The Life of Nan-ye-hi

The life of Nan-ye-hi (Nancy Ward) 

Ghighau (Beloved Woman) of the Ani-Yunwiya (Principal People)

A fresh wind is blowing across many cultures. Across racial, religious and political lines the truth is being exposed. This exposure is showing many of us ways in which we have rewritten history out of convenience. Starting down this path of the revelation of our in humanity we encounter many paradigms. Paradigms for whatever reason, we may have chosen to ignore. Comfort in America is being displaced with a kind of holy unrest. It is in this place of holy unrest that we begin to collide with realities which are uncomfortable to look directly in the eye.

Whether or not we like to admit it, the cultures that most dramatically shaped our nation as we know it were those of the Greeks and Romans. Even in this modern era, their societies continue to influence government structures, health care delivery systems, educational institutions and perhaps most importantly, religious structures in America. It is the third century Roman church that is responsible for when we worship, where we worship, how we worship and with whom we worship. It is said that Christian faith conquered Rome and then Rome conquered Christianity. It is out of a conquering mindset that most people view American history. Perhaps a more inclusive way of viewing America is from something beyond the convenient lens of July 4,1776. Could it be that we should view the United States from a minority status as well as seeing the vast accomplishments that we now enjoy?

Over the millennia, European societies developed along the lines of artificially supported living environments. I use the phrase “artificially supported living environments” to describe a community that has to go outside the bounds of its territory for the basics of health and welfare. These societies exploited environmental conditions for the purpose of gaining greater wealth and opulence. Wealth represented power and power, in turn, controls.

During this same time period, Native American societies lived in cooperation with their environment. This contrasts the ideals of exploitation versus stewardship. When Europeans arrived on the North American continent, they found a pristine environment with little impact from thousands of years of human habitation. European societies had a need for industrial revolution where Native Americans did not. Native America would never have found need for such endeavors since their society was empowered by the land in which they dwelled. Having been left to their own devices, Native American culture more than likely, would have continued on its path of environmental harmony. First nations people did not have philosophies or religious basics toward a concept of taking more from the land than they needed. Wealth and status achieved thru exploitation of the land was contrary to the fabric of their society. It is out of thousands of years of stewardship that we examine the life of one Native American we know as Nancy Ward.


Her native name was Nan-ye-hi. As was the custom of many Europeans, we simply refused to learn the language and anglicized her name into Nancy out of convenience. Out of respect for her, I will use her native name for the remainder of this article. She was born sometime around 1737 in Chota. Chota was the capital of the Cherokee nation. Nan-ye-hi was described as a strikingly beautiful woman with a tall erect figure, prominent nose, piercing black eyes, and silken black hair. Because her skin was tinted like a reddish-pink rose, she was given the nickname Tsistuna-gis-ka, or “Wild Rose.” As she grew older, Nan-ye-hi matured with a stately but kind disposition. Carrying herself with a queenly and majestic character.

Cherokee societies were matrilineal. It was women who were stewards of the land, not the men. Warriors received their status in the tribe, not from their father’s lineage, but from their mother’s. It was in this matrilineal society that women derived their basics of life in the tribe. The women enjoyed more matrimonial rights than men. Upon marriage, the men became members of their wife’s clan. Their homes along with its contents belonged to the women. Children belonged to the mother’s clan. It was into matrilineal lines of the tribal leadership that Nan-ye-hi was born.

Her mother was said to have been Tame Doe. Tame Doe was a niece of Old Hop. Old Hop was a principle chief. One of Tame Doe’s brothers was Attakullakulla, a celebrated Peace Chief. Historians rated him as one of the most influential Indian leaders among Southern Tribes. He was named “Little Carpenter” by the whites because of his diplomatic skills. These skills included fitting parts of peace treaties together into a workable diplomatic document.

