Last Living Signature Holder of ANCSA

    Cheryl Palmer, a small unassuming woman in her early 50's, has an unusual claim to fame. Yet she doesn't seem famous in the least bit. She is the only living person to be listed on an actual treaty between the U.S. Government and a Native tribe, the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), when her name was signed on the treaty however she was 7 years old and had no idea she was even a Native American, her biological father had signed her name and her two older sisters names to the treaty to ensure their fair treatment in the future.

  Cheryl was adopted when she was around 6 months old. She grew up in Eltopia Washington with her adoptive parents the Palmer's until she moved away from home at 16. When asked about herself she said, "I am an only child with 5 sisters. I was raised by my widowed father in small town Eltopia with nothing to do but get into trouble" as she laughed.

 (Cultural Awareness) final project. (courtesy of Palmer)

  She didn't know about her sisters and her heritage until she was introduced to them when she was 21 years of age. She has since learned who her parents were and what tribe she originates from. She still dreams of traveling to Alaska if not to live than just to visit. The Ninilchick Native Corporation keeps in contact and sends her updates on the council and what they are planning. She is also a member enrolled with the Cook Inlet regional Incorporation, which keeps her up to date on every major event.

            Cheryl is a very animated person. For example when she is passionate about something she taps her toe on the floor. She also dresses a little more colorfully than the average person. She laughs quickly and smiles often. Cheryl is an incredibly creative and passionate individual and holds a deep love for the great outdoors as well as active pursuit of photography and craft. She is an eccentric person who loves travel and cultures, especially Native American cultures.          

Common Talking Stick (Courtesy Palmer)

  Her hobbies and passions include the carving of walking sticks and native “talking sticks.” Cheryl also enjoys making native and local jewelry, sketching native design, and the study of her heritage and tribal history. She is also fond of fishing both for fun and food.

   Perhaps though Cheryl feels her greatest enjoyment comes from the simple act of hiking and walking trails and woodland areas where she furthers her crafts by collecting everything from sticks and stones to dead animals along the highway; which she uses for their bones, skins, furs, and feathers. She took the time to show me her huge collection of rocks from across the country. She not only collects incredibly beautiful and hard to find rocks and shells but also various woodland items of the unusual and odd.

  Cheryl has a tendency to decorate her house with native blankets for curtains, from various tribal nations. You can also find bundles of sage and juniper everywhere in her house. Artwork in various stages can be found all over the house, most seem to follow some connection to her emotions of the week. Some in the sketch stage, others in pre carving or soak phase, and some are in the final stages of either painting or

Finished Gourd bowl (courtesy Palmer)

varnishing. Some just looked out of place, like the toadstool book-ends.   

            When asked about where she has lived or been she laughed and said "it would be so much easier to tell you where I haven't been. I feel I am a gypsy by heart if not by birth." Cheryl later revealed that she had live in at least ten states if not more she claims to have lost count.

Cheryl is an advocate for mentally handicapped community as well generally helping others when able. She has worked with the developmentally disabled and also with the elderly. Cheryl enjoys the feeling of helping others she says and gave the impression of often having a warm inviting personality to match her friendly sun worn face.

  

Cheryl preferred to have no pictures taken of her personally.

At a glance

Born in Portland OR, Jan. 21^st 1964

Current residence: Albany OR

Education: Central Oregon Community College 1995 BA Computer Repair Technician

Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act 1971 member

CIRI (Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated) member

Email: eltopia39@gmail.com

Facebook at Cheryl  Palmer

"SALEM" On the WGN Will Cast A Spell On You.

                                                                   

Mary (Montgomery)- center, John (West)- left, Cotton (Gabel)- right / (Photo courtesy of WGN.)

  Imagine if you will that the entirety of the Salem witch trials happened due to a war which lasted too long and a young pregnant girl who’s fear of a lost love would lead her into a Faustian pact with the devil.

  “Salem” airs Sundays at 10 pm ET on WGN America. Created by Adam Simon and Brannan Braga (who has done various works on “Star Trek”) “Salem” marks WGN Americas first original series (which debuted last month to 1.5 million viewers) takes the Salem witch trials, (a tragic event in United States history full of religious and fear driven hysteria, paranoia, and sexism) and shapes and alternate history full of magic, deceit, love, and of course an abundance of witches.

