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

   ABOUT ME &
 THE DEN            
 "I am Shawnee! I am a warrior! My forefathers were warriors.
From them I took only my birth into this world. From my tribe I take nothing.
                              I am the maker of my own destiny!"
- Tecumseh- 

               "Shawnee " by David Wright
                       @ davidwrightart.com 

HOME ABOUT ME LINKS  RECOMMENDED READING BEARTRACKS BLOG EMAIL BEST GUEST COMMENTS
WISDOM of the ELDERS WARRIORS of the RAINBOW ALL ABOUT THE SHAWNEE TURTLE ISLAND SPIRTUAL COUNSELING
REENACTING MADE SIMPLE PORTRAYING INDIANS THE CAPTIVE CORPS
SHAWNEE DICTIONARY WIKTIONARY WIKIPEDIA SHAWNEE LINKS
**********for a complete listing of all pages  & connections to them, click SITEMAP**********

 BIG BEAR'S TRADING C^oy

BE-ZO-NE'
(Shawnee for Hello)

This page is both 
My Biography and My Resume'

This website was begun in 2005 as a personal website and was little more than 5 very small pages.
It has grown considerably, but I still think of it as a personal website. As it addresses most of my greatest passions.
In no particular order, these passions include the reenacting of Eastern Woodland Indians and the Shawnee in particular,
 is my love of the B.S.A. programs from Cubs to Ventures,
and my absolute NEED for a close relationship with the Creator.

   My name is Shemaqua (Sheh-MA'-kwa) in Shawnee; Yona Aqua (yo-NA eh-KWA') in Cherokee: 'Big Bear' in the words of the Shemanese (Long Knives a.k.a. WHITES); 
                                                         [ In German - Großer Bär; French - Grand Ours; Dutch - Grote Beer];
Don Warden in the world of the Shemanese. My Anglo name is actually of Scottish origions.
 
    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 making me Metis' [pronounced me-TEE']) to my brothers in Canada. As a hobby, I am a Reenactor. I am, also a professional Living Historian, Scouter and Stroke Survivor. I used to give history tours up and down the eastern seaboard and west to the Mississippi, and am still available for tours that require only minimal walking. I continue to present programs on 18^th and early 19^th Century history, culture and crafts and portray people of the period of mixed Indian and European decent. When portraying Indians, I represent myself as having a mother of Cherokee/Scots parents and a father of Shawnee/French parents. (See my page on How to Portray an Indian.)

   Aside from a couple of college history classes, I am largely self educated in history and have had extensive training in religion and culture by Elders of the Sawanokee (Shawnee) [no link here as the Shawnee are a principle subject of this website], Tohono O'odham (Papago), Apsáalooke(Crow) and the Lakota of the Oceti Sakowin (Teton Sioux) and have been "ordained" by all of them to perform the ceremonies they have taught me, particularly the "Sweat Lodge Ceremony." (see Turtle Island page of this website.) I am a Sweat Lodge Priest and an "Elder," ordained by the "Universal Life Church," which entitles me to perform modern ceremonies. My Calling is to be a confidant and advisor to those in need and to lead in the religious life of those who wish to celebrate that life with me.

   I am an experienced reenactor with several different units of the French & Indian War and the American Revolution. I've "served" with many different units including detachments of Roger's Rangers, the 1st Virginia, and commanded the 4th Virginia, which, in reality during the Revolutionary War, was Gen. Nathaniel Greene's Rear Guard and Right Wing (a place of honor in the 18^th Century armies), during the Southern Campaign and at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, with whom I have won several awards for "costume" and authenticity and accuracy of portrayals  As a completely independant "Indian" reenactor and with The Captive Corp, I have also won awards for my camp and  "costume", which I produced entirely by my own hand.
   
   I am the founder and organizer of The Captive Corp, a reenactment unit of Indians; chiefs, warriors, their families and their prisoners; both those to be adopted and those doomed to other fates. Add to this an odd assortment of others that have "come to live with the Indians for their own reasons" and you have our unit.

   This unit does both Reenactments and Living History events.

   For the uninitiated, a Reenactment is an event where participants (Reenactors) portray people of the past. Anyone with an interest can be a reenactor.

   Both Reenactment and Living History are a means of interpreting the past. It is accomplished by dressing in clothing of the period, using period tools, weapons and other accoutrements and either doing or talking about period activities and history.  

   For  me, a Living Historian is a professional that does living history as oppossed to a reenactor.  A Living Historian can be a Reenactor. Not all Reenactors can be GOOD Living Historians. Reenacting is a hobby for people that love history. Reenactors experience the past. Living Historians teach the past at the professional level and allow their audience to experience the past "Up Close and Personal." Living historians can be volunteers that give their talents to museums and history sites, but generaly get paid or at least compensated for their services.

      The Captive Corps      

THE BANNER ABOVE IS A LINK TO INFORMATION ABOUT A REENACTING UNIT
INTERPRETING INDIANS AND THEIR CAPTIVES,
AND OTHERS, OF BOTH EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN DECENT,
THAT JOINED THE INDIANS FOR THEIR OWN REASONS. 