Nan-ye-hi married early by today’s standards. She married King Fisher while only 16 years of age. King Fisher was a leader within the tribe. This leadership was tested during one of the fiercest battles recorded in Cherokee history, the battle of Taliwa. Led by their great war chief, Oconostota, the Cherokee were determined to drive the Muskogean or Creeks out of their land. In 1755, Creek opponents reportedly outnumbered a 500-man Cherokee war party. In support of her husband, Nan-ye-hi was chewing the musket balls for his rifle. This chewing of the soft musket balls was done in hopes that they would become more lethal. I imagine King Fisher was both directing his men in battle as well as watching over his young bride. There were war whoops and screams, the sound of musket fire and the yelling of commands over the din of the battle. King Fisher was struck down in the midst of the fight. His mortal wound, more than likely, occurred while attempting to gain a better advantage to lead his tribe to victory. It is said this injury occurred at the lowest ebb of fighting. I imagine that a husband and wife glanced at each other for one brief moment realizing the tragedy that had befallen them. This 16-year-old bride witnessed the flicker of life leave her mortally wounded husband, an event not uncommon to many Cherokee women on the day of that battle. I am sure King Fisher’s closest warriors come to his side. Consoling the heart of a widowed child in the midst of what looked like defeat. It was at this time that Nan-ye-hi distinguished herself from other women. Even though it was common for women to be in support of their warrior husband that day, it was very uncharacteristic for this young girl to join in the battle and continue the fight. Her unwavering bravery that day rallied the Cherokee warriors and routed the Muskogee’s from northern Georgia.

After the appropriate time of mourning, the tribe celebrated Nan-ye-hi’s efforts in this nationally significant battle by bestowing upon her the honor of Ghighau or “Beloved Woman”. Nan-ye-hi was in her teens when vaulted into her high position. This honor was ordinarily bestowed on older women. Ghighau was more than a term of endearment, it enabled Nan-ye-hi to participate in negotiations for treaties, to commute death sentences passed upon by tribal leadership and to prepare portions of ceremonial offerings given to the men of the tribe. The Beloved Woman title was a lifetime distinction. During state counsel meetings in the townhouse, Ghighau sat with the Peace Chief and War Chief in the Holy Area near the Ceremonial Fire. As head of the Women’s Counsel, she would represent the view of women in the tribe. The female counsel did not hesitate to vote to oppose the decisions made by the ruling headsmen. Particularly if they felt that the welfare of the tribe was at stake. It was during the lifetime of Nan-ye-hi that tribal leadership passed all but two of the land cession treaties with the Cherokee.

During the 1700’s white settlers began in earnest to encroach upon Cherokee lands. Discovery of the New World triggered a long struggle for control and supremacy between European Nations. The surge of newly arriving immigrants increased annually. These new comers pressed westward, as settlements grew crowded in the east. They saw vast stretches of wilderness seemingly uninhabited except for scattered tribal villages. All native people were viewed as inhabitants having no recorded claim or title to the land. There was little civil government along the frontier. Colonial Europeans moved into Indian territories one way or another. Settlers from the east were simply not going to be contained by the physical barrier of the Appalachian Mountains. The British government was growing more and more incapable of ruling the colonies. King George III had forbid development of lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. Rising unrest was apparent as the colonies prepared for war against British rule. The land to the west was simply too enticing.

Spaniards viewed all native people of the America’s as a curiosity. This curiosity posed no serious treat to their interests. Colonists saw them as ignorant savages. They continued to view native society from the view point of Roman dominated thinking. Natives were to be exploited and pushed out of the way. To the white man, land was an object of trade or barter. The vast wilderness offered farming space. The forests were filled with wild game. This game offered meat for the table and pelts that could be sold or traded. All of this land along with its many resources appeared free for the taking.

Trade between the native people and Europeans was more exploitation than market place equality. Often times trade goods were of inferior nature, with firearms misfiring and leaving Indians injured from their use. The demand of animal skins to pay their debts to the English traders increased yearly. Hunting was changed from an enjoyable act of providing for their family to an ever-increasing business proposition. Up until 1750, an average of 54,000 deerskins per year were shipped from Charles Town (today known as Charleston, South Carolina). By 1759, it is said that over 1.5 million deerskins were shipped annually through the Charles Town port. This “big kill”, as it is called, almost exhausted the deer population in the South.

Native American immune systems were not accustomed to many European diseases. From the outset of European contact, small pox, scarlet fever and measles killed by the millions. In some cases American Colonists used these dieses as a form of biologic terror. One American General wrote of his introduction of dieses contaminated blankets into native populations in the hopes “it would have the desired result.” More died in this American Holocaust than died in Hitler’s concentration camps during World War II.

