I am Chief Spirit Shadow of the The Three Spirit Clan of Free Cherokee. I have not always been known by that name. I was born and raised in the hills of southeast Ohio in the land of the beautiful river. My ancestors crossed that river into this part of the state of Ohio. Like many migrating Cherokee, they took on white names that represented the four directions or some other common term - last names like North, South and Newman. From certain people in my family, I learned about my native heritage and about living off the land as native people have done for millennia. But it was not always okay to acknowledge Native American ancestry. In some quarters, such was actually forbidden. Many people in this area know enough of their geneology to know their ancestry. They are mixed blood. There are those who are bi-racial and tri-racial in this area, but not much is said about this. Often they do not know much about their heritage, because they were not permitted to practice or explore those cultures.

Like the Cherokee of the 19th century, these people assimilated into society as it existed in the early settlement days. They inter-married and adopted to the ways of white culture. But the hill country is a more isolated place, and the influence of native culture was preserved here for a long time from one generation to the next. Often our teachers were a grand-parent or a parent who passed on certain information. Our native ancestry was the source of that information, going back generations.

Even as a child I knew there was something different about me. Having dark hair and dark skin, I was sometimes the object of prejudice and taunting by other children. For a child this can lead to a sense of shame, but for me, it only made me stronger and more curious. Today I understand and am proud of my ancestry. I have come a long way from those days which could have oppressed my spirit. Now I fully embrace the idea of who I am and where I came from. That has been a liberating experience for me. Needless to say, I did not start as a chief or have any idea about becoming one. In Cherokee society, women were leaders and decision-makers. In that tradition, people requested that I assume the role that I have eventually taken. For me, it is an honor and requires a sense of humility. I am grateful when people turn to me for counsel. I feel it is something which comes natural, as a gift. I am always willing, and have a desire, to help.

I was raised in white society and in a Christian religion. I raised a family of my own. For a few decades I worked in a social service organization that aids poor people in this area. I grew up with good values and a desire to help others. I know the ravages of poverty, alcoholism and other problems that seem to affect more and more people. I had a desire to be a helper, having also improved my own life and situation. I would later divorce and re-marry. In the past twelve years or more, events have led me to a further exploration of my ancestry and my first participation in Native American ceremony. My husband was the person who helped me to become involved in this direction.

We eventually became part of a Native American clan nearby and for years participated in ceremony. There I became second chief. Further events brought us to the point of branching off on our own and starting our own clan. With the help of others, a name was chosen and we petitioned to become a new clan in the Free Cherokee. That was a number of years ago. Today, as always, we are changing and growing. We are learning important lessons. My husband is Peace Chief of the clan and the Free Cherokee. Though his background is different than mine, we are a partnership.

Our clan is like an extended family. I love them all dearly. I also enjoy my own children and our many grand-children.

I have a high school education and a degree in Accounting, but much of what I learn comes from experience and inter-acting with others. How we do things does not come from a textbook. My experiences have made me stronger. Life has been my teacher. Some call me mother or grandmother. It does not matter. I hope that age has given me wisdom so that I can better serve the people who look to me for love, support and understanding. That is the best way to describe how I am as chief.

We have welcomed many into our clan. Some have stayed and some have left. It does not matter. We each have our own path to walk, and no one else can walk it for us. I wish good things for all people, whether stranger or friend. With me, a person does not stay a stranger very long. Ask anyone who meets me in a laundry mat, a grocery store or waiting in a line. I have a genuine and sincere interest in people. Perhaps that is also a part of my native ancestry. So I do the best I can whenever I can.

Wado, Chief SpiritShadow

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