SAVE KITUWAH - THE MOTHER TOWN OF THE CHEROKEE
- by: Cherokee Chastain Ash
- recipient: Duke Energy, Cherokee People, World
Tribe opposes Substation at Kituwah Site
February 8, 2010
By Scott
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Mound at the Kituwah Site (Photo by Scott McKie B.P./One Feather staff)
Kituwah, the Mother Town of the Cherokee, is in danger according to many tribal members who are opposing the construction of a Duke Energy Substation near the site. Tribal Council passed a resolution during their regular session on Thursday, Feb. 4 denouncing the construction plans.
%u201CKituwah is the most important sacred site to the Cherokee people, and it is amazing that it remains intact into the 21st Century,%u201D said Principal Chief Michell Hicks who submitted the resolution. %u201CWe purchased the site for the sole purpose of ensuring protection for future generations of Cherokees and it is our responsibility,.. as a Nation, to continue that work. We have a positive relationship with Duke Energy and with Swain County and I feel confident we can reach an amicable solution once we have an opportunity to formally consult with Duke Energy on this important matter.%u201D
Paige Layne, Duke spokesperson, commented on Monday, Feb. 8, %u201CWe have a long standing and good working relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and I think it%u2019s built on mutual respect. Ultimately, we want to work with the Tribe to expand our energy offerings to them in a way that is culturally sensitive.%u201D
The resolution passed by Tribal Council on Thursday states, %u201CIt is this Tribe%u2019s solemn responsibility and moral duty to care for and protect all of Kituwah from further desecration and degradation by human agency in order to preserve the integrity of the most important site for the origination and continuation of Cherokee culture, heritage, history and identity.%u201D
It directs both the EBCI Attorney General%u2019s Office and the EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office %u201Cto pursue remedies to this situation, on behalf of the Tribe, in front of the State Public Utilities Commission and by any informal means where an acceptable resolution can be reached.%u201D
Russell Townsend, EBCI Tribal Historical Preservation Office, told Tribal Council, %u201CThey (Duke Energy) claim to be a good neighbor to the Tribe, and this is a clear indication of where they let us down and appear to have violated some state laws. This is our most important site. We%u2019re only ever going to have one Kituwah.%u201D
Big Cove Elder Walker Calhoun commented, %u201CI%u2019m for preserving that place where they%u2019re trying to build that tower. I%u2019m 100% for preserving it.%u201D
Vice Chief Larry Blythe said, %u201CWe need to send a strong message to Duke Energy that we%u2019re here and we deserve respect.%u201D He said there should have been public consultation meetings on this issue.
Hannah Smith, EBCI legal counsel, addressed Tribal Council on Thursday as simply a concerned tribal member. %u201CCherokee people, all over the world, originated here. To Cherokee people, it%u2019s not just about beauty and view shed; those mountains have meaning.%u201D
She also said it appears Duke has not followed state law. %u201CIf they had followed the law, we wouldn%u2019t be here in this state of emergency so to speak.%u201D
Her sister, Natalie Smith, also spoke on Thursday and related, %u201CYou all have ties to Kituwah. Kituwah is not just dirt that resides in our property line. Kituwah is in a relationship with its surroundings.%u201D
She further stated, %u201CThe mountains they have been dozing, under our nose, is part of Kituwah%u2026this is a shame. They%u2019re shaming our soul by doing this, and we can%u2019t allow them.%u201D
Tom Belt, a member of the Cherokee Nation and fluent Cherokee speaker, has lived in Cherokee for 19 years. %u201CThe Kituwah site is one of the most profound and sacred things that is in the possession of our people at this time. It is one of the most sacred things that we have. We have nothing else that we can say, to our knowledge, that more identifies us, as a people whole, than this particular site.%u201D
Cherokee County %u2013 Snowbird Rep. Diamond Brown, Jr. said everyone should think of the sacred Black Hills in South Dakota being defaced with the construction of Mount Rushmore. %u201CI%u2019ve been on the front lines, and I%u2019m not afraid to stand up for our people. Think about this and use this as an example.%u201D
In an email to Fred Alexander, a Duke Energy official, on Monday, Feb. 8, Cara Cowan Watts, deputy speaker of the Cherokee Nation (OK) Tribal Council wrote, %u201CBoth the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians should be consulted before any work is done near the Mother Town of Kituwah. Please consider putting your plans on pause to see what workable solutions can be reached to prevent negative impact on such a culturally-..significant site as Kituwah.%u201D
Copyright © 2010 The Cherokee One Feather. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/onefeather/2010/02/08/tribe-opposes-substation-at-kituwah-site/
Sign PetitionSign PetitionFebruary 8, 2010
By Scott
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Mound at the Kituwah Site (Photo by Scott McKie B.P./One Feather staff)
Kituwah, the Mother Town of the Cherokee, is in danger according to many tribal members who are opposing the construction of a Duke Energy Substation near the site. Tribal Council passed a resolution during their regular session on Thursday, Feb. 4 denouncing the construction plans.
