04/05/2023
On the 185th anniversary of the Trail of Tears we're reflecting on its legacy.
The Trail of Tears was, without a doubt, one of the most traumatizing things to happen to the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, along with residential schools, the decimation of food sources, and the outlawing of cultural practices.
As a result of this genocidal act, illegally committed by the United States government, the population of our ancestors dwindled. Our people were in places they did not know and struggled to survive due to the inability to navigate food source changes, exposure to diseases their bodies could not fight, and, I'm sure utter heartbreak. Kinship systems struggled, and assimilation was thrust upon these people so they could survive.
My grandpa didn't speak to us about our family or their lives for most of my life. He wanted to keep that pain and suffering from us and protect us from the trauma he and our ancestors endured. This protection act also served as unintentional alienation from our heritage. As he got older, he realized we needed to know of our people and where we came from; only through knowing what had been endured could we heal the trauma that runs through our blood and fight for a better future.
I remember when my family went “home for the holidays” after my son was born, and my grandpa met him for the first time. He spoke to him in our ancestral language, a language he never taught to me, and gave him a Cherokee rose rock. It’s said that each drop of blood or tear shed while on the trail formed into these rocks, a flower that blooms forever. My grandpa said it would remind my son of who and where he came from, a reminder that because one of our matriarchs survived, the rest of us could live. A reminder to be proud of our culture. To ensure those coming after us would have a better world and never forget those who came before them. It's a constant reminder of the love and strength that’s within us because our ancestors are with us.
