Phoenix Feathers

What can I say.... the Free Cherokee Spring/Summer Gathering ROCKED! We ate a lot, we sweated a lot (both in the sweatlodge and out), we prayed with the pipe, we made lots of things, we traded lots of stuff, and there was much love shared. All the tribes were represented with the exception of the Four Winds Band.

Thank you so very much Chief BlueCrow Brother and Little Knife for everything. Most especially thank you for opening your Home to the Free Cherokee.

It is with much pride that I announce that Deer Clan is now a recognized tribe of the Free Cherokee. They were voted in unanimously on Friday evening at the Chiefs Counsel held just before the sweatlodge.

There was much business taken care of over the five day span and I am praying I'm not jumping the gun by going ahead and making a few announcements to the Free Cherokee who were not in attendance at the Free Cherokee Gathering.

Chief BlueCrow Brother is stepping down as our Principal Chief. He is not leaving us, he will remain with us as GrandFather Chief and will always be there to lend us his wisdom in Counsel just as GrandFather SingsAlone is always there for us. DragonHills will always be available to us as long as he lives. That was his statement and we all know he is going to live to be 100. His health is good, but he feels he needs this time to work on his own spiritual path.

The Women's Counsel meet on Saturday at the Gathering and we have made a decision on who we want as our next Principal Chief. You will know more on this as soon as we know anything else. We are awaiting a response from that person. All this will be settled on or before our next gathering in the fall (September 30 - October 3 at DragonHills).

Chief BlueCrow Brother also announced he is stepping down as Chief of the TurtleClan too. I'm not sure when this takes affect, but he has recommended that our War Chief LaughingOtter take over that position. More on this when all the details come together. I hope someone from the Turtle Clan will let me know when I need to change the information on the Free Cherokee Web Site. http://www.freecherokee.org/tribes.htm

You have all our support Chief LaughingOtter, as you take your place as Chief of the Turtle Clan along with your title of War Chief.

It was also voted that CrowTalker was to be our Peace Chief. As in all Native American Traditions, we need to balance war with peace. So be sure and give our Peace Chief CrowTalker your support. Check out his new web page, Turtle Island Peace Pages. You can also find his wonderful poetry on the Three Spirit Clan web site. Just click on the "Beauty Walk" button!

Chief SpiritShadow, braided so many spirit braids that I lost count. I'm still wearing mine proudly...hopefully it will last until I see you all again in the fall. Thank you my sister!

It was good having SoaringEagle back with us after his time in Irag, Thank you Creator for bringing him back to us!

Deer Clan, Chief Greyfix ThunderCrow, welcome to the Free Cherokee! Thank you for all the children that you bring with you. It blessed my heart to see them running, playing, and learning. May we continue to include our next generation in all we do. The Deer Clan also hosted a choker workshop that was AWESOME! Wolf Running Ridges, you rock! Thank you all for showing us how. I love my choker!

Little ThreeFeathers and GreyFeather, shared their PreciousFlower with us. We all look forward to seeing her grow and learn the old ways.

We had a very successful Children's Candy Dance. There were many who joined the Bird Clan in drumming for the children. Thank you for learning the Mickey Mouse song and not laughing too hard as you sang it...LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL I think it was just as fun for the singers as it was for the Little Dancers!

We had an AWESOME Pipe Ceremony on Saturday night! As Chief BlueCrow Brother stated, "it was the best one I've ever attended". AHO!

We had two Naming Ceremonies at the Gathering and hopefully I can remember all the names, please feel free to correct me on this, if I'm wrong. From Deer Clan, Little ThreeFeathers family was named. Welcome GreyFeather (Kim his wife), PreciousFlower (that sweet, sweet, three week old baby) and the boys, GrassHopper, Cricket, and Snail. From the Turtle Clan. Welcome NightShadow (Mary, Chief LaughingOtter's wife) and SoaringEagle (Ben is back home with us, he is TurtleWoman of the Turtle Clan's youngest, all grown up now).

GrandFather SingsAlone, Prescilla, DesertWolf, and Reen were all very missed. We look forward to seeing you all at the Fall Gathering.

I see good things happening with the Free Cherokee, I see us growing and learning together in love and harmony. It is good! AHO!

Love & Light,
RedArrow