Anyway, he's back with this group now
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165324326860315/ - the Chief Iron Horse Tribe - which has a whole 10 members.
Chief Iron Horse Tribe is a place of sanctuary where we can come together in harmony and express our feelings. This tribe is open to everyone; however we will not tolerate any negative language directed at each other. In this tribe, we are all ONE as the Creator intended. Violate this single rule and you will be expelled. The following is my mission statement from my experience. I trust that my tribe shares my views. Chief Iron Horse;
Today’s Indian, part Indian or non-Indian, when faced with wanting to participate in Indian culture find themselves in one of three groups. It’s so sensitive that some will argue, no there are two groups, no six groups, no, no, no. Those people just want to argue and they are generally below the age of 40. You have seen them before. When they were in their 20’s, they knew it all. To clarify matters you have to first define “what is an Indian.” That’s the biggest hurtle you have to get over before one chooses or finds which group they are in.
As a full blood Mississippi Choctaw elder near 70 and possessing a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal government agency, I have seen this. When I was a young boy growing up in Oklahoma, there was obviously only one definition – “you had Indian blood.” Sixty years later we have another way to consider being Indian and that is a “state of mind;” by knowing our culture, breathing, eating and living the Indian way. If one believes in reincarnation, who’s to say a non-Indian wasn’t an Indian in another lifetime. Quite frankly, the “state of mind” group is larger than the group that I am from.
Achafa Group: The first group is made up of people just like me. They grew up knowing they were Indian and fighting because they were Indian. Many of us possess Certificate Degree of Indian Blood or CDIB cards from the federal government. Many Indians from my period do not have a card but know without a doubt they are Indian. Some of them may not be full blood, but have substantial blood, at least one half or three quarter. Some will boast that they’re Indian and don’t need a card. They have to take that stance because they don’t have a card. If they had one, they would do just as I do and state that they have a card.
The Traditional Indian will come from this group. There are many tribes in this group, like the Lakota, the Five Civilized Tribes, the northern tribes, the southwestern tribes and the tribes north in Canada. Another subgroup within this group is the “Haters.” They don’t want you to have any part of their culture. They may live in the past and envision what it once was like. They would want to go there, but leave you behind. I do not share their belief that Indian names are sacred. I tell them; “God/our Creator’s name is Sacred. Do you think your Indian name is on the same level as God’s? Another thing I do not believe in is the sacred white buffalo. It is a Lakota story and I did not witness it. These people shame me and mankind.
Tuklo Group: This is by far the largest group of all. The Tuklo group of people has good reason to believe they are part Indian but lack the documentation and/or credentials to prove Indian blood. There are many reasons why, however it is a moot point. If you cannot prove it, you cannot prove it. Therefore you must go through life fighting the first group Achafa. The Tuklo group of people has a subgroup as well. They border on being a “hater,” too. This group of people are quick to state that they are Indian. They live, breath, eat and learn our culture and do so like they are absolutely Indian. They are quick to overstep their boundaries and not give acknowledgement to the first group Achafa. They can be disrespectful to the very group they want to be a part of. They can have a tendency to be “in your face with their Indian-ness.” Now the “haters” from the Achafa group despise this and it fuels their hate even more. That said, we cannot ignore the Tuklo group of individuals because, even though they lack credentials, they are very passionate about their beliefs. One day when the Achafa group has died off, the Tuklo group will become the exception to the rule.
Tuchina Group: This group knows without a doubt that they are not Indian. They gravitate to our culture because they identify with the values, beliefs and customs of our ancient way of life. They respect and appreciate everything about the Indian race and are sympathetic to our plight. They researched and know our history, too. If one believes in reincarnation, who’s to say a non-Indian wasn’t an Indian in another lifetime. The Tuchina group has a kindred spirit and wants to celebrate our culture any way they can. They are the most respectful of the three groups. When intelligent, caring people read about how the American Indian was treated, they are sickened. They despise what our founding fathers did to the Indians. Taking away our land was all about greed. That said, the government owes me nothing today. I stand alone and am not bitter for what has been done cannot be reversed. Those that suffered so long ago, are not here to be restored.
Bottom line, life should be about giving respect and having compassion for those who are struggling. We see this being played out in Washington today. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see which party is similar to the government of the past. The gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” has never been greater.
‘The American Indian was despised by the ‘white man’ because we lived a life of poverty and simplicity, uncivilized in their eyes. Our religion, or a better term, ‘the great mystery’, forbids the accumulation of great wealth and enjoyment of luxury. It is the ancient way of single-minded men in every age and race from the beginning of time; the love of possessions is a snare. The burdens of a complex society create a source of needless peril and temptation. It is the rule of our life to share the fruits of our skill and success with the less fortunate members of our family, clan or tribe. When we starve, the whole tribe starves. When we eat, the whole tribe eats and fills our bellies. The ancient Indian knows that food is good, while the excess of it kills; love is good, but lust destroys. The building of great cities, creating crowded and unsanitary dwellings, caused the loss of spiritual powers which came from closeness with one’s fellow man. All who have lived in the Creator’s cathedrals know there is a magnetic and nervous force that accumulates in solitude, but is quickly dissipated by life in a close nit crowd.’ The Invisible Tribe
Now you may ask what does this have to do with the Chief Iron Horse Tribe. It’s about respect. When someone disrespects you, you must challenge them. I don’t mean a physical challenge, but in an intellectual way. I, we are to cause no harm, but there are others that will want to influence or impose their will on us. Who do they think they are?
I am the Chief of this tribe. I will stand and take the harsh words and arrows that they fling in our direction. I do not want my members to be abused. I want to provide a place of sanctuary where we can come together in harmony and express our feelings. With large number we might even have a bigger voice and actually accomplish something tangible. Now when someone pushes me, I push back ten times harder. Now please don’t do that, but at least stand up and believe in something. “You must stand for something or you stand for nothing at all and you are invisible.” Chief Iron Horse.
This tribe cannot survive and grow if new member and current members do not help recruit good people to join the tribe. Please assist. Join the Iron Horse Tribe group and receive a Lifetime Membership & full color certificate with your Indian name and legal name Cost is $50.00 or 2 for $75 plus 4.95 S&H for each Certificate. You can use PayPal using my e-mail address adrianroman42@gmail.com to pay or send check or money order to Adrian Roman 3302 Briaroaks Dr. Garland, TX 70544
