Cherokee Nation Reinstates Freedmen
after Considering Expuision
The Cherokee tribe recently
expelled the 2,800 African Ameri
can descendants of the 300,000
member tribe that took away their
citizenship, medical care, food sti
pends, and homeowners’ assistance.
Although not widely known, there
have been several relationships
throughout history between Chero-
kees and African Americans since
the time Europeans first brought
over African slaves. Most relations
between the Cherokees and Afri
cans were because the Cherokees
owned several Africans as slaves. It
was not largely practiced in tribes,
but many individuals owned these
slaves. Some prominent people
with Cherokee and black ancestry
are Crispus Atticus (the first man
killed during the Boston Massacre
in 1770), Bill Pickett, and Langston
Hughes (whose grandparents were
of Cherokee descent).
After fighting for the Confed
eracy in the Civil War, a treaty was
formed in 1866 between the Chero
kee tribe and the federal govern
ment. The slaves of the Cherokees
were freed, and they and their
descendants were granted the same
rights and privileges as full-blooded
and mixed Cherokees in the treaty.
But, in 2007, there was a special
vote in the Cherokee Nation Su
preme Court to amend their consti
tution and expel the slave descen
dants that had no Cherokee blood,
people known as “freedmen.” In
early September of this year, 76%
of Cherokee voters approved this
amendment. With this change, the
freedmen were not going to be al
lowed to vote in the September 24th
election for the new principal chief.
“On a personal note, both my
paternal and maternal great-great-
great grandmothers were Chero
kees,” said Dr. Alisa Johnson. “I’m
as confused as anybody about the
reasons for the expulsions, espe
cially now.”
Former Principal Chief Chad
Smith said that the amendment
change “was about the fundamen
tal right of every government to
determine its citizens, not about
racial exclusion,” even though
many black descendants view their
intent differently.
“Personally, I do not agree that
this move is a good practice of
Cherokee values or a good move
to sustain the nation,” says Dr.
Jessi Bardill, a professor of Native
American studies, “but I support
their right to make it and believe
that the tribal courts and other
processes will determine its legal
ity. Community members (and on
lookers) should be questioning not
the move itself but the narratives,
implicit, and explicit outcomes and
causes, of such a change.”
Thankfully for the freedman
descendants, they were reinstated
into the tribe four days before the
election, after a preliminary hear
ing in federal court in Washington
D.C. They were able to vote with
the election extending until Octo-
Julia Dent, Staff Writer
ber 8th to ensure that all freedmen
take their opportunity.
The freedman group filed a law
suit against the Cherokee tribe and
the federal government to guaran
tee their tribal rights. They won the
case because the U.S. government
said that the 1866 treaty still stands
today for all Cherokees, Cherokee
mixes, and slave descendants.
“We’ve agreed upon an order
between the Cherokee Freedmen,
Cherokee Nation, the federal gov
ernment to essentially reinstate the
citizens into the Cherokee Nation, so
that they may vote equally with fel
low Cherokee citizens,” stated freed
men attorney Johnathan Velie.
The freedmen now have all of their
tribal rights given back to them, but
this is not the first time their rights
have been threatened.
“I think it is highly likely to be
revisited in the future,” said Dr.
Bardill, though the freedmen hope
otherwise.
Cantina South: A Review
Sarah Potratz,
Staff Writer
When one door closes another one
opens but, in the case of the closing of
Bogart’s American Grille, a window (of
opportunity) opened instead for Kevin
Summers and Bill Holt, co-founders
of Cantina South’s Modern Mexican
Kitchen. Summers realized that “what
Glenwood South was missing was a
modern Mexican restaurant with a late
night perspective.” Located in the heart
of Raleigh’s Glenwood South district.
Cantina South serves a savory selection
of brunch, lunch, and dinner dishes for
a fair price.
To get a taste of the dinner menu,
which uses only the freshest, locally
grown ingredients, I sampled the cheese
quesadilla, known as the Quesadilla ,
de Cuitlacoche at Cantina South. This
grilled flour tortilla adds a twist to the
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traditional cheese quesadilla as it is
loaded with cuitlacoche, poblano chiles,
corn. Chihuahua cheese, and goat
cheese. I added chicken to the quesadil
la for about one dollar more, and it was
well worth the extra cost. This entree
is served with crema and salsa verde
cruda with a touch of fresh guacamole.
Although I was a little wary about trying
a dish with so many unfamiliar ingre
dients, the Quesadilla de Cuitlacoche
was surprisingly delicious and so were
the side items - yellow rice and refried
beans.
Cantina South has recently started
serving brunch from 11am to 2pm
every Sunday. The brunch menu looked
incredible; it includes a vast selection
of breakfast and lunch items. There is a
self-serve buffet of breakfast and lunch
items, including Hash Brown Mexicana,
Pork Tenderloin Pibil, and Tabalones,
which our server, Dennis C., says are
“absolutely wonderful.” Along with the
buffet, there are build your own hue-
vos rancheros and build your own taco
stations. Six different types of tacos are
available - including one stuffed with
lobster. At the head of the buffet line,
two chefs fix made-to-order omelets and
pancakes.
To begin brunch, my friend and I
started with some fresh fruit that in
cluded pineapple, strawberries, water
melon, melon, and more. I headed to
the omelet and pancake station where I
ordered a simple bacon and cheese om
elet and a mixed berry pancake, made
with fresh blackberries, raspberries,
and blueberries and topped with fresh
strawberry syrup. The syrup is more like
a light glaze, and it was the perfect ac
cent to the pancake. I also tried the key
lime cheesecake tart, which had a hint
of cinnamon. My friend sampled the
chocolate cake squares with chocolate
mousse and went back for more than
one. Unfortunately, by the time we fin
ished our breakfast items, we were far
too stuffed to try any of the lunch items.
Cantina South’s Quesadilla de Cuitla
coche certainly stands out; in compari
son to other quesadillas I’ve tried in the
past, it has a ciistinct taste because it is
made with ingredients that are not used
by most Mexican restaurants. It might
be a bit too flavorful for those who enjoy
a simple chicken and cheese quesa
dilla, but I definitely recommend it to
those searching for a quesadilla with a
kick. And Cantina South’s brunch puts
the competition to shame. The brunch
features both traditional American and
Mexican breakfast and lunch items.
While I was waiting for my pancake, I
spoke with the sous chef, Antonio, who
boasted, “I’d like to think this is the best
brunch in town.” After sampling the
menu, I would have to agree.