Author Topic: Charles A. Laster  (Read 47134 times)

Offline Ingeborg

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #15 on: July 21, 2015, 05:44:27 pm »
Ingeborg

“@Autumn,

I just asked Mr Laster to provide an intro, because I am somewhat puzzled by differing tribal affiliations mentioned. Apparently, he is called a Weapemeoc in newer entries, but Mr Laster also keeps a blog in which he claims to belong to the Notoweega Nation.”

Sorry I don’t blog myself, I was added to a group that is with the Notoweega Nation as I am distantly related to several members of the group. Also I don’t approve of some of that tribes legal tactics, but not my place to say anything.

I am Man’toUghQueMend tribe of the Weapemeoc Nation, but like many, the blood of other tribes flows in my veins, my mother is Cherokee and I have distant relations in many tribes. Laster is a rare surname but found in tribe coast to coast, both recognized tribes and those not reognized.

I'd like to second Autumn's question: How come you claim Weapemeoc when they ceased to exist long time ago?

Furthermore, you weren't simply 'added to a group' - you joined yourself:

http://thereddoorcasino.com/notoweega/index.php/community/profile/998-chief-laster/about

Quote
Name:
Charles Anthony Laster
Timezone:
America/Chicago
Gender:
Male
Birthday:
24 Sep 1959
Address:
126 North xxxxxxx.
Mayfield
Kentucky
42066 United States
Mobile Number:
1270873xxxx



http://thereddoorcasino.com/notoweega/index.php/community/profile/998-chief-laster

Quote
Chief Laster just registered on the site 11 months ago

Have you been too busy these last 11 months to correct such an - errm: minor glitch as in what you are and what you aren't?


And you say you're 'distantly related' to some Notoweega? Apparently, they view you differently.
This is from their section "Council & Administration":

http://thereddoorcasino.com/notoweega/index.php/confederacy-members-professors

Quote
Council & Administration
Sachem Charles Laster

So far it seems you decided to have more than one horse in the race. As far as I've been told, tribal affiliation does not work that way.



Epiphany

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #16 on: July 21, 2015, 06:09:54 pm »
The academia.edu site does not allow for accurate copy and pasting unless you are signed in, so I'll upload copies of some of Charles Laster's work here. Sign in here at forum to view.

Declaration of Sovereignty
Of The Weapemeoc Tribal Nation
January 1, 2015

History of the Weapemeoc Tribal Nation in Kentucky

The History of Islam and the American Indian Tribal Nation
Known as the Weapemeoc


Epiphany

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #17 on: July 21, 2015, 06:18:55 pm »
Uploaded is obituary of Mr. Laster's father, from 27 October 2009, Paducah Sun newspaper.

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #18 on: July 21, 2015, 11:29:38 pm »
Just found the link and have not gotten to view much yet, give me a bit, seems to be a lot of posts already

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #19 on: July 22, 2015, 01:03:57 am »
Ingeborg, Autumn.

Notoweega Nation:
Covered this in the other thread. I have some distant relation in that group and provided some minor business advice. Was not aware that they gave me a spot on their tribal web site for such minor assistance as a professor I assume, which I am not, as I am not a tribal member either.

Diana

Paducah Community College did not go out of business. Kentucky combined two-year colleges and Voc. Tech into one branch of the education system, and the name was changed. Records still there and available through West Kentucky Voc. Tech, which I also attended for machine shop at one time. It was a self paced course, and I was allowed in the VICA competition because I was close to graduation. I was able to complete it quickly only because I had been apprenticed as a gunsmith before enrolling.

Mid-Continent did go bankrupt, but my records are still available through Murray State University and other accredited universities they had a closing agreement with.

Autumn

“I cannot find your name on the Indigenous Peoples United Nations Facebook”

And you give the public page, the main working page is secret, sorry. And yes I am not listed, as I was not one of the original core group, and only brought in shortly before their charter signing. I am still trying to get up to speed with the group, its members and so on.

Here is what I said about the group’s history on the other thread.

“As to why I am investigating people directly involved with the IPUN, I need to give some background.

We are a tiny tribal nation, and are not seeking recognition by the BIA or any state. We have instead focused on international relations and we have spent considerable time building a relationship with tribes around the world.

The Zo Reunification Organization, ZoRO is one of our closest international allies. I was going to travel there in August to formally start an international alliance we had been discussing for some time.

A small group that also saw the need for such an international organization started the IPUN. They had political contacts, but little else. The UN wanted them to represent tribes from around the world before it would accept their charter, and they were not given much time to do it. So they started frantically searching the net for groups to contact. By chance they saw the ZoRO main site and my campaign to raise funds to speak at their conference in August.

