Big Bear's Den 
Image of Shawnee Warrior from Osprey Men-At-Arms "American Woodland Indians" By M.G. Johnson Color Plates by R.Hook
Indians,
American Indians,
Native Americans,
First Nations,
Indigenous Peoples,
Aboriginal Americans,
what ever you call them,
the world is fascinated by them
and wishes to be one of them.
"Shawnee" by David Wright
@ www.davidwrightart.com
HOME
LINKS
ALL ABOUT THE SHAWNEE 
SHAWNEE HISTORY 2 
SHAWNEE HISTORY 3
PORTRAYING INDIANS 
THE CAPTIVE CORPS 
TURTLE ISLAND
WIKTIONARY 
WIKIPEDIA
BOONESBORO VILLAGE 
CAMP DANIEL BOONE CDB VIDEO DANIEL BOONE COUNCIL
Camp Daniel Boone is a Boy Scout Camp located in the Great Smoky Mountains ~ 45 minutes west of Asheville, NC.
* WANTED!!!! *
* Young Person/16 plus/Male or Female For *
* “Paid Vacation” Plus All Expenses *
* 8 - 9 weeks /June 4 to ~ August 1, 2010 *
*Camp Daniel Boone near Asheville, NC. Chance to see Biltmore Estate & Cherokee*
* Must Have valid Drivers License and a RELIABLE VEHICLE *
* Truck or Van preferred but not necessary *
* Boy Scout Camp Councilor/Stroke Survivor Needs Driver/Personal Assistant *
* If you can teach an Indian Craft, much more pay is possible. *
* 
*
BE-ZO-NE'
(Shawnee Greeting)
Europeans had often thought that somewhere in the world must dwell a noble race, remnants of that golden age before man became corrupted by civilization.
As reports of Indians filtered back to Europe, a distinguished French philosopher
of the late sixteenth century, Michelle de Montaigne concluded that
the Noble Savage has at last been found, in
the American Indian.
"Words that import a lie, falsehood, treason,
covetousness, envy, detraction,
were not heard among them."
Michelle de Montaigne
No other Indigenous People have ever captured the imagination
of other people, all over the world, as the
American Indian.
A great many misconceptions, half truths, out and out lies,
and once in a very great while, a few tremendously insightful truths
have been put forward about the American Indian.
Like the Huns, Mongals, Vikings, Cossacks and Zulu, the American Indian
has been honored and praised and at the same time feared, but in all of history,
I know of none, other than the American Indian, that most people, everywhere, want to be.
This site is for everyone that wants to know about Eastern Woodland Indians
of the 18th and early 19th centuries, in particular, the Shawnee.
I trust this site is of help to Reenacters, Boy Scout Order of the Arrow Dancers
and the Boonesboro Village Progrm at Camp Daniel Boone.
BIG BEAR'S TRADING COMPANY 
The Banner above is a Link to My On-Line Store.
Note for All Readers
The opinions expressed in this website are those of the author and do not represent the views of any particular tribe or other individuals. Nor do the Links that
I have on this site necessarily represent the views of this author. Some of the pages in this website are quite largeand may take a few moments to load,
especially if you have a dial-up connection to the web. The Wiki Links near the top and bottom of most pages are to foster further research. Both are excellent sources for information and words you may not understand. If you think of things you would like to see added to this site, let me know and it will be considered. Throughout this site you will find numerous links to other sites with useful information. All of the text links will be in WHITE, ITALICIZED and UNDERLINED (This is not a text link.). If you see numbers following the initial link, each one of those numbers is an additional link. While I cannot vouch for every site being up and running all the times, I do try to stay on top of the active and inactive sites. If you find any broken Links, please let me know. In addition to the sites linked in my text, please visit my LINKS page where you will also find an extensive Reading List. Many more useful links will be found there. I am under some limitations as to how big the site can be unless funds can be raised to support the project. If you are able to make a contribution to the cause, email me to notify me of your intent and I will be in touch. I will not be available during the months of June and July as I will be at Boonesboro Village all of those months and possibly a week or two on each end. Your help in this regard will be greatly appreciated! Thank You!
Note for Parents
It is my desire to make this site as "Kid Friendly" as possible. The language I use is rated for an eighth to ninth grade reading level and may cause a mental stretch for some younger readers. Hopefully they will come to you for things they do not understand. The mental stretch is intentional. I feel it is part of the educational process. I also wish to point out that some of the sites I have linked to deal with some contemporary "Indian Issues" and may be difficult for some younger children to comprehend. Please don't be afraid to discuss these issues with your children and please email me if you need any help with talking points. While I have reviewed each of these sites myself and have not yet found any major problems, I would like for you to email me if you find any language on any of the sites that you find objectionable and the removal of that link will be considered.
All Visitors To This Site Under 18 Years Old, Please let parents and teachers know about this site.
1) I can use the advertising
2) It's a good idea to let adults know what you are viewing on the internet
3) They may be able to help you understand some of the words and information presented on this site
SPECIAL NOTE for YOUNG READERS!!!