  The result is a fictional historical dramas which, at its heart, is one of the sexiest and most horror filled shows of its kind to date. This is no sweet and pretty love story. It's a brimstone and black-magic filled headlong rush into the characters' personal struggles, rife with dark imagery and frightening moments in ways most other shows of its genre don’t even come close too.

-///- Warning! Spoilers ahead.

  

Mary (Montgomery) / (Photo courtesy of WGN.)

  Mary (British actress Janet Montgomery) is a young, unwed pregnant girl in Salem Massachusetts, a Puritanical town. She believes her love, John Alden (Shane West), has died in the war, since he has sent no letters since leaving. She must now either face the punishment of Puritans’ stocks and the painful torture of forehead branding or sell her soul to the devil via a sorceress (“Revenge's” Ashley Madekwe) just as Faust of old and Blues musician Robert Johnson of more contemporary tales had done.

  Having chosen to take the less than savory deal, she begins to bring her machinations to fruition when she marries George Sibley, an influential member of the town, who she then enslaves and quickly usurps his wealth and power. Mary’s plan begins to unravel however as Preacher Cotton Mather (Seth Gabel) soon believes witches have arrived in Salem seeking dominion of the “New World”, it seems though the good Preacher is only half right. The witches it seems have existed long before the Puritans learned of their presence as the shows character Tituba can attest. Interestingly, “Salem” makes use of witches both male and female making little distinction as to any difference between the two.

John and Mary- (Photo courtesy of WGN)

    As fate would have it John returns home to witness a witch hunt in which Mary is attempting to use the trials as a way to have the Puritans kill each other in hopes of allowing the witches freedom from their persecution as well as other reasons. Finding that Mary is now wed, John is at a loss and begins to become involved in town affairs as he keeps a watchful eye on his lost love. As events continue to escalate we learn that John, who at first held little belief of the witches, is a long time frenemy of Cotton and soon the two come to a kind of understanding concerning their mutual roles in the show.

  Using a variety of historical names and facts such as Cotton Mather and Tituba, the show reveals only enough for viewers to recognize their significance before addressing the characters in a fictitious manner. With bits of truth along the way, “Salem” creates its own revised history in such a manner as to leave the show feeling almost like a continuation of the historical events it takes place in.

"Salem" cast in costume in church. (Photo courtesy of WGN)

  Their approach is intriguing and captivating. The sets and costume designs match the late 17th century to an impressive degree and the setting is so well conceived that the viewer is almost immediately pulled into the town of Salem.

  The show has many of the same production and story elements of two other series with witches and the supernatural: “American Horror Story” and “Sleepy Hollow.” Often going over the top and making no apologies when it does, the show holds elements for not only younger viewers with its many fantastic moments but also adults with its development of romance and personal relationships.

  With the show often brazenly pushing the limits of cable television the writers have their job cut out for them as the story is cultivating a dynamic that promises much as the show continues to develop. The viewer can easily become immersed and lost within the darkened streets of Salem as you watch by the small guttering flames of candles as men are punished for looking upon the form of women and an unwed mother can face penalty of death for her bastard child.

  I give “Salems” dark and gritty historical makeover a GO and recommend fans of the genre or anyone looking for a good story to tune in Sundays and watch Mary and her magic on WGN America.

 

Photo courtesy of WGN.

Salem

TV listings:  wgnamerica.com/schedule

WGN America, Sunday nights at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time.

Produced by Fox 21. Created and written by Brannon Braga and Adam Simon; directed by Richard Shephard; Mr. Braga, Mr. Simon, Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz, executive producers; Liz Sarnoff, Tricia Small, Jon Feldman and Vahan Moosekian, co-executve producers.

WITH Janet Montgomery (Mary Sibley), Shane West (John Alden), Seth Gabel (Cotton Mather). Ashley Madekwe (Tituba), Xander Berkeley (Magistrate Hale), Iddo Goldberg (Isaac Walton), Tamzin Merchant (Anne Hale) and Elise Eberle (Mercy Lewis).