The fledgling independence movement found its way across the Appalachian Mountains into what is now East Tennessee. Having to face either the tyranny of British rule or hostile Indians, some chose to face the Cherokee. Despite stern warnings from the Crown of England for all white settlers to leave native land west of the Appalachian Mountains, settlements at Watauga and Nolichucky were created.

The Cherokees first reaction was not war. The Cherokee Tribal council negotiated a ten-year lease agreement with the Wataugans. In exchange for this land lease, they were to receive the equivalent of a $1,000 per year in trade goods. Their desire was to live peacefully along side of the white settlers while they remained stewards of the land. The Wataugans also agreed to no further encroachment on native lands. There was a peaceful coexistence during the early years of the lease. This peace was short lived when the white settlers continued to want more land while not providing trade goods as promised.

After many violated treaties by the settlers, a battle erupted during the summer of 1776 with the Wataugan and Nolichucky settlements. Nan-ye-hi sent messages to Fort Watauga and the surrounding communities warning of an attack. Some might question her motives in warning the whites. However, her desire was to live peacefully with the white population. The Cherokee lead by Dragging Canoe, Nan-ye-hi’s cousin, were defeated by the white settlers due to the preparation they were allowed to make before the attack. The attack on Fort Watauga was repelled.

During this battle, Chief Old Abram captured two prisoners who were taken back to Cherokee villages. One of the captives was a Mrs. William Bean. She was tied to a pole with leather thongs where dry tree branches were laid around her feet and lit on fire. Nan-ye-hi, learned of the planned execution. She kicked the burning branches away, stomped out the remaining small flames and cut the throngs, diffidently freeing Mrs. Bean. She then addressed the angered warriors and spoke with harsh words, “It revolts my soul that Cherokee warriors would stoop so low as to torture this woman. No woman shall be tortured or burned at the stake while I am Honored Woman”. This incident shows Nan-ye-hi exercising her official position as Ghighau. Nan-ye-hi led Mrs. Bean to her home in Chota, the town of sanctuary. She asked Mrs. Bean to teach her and the members of her family how to process cow’s milk to make butter and cheese. She was hoping to encourage interest in her people for raising their own meat and farm crops. Dependence solely on dwindling wildlife resources of the forest and expensive supplies would spell certain failure of her people. Nan-ye-hi also was taught the art of weaving cloth or home spun by Mrs. Bean. When it was safe to do so, Nan-ye-hi sent Mrs. Bean back to her home. Nan-ye-hi’s son, Five Killer, and her brother, Long Fellow, escorted Mrs. Bean to protect her during the journey.

It was sometime during this timeframe that Nan-ye-hi met a trader named Bryant Ward. Some believe that Nan-ye-hi and her friends protected the life of this trader during a time of hostility. Bryant Ward and Nan-ye-hi were married shortly there after. As a woman in a matrilineal society, she had rights to take a husband as she pleased, even when this choice is outside of her race. What is more interesting is that she took his last name in direct conflict with her cultural upbringing. You may recall that the men took their wife’s heritage after marriage. Nan-ye-hi was sending yet another message that it was possible to make changes in order to preserve a way of life.

Throughout Nan-ye-hi’s life, her tribe was approached many times with further acquisitions of land. More than 500 treaties would be signed with the native peoples of America, only two were ever kept by either the British or American government. Hostilities continued to flare as native warriors retaliated for white encroachments and white settlers exacted their revenge on native populations for what they felt were atrocities. Nan-ye-hi found herself continuously in a place of attempting to mediate between warring factions.

Another flare up occurred between the Over Mountain Men of the Watauga settlement shortly after the battle of Kings Mountain. The British had promised that they would invade the southern coastland and join forces with the Cherokee to drive the independent white settlers off of Indian land. This had great appeal to Dragging Canoe and tribal leadership, however the British were unable to make good their threat. This prevented the Cherokee and the British from a frontal and rear attack at the colonies. It became quite apparent to the Cherokee that if they were going to war against the whites, that they needed to immediately take action on their own. Nan-ye-hi again found herself forewarning frontier settlers of an eminent attack by Dragging Canoe. She had seen that very time the Cherokee were on the warpath, her nation suffered tragically at the hands of the white. She had witnessed indiscriminant killing on both sides. Perhaps she hoped that by sending her warning much bloodshed could be avoided. Keep in mind that Nan-ye-hi never acted on her own in any of these warnings to frontier settlers. Her tribal leadership had met and voted to continue peacefully. The warring chiefs would not listen to those who were in leadership of the tribe. In sending warning of attack Nan-ye-hi was representing what she thought was the true nature of official tribal leadership.

