Over-Hill Indian Nation

[flyaway]

Does anyone know anything about this group. They have a Rev/shaman named Tony Adams aka Spiritfeather. Chief is Man many trees. Looking through the friends on Spiritfeathers sight I find very questionable.

http://www.myspace.com/windclanshaman

http://www.overhillcherokee.com/index2.htm

Looks like another cyberspace Cherokee group.

[wolfhawaii]

There are so many of these groups......on a visit to E. TN I saw sections of highway adopted by this group or one similarly named. On a visit I made to Cherokee elder Walker Calhoun in 2006, he mentioned some guy from the "Overhill Indian Nation" claiming to be a "medicine man" who claimed he learned everything he knew "from Walker Calhoun from Cades Cove". Walker never met the guy who claimed this and lives in Big Cove, not Cades Cove. (different state.) Don't know if this is the same outfit but I wouldn't be surprised. Heritage group at best, not a recognized nation.

[BlackWolf]

They're a bunch of fakes beyond the shadow of a doubt.  I wouldn't even be so generous as to say they are a Cherokee Heritage group.  As a Cherokee, its insulting to me to hear these groups called Cherokee heritage groups.  Most of their members probably don't have Cherokee heritage, and as far as culture goes, I can't see anything that even remotely resembles Cherokee culture.  They have made up non Cherokee names.  They have So called clans.  Clans were ONLY passed on through the mother.  End of story.  Even a lot of enrolled Cherokees don't have a clan. The so called Chief is dressed in buckskin and is wearing a bone choker necklace and headband.  That speaks for itself. Also, a lot of fabricated history. 

Heritage Group = Members who actually posess the heritage in question and practice a culture that at least somewhat resembles the culture in question accuratly. 

( family legends and vauge stories with no proof don't count as heritage )
( Hollywood stereotypes of plains NDN Tribes and fabricated history don't count as Cherokee Culture either )

If their based in Tennesee, and knowing what I know about Cherokee History and the Removal, I'm confident that a good number of their people are probably the decendents of the white invaders who stole our homeland in the South East. Now they want to steal our heritage.   

[ten-skey]

This group Does Not Present Proof of Cherokee desent !!!  They Are affliated with the United Cherokee And they Are active IN Florida .    Ten-skey

[BlackWolf]

I guess you mean the United Cherokee Nation aka the "United Cherokee Indian Nation"? 

[Superdog]

Chief Man Many Trees given name is Lee Roy Gibson.

More specifically on his site he says Reverend Dr. Lee Roy Gibson, PhD.

http://www.overhillcherokee.com/vision.htm

The group has been in existence since 1990 as stated on the website and confirmed a few other places.  According to the site it is the result of a "vision quest" by Lee and can include anyone who considers themselves Native American...not just Cherokee.

He states they are not trying for recognition or to get federal funding for anything, but the use of the word "Nation" is definitely misleading and there is some "history" that contains a lot of misinformation about Natives and Native history...especially the tribes in the Northeast.

I've seen a Dr. Lee Gibson PHD show up in a google search for something called The Gibson Method (self help, etc), but I can't confirm if this is the same person.  There's a picture on one website here...  http://www.bvcse.org/newsletters/September20061.pdf  (page 6) that also lists this Dr. Gibson as the founder of the Master Peace Institute....once again unable to confirm if this is the same person.  The pictures are inconclusive.

The website also has CD's and Tapes for sale and samples of them on youtube...
http://www.overhillcherokee.com/cdtape.htm

However at the bottom of this page there is the strange message "All CD's and tapes are free....one for every $15.00 donation"

Not very free...

The site also contains tons of spelling mistakes...the history..not very well researched so I find the claim of Ph.D. to be questionable.  

You can also order the Overhill Cherokee Language Lexicon book and you can order a copy of their bylaws (once again...free for every $20.00 donation...)

Also a vague page on tradition
http://www.overhillcherokee.com/tradition.htm

$15.00 a membership card (just to cover the cost of making it...that's a hell of a card)
State clan chiefs, clans assigned by the chief after he approves your application.....you name it.

Definitely not a real tribe, but as I stated it says that on the main page, but they play out and act like they are a real tribe....always a cause for concern as these groups foster offshoot groups who DO call themselves a real tribe (ie United Cherokee...umm...system?? corp???)

Superdog

[wolfhawaii]

Black Wolf is right, i was too generous in my description.....he called it  as it is.

[Unegv Waya]

http://www.myspace.com/windclanshaman

Nice Goth-Rock video.  Nice artwork.  Just not a real  tribe as has been pointed out.

He says he's in Maryville but does not list a state.  Is he in Maryville, Ohio?

[wolfhawaii]

Tennessee, just below Knoxville.

[flyaway]

yes and this man name is Tony Adams and claims to be a Rev. and a Cherokee Shaman. If you look at his friends list there are some very questionable friends for a "preacher". I have found several my space accounts under different names. He is also on facebook. I emailed him and wanted to talk to the "chief" and he said I had to go through him. I also questioned him on some of their teachings and "traditions" which he ignored and suggested I join the "tribe".

I am still researching the group as I feel there is much not being said. Esp. about this Tony Adams.

 

[ten-skey]

As Of 2010: the Overhill Nation NOW claims to be the Sole remaining Overhill / Tennessee Cherokee Acknowledged as such by both Oklahoma And North Carolina  Cherokee ( Check Their website ) . Christian Euro / Settelers Hobbiests HAVE now moved into the arena of REAL INDIANS : Enpowered by GOD !!!!! Ten-skey

[flyaway]

I emailed Joyce Connley & Elisa at and, eliza-sanders@cherokee.org]  at the CNO about CNO satelite groups here is what I received from Joyce.
 The Cherokee Nation Has 12 of them.  If you go to www.cherokee.org you can find 11 of them.  The one that is not listed is the one in Texas.  The Cherokee Nation reaching out to the Cherokee's in other states.  You do not need to be a Cherokee Nation Citizen to be part of these Organizations. Some of the organizations do charge a fee to help with events because the Cherokee Nation does not pay for everything.

Over the Hill is just another "Nation" with false claims. I keep wandering why so many woman are joining and some very young, I am still researching.   

 

[ten-skey]

As I conveyed ( by the way snows have kept me off line till now ) with the Lawrence county group ( Tenn. ) Tenn historically (till 1960's) HAD VERY STRONGE RACIAL LAWS . Tenn. Is the Original home of the K.K.K. !! So documental Tenn. Cherokee do exist  !! BUT note the Overhill groups claim to have gone As White Since Removal !!!!    Ten-skey

[ten-skey]

On the current Web site ( Overhill Nation )4-02-10 ; Their chief States Both *) They Are A sister group of the Florida bunch ( United Cherokee / Chickamauga  ) And *) They are setting up another ( " cover " ) Web site overhillcherokee.org ( nonprofit 501c3 status ) . Ten-skey

[Unegv Waya]

b. The Governing Council is made up of the Pricipal Chief, the Head Elder, the Head Warrior, the Beloved Woman, the Head of the Women's Council, the Fire Maker, the Medicine Man, the Medicine Woman, the Clan Chiefs, Clan Mothers, Clan Elders, and the Shaman.

From: http://www.overhillcherokee.com/council.htm

The shaman?  Were not the principal medicine people already listed?  Why do they need a medicine person from Siberia?