%u201CKituwah is the most important sacred site to the Cherokee people, and it is amazing that it remains intact into the 21st Century,%u201D said Principal Chief Michell Hicks who submitted the resolution. %u201CWe purchased the site for the sole purpose of ensuring protection for future generations of Cherokees and it is our responsibility,.. as a Nation, to continue that work. We have a positive relationship with Duke Energy and with Swain County and I feel confident we can reach an amicable solution once we have an opportunity to formally consult with Duke Energy on this important matter.%u201D
Paige Layne, Duke spokesperson, commented on Monday, Feb. 8, %u201CWe have a long standing and good working relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and I think it%u2019s built on mutual respect. Ultimately, we want to work with the Tribe to expand our energy offerings to them in a way that is culturally sensitive.%u201D
The resolution passed by Tribal Council on Thursday states, %u201CIt is this Tribe%u2019s solemn responsibility and moral duty to care for and protect all of Kituwah from further desecration and degradation by human agency in order to preserve the integrity of the most important site for the origination and continuation of Cherokee culture, heritage, history and identity.%u201D
It directs both the EBCI Attorney General%u2019s Office and the EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office %u201Cto pursue remedies to this situation, on behalf of the Tribe, in front of the State Public Utilities Commission and by any informal means where an acceptable resolution can be reached.%u201D
Russell Townsend, EBCI Tribal Historical Preservation Office, told Tribal Council, %u201CThey (Duke Energy) claim to be a good neighbor to the Tribe, and this is a clear indication of where they let us down and appear to have violated some state laws. This is our most important site. We%u2019re only ever going to have one Kituwah.%u201D
Big Cove Elder Walker Calhoun commented, %u201CI%u2019m for preserving that place where they%u2019re trying to build that tower. I%u2019m 100% for preserving it.%u201D
Vice Chief Larry Blythe said, %u201CWe need to send a strong message to Duke Energy that we%u2019re here and we deserve respect.%u201D He said there should have been public consultation meetings on this issue.
Hannah Smith, EBCI legal counsel, addressed Tribal Council on Thursday as simply a concerned tribal member. %u201CCherokee people, all over the world, originated here. To Cherokee people, it%u2019s not just about beauty and view shed; those mountains have meaning.%u201D
She also said it appears Duke has not followed state law. %u201CIf they had followed the law, we wouldn%u2019t be here in this state of emergency so to speak.%u201D
Her sister, Natalie Smith, also spoke on Thursday and related, %u201CYou all have ties to Kituwah. Kituwah is not just dirt that resides in our property line. Kituwah is in a relationship with its surroundings.%u201D
She further stated, %u201CThe mountains they have been dozing, under our nose, is part of Kituwah%u2026this is a shame. They%u2019re shaming our soul by doing this, and we can%u2019t allow them.%u201D
Tom Belt, a member of the Cherokee Nation and fluent Cherokee speaker, has lived in Cherokee for 19 years. %u201CThe Kituwah site is one of the most profound and sacred things that is in the possession of our people at this time. It is one of the most sacred things that we have. We have nothing else that we can say, to our knowledge, that more identifies us, as a people whole, than this particular site.%u201D
Cherokee County %u2013 Snowbird Rep. Diamond Brown, Jr. said everyone should think of the sacred Black Hills in South Dakota being defaced with the construction of Mount Rushmore. %u201CI%u2019ve been on the front lines, and I%u2019m not afraid to stand up for our people. Think about this and use this as an example.%u201D
In an email to Fred Alexander, a Duke Energy official, on Monday, Feb. 8, Cara Cowan Watts, deputy speaker of the Cherokee Nation (OK) Tribal Council wrote, %u201CBoth the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians should be consulted before any work is done near the Mother Town of Kituwah. Please consider putting your plans on pause to see what workable solutions can be reached to prevent negative impact on such a culturally-..significant site as Kituwah.%u201D
Copyright © 2010 The Cherokee One Feather. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/onefeather/2010/02/08/tribe-opposes-substation-at-kituwah-site/
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