Missouri Cherokee Tribes proclaim Jewish Heritage

Christians Unite dot com ^ | February 7, 2003 | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

Missouri Cherokee Tribes proclaim Jewish Heritage

by Staff
February 7, 2003

The Northern Cherokee Nation of the Old Louisiana Territory has recently shocked the world by claiming their ancient Oral legends tell of a Cherokee migration made to America from the area known as Masada.

This startling evidence is being offered to the public by Beverly Baker Northup whom is the spokesperson for their organization. The evidence offered in support of this connection to Cherokees escaping the mountain fortress of Masada is based in part of what Northup claims is stories passed down from elders and the similarity between ancient words.

Beverly Baker Northup believes there is a connection between these two peoples based on evidence of Jews of the region around Masada during Roman times wearing braided hair and the similarities that the spokesperson attributes to Hebrew language.

In explaining this connection Beverly Baker Northup is quoted as saying:

"The story has been kept alive among our Cherokee people that the Sicarii who escaped from Masada, are some of our ancestors who managed to cross the water to this land, and later became known as Cherokees. (Please note the phonetic resemblance of Si'cari'i and, Cherokee or Tsa'ra-gi'.)"

Northup claims that the famous scholar Josephus wrote that there were escapees from Masada in which the spokesperson for the Northern Cherokee states that this is evidence that gives credence to this connection between the Cherokee Indians and the Jews.

In addition to other startling claims, there is also the belief by the Northern Cherokee that a rock that was uncovered in Tennessee in 1889 that is named the Bat Creek Stone, proves a transatlantic connection to Jews.

Northup believes that the scratched writings on the rock indicate that the stone is evidence of a first century Atlantic Crossing to America by these escaped Jews that later became known as the Northern Cherokee Indians.

The Northern Cherokee attempted to gain full legislative recognition in the State of Missouri in 1985 that was eventually vetoed by Governor John Ashcroft. Governor Ashcroft made the following statement concerning his decision to veto the recognition of the Northern Cherokee:

"The Federal Government has traditionally exercised authority with respect to Indian Affairs. I am not persuaded that the state has such a substantial interest in this area that it should become involved in the recognition of Indian tribes."

Sources among some federally recognized Indian Tribes have stated that Mr. Ashcroft's comments were 100% correct and should be referred to from time to time.

[EggsAckley]

The Bat Creek Stone was discovered in 1889 in an undisturbed burial mound in Eastern Tennessee by the Smithsonian's Mound Survey project.

In 1971, Cyrus Gordon identified the letters inscribed on the stone as Paleo-Hebrew of approximately the first or second century A.D. According to him, the five letters to the left of the comma-shaped word divider read, from right to left, LYHWD, or "for Judea."

In 1988, wood fragments found with the inscription were Carbon-14 dated to somewhere between 32 A.D. and 769 A.D. These dates are consistent with the apparent date of the letters.

Today the stone resides out of sight in a back room of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

[kcamtx]

The Bat Creek Stone is written in the paleo or ancient Hebrew. There are very few Hebrew scholars who know that language. At some point in time, I forget when, there were 6 letters added to the Hebrew alpabet. Most scholars stay with the latter alpabet. That's why they could not translate the stone.

[WFTR]

Thanks for another interesting article on this kind of topic. I think we've spoken in the past about the Melungeons, and the related theory that the Cherokees have a Turkish connection. There are many words in the Cherokee language that are very similar to words in Turkish.

Many people came to North America in the decades following Columbus's discovery. The Ottomon Empire had a navy, and some of their ships could have become stranded here. There were many Jews in Portugal, and the Portugese were one of the biggest explorers in that time. I have no doubt that people of the Middle East mixed with American Indian tribes.

The idea of people coming here long before that time is harder to support with real evidence. The Carthiginians had ships that would have a good chance of making the voyage. I know that Carthage was destroyed around the time of Christ, but I was under he impression that it was before Christ rather than afterwards. If Jews had come with the Carthaginians, I don't know whether the timing would have made it possible for them to have been at Masada.

The Melungeons: Appalachian Mystery
Bill

[tamu]

PING!!

I know that you'll have something good to contribute...

[RightWhale]

Have asked our fellow coworker about this and it is her opinion this is total hogwash. Where do they get this stuff?

[11B3]

How odd.....I've gone through life knowing I was Cherokee, but the concept of being Jewish is another concept altogether. In a way, it explains the favorable feelings towards Israel that I've always had. Strange. Nothing like having the earth move beneath your feet, making what seemed solid and real become fluid and imaginary.

[Cool Guy]

Ping!

[WFTR]

You might enjoy a book called Lest We Forget, The Melungeon Colony of Newman’s Ridge. This book explores some theories of the origins of the Melungeons, a mountain people of the Southern Appalachians. In exploring those theories, the book examines evidence of many finds of this kind. The author acknowledges that most academics don't trust finds that aren't made by academics. As a result, few of these finds are given as much credance as they may deserve. In any case, they are fascinating reading.

The link goes to a book review that I wrote, and the review links to an essay on the Melungeons.

WFTR
Bill

[xm177e2]

Didn't Joseph Smith also say the natives here were white, and were turned dark-skinned by God when they refused to accept Him? (or something like that)

Because that don't exactly follow modern science...

[Eastbound]

Looks similar to Canaanite-Phoenician.

[blam]

Ancient Romans In Texas?

[Quix]

I keep waiting for the DNA confirmation.

My understanding is that the linguistic confirmations have been fairly extensive.

Was glad to supposedly be added to the rolls a few years ago. Have long suspected there was some Israeli connection back there.

Wish I knew some Cherokee language!

[Mike4Freedom]

Hey, it's about time some of the missing tribes turned up

The missing tribes went missing several centuries before the Masada episode. Any people leaving Israel in the first century AD is of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin or Levi. (The bulk of Levi went missing but there were representatives of Levi among all the tribes since they were the priests.)

[Quix]

I don't think I'd go that far.

The difference between what the charlatan asserted and the Cherokee thing seem extensive enough to me.

I'm not impressed with a largely plagerized 'theology' by someone convicted a number of times of defrauding farmers . . .

telling farmers he had a secret map found on each of the farmer's property . . . but that he needed a grub stake to buy equipment to dig it up--that he'd split the treasure with each farmer if they'd put up the grub stake. Of course, having that money, Joseph was never heard from again.

Then there's the fun story from the father of my best man at my wedding . . . My friend's great granddad--or was it great great granddad--I forget--anyway--evidently some of Joseph's staff either convinced him or went along with his grand idea to walk on water. So they strung some chicken wire just below the surface for some distance and at the appointed time, Joseph proceded to 'walk on water' until some character on the scene undid part of the chicken wire and he sank into the lake--to the amusement of the assembled crowd.

[Revolting cat!]

"Oy vey, Kimosabe!"

[Quix]

I neglected to note that my best friend's great granddad had the farm across the fence from Joseph Smith's farm.

[blam]

Statue found by archaeologists while digging in Olmec ruins in La Venta, Mexico

[Just mythoughts]

Again thank you so much.

Do you have more info on the stone?

Is the stone native to TN, or has that been checked?

How big is it, it looks from the picture that it would not be hard to carry?

Why is this stone kept out of sight?

[Junior]

Have one of their guys drop trou. Should be pretty apparent if they're Jewish or not. Of course, I figure a DNA test should put the matter to rest pretty darn quick.