Tamey Tallchief proudly displayed her sign, which read, “My Nation my business,” as she walked along East Bayard Street in Seneca Falls.
“We have different factions here and we are the real Cayugas,” Tallchief said Saturday. “These are our businesses, this is our land, and we want the dissidents to go.”
Cayuga Indian Nation members show support for federally-recognized leader
Tallchief supports the Nationโs federally-recognized representative, Clint Halftown, who joined her at this walk. But some others within the Nation do not.
“It doesnโt feel good,” Tallchief said. “I donโt like it. Would you? If your house was split? If your families were fighting between each other? Thereโs no time for that.”
Tallcheif is one of the Cayuga Nation members who showed up Saturday for what they called a walk of solidarity.
Chief Operating Officer of Lakeside Enterprises speaks at walk
“I really want to show the community our faces, who we are, our families,” said Missy Barringer, Chief Operating Officer of Lakeside Enterprises. “That this is an important place to us. Thereโs a lot of meaning for us here. As well as weโre good neighbors. Thatโs what we want to be. Weโre here, we have our reserve nation land here, weโve been here for hundreds of years and we look forward to being here hundreds more.”
They came by the busload and held signs, saying things like, โChiefs donโt speak for me,โ โStick to your own Nation,โ and โSquatters must go.โ
Those in traditional Gayogoฬฑhรณ:nวซโ faction say Halftown must go
Someone who wasnโt there is Sam George. George is a member of the Bear Clan. He’s one of ten chiefs for the Gayogoฬฑhรณ:nวซ.โ
“I didnโt even know it was going on,” George said. “If I had known, we probably would have had our people down there just saying the opposite of what theyโre saying.”
George has a different idea about why this group is out here holding these signs.
“It means theyโre lost and confused,” George said. “Theyโve been colonized. They donโt even know about the traditional way of living. They donโt know theyโre related to the land, the people, and all the animals, the wind, the thunder. They donโt know anything about that.”
Meanwhile, Tallchief says today is about sending a message.
“I want to live here in peace,” Tallchief said. “I want my children to live here in peace. I want my grandchildren to live here in peace like all the ancestors before.”
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Rebecca is a veteran multimedia journalist serving as one of our core reporters in the Finger Lakes region. She is responsible for telling stories that matter to every day Upstate New Yorkers. Have a question or lead? Send it to rebecca@fingerlakes1.com.