In the process of being open and transparent with our Citizens, I want to keep you up to date on the following:
Early in April, The Chickamauga Nation received a targeted donation of $160 to send out as many political donations to as many Members of the House of Representatives and Senators after we noticed that the Cherokee Nation was making political donations. We worked with the person who sent the money to identify House Members on the House Committee Of Natural Resources, the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples and represented the states of Arkansas, Tennessee and Georgia or Senators who were on the Committee of Indian Affairs or represented Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Once we took out the cost of mailing, printing, envelopes, and donations, we broke even making a $1.10 donation to each Member. While writing the checks, I actually wrote 3 for $1.00 by mistake, but sent them anyway.
This is the letter we sent to over 85 Members of Congress.
Greetings from The Chickamauga Nation. We are an Indigenous people who have lived in the Southeast Woodlands since 600 – 800 CE. We are Mound Builders who are part of the Southeast Ceremonial Complex Cult. Our culture and religion can be traced back to approximately 2,000 BCE.
The average Citizen of The Chickamauga Nation is economically disadvantaged, impoverished is a better use of the language. We are an at-risk people who have been forgotten by the United States with whom we hold more than 16 treaties that created a government-to-government relationship.
We have almost no funds and have had to go into the last of our reserves to be able to make this political donation. We are not incorporated nor are we a non-profit. While our donation is not much it is all we have to give in hope that we might be heard. Our donation may not be as large as others, but it is substantial to our people. So please accept it as the gesture that it is, all we have.
We have noticed that it appears that only tribes who donate to political candidates are the only ones who are heard, therefore, we are giving in hopes that our voices too will finally be heard.
Please accept our donation for it is much like the widow’s mite, not much, but all she had.
Thank You,
We want to thank the Following Members of the Senate and House of Representatives for Accepting our Political Campaign Contributions sent on Written on April 15, 2022
We did have many Campaigns to return the donation for differing reasons, mostly out of conflict-of-interest concerns.
We also had one Representative find the donation offensive.
(C) This document was produced at the request of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 18, 2019, to document the History, Anthropology, Culture, Religion, and Archaeology of The Chickamauga Nation.