   A bit about my personal history aside from the subjects of this website. My Birthday is 3/4/1953. 
    Here's a riddle for you. I was born on the North American continent within the territorial limits of the United States of America and yet can rightfully claim to be a native of no state. The answer appears at the bottom of this page.  
    I currently live just outside of Williamsburg, the colonial capital of Virginia, and have been employed by the U.S. Army as a computer data entry clerk, a supply clerk for the U.S. Army Calibration Agency on Okinawa, handling supplies for the agency during the Vietnam War, by both the Army and Marine Corp in various food service positions. I have been employed by or contracted to The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (at both sites), contracted to The Mariners Museum, the Young Peoples Institute at the University of Connecticut when it was still at that location and the Summer program for gifted and talented youth at the College of William and Mary, etc., etc., etc. In summary, among the many different employed and contract positions I have held are: short order cook; chef; restaraunt manager; data entry clerk for the U.S. Army; supply clerk and later manager for the U.S. Army (the last 3 positions as a civilian); many different programs from New York to Florida as a Living Historian; Tour Guide; Tour Guide/Bus Driver (no longer able to do the driving); Journeyman Electrician; taught seminars at universities; lectured at high schools; served a brief hitch in the Army; worked as a Nuclear Health Physics Technician; Photographer (Photo Journalist, product and fashion) and worked for Vision Quest (a troubled youth program) as a councilor. As both a paid employee and a volunteer, I have been a political operative for numerous city and county level candidates for office, approximately a dozen state campaigns for Senate and House representatives and Governors, six National Congressional races, four National Senate candidates and three Presidential candidates (2 of those won & 1 won re-election). I have volunteered as a coach for midget league football and basketball teams, for a crisis hotline, the Humane Society, the Red Cross, as a paramedic and a whole lot of other jobs! My interests are VERY eclectic. Since 1995, I have operated a small sutlery at selected events, on a very part-time basis, which I have named Big Bear's Trading C^oy. Don't ask me to put all that in any kind of order. Memories of dates in MY history are one of the things effected by my strokes, however, my memory for dates in history is as good as ever. (I've always been more of a cause and effect person, rather than a date person, thank God!)

   I grew up in Europe, Arizona, Virginia and the Far East. 
I was an infant when we headed for Germany where we lived for the next 10 years. We lived in Heidelberg, Stuttgart and  Zweibrücken , meaning "two bridges."
   Zweibrücken sat in that narrow strip of land along the present French/German border that has been, over the years, claimed by both countries. During the 18^th Century,  Zweibrücken, also known as DuPont, also meaning "two bridges" in French, owed its allegiance to France and, as such, the Royal DuPont Regiment were sent to America to fight in the "American Revolution." The Royal DuPonts aquited themselves very well at the "Seige of Yorktown," the last major campaign of that war.  
   While living in Zweibrücken we had a brief stint in Orleans (pronounced Or'-le-ohn), France, the home of Joan of Arc,  and then back to Germany. While in Europe, my family and I visited just about every country west of the Iron Curtain. Yes, the old Soviet Union was alive and well at the time. We were living in Germany when the Berlin Wall went up and we practiced those weekly Nuclear Attack Drills; you know(or maybe you don't), the ones where they had you hide under your desk and not look at the blast (like that would have been a big help). 
   At just over 10 years old, we drove across the U.S. as we moved to Arizona; first to Fort Huachuca and then to Tuscon. Three years later, it was off to Hampton,Virginia. I ended my childhood on Okinawa (2), the site of the bloodiest battle of World War II.
   Returning to the United States in 1972, my family settled in York County, Virginia and I was off to college in Atlanta. After college, my primary residence has remained in southeastern Viginia. However, while doing the jobs listed above, I have traveled extensively having taken up temporary residences in South Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, New Hampshire, Arkansas and Michigan. Having lived in all these Historic Areas and traveled from there to everywhere else, instilled in me a love of history that has continued to this day.

My battle cry is "CARPE DIEM!" Seize the Day.

One of my favorite quotes can be found just below and on many other pages throughout this site.

"We must be united
We must smoke the same pipe
We must 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-
 

HOME ABOUT ME LINKS  RECOMMENDED READING BEARTRACKS BLOG EMAIL BEST GUEST COMMENTS
WISDOM of the ELDERS WARRIORS of the RAINBOW ALL ABOUT THE SHAWNEE TURTLE ISLAND SPIRTUAL COUNSELING
REENACTING MADE SIMPLE PORTRAYING INDIANS THE CAPTIVE CORPS
SHAWNEE DICTIONARY WIKTIONARY WIKIPEDIA SHAWNEE LINKS
**********for a complete listing of all pages  & connections to them, click SITEMAP**********

* Answer. I was born at the north end of 16^th Street,
directly north of the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave.)
at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.

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

                                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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