“After our walk, there were no babies left;”
JAMES SCOTT
The late James Scott, Who died around 1944 at about 110 years of age. He walked the Trail of Tears from the Alabama/Georgia region to Oklahoma when he was 7 to 8 years old. His parents died during the removal.
He was from Okemah, Oklahoma and belonged to Greenleaf Ceremonial Ground.
Since he had outlived most of of his contemporaries, he was a major resource on Creek history and culture. He was well-known for his storytelling abilities. With others he incorporated Greenleaf church in 1910, a little ways from Greenleaf traditional ceremonial grounds and stayed in touch with both groups. At over 100 years old, Scott was alert and talkative. He chewed tobacco and carried his own medicine pouch.
The following is his recollection of The Trail of Tears:
“One morning, when it was already getting cold, a runner came to our village out of breath, saying haltingly “Talking papers. They are sending people with talking papers-people are already disappearing-what’s left behind is being stolen. They are sending us to a burial ground. They keep talking about judgment day. We need to either hide or mix with other tribes up north. These demons are shooting Indians if we resist. I have to warn the next village.” He left and, even though I was just a boy, I knew that something very bad was about to happen-A dark cloud hovered over us. I don’t know how many days went by. We started gathering provisions, we talked about other tribal towns, The earth trembled, and even the trees seemed to be shaking.
The hovering dark cloud brought the evil men sooner than we expected. The soldiers started shooting. The whites rounded us up like cattle and put shackles on the strong men. There was a silent cry-no words-so devastating-silent prayers-then low humming of the chant of communal encouragement. Gun butts were hitting mouths. That morning cold winds blew-like judgment day.
We did not know where we were heading. There were talking papers-more talking papers-The whites would keep on bringing talking papers, and tragedy always followed. Along the trail, they split us up. I lost my mother and father and ended up with an uncle. Little babies sometimes would have their head smashed against a tree. Strong shackled men were used for pulling wagons and chopping wood. Those who got sick were left or dumped by the soldiers. There was hardly any food-People were hungry, cold, and frost bitten. The whites roasted meat and the aroma made you want to die. Each time someone fell, they sacrificed, saying, “Take my blanket-I am going home.” The chilling wind never left us-we have seen blizzards-now we were in one. Even Strong Buffalo would not have survived such a winter.
Somehow, the Creator was with us. Most of the time, children walked; However, sometimes they would be allowed to ride in a wagon with older folks. About the time we reached Indian territory. There were very few of us-mostly older children and shackled men. After our walk, there were no babies left; they killed the babies. Hardly any women made it. I only had one uncle left. We began with about 500 in our group and we wound up with 50 and we wound up near Okemah, Asilanabi, Greenleaf, The places where we finished growing up. These places were near some Christian Indians who had already got there before us. Nitaspoki-The last day – I was always looking for it, but it did not come. It took 20 years for the nightmares to lessen.”
Source: “A Sacred Path
The Way of the Muscogee Creeks”
Photo is of James Scott
**************************************************************************************************
I was thinking of the term he used… “Talking Papers,” and how things haven’t really changed. So-called civilized society writes down their rules and laws (including religion) and then uses people to go out and spread the word by reading what is written on the pages with the INTENT of having other OBEY…
The papers can’t talk for themselves. they aren’t living or conscious; they have no voice. Take away the paper and the words written on them and the TALKING HEADS that are blindly reciting them and there is nothing to obey…. Shenreed