Native American / Voices of the Wind

This video replaces the video entitled "Amazing Grace in Cherokee". It was removed after consideration of a wise friend's comments regarding black slavery and a recent decision by the Cherokee Nation to discriminate against black descendants who were once slaves of the nation. In respect to the cause of freedom and in protest to racial bigotry, I removed the video, Amazing Grace in Cherokee.

While the overwhelming majority of U.S. slave owners were white, some free blacks owned slaves, as did some Native Americans. The Cherokee Nation is among the American Indian groups that engaged in slave ownership. In 1866, a treaty between the Cherokees and the U.S. government granted citizenship to the slaves the tribe once owned and to their descendants.Since then, blacks have been an active part of the Cherokee Nation. That threatened to change in 2007 when the nation amended its constitution so that only blood descendants of the Cherokees qualified for membership - that decisioin by the Chrokee Nation barred black descendants from tribal membership.

In my own ignorance of this fact, I put together the video with the music, Amazing Grace in Cherokee, which was originally written by a slave ship captain, John Newton, who had a spiriatual ephipany during a violent storm at sea. He referred to that event as his " great deliverance". Indeed, it is a sad irony to post a video of Amazing Grace sung in Cherokee.

In honor of this great song and with respect to racial freedom, I removed the video Amazing Grace in Cherokee and have replaced it with this video entitled, "Voice of the Wind".

I harbor no disrespect for those in the Cherokee Nation that would honor the tribal membership of the descendants of black slaves, but I cannot condone the recent decision made by the Cherokee Nation to reject these blacks from tribal membership.


This Spadecaller video features the artwork and photography of Matthew Schwartz and the paintings of Frederic Remington with music by Ah-Nee-Maa - composed by David and Diane Arkenstone.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Native American
• Indian
• Tribe
• Sioux
• Navajo
• Bison
• Frederic Remington
• art
• photography
• Matthew Schwartz
• Spadecaller

[TheAmyrigg]

honor, peace and love to your decision - mitakuye oyasin - and i love ya kid ;) ♥

[mangledinal]

I once heard an amazing Apache song. I was in AZ in the late 60s and worked with some Apache. I overheard the song; no one said anything about me being there. It was so haunting and spiritual. Have you heard any Apache songs?

[gulfgypsy]

Beautiful video. Bigotry only divides and diminishes. We all share more in common than what we hold on to, to keep ourselves apart.

Respect yourself, respect those around you, respect the earth which gives us all, life.

[LamokaGhost]

When do we as a nation say enough is enough? Our nation has been asking this question for many, many years. Enough with the sadness! Enough with the hunger! Enough with the anger! Enough with the descrimenation! Enough with the madness! ENOUGH! I say it again, ENOUGH! We are now and allways will be here!

[0404ju0404dy0404]

Sooooo Beautiful. Thank you for sharing. it brought peace to my soul. :-)

[escanlan100]

i can't think of anything more spiritual than this! so very beautiful..thanks you so much for this amazing video..big hugs :)

[cherubijn100]

Music and video is very beautiful!

[Okridiculous1]

Bummer....Amazing grace has nothing to do with cherokees or blacks or slaves...it's about God and His willingness to reach down to man.

[luvperu1]

Dear MAtthew-This is the most lovely dedication to our

wonderful Native Americans...Created with your sensitivity

and eye for beauty..Amazing images and choice of music..Hugs Polly

[mpondecho]

As always, you manage to resonate and echo deeply in my blood. Ajo