Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Meeting Minutes April 17th, 2021

Meeting held on Land of Spirits led by UGU Ron Black Eagle Trussell.

Present were: UGU Ron Black Eagle Trussell Deputy Chief John Laughing Bear Stephenson Treaty District Chief Jennifer Spirit Wolf Forest Central District Chief Kassa Eagle Wolf Willingham Justice Council Arlie Path Maker Bice Sharon Evening Deer Bice Jack Thunder Hawk Sheridan Brenda Nature Woman Sheridan Laura Kamama Buchmann Elisha Grey Wolf Buchmann Lily Little Hawk Forest

Present by Proxie: Northeastern District Chief Ramona Yellow Buffalo Calf Woman TePaske Southern District Chief John Big Sky Garcia At Large District Chief William Crazy Bear Hoff

Absent: Northern District Chief Tom Adcox Pacific Northwest Chief Chet McVay

Meeting started at 1:00 PM.

All were smudged prior to the meeting.

Treasurers Report: As of March 31st,2021 Total is $6076.02

A letter from Chief Hoff who is our representative to National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), had attended a virtual meeting by Zoom, on February 21, 2021, and was informed that our Tribe is now listed in the Southwestern Plains Region, having been moved from the Southeastern Region. This is to more accurately reflect our geographic location. The National Conference which was to be held in Alaska, in June, will now be a virtual conference. The new Secretary of the Interior will be a woman of native descent.

At Large District Chief William Crazy Bear Hoff is purchasing and paying for the installation of a 12 foot by 20 foot carport to be installed on The Land of Spirits, once the ground is leveled and prepped for the work to be done. After measuring and discussing the matter of placement, the council members were in agreement with Chief Hoff in placing the structure at the location of the old building. This was done by a unanimous vote.

Southern District Chief John Big Sky Garcia had signs made and installed at and on The Land of Spirits. The were well done and well received by all.

Deputy Chief John Laughing Bear Stephenson and Central District Chief Kassa Eagle Wolf Willingham will be constructing a working tool shed in an area in a place agreed upon by unanimous vote of the council.

Southern District Deputy Chief is still managing with damages from the massive storm in February.

Southern District Chief John Big Sky Garcia is working on merchandising for fundraising.

Treaty District Chief Jennifer Spirit Wolf Forest is working with Justice Council member Sharon Cloud Panther Carter on tee shirts and masks.

Southern District Chief John Big Sky Garcia and At Large District Chief sent a letter to Mr. Leonard Peltier from AIM, American Indian Movement, who has been jailed since the uprising of self defense on Pine Ridge Reservation in 1977. We await to see if he will receive a presidential pardon.

Letters from At large District Chief William Crazy Bear Hoff and Grandmother Turtle Leggings, who are descendants of the Old Cheraw- mix encountered problems on trying to register in Oklahoma. As a result of this many of our relations are left out of the circle. This leads to formation and consequent voting on the passage of Governing Act 13, by our Tribal Council and the Justice Council, adopted this day, April17, 2021.

Governing Council Act No. 13 Nottoway Old Cheraw Citizenship Act

Whereas, the Nottaway Old Cheraw (Xualla, , Saura, Cheraw), an Eastern Siouan tribe of Kateras/Hateras people having deep connections to the Powhattan Confederacy,Machapunga, Weapemeoc/Yeopim, Secotan, Tuscarora, Cherokee,Catawba, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes through alliances and inter-marriage; and,

Whereas, the Old Cheraw were honored Patriots and Raiders serving in the American Revolutionary War under General General Francis Marion “The Swamp Fox” as well as the war of 1812; and,

Whereas many Old Cheraw migrated from their ancestral homelands in what is now states of , West Virginia, and North and , through the West Republic, finally settling in Western Mississippi, Louisiana, and East Texas; and,

Whereas, the Old Cheraw are one of the mother roots of the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi with many of our Tribal Citizens having Old Cheraw ancestry. Old Cheraw ancestors can be found on several Choctaw, Catawba, Chickasaw and Cherokee rolls, including thirteen people included in the Mount Tabor Indian Community (Texas Cherokee) Ancestral Roll as Cheraw or Cherokee-Cheraw.

Now, Therefore be it Resolved that the Tribal Council of the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi honor the Nottoway Old Cheraw and all of their descedants with enrollment and full citizenship rights in the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi Tribe, provided said descendants comply with all citizenship/enrollment requirements.

This Act shall take effect and be in force from and after April 17,2021.

The next meeting will be July 17,2021, on the Land of Spirits.

A shared meal and meeting closure followed.