Author Topic: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith  (Read 49060 times)

Offline WINative

  • Posts: 171
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #30 on: August 07, 2015, 11:28:34 pm »
I would encourage the moderators to put this in the Fraud section since self-admitted Non-Native but still made past claims of being Native and running programs as Native programs and collecting fees I'm sure. It will help protect the people of this area.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #31 on: August 14, 2015, 02:01:25 am »
The photos and screenshots this blog entry refers to are at the link.

---------
http://ancestorstealing.blogspot.com/2015/08/michelle-smith-aka-weeya-wakeeweeya.html

Michelle Smith aka Weeya Wakee/Weeya Smith 

First rule to this post, all information and content of this blog is PUBLIC information, including photographs that have been posted publicly by Michelle Smith aka Weeya, and genealogy information which is public record.

 As stated earlier, I generally do not post about Cherokee frauds. This is because I am not Cherokee, and there are many Cherokee people who deal with these kind of frauds who doing appropriation of their culture. But I was sent a screen shot of this woman's claims a while back.

[screenshot]

 I chuckled over this, because this woman is obviously trying to say her family is on the Dawes rolls, here are surnames, but gee, she will not give first names. Even though no first names are given, it still can be researched out. But, someone else beat me to it.

 On a discussion group, this was posted by various people regarding Michelle Smith:

 "http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cherokeenativeamericansclub/conversations/topics/1825
 September 9, 2006
 Michelle McCormick
 Wrote
 Weeyawakee
 My family comes from N.C. originally but migrated to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, where I was born. There was a settlement of Natives on Oneonta, Alabama where my family lived. They were a mixture of Natives.
 Wado-Weeya Wakee"

 So a genealogist begins to work on Michelle's claims:

 "I have researched the paternal line to the 1840s and each and every family member is listed as White.
 I've gone as far back as Mahulda Johnson, daughter of John and Sarah Johnson. The family appears on the
 1840 U.S. Census in Cherokee County, North Carolina and are listed as White. John was born about 1809 and
 Sarah was born about 1810. The paternal line clearly is not Cherokee and did not walk on the Trail Where They Cried.

  Paternal family surnames include McCormick, Nowling, Johnson, Lindsey, Prescott, and Cain."

 "Juanette McBride was the daughter of Horace B. McBride; Here's a link to his 1935 census record:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNKW-PB3"

  "Here's a link to the 1850 Census Record for Mahulda Johnson, one of Michelle McCormick Smith's ancestors from
 Cherokee County, North Carolina."

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4YB-NMT

 Of course there is a lot more on her family genealogy that shows she is not Cherokee, she is not Shawnee, and I doubt there is Penobscot, that she claims a "dash" to.

 This gets very interesting...

 Michelle posted this on July 29, 2015, and pay close attention to that date, because she was busy spamming the NAFPS message board system, and a moderator got after her, so she replied...

 "

 Logged
 


Offline Weeya Wakee Smith


•Posts: 3


Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith 

« Reply #20 on: July 29, 2015, 10:58:55 pm »


My apologizes. I was trying to edit a post that I made years ago, December of 2010,  where I made an error, but someone brought this to my attention. I would like to correct the post and say that though I have family members who are enrolled, I am not enrolled. I tried to correct the post, but was unable, therefore I am posting it here."

 It took her over four years to realize she made a error in stating she was enrolled, when in fact, she is not? And she did not claim just one enrollment, she claimed being enrolled in both the Eastern Band of Cherokee and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. You cannot be duel enrolled with those tribes.

  So now comes the true reason for blogging about Weeya Wakee Michelle Smith, and her over four year change of her post....

 I have recently learned, group of eight people, was sent a letter dated July 28th, 2015 from a Barry Stern, attorney from West Bend, WI, and honestly, this would be sad if it were not so pathetic.

 First, this letter sent to eight people, but only one person is directly addressed... the letter is directed to one person, and at the end CC'd to seven others that got copies of the original, and these seven others are not mentioned anywhere else in the letter except the sentence"  "As you know, you (and the other individuals receiving copies of this letter)" the letter goes on to "Direct" people to "remove" all defamatory actions or statements published within 14 days from the writing of the letter.

 *Only a judge hearing this case can order someone to remove something they wrote from online*

 Of the eight people, two people who were CC'd do not live at the addresses listed, nor even in the state of which the letters were sent. One person who the letter was sent to, and accused of posting in Facebook groups about Weeya Michelle Smith is not a member of those groups, seven of the eight are not involved in a message board of which they were accused of writing about Michelle Smith, and of all eight, none has ever posted to her, or about her on the message board they are accused of doing.

