Cherokee hope for healing at celebration in wake of infighting
Story-Date: 03:17 a.m. PST Saturday , August 30, 1997

Cherokee hope for healing at celebration in wake of infighting

BY KELLY KURT
Associated Press Writer


TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) -- An independent review that spread the blame for
six months of tribal infighting arrived in time for the Cherokee Nation's
annual celebration. It has not ended the finger pointing.

With 50,000 people expected here this weekend, the head of the nation's
second-largest tribe urged members to ``forgive and forget.''

``It is a time to see children laughing and elders talking. And it is also
a time for us to begin to heal,'' Principal Chief Joe Byrd said Friday.

The 45th Cherokee National Holiday, a celebration of the 182,000-member
tribe's heritage, began with a powwow -- a ceremonial procession of dancers
and tribal leaders to an arena for dancing and music. The rest of the
weekend includes a marble tournament, a blowgun competition, dancing and
storytelling.

Absent from the activities will be a State of the Nation speech Byrd, who
agreed to forego the traditional statement in a concession designed to help
keep the peace.

In February, Byrd fired marshals who served a search warrant for financial
documents tied to a criminal investigation of his office. Lawsuits,
arrests, an FBI investigation and police presence from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs all followed.

Over the spring, eight of 15 Tribal Council members voted to impeach three
tribal judges; Byrd's guards later took control of the tribal courthouse
and locked out the judges. A group of the fired marshals tried
unsuccessfully to storm the courthouse, winding up in a brawl.

The courthouse reopened Wednesday to the public and to the tribe's judges
for the first time since guards seized control for Byrd. It was part of an
agreement Byrd and several council members signed Monday with Interior
Secretary Bruce Babbitt in an effort to resolve the turmoil.

A three-member panel reviewing the problems issued a final report Friday.
It found Byrd had the right to hire and fire the marshals, but deemed the
impeachment of the justices void because the council did not have a quorum.

``I was disappointed they felt the chief could fire someone for exercising
his authority'' as a law enforcement officer, said Pat Ragsdale, the fired
chief marshal. Byrd said he fired Ragsdale for insubordination.

The report also criticized the handling of the conflict by all three
branches of tribal government.

``There were some good recommendations made,'' said Chief Justice Ralph
Keen. ``But it did little to bring us together today because it didn't deal
with the main issue: Will Joe Byrd abide by the laws and the constitution
of the Cherokee Nation?''



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