Thus ZoRO and some of my other allies as well joined the IPUN with us before the charter was official signed. At the time of the Charter signing, 99% of the tribes and people represented were my allies, several hundred tribes representing around 1.25 million indigenous people. These were just the ones I could get to quickly before the UN deadline.

As a result we have become part of the core leadership of this newly formed organization, but I do not know these people that started the IPUN and have no history with them.

The IPUN members did not entirely trust me either. After all no one has ever heard of my tribe or nation, as we have been largely forgotten by historians. Only in the last few days have they started to address me by my title as Sachem."

I expected the members of this group to be equally suspicious of me, and I don’t blame you in the least for checking me out as well.”

Autumn

“Also, the IPUN is not "registered with the UN as an international indigenous organization", but it is listed at the UN as an NGO (non-governmental organization, which "is a group whose members are individuals or associations"), so I think you need to get your terms right.”

You are quite right, I should, especially here it seems where every word is examined, but as I said, I am still playing catch-up since joining the IPUN

Also if you read our history with the IPUN, you will see I am not with the traditional people of the Ottawa River Watershed or anyone they consulted with. Just a tiny tribal nation with some contacts to other tribal groups overseas, but we ere the first tribal nations and groups to be with the IPUN at the time of the charter signing.

Cherokee Descent:
Yes, my mother is Cherokee, my dad Weapemeoc, and I got a half a dozen other tribes in my blood, just like a lot of other Native Americans, and proud of them all.

Stage Hand:
Yes I was a stagehand IATSE Local 281, what is so unusual about that, my father was a union stagehand?

Little Feather:
Yes Little Feather was my tribal nickname in my youth, and I have used it for much of my life.

Piff

Congratulations on digging father back than anyone else so far on this thread, my hats off to you on that one.

After a severe heart attack I was unable to work and got interested in physics to pass the time, as well as some online RPG games, and various forums. Aireal and Arueal were two of the name I used at that time.

"His full name is Charles A. Laster. Here is his proposal for a new type of currency"

Piff, I know you don’t owe me anything, but can you remove this post. I was asked to take down copies by the IPUN while work is being done on that project, but Research Gate will not let me take it down.

The same info is found in this paper, with the name Wheel Money and no mention of the IPUN
https://www.academia.edu/6884274/An_Economic_Model_For_Native_Nations_Tribes

Please and thank you


Autumn

You found discrepancies in our history, and I am sure you will find more. Easy to explain if you care to listen.

When the Scimitar was passed down to me, my tribe was close to dead, and had only a few extended family who still cared anything about it left in West Kentucky. We had some oral stories and histories passed down and were called the Laster tribe.

I resolved to learn as much and record as much as I could before we faded away completely. By chance I meet remnants of the Yeopim tribe in North Carolina, and the Erie Moundbuilders who were also related to us, and their Chief knew the story of the Scimitar well. His grandmother was a member of the Laster tribe in NC recorded by historians in the early 1900’s.

Yes my distant cousin Tecumseh Brown-Eagle is quite eccentric, but family is family. I don’t agree with a lot of his views, and I doubt he agrees with all of mine.

Here is what little I know of his tribe. They are Algonquins from Erie region south to the Ohio, and probably only a few from any one tribe. The branch of the Laster Tribe mentioned by historians moved from NC to Detroit in the 50’s and joined them. Their tribal government is a strange mix of Islamic and Native traditions.

Also a few scatted people who still maintained their some identity were also found, and we slowly, along with historical records that matched out oral history, reconstructed what we could of the past.

How is this any different than a number of other tribes around the world devastated by colonialism and assimilation?

Piff

“I believe the Laster Tribe was simply a community of people who were identified as mixed-race. They were named after the surname (including variations)  of some or many of their community members.”

That is probably the most accurate statement yet, and yes there is doubt about whether we had NDN heritage. We blended into society to hide and nearly died out due to assimilation from that choice. For most of the history of the US, being Indian was not a good thing.

But on that note, those same surnames are found in a number of tribes, unlikely that we would have married into so many tribes if we did not have some native blood in us.

Did I get our history right, I hope so, and did I make mistakes, probably.

However when we appealed to the Royal Family and the UK concerning our status with them, we had to go through a process similar to formal recognition in the US to prove our claim.

They found the sum total of the evidence convincing, and we got our ruling.

Am I a fraud, a well-intentioned idiot, or an eccentric nut case, that is for you people to decide?

In any event, if I can get indigenous peoples around the world united, their voice heard, and their rights honored, it will be worth it.

Because in the end, my tiny tribal nation, its history, and myself are insignificant compared to the fate facing millions of indigenous peoples around the world.

If you don’t think I should be involved with such an endeavor, please jump in and replace me, I could use the rest.

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #20 on: July 22, 2015, 12:37:15 pm »
Piff

Thanks for finding the obituary for my dad, been wanting that for awhile.