 The letter gets better.

 Mr. Stern goes on to state "I have reviewed Weeya's ancestry and genealogy records with her. There is no question that Weeya is of Cherokee descent, both sides of her mother's side and on her father's side"

 Obviously. Mr. Stern has no legal authority to state if anyone is Cherokee! There are three Federally Recognized Cherokee tribes, two of those FEDERALLY recognized tribes, his client has claimed to be from. That is the Eastern Band of Cherokee, and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. AND Only those tribes have the AUTHORITY to say who is, and who is NOT of their Nations.

Mr. Stern has no authority to order anyone to do anything! We are talking about PUBLIC records. HIS client has made PUBLIC statements which are FALSE and she is MISREPRESENTING herself to be something SHE IS NOT!

 One person who was sent the letter has never posted about Weeya Michelle Smith, but upon request of one of the tribal leaders, asked them to contact Weeya Michelle Smith, in private, about her claim to being Shawnee and having ancestors on the Dawes, as there are THREE Federally Recognized Shawnee tribes, and only one of those tribes uses the Dawes, because if her claims were true, she could enroll in that tribe! I was told that Weeya was contacted and she replied, in a very rude and condescending manor. This persons ONLY contact with Weeya Michelle Smith, in a private message which is not public... Mr. Stern has threatened this person with defamation suit, but the person he made the threat to never said a word in public, and private is not defamation, because it must be published to be defamation.

 So, to set this record straight, in order to continue with her appropriation of others cultures,  Michelle Smith went and got a attorney, who he wants to try to bully people into not saying anything to nor about Michelle.

[photo]

 Photo above is a photograph that Weeya Michelle Smith published in a public setting so therefore no copyright is involved I have no idea who the guy is that is with her. Michelle claims she dresses "Pre European contact" Her attorney claims "she gives historically accurate presentations about the Southeast Woodland people, dressed in historically correct attire"   see the red paint across Michelle's face? Cherokee women do not paint their faces. Around her neck she wears clam shells, the Cherokee women do not wear clam shells, Native people did not have cloth before European contact.

 Michelle has been busy deleting comments she has made, deleting and changing things on her websites, but there are some really savvy people who have gotten screen shots of the things she has written, and the claims she has made long before she had Mr. Stern send out the letters.

 I think about Barry Stern and his client Weeya Michelle Smith, and I have to wonder, do they know the tribes will back their tribe members on these appropriation and false representation issues?  Do they think that the few they have tried to silence will not be silent? They have FREEDOM of SPEECH, and if they can PROVE Weeya Michelle Smith is MISREPRESENTING HERSELF with documents from the US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT on HER family, then, where will Weeya Michelle Smith and her attorney stand in court? Will they be charged with false prosecution? Counter suits will be filed.

 Perhaps Mr. Stern should consider sending out some apology letters to the people he has made false accusations to.  The Wisconsin BAR Code of Ethics does have a issue of misrepresentation of facts to non clients. It only takes one person, of the many who got this letter, to file a complaint.

 Mr. Stern, you want this column removed? Think about that apology.

 In ending, I will say, Michelle is a beautiful woman, and sadly, from what I have seen from her attitude to others who question her, is not pretty. Michelle, keep the red paint off your face, it is insulting to Cherokee women.

 One other ending note... What is Mr. Stern going to do if some of these people who he sent letters to, or those who are posting, live on reservations? Did he consider that for one second? How much money does his client have to take this case to a Indian reservation, which would be heard in a tribal court. How far can this simple little issue be pushed? 

Posted Yesterday by Sam

Offline Keely

  • Posts: 103
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #32 on: August 15, 2015, 07:42:19 am »
I seen a new post today that outlines the accusations, screen captures were used to support the people against Weeya. I would post a link but don't know how from my iPad.

Offline Keely

  • Posts: 103
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #33 on: August 15, 2015, 08:08:24 am »
[Added the text of the link. Photos and screen saves at link. Sam's blog has definitive proof of her charging for ceremony. Moved to Frauds.-Al.]

I think I got the link to second story
---------
http://ancestorstealing.blogspot.com/2015/08/michelle-mccormick-smith-aka-weeya.html

I am amused by this attorney that Michelle Smith aka Weeya Smith has hired to write her letters. Yes, I was sent a copy of the letter in a PDF file. I would like to address a few things this attorney, Barry Stern of West Bend, WI. had addressed in this group letter.

