Here you will see a map of American Indian Tribes of North America.  Cindy is providing you with this map as a special interest on her American Indian Family Roots.  The Map is a COPYRIGHT of JAYHAWK INTERNATIONAL OF PHOENIX, AZ in name of "Tribes of the Indian Nation"

A Heritage to be proud of. . . .

The blue stars are showing where Cindy's family has a connection to the tribal listings of locations and of where her family is from and living.

The top blue star is of the Kickapoo Nation that Cindy's Grandmother had papers on.  It is located in Minnesota.  After her grandmother passed the papers were found in her dresser drawers.  They are stamped with a seal and registered to a tribal number of the Kickapoo Nation.  What an honor it was for Cindy to get copies of these papers.  The originals are safe within the family.

In earlier years Cindy spoke with her cousin on her father's side about their lives of being American Indian.  He is of the Miami Nation where the 2nd blues star is in Indiana.  He spoke of his mother and she is of the Mongosa Family a previous chief of the Miami Nation.  His father and Cindy's father were brothers.  Since Cindy's father was killed when she was 8 years old she could not find out much but her cousin Bruce guided her to the Pow Wow's where later Cindy worked with her elder, Songs, to find out more of her family name on her fathers side.

The 3rd blue star is of the Cherokee Nation where Cindy and her elders did research on her heritage.  Her family name on that side for verification to research was Toothman and Chinawee.  She found out through the rolls that when the American Indian People would have to register they would take the names of other decedents to cover their real names, some as to not be exposed to removal.  They would change the letter in the Cherokee and add or change the "TH" to disguise a name.  SUCH AS Chenoweth now found as Chinowee in the rolls.  So both names were researched to find elders in both names of Toothman and Chinowee.  Both name a form of some Cherokee.  Still there are some other areas unknown due to some very strict secret family secrets that no one will allow out, which is very natural of American Indian Families.

The pink star is where Cindy's family moved early in her life to California.  Her grandparents would drive her across the country in the summers to their home there and stop at reservations along the way.  She learned young of the ways and still has her first American Indian Dress and Jacket from about age 6 or 7.  She remembers getting a pair of moccasins every time they went west.

Cindy also grew up with her Great Grandmother living next to her.  She learned of Indian planting and gardening.  Also after the passing of her grandmother Myers she inherited some old jewelry in boxes from where her grandmother made jewelry.  There was also special jar saying "belong to me do not use".  They were very, very old American Indian beads of light blue and white, made of glass.  Cindy still has these beads. They added to her medicine bag and her war club bag that is very special to her.  Cindy's grandmother also made jewelry so you can see where along this path is where Cindy found her design and American Indian Flare.