North Carolina Clan Gathering June, 2012 Photo's

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Is The United Cherokee Nation (UCN) a Tribe?

The short answer is; No.

     The UCN remains a Tribal Membership Organization, mostly made up of those Tsalagi that cannot join a Federal Tribe, yes we do have some members of the three Federal Tribes that believe in our mission. Do not be fooled by others that promise you anything more than this. Do not believe that by joining an internet based group that you are in an Indian Tribe. Do not believe that by joining a 501(c)3 that you are a member of an Indian Tribe. Since 1978, 324 groups have stated their intent to apply for tribal acknowledgment through the OFA's administrative process. As of Feb. 15, 2007, in nearly 20 years only 81 of these groups had submitted completed applications. Out of these 81 groups, there were only 16 acknowledged as tribes, 24 had been denied tribal designation and the rest remained in various stages of consideration and negotiation. So only 5% of those that had promised their members that one day they will be in a Federal Tribe and get Government recognition and benefits were approved, the rest remain in limbo, disapproved or now out of business or gone, many new “tribes” pop up daily to take their place, none will ever qualify.

     Even though we are of Cherokee Blood and heritage, we as individuals do not qualify for membership in one of the 3 Federally recognized tribes. The UCN does not meet the Federal requirements for tribal status, we never will. Our ancestor’s for one reason or another were not or did not register on one of the various rolls or took some allotment of land or money to remove themselves from the Tribal Reservation lands. Many were taken as children and adopted by others and did not have any way to establish their Native identity. That does not make us less Cherokee, it just makes us not in a Federal Tribe. Our Tribal Membership Organization is “Gathering” our people together into a ( Club, Historical Society, Culture Group ) whichever name you wish to use, but not a Tribe. We pay yearly dues to support the National Organization and the various State Clans, we are not organized like the Traditional Family Clans, we are organized like the State and US Government. The Principal Chief is the President / CEO. We are not or will not be a 501(c)3, we will not promise you that we are a tribe, we are a Gathering of people with common Tsalagi ancestry and our goals are to Gather our people and Stand as One. Wado, SB

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What is a Tribe?

The US Government has strict requirements for tribal status.

Criteria for recognition as an Indian tribe: Under the law, a community petitioning the government for recognition as a federally acknowledged Indian tribe must be able to meet all seven of the following criteria:

Criterion 83.7(a) requires that external observers have identified the petitioner as an American Indian entity on a substantially continuous basis since 1900.
Criterion 83.7(b) requires that a predominant portion of the petitioning group has comprised a distinct community since historical times.
Criterion 83.7(c) requires that the petitioning group has maintained political influence over its members as an autonomous entity since historical times.
Criterion 83.7(d) requires that the petitioner provide a copy of its governing document.
Criterion 83.7(e) requires that a petitioner's members descend from a historical Indian tribe.
Criterion 83.7(f) requires that the petitioner's membership be composed principally of persons who are not members of another Federally recognized Indian tribe.
Criterion 83.7(g) requires that the petitioner not be subject to legislation forbidding the Federal relationship.

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Beware The Shadow Walker

There is not one of us who has not been taken in by a Shadow Walker.

What is this thing that causes so much distress in our lives?

A Shadow Walker is a person who wears many masks (we shall use the empirical "he" here; not to denote gender, but for simplicity).

He is the person who oozes charm to everyone he meets.

He offers help and assistance, support, loving kindness.

He is the perfect good will ambassador with lofty ideals, great concern for the welfare of mankind and a deep belief in the brotherhood of all people.

What a wonderful person! You get to know him.

You relax around him, begin to rely upon his word and his judgment.

You confide in him about your work, your family life and the most personal aspects of yourself.

He is your friend. He would do anything for you.

You trust him. He is not real.

It is a mask he wears in public that has nothing to do with the reality of who he is.

The Shadow Walker will take all your confidences and use them against you.

He begins to gossip about you.

He twists your words to use to his own best advantage.

He makes false accusations about you and, because everyone knows what a wonderful and caring person he is, he is believed.

He steals your thoughts, words, and the plans you may have shared with him, and makes them his own.

He takes full credit while laughing at you for being a fool.

You have been betrayed.

He takes advantage of every good thing he has learned about you, and then turns his back on you. He is finished with you.

You have nothing more for him to take.

He moves on to his next mark, oozing charm and self confidence.

The Shadow Walker is dangerous.

He has destroyed marriages, stolen lives, cost some their jobs, and driven some to violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, or suicide.

More often than not, the Shadow Walker is the product of an environment which battered his own view of himself until he was convinced that he had no value.

His self esteem and feelings of personal value and self worth have been virtually destroyed.

At some point, he has learned to lie, to steal, to manipulate and to "con" in order to create an image of the person he considers successful.

He does this by absorbing the heart, spirit and essence of those he admires but can never be.

Nothing is beyond him, and nothing is sacred to him.

He has learned how to create the mask that will give him access to people he considers valuable to him.

He actively searches them out.

He uses them up and throws them away.

How do you fight a Shadow Walker?

You can't.

Once you have been chosen as his mark, everything you do will be used against you.

If you speak out against him, you will only arouse sympathy in others for him.

If you try to fight him, they will defend him.

He is a master at his game, and you don't even know the rules.

The natural reaction is to strike back in anger and righteous indignation.

The need for revenge is strong.

You have been betrayed at every level of your being, and the hurt you feel is intense.

Sometimes, a financial loss may also be involved.

If there is legal action you can take, then take it and leave the details of the battle to others.

I have worked with many people who have suffered at the hands of such deceivers.

The only way to effectively deal with a Shadow Walker is to distance yourself, cut your losses, learn your lesson, and walk away.

Rebuild your own dignity and value as a human being.

Don't allow your feelings against the Shadow Walker to alter your dealings with other honorable and ethical people.

Control the impulse to be overly suspicious and distrustful of everyone.

It's a natural survival instinct after such an experience, but remember what life was like before the Shadow Walker.

You are a good and honorable person.

This is the belief and attitude that will carry you through the ordeal.

Be strong, for you walk in the light.

Author Unknown,

sent by a friend to Chief Stone Bear 09-07-2008