So, There Really Were Cherokee “Princesses” …. Sort of….
TAHLEQUAH,
Okla. -- It's inevitable if you're American Indian. Somewhere, when you least expect it, a non-Indian person will step up and say, "My
grandmother was a Cherokee Princess, I am trying to find out how to become a
member of the tribe."
The speaker always assumes that all American Indians know each other and are
experts on tribal enrollment. The question can come from the mechanic, the
professor at a large university or a next-door neighbor.
Descendants of the famed Cherokee Princess are everywhere. She is elusive.
Few who tell about her can actually remember her name. But she was "quite an
old gal" with high cheekbones and brown skin. "You could see the Indian in
her," they might say. It's often difficult, but if you're an American
Indian, be polite, try not to laugh and direct the person to the Bureau of
Indian Affairs for more information.
The mythological Cherokee Princess is a legend in Indian country.
Powwow emcees have used her for years to get crowds smiling. A Cherokee
Princess joke is almost guaranteed to get an audience laughing, often
leaving non-Indians scratching their heads as they try to figure out what is
so darned funny. Those who reside in Indian country have long been known for
their subtle humor, often dry, sometimes just plain silly. They have used
the long-standing stereotype of the Cherokee Princess as a part of stories
and jokes. There are even bumper stickers that proclaim, "My grandfather was
a Cherokee Princess. It's an Indian thing."
Perhaps no tribe has been so maligned or misunderstood as the Cherokee
Nation when it comes to tribal enrollment. With more than 200,000 members,
the nation has often been accused of enrolling anybody who applies.
Misconceptions about the process are wide-ranging. It is misunderstood by
Indians, non-Indians and even some Cherokees.
One of the first myths that can be debunked is that of the Cherokee
Princess.
She really did exist . . . well, sort of. In years past, Cherokee men had an
endearing term for their wives. Roughly translated, the term meant princess.
Many Cherokee people say they believe this is how princess and Cherokee were
joined. Thus there may be some truth to the myth. The Cherokee Princess did
exist, not as royalty in the European tradition, but as beloved and
cherished wives. So the next time someone says they descend from a Cherokee
Princess, you may be able to reply, with pride, that you are the descendant
of a darling or a sweetie pie.
In spite of perceptions that come from the princess fable, the nation is not
a monarchy. As early as the 1600s and 1700s, it recognized anyone who lived
on Cherokee land and lived by Cherokee laws as a nation member, regardless
of ethnic or racial background. Prisoners and slaves were eventually
considered members of the tribe, if they lived as the Cherokee did.
Historical documentation points out that the Cherokees understood the finer
points of integration and were able to diminish barriers of race and ethnic
origin long before the Constitution did. But that very ability to accept
outsiders may have added to the later confusion over enrollment.
After removal from their homelands, the Cherokees ended up in what is now
Oklahoma. In their new home in Indian Territory, they continued the practice
of accepting others into their tribe. Then the government decided that the
Cherokee Nation needed to be organized.
Between 1899 and 1906, the Final Rolls were completed, listing those
Cherokees considered tribal members. This is where the confusion began. The
federal government didn't have the final say on who appeared on the rolls.
The Cherokee government worked with its people to include even some who were
against the rolls. The consensus was that most Cherokees may not have liked
the rolls but saw the danger of being left off. The rolls gave Cherokees an
identity that would have to be recognized by the government.
For many who didn't appear on the rolls, it was simply a case of being in
the wrong place. Many Cherokees settled into homes away from Indian
Territory so they were not listed. And even though someone may be a
full-blooded Cherokee, they wouldn't be eligible for tribal enrollment
unless their ancestors appear on those Final Rolls.
Genealogy is key for enrollment with the Cherokee Nation. Instructions for
eligibility are available on the nation's Registration Department Web site:
Cherokee Nation -- http://www.cherokee.org/
Source:
Salt Lake Tribune
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
Tuesday, October 17, 2000
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 1006, 2007, Jim PathFinder Ewing, All Rights Reserved
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