves received on the 60,000-acre Orange County farm, referred to as a "plantation" in the 1720 document, which also transferred
ownership of four horses, three mares, two cows, one bull, one steer and two sows. "I don't think the matter of Indian slaves was
necessarily covered up," Mercer said. "It's more a matter that this is something that history forgot." Paul Grondahl can be reached at 454-5623 or by
e-mail at pgrondahl@timesunion.com. September 15, 2008 When I read this story this morning, it brought back some not so pleasant memories of high school in Connecticut. Forgotten part of states history When ever I would play basketball with my friends who were mostly African Americans, they would always make remarks about how bad it had been for their Ancestors who had been slaves. I would listen to their stories and then at the next meeting at my grandfathers Mohegan Church I would tell my Elders what they had said. The Elders would always say that many of our people had been slaves too. Long before there was African slavery in this country, white people had been making slaves of our people. For so many years we heard about the poor Africans slaves and how badly they had been treated, when we knew all along that our people had also been slaves, but no one ever cared or talked about it. Except us. The Elders also talked about the order of feeding slaves. First the white owners and their children ate, then their dogs and the animals, then the African American slaves ate, then if there was anything left over the Native slaves had to fight with the dogs for it. I did a report about all of this my freshman year in high school. My father had encouraged me to write about it, because it bothered me so much. I had to stand up in class and say in front of the same people I played ball with, "You know, you all complain to me about how bad it was that your Ancestors were slaves and how we should all feel sorry for you, but none of you have ever said that you were sorry about my people being slaves." I got an A on the report, I also got a lot of cold shoulders for a couple of days, but after that, they stopped whining about their poor Ancestors, at least around me.
07/07/2010 Written by an Australian Dentist To Kill an American You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually
a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any
American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to
let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!) An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish
, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian,
Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan. An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot,
Mohegan, Navaho, Pequot, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist,
or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship
as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion.. For that he
will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God. An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of
the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of
Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous.
Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in
return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago,
Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11,
Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes
your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America Some of them were working in the TwinTowers the morning of September
11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least
30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists. So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung,
and other blood- thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just
be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular
place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds
to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
FAITH DAVISON: My great, great grandmother, Mary Tracy Fielding Storey, told this tale that
her great, great grandmother told her to her. When the English came in their ships the Indians saw those vessels and they
thought that they were animals with great white wings and that they spoke with thunder, ominous rumble, and that they breathed
smoke and fire. And one of the prophets said, this is the animal that will come and eat all the Indians up. We’re here.
They didn’t do it.
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