Dragging Canoe

A new treaty was demanded by the Cherokee in order to prevent further battles with the new American Colonies. Nan-ye-hi rose from the negotiations and eloquently addressed both parties present. “You know that women are always looked upon as nothing, but we are your mothers. You are our sons. Our cry is all for peace. Let it continue. This peace must last forever. Let your women’s sons be ours, our sons be yours, let your women hear our words.” The sincerity and appeal of her words reached the hearts of her listeners. Colonel William Christian was chosen to answer Nan-ye-hi’s talk. “Mothers, we have listened well to your talk. It is humane. No man can hear it without being moved by it. Such words and thoughts show the world that human nature is the same everywhere. Our women shall hear your words and we know how they will feel and think of them. We are all descendants of the same woman. We will not quarrel with you because you are our mothers. We will not meddle with your people if they will be still and quite at home and let us live in peace.” This is one of the very few treaties, if not the only one, which did not ask for land. Her talk placed Nan-ye-hi in the ranks of great women of America. The time of her talk was July 1781. Nan-ye-hi had witnessed the burning and pillage of her tribe. She had every right to be bitter in seeing everything she loved destroyed; however, she chose a different path--the path of peace. It took fortitude and character for any woman warrior to not want to strike back.

By 1784, Nan-ye-hi Ward’s home in the beloved town of Chota would no longer remain a prominent place in Cherokee history. It was burned and pillaged first by the British and later by American Colonists. Legend has it that prior to Nan-ye-hi moving from Chota, she opened her home to orphaned Indian children (mostly outcast abandon half-breed children, waifs of white traders and Indian women) – perhaps, the only real sanctuary these youngsters enjoyed. A Lieutenant Francis Marion wrote with eloquent terms what he saw take place.

“We proceeded by Colonel Grant’s orders to burn the Indian cabins…… I saw everywhere around the footsteps of little Indian children where they had lately played under the shade of their rustling corn. When we are gone, thought I, they will return and peeping through the weeds with tearful eyes will mark the ghastly ruin where they had so often played. ‘Who did this?’ they will ask their mothers and the reply will be, ‘The white people did it, the Christians did it’. Thus for cursed mammon’s sake, the followers of Christ have sowed the selfish tares of hate…...”

Nan-ye-hi continued as an advocate for her country and nation for several years. She continued to speak of the necessity of her people to devote more attention to farming and raising stock as a means of survival. Nan-ye-hi’s seeds were sown in fertile soil and one of the last treaties with the Cherokee, Article 14 of the Holston River Treaty, guarantees their ability and assistance in husbandry and agriculture as they continued to prosper in their land.

Another attempt at peace occurred in a meeting at Hopwell, North Carolina. This meeting was the first meeting of the United States Congress with any Indian nation. Congress disavowed all previous treaties promising the rights of the Cherokee to live on their land. Concessions were made to return parts of their territory then under control of white settlers. This agreement became known as the Hopwell treaty. The Hopwell treaty granted the Cherokee the right to remove any white settler from their homeland by force if necessary. The United States Congress never kept this agreement. They further did not support the Cherokee when they began to remove settlers from their lands.

After the Hopewell Treaty failed miserably, other treaties were forth coming. The treaties of 1817-1819 further eroded Cherokee homelands. United States commissioners resorted to bribery and other illegal means to obtain signers. The two thousand who had already moved west were told they could have no western land until an equivalent acreage had been ceded in the east. This of course was a lie. As a result of this falsehood, fifteen western Cherokee chiefs were persuaded to sign by proxy. Well-placed bribes enticed thirty-one eastern chiefs to sign. The eastern chiefs who signed the cession papers moved west, fearful for their lives. By this time official Cherokee Council leadership had passed a law that any chief that ceded further land would be put to death. The transaction was bitterly resented by the Cherokee Council and rejected by Cherokee national mandate.

