Native American Scotsman Allowed feathers

**Mouse1987** · 6th September 17, 02:46 PM

I hear you Davidpope, cultural frustration is tough, but those of Native and Scottish heritage have practiced elaborate embroder, beadwork and feather wearing on the Glengarry since the early 1700's I would like to partake in that historical cultural blend as it is a great door to talk about the historical impact of early Scotsman in the United States. However I just want to make sure i am doing so without infringing on the rights of chiefs etc. To which as discussed I think that any feather that is not an eagle feather would be appropriate if hung off the back of the Glengary. would be the solution.

Macrob,
Eastern band Cherokee is extremely strict. Oklahoma only goes off the Dawes rolls, there are actually 15 Federal Cherokee Census rolls. My ancestors are on the Miller roll (The census before the Baker roll was taken) The Hester Roll, The Henderson roll. Therefore we can not get Federal Recognition only State recognition. The State recognized tribes won our rights to have eagle feathers in 2013. Although we can not use the repository they can not be confiscated and we can not legally be fined to possession according to the 5th district Federal Court ruling.
Your family may not be able to enroll federally but if you can prove your lineage with birth, death and marriage records to a family member on the other federal rolls you could possibly get state recognition for your family. Although Cherokee Nation isn't a fan of it, it would protect your religious rights. Sadly the only culture/religion regulated by the Government....

**Father Bill** · 6th September 17, 05:10 PM

If I understand correctly, your first nation wears the feathers at the back and pointed down. If I'm right, why not just do that and leave off the Balmoral or Glen? Then you would be a first peoples individual wearing a kilt. It's when the feathers go on the Balmoral or Glen that they start to look like a misuse or a strange application.

**Mouse1987** · 6th September 17, 06:49 PM

Father Bill,

Well a lot of men that wear kilts do not have the long hair like I do. Luckily I could just put them behind tied in my hair, but if i wear the hat with them that can result badly as they're safer if attached to the hat (I have tried this before with a baseball hat and it was most unfavourable as the feathers could not be removed when sitting down etc and would often be crushed against car seats etc) I would want to attach them to the Glen/Balmoral, Personally I choose the Glen because it's more historically accurate for Scot-Cherokee, I think the earliest example I could find of a Native person wearing one was from 1860. But I have yet to talk to other Citizens, again Scot-Natives are few and far between. I wanted to ask here firstly as there seemed in the other conversations proior to this it would be a drop off when people found out they can't have the feathers here #1 and #2 they wanted to wear them to "look cool" where as for me it's religious and cultural.

I don't see how there could be any confusion if the feathers were attached to the back of the glen or balmoral when they would be hanging down between the ribbons towards the back. That's how the few Scot-Native men i have seen have worn them. But I don't think i would ever wear it with eagle, only with hawk and owl feathers. There has been no arguments presented in our native community when they are worn the above way during our events but again, there seems to be more of a rule on the Scottish side.

If your feather is not attached to your clan badge on the side or to the toorie I see little thought as to how it could be mistaken as a chief feather, especially when eagle feathers and hawk feathers look nothing alike. My Hawk tail feathers are from Red tail hawks which are a rusty red color with stripes. The owl feathers tend to be a yellow brown black stripes. Eagle feathers tend to be white with dark brown/black tips no stripes.

But again I think it's also an interesting bit of history that is forgotten of the alliance between scotsmen and the native people. I guess to further break it down perhaps it has more then to do, like you were saying, with the American Scottish blend. It's like how our Cherokee people speak different dialects depending where you are, Same people, different traditions because isolation evolves. What is and is not acceptable is more of a "when" and "where" you are at and the community therein.

So I think I will respectively decide that no, even if you're native wearing an eagle feather isn't appropriate unless you are one of the mentioned 3. Substitute by wearing one or two hawk/owl feathers on the back facing down attached at the base before the ribbon would be acceptable and presentable, depending on event, at no time should eagle feathers be worn out of respect for clan chiefs etc. I will not wear them on a Glengarry unless I am wearing my directly inherited clan tartan or the specific "Cherokee" tartan gifted to native people to wear as a symbol of brotherhood it would be a conflict of interest in my opinion.

I humbly ask for a closing to this post as it seems the answer has been pondered and remains a personal decision but clarified that Eagle feathers out of respect and tradition in this way, should only be used by the above mentioned 3. These are the rules I will hold myself to, should I so choose to wear my hawk/owl feathers. Hopefully any other Scot-Native will also see fit that eagle feathers are not used in the same way and another feather will do, after all they're all earned not given.