Tag Archives: American Indian

The Immigrant

I read a lot of news simply because I like to have different points of view while attempting to weed out misinformation and disinformation. In today’s media it is a hard thing to do, and most young people today get their news from one source on their phone or computer. There are many people that only read or hear one form of news (information) and believe everything to be factual and true. They will not fact check the source, nor do they want to hear anything on the other side of the story.

               The other day, just before the 4th of July Holiday, I listened to a short debate that has been ongoing for many years, about the first Thanksgiving and where it started. This made me think back to when I was in grade school and in one class, I was taught the first Thanksgiving was in a New England state (Massachusetts I think) but in another class I had to take Virginia history (I am from Virginia) and there I was taught it was in Jamestown, Virginia (the first permanent settlement). I really don’t know for sure because that happened more than three hundred years before my time. But the debate goes on and where it stops, no one knows.

               I said that to give you background into what a Congresswoman said during one of her speeches. She said we (the United States) should put all immigrants and those that are not wholly American out of the country. No exceptions allowed. That made my mind do flip-flops. First, we all are immigrants except for the Native Americans (American Indians). The United States was invaded by Europeans not by Native Americans. Europeans tricked, stole, and killed for this land. The Native Americans, at first, attempted to help the Europeans survive in this strange land and even taught them to raise their own food, etc.

               The Europeans bought in slaves (my ancestors) to do the work for them and even had other slaves and indentured servants (depending on the part of the country and era). The Europeans set up colonies (which became states) and a constitution to bolster their laws which were supposed to be for everyone. The laws applied to every European, all others were considered either non-human or below the Europeans.

               The way I see it is all people, except for the Native American, should get out because all other people are the immigrant. All peoples migrated all over the globe and settled where they thought they could safely live and prosper.  It is true that there are bad people among them but that is another subject that I have covered before and may cover again.

               So, I’ll say this, yes, my ancestors were immigrants and so was everyone else’s. The Native American is not and will never be an immigrant and that Congresswoman should be the first person on a plane or ship out of here. Words hurt especially if you don’t know your history. We are one and have travelled this earth, going to better places, for thousands of years. This is a beautiful place, and we are trying hard to bring it down and make it ugly.

Quanah Parker

This is the last of Black History Month and I was asked to do one more but with a twist. The twist will be not of a Black person but to give honor to an American Indian. Indians are seldom mentioned when it comes to doing something great but with just a little research shows there are many.

               I could talk about this great nation being taken from the Indian. I could talk about the ‘Wind Talkers’ that helped win WWII. I even could talk about the Indians that lead the wagon trains across the west to help White people settle their lands. But this blog installment is about a man that led his people from certain extension. I will write this in the way I write for The Albemarle Tradewinds Magazine of which I am a regular contributor for their music column and special interest column.

Quanah Parker

                                               (1845-February 24, 1911)

               Quanah Parker was a war leader of the Kwahadi (Antelope) band of the Comanche nation. Quanah (Comanche, ‘smell, odor’) was born about 1850 on Elk Creek just below the Wichita Mountains to Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker. Cynthia Ann Parker (born c. 1827), was a member of the large Parker frontier family that settled in east Texas in the 1930s. She was captured in 1936 (c. age nine) by Comanches during the raid of Fort Parker near present-day Groesbeck, Texas.

               At the battle of Pease River, as the American Forces (U.S. 2nd Cavalry and Texas Rangers) Quanah Parker and his brother were the only warriors to escape by horseback. After his father’s death, Horseback, the head of the Nokoni people, took Quanah and his brother under his wing. Horseback taught them the ways of the Comanche warrior, and Quanah grew to considerable standing as a warrior. He left and rejoined the Kwahadi band with warriors from another band. Quanah Parker surrendered and was taken to Fort Sill, Indian Territory where he led Comanches successfully for several years on the reservation.

               Quanah Parker was never elected principal chief of the Comanche by the tribe, but the U.S. government appointed him principal chief of the entire nation once the people had gathered on the reservation and later introduced general elections. He also became a primary emissary of southwest indigenous Americans to the United States legislature. In civilian life, he gained wealth as a rancher, settling near Cache, Oklahoma. Though he encouraged Christianization of Comanche people he also advocated the syncretic Native American Church (of which he founded), and passionately fought for the use of peyote in the movement’s religious practices.

               He was elected deputy sheriff of Lawson in 1902. After his death in 1911, the leadership title of Chief was replaced with Chairman; Quanah Parker is thereby described as the “Last Chief of the Comanche,” a term also applied to Horseback. He is buried at Chief’s Knoll on Fort Sill. Many cities and highway systems in southwest Oklahoma and north Texas, once southern Comancheria, bear references to his name.

               Quanah is only one person out of many, many more. Take the time to research and read about them. I squashed Quanah’s bio down to a few words, there is quite a bit more. I hope all of you have found this piece interesting. Let me know.