Nan-ye-hi Ward addressed her nation for the last time on May 2 of 1817.

“The Cherokee ladies now being present at the meetings of the chiefs and warriors in counsel have thought it their duty as mothers to address their beloved chiefs and warriors now assembled.”

“Our beloved children and head men of the Cherokee nation we address you warriors in counsel we have raised all of you on the land which we now have, which God gave us to inhabit and raise provisions we know that our country has once been extensive but by repeated sales has become circumscribed to a small tract and never have thought it our duty to interfere in the disposition of it till now, if a father or mother was to sell all their lands which they had to demand on which their children had to raise their living on which would be indeed bad and to be removed to another country we do not wish to go to any unknown country which we have understood some of our children wish to go over the Mississippi but this act of our children would be like destroying your mothers. Your mothers, your sisters ask and beg of you not to part with any more of our lands, we say ours you are descendants and take pity on our request, but keep it for our growing children for it was the good will of our creator to place us here and you know our father, the great president will not allow his white children to take our country away only keep your hands off of paper talks for it is our own country for if it was not they would not ask you to put your hands to paper for it would be impossible to remove us all for as soon as one child is raised we have others in our arms for such is our situation and will consider our circumstance.”

“Therefore children don’t part with any more of our lands but continue on it and enlarge your farms and cultivate and raise corn and cotton and we your mothers and sisters will make clothing for you which our father, the president, has recommended to us all we don’t charge anybody for selling any lands, but we have heard such intentions of our children but your talks become true at last and it was our desire to forewarn you all not to part with our lands.”

“Nancy Ward to her children Warriors to take pity and listen to talks of your sisters, although I am very old yet cannot but pity the situation in which you will hear of their minds, I have great many grandchildren, which I wish them to do well on our land.”

This address was taken to the counsel meeting by Nan-ye-hi’s son, Five Killer, and accompanied by her distinctive walking cane, which represented her official vote and authority in her absence.

Nan-ye-hi made one final attempt to stay on her land prior to her death. One stipulation of the 1817-1819 treaty had a reservation clause: “Each head of a Cherokee family residing on lands herein or hereafter ceded to the United States who elects to become a citizen of the United States shall receive a reservation of six hundred and forty (640) acres to include his or her improvements for life, with reversion in fee simple to children, subject to widow’s dower.” Nan-ye-hi’s Reservation number 767 was registered with United States government. The State of Tennessee flatly refused to recognize these individual reservation grants.

Nan-ye-hi died in the Amovey district near the Ocoee River at the home of her brother, Long Fellow. Her white husband left her for other relationships. They continued to be friends. Ward’s white family reportedly received her with great respect when they visited on occasion. She lived a long and fruitful life. She has been called Princess and Prophetess. Some referred to her as that beautiful, winsome and resourceful woman, Nancy Ward.

Nan-ye-hi, and those she represented, planted many seeds in her nation that would not come of age until after her death. By the time of the Indian Removal Act of 1838, the Cherokee nation had a form of government similar to that of the colonies. They had a supreme court; the tribe elected their leadership; they had a newspaper and a written language and had adapted many of the ways of the colonists. It was against the Cherokee constitution for any one to hold official office within the nation that did not have a belief in God. The unofficial Cherokee national anthem became Amazing Grace.

I had the privilege of visiting Nan-ye-hi’s home site near Benton, Tennessee. Her gravesite is now a Tennessee Historic Site. I have visited many hallowed places from Plymouth Rock to the Freedom Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There is a stillness in such places– an honor – that felt very tangible.

This chapter regarding the life of Nan-ye-hi is not simply a historic visitation for me as an individual. My family was in Fort Watauga during the time period of Dragging Canoe’s attacks. It is highly likely that Nan-ye-hi’s two warnings to these settlements may well have saved my family’s life – ultimately, saving my own. Could it be that neither my children nor I would enjoy this life without her compassion on the early settlers of Tennessee?

As I walked her land my heart was grateful for the compassionate acts of this wonderful lady I have never met. It would be interesting to know who else walks this country today that does not know they are alive because of Nan-ye-hi. I felt as if there were those watching from past generations. I seemed to hear a question in my mind. “What will be the outcome of this white mans visit?” History is waiting for a generation to admit the madness of it all.
 
