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Affinity for American Indians..Maryann1808

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maryann1808

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I was welcomed yesterday, thanks for the kind words. My background is Appalachian Scots Irish. My family was not much into things that they couldn't see, feel, smell or touch. For this reason, I never could quite get my puzzle piece to fit into my family puzzle.

Since I was very young, I had an affinity for the Cherokees. As a child, it was not a problem, but as I got older, I was supposed to put away such things. When I married and moved to Texas, my first goal was to adopt a child with Cherokee heritage. I had no idea as to why I wanted so badly to do this. We were not successful. I then spent many years rasing my own children.

I began working on my family's genealogy about thirty years ago. I found that 99% of my family have been in this country since the late 1600s or early 1700s. The ancestors kept pushing me to keep looking. I had only a vague idea of what I was looking for, an Indian connection. I didn't find it. I don't have the words to describe what kept me looking, but it was an internal force that wouldn't let me rest. It was as if someone sat on my shoulder and kept saying keep looking.

My mother died in 2007 at age 93. She loved my genealogy work. In January of 2007 we sent her sample in for DNA study. The result came back in March a day before she died. She was 20% native american. I then was led by some force to websites on line that gave me what I had been looking for. My 4th great grandmother left her husband and five daughters and ran off with a mixed blood Cherokee. I feel certain that there was a lot of shame for her. She had three more girls with him. The story was buried in my family, but the Indian shows in the old photos. Now that I have found this information and am writing about her and openly acknowledging her to other family members, the force that pushed me has gone quiet. Reincarnation is the only way that I can explain all of this. I am my 4th great grandmother.
 
maryann1808 said:
Now that I have found this information and am writing about her and openly acknowledging her to other family members, the force that pushed me has gone quiet. Reincarnation is the only way that I can explain all of this. I am my 4th great grandmother.
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Hi Maryann!


I've been somewhat involved in genealogy for several decades, now, and have come across several stories similar to yours. In fact, there's a very good book on this very subject, "Psychic Roots: Serendipity and Intuition in Genealogy".


One of the injustices perpetuated in America during the 19th Century was the denial of Native American roots during a time when frontier individualism began giving way to European sophistication. Although it wasn't such a problem in Appalachia, it was quite a problem in the north, and my grandmother was actively prevented from securing records from a reservation near Kitchener, Ontario.


Although I have always had a deep respect for our native brothers, I never felt personally connected, and I tend to believe, therefore, that Past Lives have more bearing on our connectedness than genealogical roots. So, your theory seems like a very good way to approach your search. I hope that you will be able to locate a good regression therapist and that you'll entrust us with the results.
 
Hi Nighttrain, I was very fortunate last year to find a wonderful group of people who have Cherokee in their backgrounds. Our only goal is to preserve the rituals, stories and respect for the earth that our ancestors had. It is said that if you have a drop of Cherokee in you, the ancestors will stay after you until you act on it. That certainly seems to be the case for me. I will look for someone to help me with this.


I have an 8 year old grandson who at age 2 began seeing "spirits." It frightened his mother and she made him stop talking about them. I can see that he is much like I was as a child. I am trying to help him while not encouraging him to cause problems with his mom.
 
How sad that supposed well meaning parents seek to deny something so natural in their children, mainly out of antiquated fears of the unknown.


Small children generally below the age of 7 are a hotbed of psychic phenomena, not to mention the strong potential to readily recall Past Lives (PL).


These "gifts" are a natural part of growing up for most children, and having and using these gifts are in no way connected with the Devil, as I was wrongly told when I mentioned them as a child!


I hope you meet with success with your Grand-Son and his Mother in the future.


And let us hope as we advance as a society, that we shed these old prejudices.
 
Hi Hydrolad, My daughter-in-law is a very good mother. I'm sorry that someone threatened you with the devil. I don't think that my grandson heard that. That kind of threat can leave a scar. Reincarnation and other such beliefs can scare some people. I don't blame them,but I feel like they lose out on a lot. I'm not sure why people want to believe that death is the end. Churches control with threats of hell. I guess people practice what they learn.
 
