Letter from the Editor

Osiyo nigad!

I hope you all had a safe and restful holiday. For me, the holidays were busy, but it was filled with good food and with family. I can’t complain!

As you may be aware, CNCV’s council is going through a bit of a reshuffle, and we’re still figuring out our roles in the newly composed council. So, until we anoint a new spokesperson, I’ll be writing a short message from the desk of the newsletter editor (that’s me!) I’ll let you know what’s going on and what’s featured in our monthly-ish newsletter.

Unfortunately, because of the ongoing threat posed by the COVID-19 omicron variant to our Elders, the council has decided to move our February 19 General Membership Meeting to a virtual setting. But don’t you worry! Along with catching up and chewing the fat, we’re going to have a virtual watch party of a video on the Cherokee Clan System with JP Johnson (Cherokee Nation). Some of you may remember his visit and the presentation he gave to our community way back in August 2019 about Cherokee and other Indigenous tattooing practices. You won’t want to miss it! Join us via Zoom on February 19 at 12:00 PM.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll want to check out councilmember Roxanna Horne’s historical profile of Oconestota, one of our great warriors and Chiefs from the 18th century. Mike Webb also has an update on the engraving and installation of new headstones at the John Rollin Ridge gravesite in Grass Valley. And finally, Martha Blackbird, councilmember and membership coordinator, wants to remind everyone to submit their favorite Cherokee recipes for a recipe book that she’s working on with Mary Buzzard and Myra Bush Robertson from our Cherokee Nation Sister Community, The Marble City Activity Organization, in Marble City, Oklahoma.

That’s it for now. I hope to see everyone at our Zoom meeting on Saturday, February 19!

—Jonathan Radocay