Could it be there are many expressions of a devoted life without observing traditional expressions.  Is it possible to have lived such a life without being labeled a savage? Nan-ye-hi lived a Creator God dominated life; she lived in a Creator God dominated society. Subsequent to her life her nation would not allow national office to be held by anyone who did not uphold these truths. Can you hear the Cherokee singing their unofficial national anthem Amazing Grace from their death march called the Trail of Tears? Many generations of little children will peep from the weeds of their exile and view their inheritance from the land cut down and rotting in the sun. When they ask their mothers, “Who did this,” they will say. “The white people did it, the Christians did it, all for cursed mammon’s sake.”

Less than 5% of native people profess a relationship with Christ. They often only see Christianity as white mans religion. Many more than this offer a yes to the response of being a Christian. This yes is tempered with generations of those who have been given the choice of being seen as ‘civilized’ Christians or being killed. Most tribal people cannot find cultural identity within traditional Roman Christendom. Roman Christendom is referring to all facets of the Christian faith currently in America. This includes everyone from Roman Catholics to the Charismatic church. May God have mercy on the genocide that has occurred under the banner of the Cross.

Let's consider the following truths:

Jesus you are part of the tribe of Judah. You are a man of color, not a white man. You wore traditional regalia (special clothing). There was power associated with your clothing. (The women who touched the hem of your garment) You celebrated the many feasts of your Father. Your tribe’s calendar is kept in cycles of the moon. Your Bible is a tribal book. You celebrated your ancestors (linage of Christ). Your nation was lead by tribal elders. Throughout your tribe’s history animals played important roles (whales, lions, bears, donkeys, ravens, doves). Your Bible celebrates the created order. (The trees will clap their hands) You did nothing during your life of your own accord, but always stayed submitted to your Fathers will. You used water as a sign of purification. You celebrated the land of your inheritance. You took nothing from it you did not need. Your nation fought fiercely all those who attempted to take your land from you. Your nation spared no one who lived within your enemy’s camp. You upheld all your tribal laws. You upheld the strict religious practices of your tribe. Your father held your nation accountable to past generations who did not keep their covenants. You are a person who always keeps your word. You allowed false counsel to be spoken of you, without taking revenge, for the sake of your tribe. You died a tortured death at the hands of a conquering nation to save your people. All who come to you for their salvation are not saved apart from being in-grafted into your tribe.

Fire is important to the Cherokee. Women were keepers of the fire in their homes. Each year the women ceremoniously extinguished all flame within the tribe. One of the roles of the Ghighau was to reintroduce new fire. In countless ceremonies Nan-ye-hi would have helped in rekindling the fire within her tribe. It was said that if the principle people kept the fire burning the Creator God would reveal truth. An eternal flame now burns at Red Clay, Tennessee. Red Clay was the last capital of a united tribe called the Cherokee prior to the Trail of Tears. God the Father wants us to spread truth to all people without the spin of our culture.

At the time of writing this article it was my honor and privilege to know one of Nan-ye-hi's relatives who lived in the Tulsa, OK area.  Just as Nan-ye-hi grew to old to attend to her duites Ms. Ada did as well.  When council meetings occurred she would send her son in her stay along with her walking staff.  The staff was a symbol of her authority within the tribe.  Ada granted me the same honor by presenting me with a staff.  She passed away some years ago.  When ever I visit my friends in the tribes, I always carry Ada's cane with me.  It honors her memory and opens doors to the story of both Nan-ye-hi and her relative, Ms. Ada's story.  

Nvwadohiyada (Peace)
 
Works Cited: 

Adair, James. The History of the American Indians. London: Edward and Charles Dilly, 1775 Aldenman, Pat. 

Nancy Ward/Dragging Canoe. Johnson City: The Overmountain Press, 1990. 

Mails, Thomas E. The Cherokee People. New York: Marlowe & Company, 1996. Rozema, Vicki. 

Footsteps of the Cherokee. Winston-Salem: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 1995. 

Smith, Chadwick “Corntassel”. Cherokee Nation History Course. Tahlequah: Cherokee Nation, 2000

Recommended Reading:

Releasing Heaven on Earth, by Alistair Petrie 
One Church Many Tribes, by Richard Twiss