EBCI selects its 2024 Remember the Removal candidates

By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.

One Feather Asst. Editor

 

CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has selected seven tribal members to join riders from the Cherokee Nation this June on the annual Remember the Removal Ride (RTR).  The ride will retrace the northern route of the Trail of Tears.

Unlike previous years, this year, the group isn’t being called riders just yet.  EBCI RTR officials noted that they are being called candidates until a certain date and metrics are met “to make sure that they are attending classes and are reaching a physical readiness”.

The 2024 EBCI RTR candidates include: Josiah Lossiah, Cruz Galaviz, Nika West, Cassidy Galaviz, Kristy Maney Herron, Angelina Jumper, and Noah Hicks.

Cruz Galaviz, 26, from the Snowbird Community, said, “I grew up playing sports.  I love the camaraderie and the team.”

He and Hicks served as support staff for the 2023 ride.  “Seeing that was inspirational to me. It kind of inspired me to do this. But, also, I grew up learning all about our culture, learning the language and the dances and the traditions. This just kind of ties it all together. It’s a really nice way to tie everything together.”

Hicks, 27, from the Painttown Community, said, “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do and now that I’m graduated and kind of in a place in my career where I can take the time to put towards this event, I felt like it was just the right time for me to do it. My sister completed it in 2015 so I got to watch her go through it. And I’ve had a bunch of friends that went through it. I got to help as support staff last year, so I got to see it kind of from that side of things. So, I just felt like I was in a good place in my life to just go ahead and try to sign up for this and try to participate.”

Josiah Lossiah, 23, from the Painttown Community, has family with the EBCI and the Cherokee Nation.  “Really, my motivation for that (signing up) was for my grandma out in Oklahoma on my mom’s side, Patsy Fourkiller. She always wanted me to do it, just kept influencing me ever since I was 16 when you’re eligible to do it. She said, ‘you should do it. I’ll be waiting out here for you.’ She wanted me to come in and see my family tree. So, she wanted to learn a little more about that than what she knew on that side, and also on this side here. She was my inspiration on that and I have a couple friends and family members, close friends who have done it and were just like, ‘you should try it. It’s a great experience’. Then, I just decided I’m going to give it a try.”

“It’s an honor because I have some people that I’m riding for here…my ancestors on this side…that don’t know what it’s like to be on that side. So, I’m riding for them, but also in remembrance of the family that had to go on the Trail as well. So, I feel like it’s an honor in that sense. Hopefully I’ll be able to come back and let people know how it was on both sides of the family and give them my experience. And maybe give them that motivation if maybe they want to do it someday as well.”

Angelina Jumper, 26, from the Snowbird Community, said she was encouraged to apply for the ride by numerous people.  “So, I had a lot of different people tell me that I should apply and that it was a really good experience. My current boss, my manager, was an alumni, and he always talks really highly about it. I’ve never been able to talk about the Trail of Tears as easily as I would want to, and I felt like this was an opportunity to get closer to it and to heal whatever is in me that’s unable to really take on that and talk about it. I know my great grandfather, seven times over, had gotten wrongfully removed and then escaped right above Knoxville. So, I always knew that that was something that he had come back and escaped from…I think about all the times that he had gotten as far as he did above Knoxville and then had to come back, then got sent again in chains. I think about that.”

“Once I got the opportunity to see that there are people that actually bike this route, this is a real thing, I was like, ‘wow, I think I want to do that’…just to be able to draw myself a little bit closer to their experiences. I didn’t have any direct ancestors that I know of, yet, that had gone on it…I know that there’s Jumpers out in Oklahoma, too, so I’m hoping it helps me to kind of figure some things out.”

Kristy Maney Herron, 44, from the Yellowhill Community, has applied for the ride numerous times and is elated at being selected as a candidate for the 2024 ride.  “I’ve lost count how many times I’ve signed up for the ride. It’s just something that I’ve been wanting to do. Every year it changes, my reason…every year it’s always changed…I feel like it changes from year-to-year between something that you want to do to…you want to learn more about the Trail of Tears, because we only hear so much. And you don’t really hear about it from their side of things. I want to learn from them how it was for them, more in-depth on the history and actually seeing those places in person rather than just reading about it. But, it’s also to try and push myself to complete something, be more motivated and feel more included in the culture and the history and things like that.”

She added, “It’s really just something that I want to accomplish. I guess, in some ways, it might be more personal and may be selfish for me to want to accomplish and feel involved in something…but also learning more about their side of things, moreso than what we learn here because we came back.”

Cassidy Galaviz, 29, from the Snowbird Community, commented, “I’ve always thought this was very interesting to be a part of, not just the ride itself, but the entire journey itself. I’ve heard from a lot of people that it’s been a really incredible experience and I wanted to be a part of it.”

“The entire journey itself I’m really excited about. I’m not too knowledgeable about it and I’m hoping to learn more throughout this entire process. Just a cool aspect is that my brother is a part of this ride with me so we will be able to share this experience, which I think will make it even better.”

Nika West, 46, originally from the Big Cove Community, is starting training for the ride for the third time.  The first time was derailed due to COVID-19, and last year he had a health issue weeks before the event.  “I’m excited to have another opportunity to be able to participate with the RTR team. It’s just been a string of bad luck, I would say.”

“I was very heartbroken (last time) because the time that I had put into it, the training, the classes, and you get to build relationships with people that you’re riding with. It’s hard to go through all that and not get to participate. It was tough on me. It was emotional for myself just knowing the sacrifices that my family had done to allow me to do this. Now we’re doing it for a third time and hopefully third time’s the charm.”

West went on to say, “I’m just anxious to get to walk in the same path that our ancestors did through the Removal. Just to be able to see and witness the area and try to look through their eyes at what they saw when they were leaving…just the hardships along the way. I know what I’ve dealt with is nothing to what our ancestors dealt with, but I can say that I’ve had some hardships in trying to make this happen to honor our ancestors.”

Prior to going on the ride, the participants will learn about their own family tree.

Cruz Galaviz is excited about that part.  “I don’t know how far back my lineage goes. I don’t know that part. I know my great-great grandfather, but anywhere past that or what part that he played in the Trail of Tears – even if they did because I’m from Snowbird. So, a lot of Snowbird community hid out in the mountains. So, I don’t know if I’ll find anything, but it’s going to be really interesting to see where my family went. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.”

Herron commented, “I know a little bit about my genealogy and my family history, but I don’t know if any of my ancestors actually went. For my lineage on my grandma’s side, Nimrod Smith was my great-great-great grandpa. I know he was involved in it and certain things, but I don’t know if any of my family actually went on the Trail of Tears. I know a lot of them stayed here. I would like to learn if any actually went – especially direct lineage – and see if maybe I might have cousins out there.”