# 18 WHO IS A "REAL" REDBONE

Lately, there has been quite a discussion on who is a real "Redbone". Many from Bearhead Creek will not acknowledge Redbones in other areas, in particular people who identify as a "Redbone" in Texas.

This article is not to say that people in Texas are more "Redbone" than others but is simply to make a case for those in Texas who identify with the term "Redbone".

TEXAS REDBONES

The Redbones, in Texas, are more akin to the LUMBEE in a racial context than Louisiana Redbones. Many have the same common surnames as the Louisiana Redbones such as Goins, Bass, Dial and Ashworth but they did not stop intermarriage with Native Americans.

Such is the case with Gabe Gabehart and his Goins family.

Let me put that in perspective. Don Marler, should and probably knows, that SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, was devoid of any Indians by the 1830's.

Where did they all go?

TEXAS.

That's right, ALL OF THEM, except for a very few Choctaw familes around Nachitoches and it appears that two Louisiana state recognized groups are from those two families including the Clifton Choctaw and Ebarb Choctaw Apache in Zwolle which is where my Miller family and some related Archers lived at one time.

The tribes that moved to Texas were the Cherokee, Delaware, Alabama, Coushatta, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Shawnee, Seneca (yes Seneca), Kickapoo and all of the remaining Caddoan tribes and many others in lesser numbers.

It was the last frontier for the Eastern Native American culture and this association of Eastern tribes fought a last ditch battle around Canton, Texas in 1839 led by Cherokee Chief Duwali, Shawnee Chief Spy Buck and Delaware Chief Harris.

Cherokee Chief Duwali was killed in that battle and was shot in the head at close range.

Most went into Oklahoma after the battle, but a few Indian families remained, like the Thompson Choctaw.

By the early 1900's there were only 5 members remaining of the Attakapa Indians in Southwest Louisiana and most of them moved to Texas as well before becoming extinct.

So, who are the so called “real” "Redbones"?

To me, any of the remaining families of partial Indian ancestry left in Texas can be termed a "Redbone".

That is, if you want to define Redbone as meaning of partial Native American Indian ancestry.

We are a whole lot more.

Louisiana people of similar surnames can claim the title all they want, but it don't make it so.

You must be from mixed blood ancestry in my opinion. To have the name Ashworth, Bass or Dial is not enough. To me, a Redbone is about mixed blood ancestry.

Louisiana Redbones, they got upset when they were called a Redbone, so many of them they don't want to identify, and I say if that is the case then so be it and just perhaps they are not Redbones in the first place.

Just because someone labels you as something does not make it so.

To me, if RED meaning NATIVE AMERICAN, is part of the meaning, then I am a true REDBONE and I am much more including SOUTH ASIAN INDIAN, GYPSY and some AFRICAN as well.

I identify more as Black Dutch but who is to deny me the use of this general term.

My culture is more Native American and it always has been with the Walts and Archer families.

In our home growing up my dad had a sign in wood he had made in great big bold letters. THIS IS THE HOME OF THE CHEROKEE.

No kidding.

How many Louisiana Redbones can say that?

Alvie