'Chief Superintendent In Henry Stuart' Report From Cherokee Country
Henry Stuart, author of “Report from Cherokee Country (1776)”, was the chief deputy superintendent of the Cherokee following the French and Indian War. After some side-research, I could not find any reports on exactly the function of a chief deputy superintendent is in Native American culture, however; I did find that a person who is in a deputy position, acts as a chief executive within a tribe. Throughout the passage, Henry Stuart tells the story of a council meeting between the Native American tribes in regards to the war that is breaking out in the Americans between the colonists and the British. There are three major sections of this passage that can be easily broken down. The sections consist of peace talks and offerings between the
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The Deputy spoke about how colonists, who he referred to as “Long Knife (252)”, had come into his town and murdered the people of his village. I believe that the term “Long Knife” is very interesting. The American Revolutionary War soldiers are notorious for using bayonets, which are exactly what the Deputy refers to them as, long knifes. He then “produce(s) a belt of white and purple Whampum with strings of white beads and purple whampum fixed to it.(252)” Upon research, the wampum is rational shell beads, which were used by Native Americans as a form of gift exchange. Which is neat to see how peace offerings and the growing respect each tribe has for one another. He then presented the whampum to Chincanacina, the leader of the Cherokee Nation. Following the Mohawks, the Deputy of the Ottowas spoke. He also “produced a white belt with some purple figures (252). This presentation can also be seen as a gift offering/peace gift. He then stated that the Native American tribes must stick together to take down the common enemy. For many of the leaders, this must have been very difficult to understand, but in my opinion, very necessary. Many of these tribes have been fighting for generations; however, to survive they must create truths to reach their common goal. Other tribe leaders followed in this direction, offering peace and concern for the outcome of the
The Deputy spoke about how colonists, who he referred to as “Long Knife (252)”, had come into his town and murdered the people of his village. I believe that the term “Long Knife” is very interesting. The American Revolutionary War soldiers are notorious for using bayonets, which are exactly what the Deputy refers to them as, long knifes. He then “produce(s) a belt of white and purple Whampum with strings of white beads and purple whampum fixed to it.(252)” Upon research, the wampum is rational shell beads, which were used by Native Americans as a form of gift exchange. Which is neat to see how peace offerings and the growing respect each tribe has for one another. He then presented the whampum to Chincanacina, the leader of the Cherokee Nation. Following the Mohawks, the Deputy of the Ottowas spoke. He also “produced a white belt with some purple figures (252). This presentation can also be seen as a gift offering/peace gift. He then stated that the Native American tribes must stick together to take down the common enemy. For many of the leaders, this must have been very difficult to understand, but in my opinion, very necessary. Many of these tribes have been fighting for generations; however, to survive they must create truths to reach their common goal. Other tribe leaders followed in this direction, offering peace and concern for the outcome of the