The St. Johns herald., 1894-02-01
INDIAN FREEMASONRY.
& Secret Society Existing in the
 Cherokee Nation.


 An Ancient Order That Has for Its Object
 the Preservation of Tribal
 Legends and Ira
 ditions.
 Not many persons are aware that there exists among the Cherokees a secret society that is hundreds of years old. as old, in fact, as the tribe itself, and is today stronger than it ever was, at least in numbers. This society IS called the Ketoowah, which, literally translated. means elder brother. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says it is sort of Indian freemasonry and has it's laws and rules of order as we'll as its officers and secret signs. So we'll are it's secrets and its doings guarded that there are hundreds of people living in the Chero- kee nation, and who have lived there for years, who are not even aware or the existence of society every mem Der of which is sworn to assist in the defense of their homes from the inva- sion of the pale-faced brother either by squatter sovereignty or by squawmen privileges. Only full-bloods are eligi- ble to membership, but so jealously IS the Ketoowah watched that what else is necessary for membership IS not known outside of the order. The society now has a membership of about thousand full-bloods, each the head of family, and thus the organl- zation represents about five thousand persons. Formerly the Ketoowah only comprised the chiefs and some few or the older men of the tribe. Then 1t was all-powerful and exercised full control over all tribal affairs; its mandate once issued was never ques- toned even by the most powerful chief It dictated treaties, proclaimed war or peace, settled disputes and guided the welfare of the tribe in all matters, spiritual and temporal. Such was the Ketoowah until within the past fifty years. When the white mans government was formed and the affairs of the people were taken from the hands of the few and administered by men elected by the people and the Indians saw their power and their birthright steadily passing away, their customs and language receding before the march of civilization, they realized that unless something was done to counteract these influences the Chero- kee would soon pass from the face of the earth. To prevent this became at once the object of the Ketoowah, and it was so enlarged as to include the heads of all full-blood families, so that from privy council it became a power ful oath-bound organization.
 No Cherokee whose blood has been tainted can become a member, and 1t is said that the penalty for disclosing the simplest secret is death. The chief aim of the Ketoowah at the pres ent day is to perpetuate the legends, customs and language of the Chero- kees The existence of this society ac- counts for something that has often puzzled inquiring persons who have found that it is very rarely that full blood Cherokee does not both read and write his own tongue fuently. They all have a classical Cherokee educa- tion, and as their language is not taught in the public schools, and they have no schools of their own, when and where they learned to write it was a mystery. Every Ketoowah is bound to teach it to his children, and there exists pride among them so strong that the full-blood who has not ac- quired these accomplishments is in continual disgrace and is made to feel his ignorance most keenly and continu- ally. Among it's members are some of the ablest of the Cherokees, Indians who have acquired thorough English educations and who are lawyers, min isters and born leaders. It is natural to suppose that these are the leaders, but this is not known. Certain it is, the society exerts a powerful influence in the government by casting it's en- tire vote as a man for or against cer- tain measures. It is never heard of in politics, and yet it has often been mo- ticed that at an election the full-bloods are sure to support the same ticket. There is no way for candidate to ap- proach the society to secure its sup port, for he does not know who its members are. They select their ticket and vote for it and there are no but tons. The members have a sign lan- guage by which they can converse in- telligently among themselves wholly unobserved and employ this means of communication when others are near. Through the medium of their national paper, one-half of which is printed in Cherokee and is sent free to all citizens who do not read English, the full-blood is thoroughly posted upon all public matters and in fact much more con- versant with affairs of state than his half-blood brother.