Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1 Growing Up Indian in a Southern Context 7
The Ballad of the Choctawhatchee River: Ripples from Our Past Nanette Sconiers Pupalaikis 11
Muscogee Lifeways in Central Georgia Stan Cartwright 15
My Family's Legacy Patricia Easterwood 16
Hiding My Indian Identity Wanda Light Tully 19
Growing up MOWA Choctaw Framon Weaver 24
The Sacrifices We Made for Our Education Kenneth Adams 28
Showdown at Bayou Pointe-aux-Chien Charles "Chuckie" Verdin 33
Racism in New Brockton, Alabama Nancy Wright Carnley 34
One Poarch Creek Family's Educational Journey over Three Generations Otha Marie Pauline Nathan Karla Kaci Martin 38
We Will Forever Remain Coushatta and We Will Always Be Here Ernest Sickey 45
2 The Politics of History and Identity 51
A Rebirth on the Chowan Marvin T. Jones 56
Speaking for My Ancestors Shoshone Peguese-Elmardi 61
From Cherokee to Chowanoke: Discovering the North Carolina Algonquians Lars Adams 65
The Chowanoke Indian Resurgence Doug Patterson 72
Jamestown 2007: A Native American Perspective Kenneth Adams 78
Eastern Creeks and the Persistence of Identity Hodalee Scott Sewell 81
To Be or Not to Be a "Wannabe" Tony Mack McClure 87
Jim Crowfeather in Indian Country Cedric Sunray 93
3 Cultural Grounding 104
In My Mother's Hands Brooke Bauer 109
Nerataya: Spirit of the Deer and Passing the Gifts of the Tunica-Biloxi Donna Pierite Jean-Luc Pierite Elisabeth Pierite-Mora 113
Reawakening Our Warrior Tradition Harold Comby 118
Te-Lah-nay's Wall Tom Hendrix 121
In the Eye of Isaac Michael "T. Mayheart" Dardar 123
Being the Indians We Were Made to Be Marcus Briggs-Cloud 125
Generations within the Circle Marvin "Marty" Richardson 131
Putting the "Community" Back into My Jena Choctaw Community Dana Chapman Masters 139
Finding My Sense of Place in My Ancestral Homeland Robert Jumper 143
Native People Should Tell Their Own Stories Robert Caldwell 147
Vpuecetv (To Dream): My Journey to Becoming Tribal Royalty Megan Young 151
At War with Herself: Artistic Reflections of Culture and Identity Jessica Osceola 159
4 Moving Forward 164
A Reflection on a Lifetime of Leadership Ernest Sickey 171
Initiating Intertribal Efforts in Louisiana Jeanette Alcon 177
The Oil Companies Stole Our Land Charles "Chuckie" Verdin 182
Finishing What I Started Framon Weaver 184
Looking South Michael "T. Mayheart" Dardar 189
Inauguration Speech, First Woman Chief of the Mississippi Choctaw Phyliss J. Anderson 192
Building an Entrepreneurial Spirit within Tribal Nations David Sickey 196
Seeking Prosperity and Self-Determination Stephanie Bryan 200
Defining Moments Malinda Maynor Lowery 205
Working Toward a Healthy Future for the Cherokee Nation Ahli-sha Stephens 210
Native Youth in Agriculture Elliott Nichols 212
Notes 217
Bibliography 221
Index 227
