I am Big Brother to the DeerClan of EastTN, Free Cherokee. I am named Greyfix ThunderCrow, or Grey to those that know me well. I prefer to use the term Big Brother as a sign of respect for our traditional born brothers and sisters. I was not born a Chief, I have no *birthright/blood quantum* to claim a position of such honor. All I have is the people asking me to lead them. If you see that position as being called chief then it's alright with me. If you do not, then call me brother, for I am that always.

I am part Cherokee (grandmother) and part Mohican ( mom's ggf), but I do not think that this make me more qualified than the next Warrior. I am a Free Cherokee by choice. I am free of any government dependancy, free of any skin color discrepancies, free of the incessant abuse that our Traditional Brother and Sisters have had heaped upon them.

I do not want my spirituality decided by another, nor do I wish that any and all my possessions, family and culture be oppressed, denied or refused by one that has no rights to do so. I will defend your rights to live your life to the fullest, and I expect to live mine in the same manner, the way I choose.

I walk a good Red Road with heavy moccasins. This is the trail I have been told to walk, for all our people. Red, mixed it doesn't matter, what matters is that you know in your heart that this is what you should do. And that you do it for the benefit of the next 7 generations.

I've met some that disagree. They say that we take from them and change the culture of thier people. make a bad light for the world to judge *them* by. I say if the world is judging those people, either the world has issues, or the people do. I also say that if these same people would open the mind's door, and teach these "correct" ways, there would be no "borrowing" of culture to begin with. If you want the ignorance to stop, then you educate. Even George Guess knew this. Sequoyah (See-qwoi-yah) , for those that don't know the true history of the man.

Now I *do* respect those that disagree. That is thier opinion and right. But I feel like that if there were more openness in the Wheel, then there wouldn't be as many of *us* wondering about the passions in *our* blood. I had no choice in *when* I was born, I had no say in *who* I was born to and I have no say in how Creator touches my spirit and make me wake in the middle of the night.

At this point in time , I only know this, if I could have stood at *Wounded Knee*, I would have. If I could have stood beside my GGF while he was shot down during scouting patrol, in the Civil War, I would have. Now all I have are the dreams, and I cherish everyone. Every painful one of them. I've met traditional brothers that would rather spit on me, and I've met white that look at me with disdain. Grandfather says "it's ok, they don't know thier place yet, you do.Honor *your* people and in the end, you will know the truth".

Well, GrandFather. Here I am honoring the *race*, all of you that read this. It is for you that I hold my sacred pipe and pray.

Greyfix ThunderCrow

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