 The letter states people are spreading "false and defamatory statements" about Michelle Weeya Smith. Some of these statements are:

"She lies about her Cherokee ancestry"   But, she has never proven her Cherokee ancestry, does this attorney not know this would be requested in any court action? Does he not realize the defendants would request this information from his client during interrogatories? The tribes Michelle has claimed would produce expert, certified, genealogist to produce federal records on Michelle's family showing their history, and their race?

 What does Michelle Smith aka Weeya Smith claim?

[Screen saves]

 Did I read that right? She "can't help" herself? She has made some very bold claims to who her ancestors are. These claims are very simple to prove, or disprove.

 The name "Moytoy" is a interesting name. It is used a lot with other names, generally as Michelle has done here, she used it with Dragging Canoe. Now, I am not a expert in Cherokee genealogy, but I do know quite a few of them, and all agree, there was never a Cherokee named Moytoy. Where this myth began, no one seems to know, but there has never been any recorded Cherokee named Moytoy, specifically one associated with Dragging Canoe.

 I highly doubt that Michelle Smith, aka Weeya knows that a few of these families she claims are very well documented. Notice, she claims in her post "I love having my family documented". Interesting, don't you think?

 The attorney states that people are falsely claiming that Michelle Smith aka Weeya Smith charges schools for her Cherokee presentations. I do not know anything about that, but if she is not Cherokee she should not be falsely teaching children that she is Cherokee. But, lets look at what she had on her website:

[Screen saves]

 Oh, snap! Second paragraph she states she charges 350.00 plus gas and lodging! Third paragraph she states "Fee's for Children's Art Camp/Classes" vary! Oh she did not forget the charge for gas and lodging on that one either. But, give the attorney some credit, he did say "schools" I guess one would have to admit a "mistake" if they "accidentally" included schools in her prices... just like Michelle Smith "accidentally" said she was enrolled in 2010.

 The attorney states that Michelle Smith, aka Weeya Smith, has been falsely accused of selling her item as Indian made. Hummm, let's see, so far she presents herself as a Cherokee, claims her family line, she does living living history as a "Cherokee" gives Native art classes, and she does sell some of her art, but she does not want anyone to think it is Cherokee made? I can say, I for one am glad this matter is all cleared up, specially since Michelle admits her work is not Cherokee or Indian made via her attorney, Barry Stern. Maybe when she is selling her stuff, presenting it, or teaching it, she should not dress up and say she is dressed as a Cherokee woman as well?

 I fully confess, I am a huge fan of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act and will support the cause from people who want to break that law. I cheer on IACA Board, for their job is thankless, and I say, Thank You to the workers who do the job!

 Those who are receiving the letter from attorney Barry Stern are to stop saying Michelle Smith, aka Weeya Smith, claims to be enrolled in the Cherokee Nation, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

[Screen save]

 The above posting was made by Michelle Smith, aka Weeya Smith, this was posted on powwows.com in her bio section where she states under "Tribal Affiliation" she wrote "Eastern Band Cherokee"

[Screen save]

 And right there, at the Kalamazoo Living History Show, she is listed "Weeya Wakee Smith of the Cherokee Nation"  Could the Kalamazoo have "accidentally" listed Michelle as Cherokee Nation? Nawwwww, I am sure that is what she told them.

 So let us get up to date on this, Michelle Smith, aka Weeya Smith, complains to her attorney that people are "falsely accusing her of claiming to be a member of the Eastern Cherokee and the Cherokee Nation" and she is being "defamed" by such statements? Really? She is only being "defamed" because she got called out on her lie! You cannot be enrolled both Eastern Cherokee and Cherokee Nation, they are two different tribes, and Michelle knows it! She just did not know you could not be enrolled in both tribes. And that is not the only mistake she has made!

 The letter also accuses the people it was sent to, of accusing poor little Michelle Weeya Smith of false accusations of hacking websites to send people nasty emails. What could poor little Michelle have ever said to have that said about her? Shall we look?

[Screen save]

 Now I do not know if people have accused Michelle of hacking their accounts, or sending nasty emails, but,if you read her own posts, she really sets herself up for this kind of information to get out there.

 Cherokee women do not dress like this:

[Photo]

 Cherokee women do not wear clam shells like this:

[Photo]

 Cherokee women DO NOT paint their face, nor a mask of red across their eyes. This is not a example of a history correct Cherokee woman, it is not a example of the Cherokee women at all! Yet, people are gullible into believing her, she is hired to do things and represent Cherokee people, and she is OFFENDED that the Cherokee people do not appreciate and are insulted at what she is doing?

