By BROOKLYN BROWN
Tsisqwohi (Birdtown)
For centuries, Native peoples have been defying expectations – we have termed this: resilience. At the onset of colonization, we were characterized as unintelligent, uncivilized savages.
Recently, Dr. Brett Riggs and Dr. Jane Eastman from Western Carolina University (WCU) have outlined the astronomical structuring of Cherokee mounds, detailing the sophisticated science and mathematics employed in ancient Cherokee mound building. “The Cherokee people constructing these mounds are scientists and astronomers of the first order,” Riggs shared at the 2nd Annual Teach What You Know, Share What You Have conference held at WCU in June of 2023.
Intelligence and civilization are key characteristics of ancient Cherokee society. Operating through a settled agriculture, Cherokee maintained powerful chiefdoms throughout the Mississippian era (approximately 800 to 1600 A.D.). Sophisticated waterway travel, hunting and agricultural techniques, medicines, and advanced gender philosophies characterized Aniyvwiya.
Today, the term resilience is applied liberally to characterize Cherokee and other Indigenous peoples. Resilience is a good term. It is a defining term that expresses the strength, intelligence and spirit that surmounted and continues to surmount the tragedies of colonization and the struggles still faced in Indian Country today.
But, when can we lay resilience down as the hallmark of Native identity?
Cherokee identity will always have an intrinsic tie to struggle and triumph, but aren’t we more than that? Do we have to continually define ourselves by the horrors of colonization? Doesn’t that continue to give power to it, by reinforcing that it defines who we are?
We were a strong, powerful, culturally rich people before colonization, and we still are after. That’s resilience. I’m tired of making colonization the climax of our narrative. It’s an important part of our history, but it’s not the cornerstone of who we are.
