Nanye-hi (Nancy Ward)

Nanye-hi (Nancy Ward):

the beloved woman of the Cherokee

Nanye-hi was born in the Cherokee Wolf clan around 1738.

In 1755 she stood by her husband's side during a fight against the Creek,

chewing lead in search of bullets to supply his ammunition with deadly crests. When her husband was shot to death,

Nanye-hi grabbed a shotgun,

he gathered her fellow combatants and entered the battle herself.

With her on their side,

the Cherokee won that day.

These actions led Nanye-hi to be named Ghighau (Beloved Woman) of the Cherokee,

a position of power whose duties included leading the Women's Council and sitting on the Council of Leaders.

Nanye-hi also took part in treaty talks

(to the surprise of the male settlers when they were on the other side of the negotiating table).

With the passing years,

some Cherokees wanted to fight the Europeans who continued to flock to their land. But Nanye-hi,

that she probably realized that the Cherokees could not win against the numerous and well-stocked settlers,

she thought that the two sides should learn to live together

(she practiced coexistence herself,

marrying an Englishman,

Bryant Ward,

who introduced her as Nancy Ward).

In a 1781 treaty conference, Nanye-hi stated:

"Our cry is all for peace,

let it continue.

This peace must last forever ”.

This search for her did not prevent Nanye-hi from recognizing the dangers of ceding the Cherokee territory:

she in 1817 she made an unsuccessful appeal not to give more land.

When she died in 1822,

she had spent years trying to help her people acclimate to a changing world.