Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1894-07-13
INDIAN FREEMASONRY.
A Seors: Soo;ety Existing in tho
Cherokee Nation.
An Ancient Order That iEas for Us OBJECT
the Preservation OF Tribal
Legends anu TIA
d.f.ons.

Not many persons are aware that
there exists alnorg the Chero,Iees
secret society that is hundreds OF years
old. as old, in fact. as the tribe Itself,
and is today stronger than it ever was,
NJ least in numbers. This society is
called the kctooU:ah. vaich, literally
translated, rlea2S elder brother. The
St Louis Post Dispatch saysis is 4 sort
of Indian freenasourr and has its lars
and rules OF ort,.r a. we'll as its officers
and secret Sims SO we'll arc its secrets
and It's doings guarded TIT there are
hundreds OF people living il the Chero-
kee nation. ard who lave lived there
for wears. who are not even aware OF
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 palefacsd brother either by
sauatter sovereignty or bJ squawnen
privileges Only full-bloods ere eligi-
BILE to membership, out SO jealousy is
the ketoowah watched that what elss
is necessary for membership Is not
known outside OF the order. The
society now has a membership of
about 4 thousand full-Oloods. each the
head OF family, and thus the orrani-
zation represents about tive thousand
persons. Formerly TIE Eetoowah only
comprised the chiefs and some few OF
the older men of the tribe. Then it
was all-powerful and exercised full
control over all tribal a1niairs; its
mandate once issued was never ques-
toned even by the most powerful
chief. 1t dictated treaties, proclaimed
war or peace. settled disputes and
guided the welfare of the tribe in all
matters. spiritual AMI temporal Such
was the Ketoowah until within the
past fifty wears. When the white
mans government was formed and the
affairs of the people were taken from
the hands of the few all administered
bv rnen elected by the people and the
Indians saw their power and their
birthright steadily passing away. their
customs and lanG12~e rcceding before
the march Of civilization, they realized
that unless some hing was done to
I countercct these influences the Chero-
kee would soon pass from the face of
the earth. To prevent this became at
| once the object OF the hetoowah. and
il was SO enlarged as to include the
heads OF all full-blood families. so that
/ from privy council it became power
! full oath-bound organization.
No Cherokee whose blood has been
! tainted can become a ulSAbcr, and 1t
is said that the penalty for disclosing
the simplest secret is death. the
chief aim OF the Ketooyvah at the pres
ent day is to perpet1atc the leTends,
customs and language Of the CleTo-
KEGS. The existence of this society ac-
counts for something that has often
puzzled inqniring persons who have
found that it is very rarely that full
blood Cherokee does not both read and
write his own tongue iluently. They
all have a classical Cherokee educa-
ton. 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
q mystery. Every Ketoowah is bound
70 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 kccnly and continu-
ally. Among it's members are some OF
the ablest of the Cherol1ecs, Indians
who have acquired thorough English
educations and who are lawyers. min
listers and born leaders. 1t is natural
to suppose that these are tho leaders,
but this is not known. Certain it is,
the society exerts powerful influence
in the government by casting its en-
tire vote as a man for or against GER
tain measures. 1t is never heard OF II
politics. and yet it has often been no
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 it's
members are. They select their ticket
and vote for it and there are no but
tons. The members have a sign Ian
gage by which they c2n converse in
telligently among themselves wholly
unobservcd and employ this means Of
communication when others are near
Through the medium OF their nationa
paper. one-half of which is printed il
Cherokee and is sent free TO all citizen;
who do not read English, the full-bloot
is thoroughly posted upon all public
matters and ia fact much more con
versant with affairs of state than hi
half-blood brother.