He was a good man and a father, but turned his back on the tribe and my grandfather, but with good reason. But you people probably don't care to hear my families history.

Still good work, you are one of the best at digging stuff up. Even I have trouble finding some of my old forum posts like you found :)

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #21 on: July 22, 2015, 12:42:50 pm »
Ingeborg

No I did not add myself to the Notoweega group, all that information was known to them, and it seems I can't remove myself from the page.

But thanks, now that I know about it, I will ask them to remove me or note I am not a member of their tribe

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #22 on: July 22, 2015, 12:48:25 pm »
Autumn

"all other sources say that the Weapomoac are extinct"

Well basically true. A handful of the Yeopim tribe left in NC, a handful of my tribe left in Kentucky, a few scattered people who still claim it.

Yea, basically we are almost gone. The same is true of most of the other Algonquin tribes of N.C.

We tried to adapt and ended up assimilating, sad but not uncommon.

Offline earthw7

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #23 on: July 22, 2015, 01:54:57 pm »
Hey everyone this is too funny I use to live in Paducah Kentucky
When I lived there my family was the only Native people except those
who always claimed that Cherokee blood,
Mr Lester I am Lakota/Dakota who lives on the reservation, a federally recognized tribe
I am Native and your father did not look native I bet you don't either
In Spirit

Autumn

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #24 on: July 22, 2015, 02:13:03 pm »
Thank you for answering our questions -- so many others just comment once and then never come back to answer the issues we raise.  I realize that the internet can only give a very limited picture of an issue but we do try here to get at the truth as best we can.  Piff and Ingeborg are pretty amazing researchers also.

The rights of indigenous people is certainly a very complicated issue.  How far back can you go to find the original indigenous people to make sure they have their rights enforced?  That seems to be a never-ending search and when you are dealing with people who are so dispersed and so intermingled with colonizers, what really is to be gained?  I really must admit I do not understand it. 

Also, something I do not understand is your need to have a title and for people to recognize your title.  Did you name yourself Sachem because there was no one else to claim the title?  You have admitted that your tribe may very well be extinct and that you are a mixture of many, many tribes.  I just do not understand your effort to re-establish an NDN Nation. 

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #25 on: July 22, 2015, 04:28:08 pm »
Autumn

Thank you for your understanding and thoughtful post.

My grandfather was a Sachem, but a poor one. His lifetime saw some of the greatest losses of our scattered communities.

In the 50's people started moving from our small communities to the big cites for work. He felt, and was correct, that many would forget their past and assimilate. He tried to prevent it, but in the end could not stop even his wife from leaving him and moving to Detroit for work. He was already a drunk by this point.

He went to bring her back by force, my father, 16 at the time fought him. My father promised to never see him again or have anything to do with his tribe, and kept his word till he died.

By my time very few cared about the tribe and my grandfathers scimitar was passed to me, probably because no one else really cared about what it symbolized anymore.

I did not intend to rebuild the nation, only to record as much as I could before I too passed away. But I needed to find as many others in my extended family as possible that could shed some light on that history.

That effort rekindled their interest as well, and before long they again saw themselves as a tribe, and expected me to do something about finding other groups like us that may still be struggling to survive.

It was only after the colonial records of Virgina and North Carolina became available online that we could finally compare colonial history with our history.

One of our traditions was that we were, and perhaps still are, Subjects of the Crown of England. Colonial records confirmed this and so we approached the UK and the Royal Family concerning our status. We had to submit our evidence that we were in fact Subjects of the Crown, and remained loyal subjects during the colonial period.

They ruled were were in fact loyal Subjects of the Crown, but that type of citizenship had been abolished in the 40"s. As were were not located within the lands of the UK at the time, our citizenship was terminated at that point and we were no longer held by our oath of loyalty to the Crown.

What few people I represent don't care about formal recognition, we have nothing to gain really. We sold our land legally, so we don't have a land claim. We are so few and scattered, what good would a reservation do us anyway? None. Being landless outsiders, the US never needed to make a treaty with us to be broken. So the US does not owe us anything, and we don't want anything from them, perfect.

We have everything we want. Our history has been recorded, although we are still catching some mistakes and such as time goes on. We got our decision from the UK and the Royal Family, we don't really need anything else for ourselves. Would be nice to find a few other scattered groups like ours, if any survived this long.

So while I am a hereditary chief, albeit from a very unqualified line it seems, it was not a title I desired and my father refused.

None the less it has proved useful, for here as an example. I could have chosen any username, but I wanted one that would attract the attention of the members :) and I am deeply indebted for the research you did that I could not.


