Cherokee Woman features a Native American flute that I got for Christmas from someone very special. Special thanks to Greg Braun from Myopia on drums and Sharon Melia on background vocals.

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I am Eastern Cherokee. My great grandmother was Nannie Minnie Meadows, the last full Cherokee in my family line. My father’s generation didn’t mention their heritage and didn’t practice their medicine. My father kept his native ways by fishing. He fishes every chance he gets. He knows where the bass live. He told me once, “You have to dance with the Fish to catch it.”

In my childhood I grew up in a rural area. The woods and fields were my playground. There I found my Native ways. Native American is more than just one’s heritage. It’s a belief system and way of life. Some call it the Medicine Way or Red Road. That is my heart.

When I began this journey with my friend Coyote Woman I knew it would be special. Along the way the Creator let his presence be known. In Albuguerque, I met Tony Palmer and broke bread with him. I told him of an image that kept popping into my head of praying down an eagle. Tony told me he would help me and performed a prayer ceremony for us to help us on our journey.

We left for Taos. In Taos Plaza we met “Many Hawks” Foy, an elder and governor of several tribes. In his flute store we shared stories about flutes and Coyote Woman played for him. As we were leaving he gave us ferious bear hugs, our hearts as one. He whispered in Lakota to us and asked a blessing for our journey.
On the Taos Pueblo as we sat on the cool adobe floor,Patrick Mirabal played his flute for us.

We left Taos in awe of the creator’s hand in our journey. Atop a ridge in the Alpine mountains above Taos, the Creator spoke to my heart and I knew I had to do a ceremony of thankfulness on this very spot. We took our Indian blanket and sage and sat at the very edge of the cliff. The wind began to blow. We covered ourselves with the blanket to light the sage. We smudged ourselves to cleanse and purify in the blessed Smoke. I thanked the Creator for our magical journey. With eyes closed sitting cross legged I prayed the Four Directions and Father Sky and Mother Earth. I asked the Crator to show me the reason for my journey. I sat eyes closed and waited. A gust of wind shot up the cliff and blew my long dark hair back across my shoulders. In my mind’s eye I sa black wing tips curled in flight. I raised my arms straight out and I could feel the difference in the air above and below my arms. Suddenly I was one with the wind. If I turned my arm-wings low to the left I could dip in flight in that direction. If I held my arm-wings up I could soar upward. I was no longer sitting upon that cliff. I was flying, soaring on the wind in the heart of a bird. As one. I knew this bird was flying straight towards where I sat upon the ridge. I said, “He’s coming, he’s coming.” As I flew, total freedom, total joy that words can not describe. The wind died down and I was again sitting on the cliff . I opened my eyes and waited. Like a whisper a Raven flew in over my right shoulder. He flew in circles around us and then just floated in the wind hovering just a few feet above our heads. My heart burst in joy at that moment. The Creator’s message to me so clear and so true. You see the Raven is my spirit guide and the Creator had just smiled at me. Coyote Woman called to the Raven. The Raven called back and took flight across the valley. I could not move. I didn’t think I could breathe. Then a breath of such joy filled my heart that I burst into tears. My heart could not contain that much joy. After a while, I became myself again. I picked up the plants I was sitting on and the sage I had burned and put them in my medicine bag to carry close to my heart. I was ready to go on. We drove a short distance and my story did not end there.

Coyote Woman said we needed to gather some sage. We had been looking but did not find any close enough before now. Suddenly we were surrounded by Sage. Everywhere the healthy plants were were looking for. Again the Creator through the Raven Spirit had shown us the way. When we arrived in Durango we were exhausted. We made tea and lit a fire and laid the Sage out. Sage must be bundled and dried properly the same day it it gathered. We spent much of the night tying this special sage into bundles. Sacred Sage Heal me, Heal me we prayed. We tied the sage with black thread in honor of the Raven who brought us to it .As the fire died and the Skydancer Stars looked down, the heady fragrance filled the rooms. I thanked the Creator for providing such comfort and protection and asked the Creator to fill all those who enter with some of the great joy He had given me. That is my prayer for you and yours. Only Joy in this place and the wisdom to see the Creator’s hand in what we do. Wado’ oyate.

Cherokee Woman

Cherokee Woman you brought me the Truth
You showed me the way I 'll always love you.
Night Eagle singing to me in a song
Cleanses my heart and makes me strong

Like the wind blowing through the trees
You move my soul you set my love free
Running Deer and Whispering White Dove
We are one in the morning sun

Cherokee Woman your heart speaks the Truth
In the midnight fire you love burns true
Rays of moonlight through the trees at night
I still remember how the light did shine

Now the years haven't stolen your youth
hardened your heart or changed the truth
Two Spirits, One Path, Forever and for always
Untouched by time until we reach the end

E min / E min / A min / E min
E min / E min / A min / E min
C /G / B min / E min
C /G / B min D / E min :}