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Chief Igmu Tanka Sutanaji tanka@tri-countyelectric.net |
The outspoken Chief Gene Martin, Igmu
Tanka Sutanaji, of the
Chicora Tribe
of S.C. walked out of the swamps some 20+ years ago to claim the
unextinquished, unseeded, aboriginal rights of his people. The Chicora, like
many Indian people, had to "cover up" from the Government to avoid the death
marches. Chief Gene is no Hollywood Indian, he reflects the true
values of
our ancestors.
Chief Gene was a past elected Chief of the Chicora Tribe and is a traditional Ceremonial Chief of his people to whom medicine has been passed. |
For 24 years Gene Martin served as Tribal Chief of the Chicora Tribe of SC. Chief Gene Martin retired in November 2000 as active chief. His name, Igmu Tanka Sutanaji (Great Cougar Standstrong) comes from a hereditary line of Standstrong chiefs. This line goes back at least 400 years and he holds a part of that line's medicine, a Cannunpa Wakan, passed down from generation to generation in one family.
On January 25, 1995, Chief Martin was invited to White House by Pres. Bill Clinton and spoke before 357 Chiefs and President’s Executive Committee on that date. After speaking before the Great Sioux National Summit Meeting in Great Falls, Minnesota in August 1998, two proclamations were declared:
Chief Gene, "I do not agree with all that is written about my people. But for your information, I offer you links to other information resources about my people."
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