Offline Diana

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #26 on: July 22, 2015, 04:55:55 pm »
I was going to post this the other day, but was sure someone else would have already done so. We have a post on that woman Marian dawn skyweaver here from 2012. Seems she's been at this for a while. Click on link below.


http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=3878.0

Offline AClockworkWhite

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #27 on: July 22, 2015, 05:26:36 pm »
^THAT explains a lot about IPUN.
I came here for the popcorn and stayed for the slaying of pretenders.

Offline Sachem Laster

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #28 on: July 22, 2015, 09:50:58 pm »
Thanks Diana

You people dig up information so fast I can't process it all.

Offline Diana

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Re: Charles A. Laster
« Reply #29 on: July 23, 2015, 08:55:19 pm »
I looked into Charles Laster's genealogy and went as far back to the 1860's, which would be his great, great, grandparents on his father's side. Guess what ALL WHITE. Here's their genealogy from Ancestry.com. Will be working on his mother's side soon.

Andrew D Laster in the 1940 United States Federal Census
 
Andrew D Laster

Age:
4

Estimated birth year:
abt 1936

Gender:
Male

Race:
White


Marital Status:
Single

Relation to Head of House:
Nephew's Son

Home in 1940:
Paducah, McCracken, Kentucky

Map of Home in 1940:
    View Map   

Street:
S-9th

House Number:
1441

Residence in 1935:
Same House

Sheet Number:
7B

Attended School or College:
No

Highest Grade Completed:
None

Neighbors:
 View others on page

Household Members:

Name

Age

 Margaret Weise  30
 Agnes Toon  42
Holland Laster  28
Josephine Laster  24
 Andrew D Laster  4
 
Here is Charles Laster's Grandfather Holland Laster in the 1920 census.
 
Holland Laster in the 1920 United States Federal Census
 
Name:
Holland Laster

Age:
8

Birth Year:
abt 1912

Birthplace:
Kentucky

Home in 1920:
Paducah, McCracken, Kentucky

Street:
Farley Street

Race:
White


Gender:
Male

Relation to Head of House:
Son (Child)

Marital Status:
Single

Father's name:
Henry Laster

Father's Birthplace:
Kentucky

Mother's name:
Opal Laster

Mother's Birthplace:
Indiana

Occupation:
None

Attended School:
Yes

Neighbors:
 View others on page

Household Members:

Name

Age

 Henry Laster  35
 Opal Laster  28
 Roy Laster  10
 Horace Laster  9
 Holland Laster  8
 
Here is his great grand father Henry Laster in the 1900 census.

Henry Laster in the 1900 United States Federal Census

Name:
Henry Laster

Age:
16

Birth Date:
Jan 1884

Birthplace:
Kentucky

Home in 1900:
Paducah Ward 6, McCracken, Kentucky

Race:
White


Gender:
Male

Relation to Head of House:
Son (Child)

Marital Status:
Single

Father's name:
Sam Laster

Father's Birthplace:
Alabama

Mother's name:
Jennie Laster

Mother's Birthplace:
Kentucky

Occupation:
View on Image

Neighbors:
 View others on page

Household Members:

Name

Age


 Sam Laster  34
 Jennie Laster  39
 Henry Laster  16
 Mary Laster  13
 Genie Laster 
 
Charles Laster's great great grandfather Sam Laster in same 1900 census.

Sam Laster in the 1900 United States Federal Census

Name: Sam Laster

Age:
34

Birth Date:
Apr 1866


Birthplace:
Alabama

Home in 1900:
Paducah Ward 6, McCracken, Kentucky

Race:
White


Gender:
Male

Relation to Head of House:
Head

Marital Status:
Married

Spouse's Name:
Jennie Laster

Marriage Year:
1882

Years Married:
18

Father's Birthplace:
Alabama

Mother's Birthplace:
Alabama

Occupation:
View on Image

Neighbors:
 View others on page

Household Members:

Name

Age

 Sam Laster  34
 Jennie Laster  39
 Henry Laster  16
 Mary Laster  13
 Genie Laster  11
 
And his great great grand mother Jennie Laster, whose parents are from France. So we we hit a dead end with GG grand mother, being from France. Her maiden name is Vasseur.
 
Jennie Laster in the 1900 United States Federal Census
 
Name:
Jennie Laster

Age:
39

Birth Date:
Jan 1861


Birthplace:
Kentucky

Home in 1900:
Paducah Ward 6, McCracken, Kentucky

Race:
White


Gender:
Female

Relation to Head of House:
Wife

Marital Status:
Married

Spouse's Name:
Sam Laster

Marriage Year:
1882

Years Married:
18

Father's Birthplace:
France

Mother's Birthplace:
France

Mother: number of living children:
3

Mother: How many children:
3

Occupation:
View on Image

Neighbors:
 View others on page

Household Members:


Name

Age

 Sam Laster  34
 Jennie Laster  39
 Henry Laster  16
 Mary Laster  13
 Genie Laster  11