The only difference is that the car has a birth certificate. I never did have a birth certificate because my Black Dutch Mama didn’t call the doctor for a hospital visit. Not many Cherokees had birth certificates back during those days. I have always had a difficult time proving my identification especially when I went into a foreign country. But I really think that my Texas Twang was my proof of citizenship.

The last photos on this roll of film were of the Cherokee’s float in the Peanut Festival parade. The laughter and joyous brotherly and sisterly love was the atmosphere of the Northern Towns District meeting held this past Saturday morning when the tribes gathered for their monthly business meeting. While not that many business decisions were on the agenda, it was still a very worthwhile meeting of discussions and plans for next year. Attendance was down somewhat for the meeting, however, a round table atmosphere was the order of the day. We didn’t have the plush buffalo skins to sit around on in the circle of a warm campfire, but we did enjoy sandwiches, delicious potato salad, turkey dressing and a sugar free apple pie. The food was prepared by some wonderful Cherokee cooks.

After the meal, seven of the men went out to explore the campsite of the next Heritage day event that will be held in April 2003. Members from the entire state will gather for a fun family-style get-together.

The ladies of the Northern Towns District remained behind to discuss the early day pioneers and old settlers of the tribe. They discussed the large water well that was hand dug by the Cherokee tribe that resided at Onega (Uu-nay-ga) and how the abundant supply of mineral water was a local place to gather for their supply of good healthy water for the families to take back to their residences. It has been noted that some of the smaller towns to the north of Onega possessed the same quality of mineral water and the health of the people who drank from the fresh water supply made the well a place to gather and visit. One such Indian settlement to the north was Tioga, which consisted of the same Indians as Onega. Tioga was known for its fine mineral and healthy drinking and bathing water.

One other town to the south was settled by Cherokees and possessed the same quality mineral water; it was named Watauga. The town of Watauga is now engulfed with the large population explosion and is now in the middle of the new population and has almost lost all of its identity of a Cherokee settlement. The name Onega means white while the names of Tioga and Watauga have the meaning in the Cherokee language of being an abundant supply of good water for life’s needs.

The discussion amongst the women continued about how the local tribe existed back during the early days of "the removal" – a term that is used when the Cherokees were ordered to exit the face of the earth or be executed. The conversation went on to other historical happenings, the women shared that they had all experienced the same hardships in the early life which included harassment from others who found out about their Cherokee heritage.

Even though the knowledge of "the removal" was brought back to the conversation, IT IS STILL REWARDING TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY HUMAN BEINGS OF THE Cherokee tribe that have over powered the hardships and are looking forward to the bright future that the tribe is gaining each time it meets. The ladies of the tribe are working to build up a nice size collection of Cherokee history – the number of volumes is growing each time they meet. I was listening very carefully as I heard one of the ladies comment that we already had the largest collection of Cherokee books of anywhere she had been. One lady spoke up and said, "look, you ain’t seen nothing yet."

Excerpts from newspapers more than 100 years ago:

On July 31, 1892 – The new wagon bridge across Big Elm, near the railroad bridge, will be completed and turned over to the Commissioners today. It is a suspension bridge put up by Cleburne, Texas Cable Bridge Company.

On September 11, 1891 – The new cable bridge across Elm near Mingo cost $3,700.

On July 20, 1892 – Aubrey has another dry goods store, A. Reynolds and Company. They occupy the brick building next to W.P. Crawford. Thomas Howser has a new stock of groceries in the house that was occupied by Reynolds.

On August 26, 1892 – James Mohon had the first bale of cotton of the season. It sold at 10 cents with merchants giving $20 premium.

On June 15, 1894 – The post office department at Washington has given Denton County another post office. It is on the Santa Fe Railroad, ten miles southwest of Denton on the site of old Jarrell. It will be called "Ponder" and Cornelius Skaggs will be the postmaster.

An excerpt from Texas Cherokee Chief D.L. Hicks’ newsletter:

"Sge" is an old term for "listen" that was used in olden times when speaking to the Great Being or speaking in diplomatic speeches.’

Until next week, "We are still here for we never left."