the last beloved woman
Born in the capital of Cherokee nation, Chota, in the late 1730s, Nancy Ward was a powerful political figure of the time. She was given the title ghigau, which translates to Beloved Woman, or War Woman, before she was 20 for her courage in aiding her first husband Kingfisher on the battlefield. It is said that during the Battle of Taliwa against the Muscogee Creeks she lay behind a log chewing bullets so they would cause more damage when her husband fired his musket. When he was killed, she was said to have taken up his arms and led the Cherokee to victory. This heroism in the face of war earned her the title Beloved Woman, thus endowing her with political responsibility. She was the only female voting member of the Cherokee General Council, leader of the Women's Council, and had decision making power over matters concerning prisoners, justice, and maintaining peace, all due to her Beloved Woman title. Though Nancy held an honored position, Cherokee women were the bearers of culture and lines of descent and upheld key positions in society. Roles within the Cherokee way of life were gendered, but the equality of the ascribed positions baffled European settlers. Men were in charge of hunting and war, while the women took care of planting. Though these gendered roles were rigid, Nancy grew up in a culture that lacked the female subjugation common to European settlers, so she was able to attain positions of great influence unthinkable to Europeans. She used her political power during the Revolutionary War period to advocate for peace between the Native Americans and settlers and supported patriot troops.
A cow, a captive, and a choice
In 1776, Nancy used the power inherent in the title Beloved Woman to save a captive settler woman named Lydia Bean. Tensions were high at the Fort Watauga settlement, and Nancy tipped off the settlers that the Cherokee men were planning a siege against them. The settlers barricaded themselves in safety, but captives were taken nonetheless. A boy was taken to Tuskegee to be tortured and killed; Lydia was taken for the same purpose, but Nancy stepped in and used her power as Beloved Woman to spare the captive woman. Nancy's relationship with Lydia brought about many changes to the Cherokee way of life. Lydia taught Nancy how to care for and raise cattle, and Nancy then shared this knowledge with the rest of her tribe. She is thus credited with introducing dairy to the Cherokee economy, an economy that had already undergone structural change. Lydia also showed Nancy a weaving pattern that revolutionized Cherokee gendered roles and upset the balance as women turned away from their traditional roles as planters and towards the loom.
patriot or traitor?
For many years, Nancy has been portrayed in the historical narrative as a traitor to her people for the choices she made to aid the settlers and troops. She was seen as one who loved the white man more than she loved herself and as sacrificing herself for the good of the settlers, when in fact, this is not the case. It is important to analyze historical figures in the context of their cultural upbringings and customs, or else crucial information is lost and actions are misunderstood. In the case of Nancy Ward, her choices have been taken out of context of Cherokee culture, and twisted to fit the Eurocentric narrative that dominates the history of the United States.
Nancy was born to the Wolf Clan, a large subsection of the Cherokee. People of the Wolf Clan were known for their healing and aid given to captives of war. Ward inherited a legacy of peace that she took with her into her dealings with Europeans and role as Beloved Woman. In light of this knowledge, her actions that were previously seen as patriotic due to a love of the white man and European culture become something else entirely. Every choice she made was steeped in Cherokee custom and tradition, even if the choice seemingly went against her people at the time. Nancy was known for warning settlers ahead of time about upcoming Cherokee attacks, and on the surface, this action seems overtly patriotic to the settlers, and traitorous to the Cherokee. However, her duties as a Beloved Woman and clan affiliation dictated that she save lives whenever possible, so she did it twice over. First by warning the settlers so they could prepare, and second by hopefully avoiding a retaliation attack as repayment of the favor of advance warning. Nancy was devoted to saving Cherokee land, so she did anything that could be done to avoid attacks and blood spilled on her land, even at the short-term expense of her kinsmen.
The dominant portrayal of Nancy Ward as a patriot is ill-informed. She was a Cherokee first and foremost, and with some creative thinking, it is possible to see through the European cultural lens and see her actions in the context in which they were meant.
Nancy was born to the Wolf Clan, a large subsection of the Cherokee. People of the Wolf Clan were known for their healing and aid given to captives of war. Ward inherited a legacy of peace that she took with her into her dealings with Europeans and role as Beloved Woman. In light of this knowledge, her actions that were previously seen as patriotic due to a love of the white man and European culture become something else entirely. Every choice she made was steeped in Cherokee custom and tradition, even if the choice seemingly went against her people at the time. Nancy was known for warning settlers ahead of time about upcoming Cherokee attacks, and on the surface, this action seems overtly patriotic to the settlers, and traitorous to the Cherokee. However, her duties as a Beloved Woman and clan affiliation dictated that she save lives whenever possible, so she did it twice over. First by warning the settlers so they could prepare, and second by hopefully avoiding a retaliation attack as repayment of the favor of advance warning. Nancy was devoted to saving Cherokee land, so she did anything that could be done to avoid attacks and blood spilled on her land, even at the short-term expense of her kinsmen.
The dominant portrayal of Nancy Ward as a patriot is ill-informed. She was a Cherokee first and foremost, and with some creative thinking, it is possible to see through the European cultural lens and see her actions in the context in which they were meant.