 Her attorney and Weeya Michelle Smith are taking offense to others calling this woman a "FRAUD" but hey, if that shoe fits, put it on and lace it up!

 For whatever my opinion is worth, if this Michelle Smith and her attorney filed any action in court, when the defendants 1) counter filed and the case went 2) interrogatories and 3) evidence produced, there would need to be some serious considerations done on the part of Mz. Smith and her attorney,

 Be careful of what you ask for Michelle,  you are leaving footprints all over the place.

 To Barry Stern, you really should not advise clients to change their posts, no matter the reason, the posts you told your client to correct, (after the fact) is possibly assisting in a fraudulent act.   

Posted Yesterday by Sam
« Last Edit: August 15, 2015, 09:17:42 pm by educatedindian »

Offline loudcrow

  • Posts: 220
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #34 on: August 15, 2015, 12:39:22 pm »
Her mother was  Juanette McBride, the daughter of Horace B. McBride. Horace was the son of Thomas A. and Bama
(maiden name unknown) McBride.

Bama Mcbride
United States Census, 1940
Name    Bama Mcbride
Event Type    Census
Event Date    1940
Event Place    Election Precinct 2, Santa Rosa, Florida, United States
Gender    Female
Age    63
Marital Status    Married
Race (Original)    White
Race    White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original)    Wife
Relationship to Head of Household    Wife
Birthplace    Alabama
Birth Year (Estimated)    1877
Last Place of Residence    Same Place
Household
   
Role
   
Gender
   
Age
   
Birthplace
T A Mcbride    Head    M    67    Alabama
Bama Mcbride    Wife    F    63    Alabama
Owald Mcbride    Son    M    18    Florida
Orbia Mcbride    Son    M    20    Alabama
Vera Mae Mcbride    Wife    F    17    Florida
Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTCR-7WX : accessed 15 August 2015), Bama Mcbride in household of T A Mcbride, Election Precinct 2, Santa Rosa, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 57-3, sheet 29A, family 251, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 616.



Offline loudcrow

  • Posts: 220
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #35 on: August 15, 2015, 02:00:19 pm »
According to the 1880 U.S. Census, there were 5 females whose first name was Bama who were
born in Alabama in 1877:

Bama A. Thomas
Bama Gregory
Bama King
Bama Knight
Bama Craig

The race of these individuals on the census record is either Black or White.

Offline loudcrow

  • Posts: 220
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #36 on: August 15, 2015, 03:01:02 pm »
An earlier post shows her referring to a J. Lindsey on the Dawes Rolls as being her family.

She is descended from John Larkin  Lindsey who was born on August 25, 1825 in Alabama to John and Susan Lindsey. He married Sarah Rebecca Prescott who was born on March 16, 1834 in Coffee, Alabama to William Daniel Prescott and Harriet Elizabeth Richbourg.

John Lindsey was born in 1798 in South Carolina. His wife, Susannah Maxey was born
in 1802 in North Carolina. She was the daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Allen Maxey who was born
about 1780 in Virginia. This family is well-documented (photos included!) and can easily be found by
searching for John Larkin Lindsey.




Offline loudcrow

  • Posts: 220
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #37 on: August 15, 2015, 03:23:26 pm »
Here's a great video from the Cherokee Nation about pre-contact clothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6du8wTWFOg

Offline WINative

  • Posts: 171
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #38 on: January 16, 2017, 07:53:23 pm »
Unfortunately she is being advertised in the Oneida tribal paper as leading a smudging workshop during their Midwinter gatherings at a privately owned store near the Oneida reservation in Wisconsin.I also noticed another well-known fraud there also, Dennis " Rocky" King.

https://www.facebook.com/TurtleIslandGifts/

Piff

  • Guest
Re: The Medicine Way; Weeya Wakee Smith
« Reply #39 on: January 16, 2017, 09:20:16 pm »
Quote
Myself, my children and my family are tribally enrolled with the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, a state recognized tribe.

Quote
Being enrolled in a state recognized tribe guarantees my work as "Native American Made".  All my work is legally Native American made or Indian made and covered under the federal law - The Indian Arts & Crafts Act of 1990.

http://www.weeyasmith.com/about.html

The Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, Inc.  http://echotacherokeetribe.homestead.com/about.html

Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, Inc
Formation Date    2-19-1993
http://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=075146&page=name&file=&type=ALL&status=ALL&place=ALL&city=

Quote
Recognition by an American state government is not the same as recognition on the federal level, or recognition by continually existing Indian tribes.

The Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians include the Echota on their list of "fraudulent groups."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echota_Cherokee_Tribe_of_Alabama