You will notice a lot of links to things multiple times.
This is so you will actually click on one of them.
They are there for your edification. Also, especially with
the names of Indians, you will notice that I switch back
and forth between their name in their own language
and what they were known by the Whites.
This is done just so you will learn both names.
My name is Shemaqua in Shawnee; 'Big Bear' in the words of the Shemanese (Long Knives a.k.a. WHITES). I am of Shawnee, Cherokee, Scots, Scots-Irish, Irish, English, Welsh, German, French, and Dutch decent (1/4 of my ancestors were Shawnee and Cherokee). I am a STROKE SURVIVOR and a professional Living Historian. I present programs on 18th and early 19th century history, culture and crafts and portray people of the period of both Indian and European decent. I am an instructor for the Boonesboro Village Program at Camp Daniel Boone near Asheville, NC for the Boy Scouts where I teach Indian crafts and culture for two months each summer. I try to be historically accurate, not politically correct. Native American is not an 18th century appellation. By the kinder people of the day 1st Nations (the modern Canadian appellation) citizens were referred to as Indians and that is the term I will use throughout this site. You will find a more complete Biography on my ABOUT ME page.
The 2009 season at Boonesboro Village was fantastic!!!
Our third year of having campers with us in the village was a success and tremendous fun.We added a new craft to the program in 2009.
Ms. Deborah Sands brought her pottery to the village and oversaw the construction of a kiln.
We are already making plans for the 2010 Season and you should too.
Already Scouts are signing up for the 2010 program at
Boonesboro Village and Camp Daniel Boone.
Camp Daniel Boone is a Boy Scout Camp Located in the Great Smoky Mountains ~ 45 minutes west of Asheville, NC.
It is a Protector and TEACHER
Learning
is what you will find here in
BIG BEAR'S DEN
Interesting Fact - The term Indian actually comes from an English misunderstanding of a Spanish document. Columbus
knew he was not in India. He actually thought he might be in islands off the Big Island of Cipango (Japan). One of the Priests with Columbus referred to the people they met on those islands as "In Dios," (of God). It was the English that misunderstood the term and began calling them Indians. The rest of the world just fell in line.
(Incidently, the drawing at the right is one artist's rendering of Columbus. There is no existing drawing, painting, or sculpture of Columbus done from life.
We have no idea of what the "Discoverer of the New World" looked like.)
Interesting Fact - How did the "New World" come to be known as "America?"
From "Word Origins - An Exploration and History of Words and Language" Wilfred Funk, Random House(c)1950
"Amerigo Vespucci, or Americus Vespucius, ... the Florentine navigator... In the year 1503... sent his old patrons,
the then ruling Medici of Italy, an account of his four alleged voyages to the New World ... His narration of the
supposed voyage of 1497 was translated by a young geographer and map-maker, Martin Waldseemueller ...
The young author had been so deeply impressed by the writing of Americus Vespucius, ... that he labeled a piece
of the land America, ... The origin of the name, Americus, is Germanic. ...and the connotations of the name are
heroism and leadership ..."
Interesting Fact - If you put the above two Interesting Facts together, American Indian means "God's Heroic Leaders ."
Interesting Fact - The "New World" isn't new. The first human habitation of the Southern Continent has been dated to 33,000 years ago,
the Northern Continent to between 12 and 15,000 years. It only became 'NEW' to Europeans in 1492 CE.
Interesting QUESTION - If all the "New World" inhabitants came across the Bering Sea "Land Bridge," how did the first people
get to the Southern Continent without coming from the north??????????
Interesting Fact - The use the words "alleged" and "supposed" when I am writing of Amerigo is because, the best evidence now says that Amerigo Vespucci was a liar and never sailed to the New World. He probably sailed to North Africa or the Canary Islands, sat around for awhile went back to Italy and reported to the
de Medici's that he had mapped the New World after stealing all of the work of Columbus.
You will find a lot more
Interesting Facts
throughout BIG BEAR'S DEN! 
"We must be united
We must smoke the same pipe
We must f fight each other's battles
And more than that, We must love the Great Spirit."
--Tecumseh --
-His appeal to other tribes to join his confederacy.-
ALL ABOUT THE SHAWNEE SHAWNEE HISTORY 2 SHAWNEE HISTORY 3
PORTRAYING INDIANS THE CAPTIVE CORPS TURTLE ISLAND
WIKTIONARY WIKIPEDIA
BOONESBORO VILLAGE CAMP DANIEL BOONE CDB VIDEO DANIEL BOONE COUNCIL
Camp Daniel Boone is a Boy Scout Camp located in the Great Smoky Mountains ~ 45 minutes west of Asheville, NC.
If for any reason the email links throughout this site do not work you may reach me by email at
shemaqua@bigbearsden.org,
snail mail me @
Shemaqua 
127 - A King Henry Way
Williamsburg, VA
23188-1903
or call me at 757.253.6999
or send up a smoke signal, use a drum, or communicate telepathically.
(I wouldn't count on those last three.)
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