KINGFISHER

12" x 16" doublematted and framed in gunmetal
papercast edition of 100 with 10 artist proofs

Kingfisher was a full blood Cherokee of the Deer Clan. He was born in the early 1700's, and was killed in battle between the Cherokees and the Muskogee Indians in Tennessee. He was married to Nani'Hi, the Ghi-ga-u or Beloved Woman of the Cherokees. Her name was Na ni and she was later known as Nancy Ward. She was a member of the Wolf Clan, which was the War Clan. (See information on seven clan system.) The story goes that she was in the battle with Kingfisher, chewing on his bullets. The bullets were chewed to give them more power to kill. When he was shot and killed, she picked up his rifle and continued to fight. Afther Kingfishers death and with two young children, she married a white man named Bryan Ward. Thus her name Nancy Ward. As the Beloved Woman she was able to make the decision on whose lives would be spared during time of war. She is credited both with saving a white woman from being burned at the stake, and with saving a white village during the Revolutionary War, that was to be attacked by Tories and warriors, and thus saving the lives of the village. One can enter the DAR under her name, due to her heroism. She and Kingfisher had two children