Thank you Maryann1808:


I didn't mean to imply that your Daughter-in-Law was not a good Mother, on the contrary, I'm positive she is, but as you well know, well meaning people can often confuse children with their conversations that might be overheard.


I pretty much shed any "excess" baggage when I fully accepted the concept of Reincarnation as a teenager.


That period was a time that I came into my own, after reading books after books on Reincarnation (I still remember the looks the librarians gave me!) :)


Even though the Devil was mentioned in context with Reincarnation, I was fortunate that I had other family members who were less judgemental on Reincarnation, and created an atmosphere that allowed me to find my own path.


I hope you continue to find ways to nurture your Grand-Son in his search for his pathway in life.
 
Deborah, The Cherokee is a tiny part of my DNA but a major part of my heart and soul. When I finally found the truth about my 4th great grandmother it was like getting home after a long and very difficult journey. I have no idea as to how this works. I had nothing to gain by finding the Cherokee ancestor. On the contrary, my family made fun of me. Under almost every other circumstance, that would have stopped me in my tracks, but with this, I knew that I couldn't give up my search. No one in my family except my grandson knows of my connection with the Cherokee group. If I ever feel that this information will help any of them, I will share it.
 
Hydrolad, I probably did not word my reply to you very well. I was just saying badly the same thing you did. Well meaning people can be scared by such things as 2 year olds seeing things that they can't. She and I did talk about this, and when I explained to her what I thought it was-went out on a ledge with that-she was still concerned but not as much. I was in my late 40s before I was ready to accept anything but, "the Bible said it, I believe it, that settles it." When I finally put that belief aside, it was like being let out of a tight, little box.


I'm a pediatric nurse and the occasional parent would tell their child that if they didn't behave, the nurse would give them a shot. What in the world makes people do such things?!:eek:
 
Maryann1808:


No offense taken here, of course.


I am constantly amazed at how some Adults view children as different creatures, whereas I am convinced that they are often old souls in a young body.


When discussing children, people (and family members) quite often become emotional and begin to have heated conversations, I try to avoid this potential situation altogether.


Again no offense taken by me whatsoever, and I hope the reverse holds true also. :)
 
Mary Ann, Thanks for Sharing and This is Interesting!


Now personally as for myself in this life, on my mother's mothers side is it also Appalachian Scots Irish like yourself. It makes me personally wonder as if we might be distantly related somehow in this present life. I have also done a bunch on my family's genealogy. And like yourself there are some old family photos where they look so Indian. When I talked to my grandmother on this, she would deny any of this. But I do really wonder if there is some distant Cherokee in the family's background somewhere.


Now onetime I met and talked with those of the Cherokee Singing Group, 'Walela'. They have some music that I just Love! They told me that the Cherokee with the Scots / Scots Irish is the most integrated group in American History. But how much has then been buried thru time. And I have done a little digging and it is indeed interesting on how many early Scots / Scots Irish there does seem to be integration. I have always thought this has been soooo very interesting.


Now I have to agree with Nightrain that who we are is much more dependant on who we were in our past lives then our physical genealogy in this life. I myself have been addicted so to speak with all things 'Indian - Native American' since I was a little kid. Then some years ago, I visited the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana and had such a deja vu and soooo felt like I was back 'Home' so to speak.


Again Thanks for Sharing and Wishing You the Best!
 
You now have a whole thread for your subject. Welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy it.
 
kmatjhy, It sounds like we have had similar experiences. The ancestors pursue us, but they don't make it easy. If you are interested in the group I am in, please send me a pm.


We have gatherings twice a year. I atended for the first time last fall. I was not prepared for the spirituality inside the sacred circle. It was an amazing experience.


As I have become more involved with my Indian connection, I have become aware of the battle that goes on inside my head. The left side of my brain tells me that my interest in Cherokee is silly. The right side of my brain settles into Cherokee like someone settling into a plush easy chair. I finally told the left side of my brain to take a nap while I was inside the circle. Only then was I able to fully appreciate the spiritual experience.
 
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