This year has been full of discoveries for me. One of the best has been the enjoyment that has come from researching my family’s history and finding out more about the people that I descended from.
For many years, I have been interested in finding out about the people who came before my grandparents, who were the oldest relatives that I knew growing up, but I felt that my ability to find out more was stagnant, and after their deaths, so many questions went unanswered. I was intimidated because I didn’t think I had the time, money, or know-how to research my genealogy. It seemed like such a daunting task. Of course, growing older has given me the confidence to finally begin my search, and growing older has a lot to do with the urgency of my interest. My curiosity has turned into an obsession to find out as much as possible about the people who are responsible for my existence. The first major discovery occurred by happenstance. For years, I’ve collected obituaries, and while I was going through my grandfather’s, I discovered the name of my paternal great-grandmother. I’ve had this obituary since 1991 but had never realized that this information was right there, just waiting to be read. After finding this out, I remembered other important conversations that my mom and I had had about family members that had passed long before I was born. This little piece of information, along with my mom’s knowledge, was the spark that lit the fire that now fuels my renewed interest. My involvement with the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association also plays a big part in my interest in my and our collective history. As a member and a president, it is our duty to preserve the legacy of the Seminole Negro Scouts and their descendants. I believe it is crucial to find out as much about one’s past as possible. Once you begin searching, you’ll find out so much that sometimes it’s overwhelming, but it is truly a worthwhile endeavor. The wonderful thing is that technology has been very helpful. While there are many resources available locally, there are many resources that can be found online. There are also many groups that you can join that give great tips and encouragement. So I would like to encourage you to begin your own search, if you haven’t already. Who knows what amazing information you might find? Just waiting to be discovered could be an ancestor who played an important role in history, or a brave ancestor who has an unbelievable story to tell. You might find out where or how your family name came to be or that you are named after someone who lived a century or more ago. Be thankful to your ancestors for their lives. Some of them faced seemingly insurmountable odds just to make it through the day, let alone life. No matter what you find out, be proud of where you came from. Merry Christmas from the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association! Note: This blog appeared as an article in the 12/22/16 edition of the Kinney County Post.
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This past week was a very busy one for many Brackettville residents, myself included. Just about every day, there were events that gave everyone a chance to get out of their homes and get into the Christmas spirit. Even as the temperature dropped, it was hard not to look forward to all of the joy and happiness that comes with this time of year.
On Friday, I attended the Fort Clark Historical Society’s Christmas Open House. The Palisado building was beautifully decorated, and a table full of food was the centerpiece, and of course, the food was excellent. Aside from all of this, it was nice to see so many of my dear friends gathered in one place. Everyone was so warm and welcoming and festive. The next day, my women’s group met at the First Baptist Church for our ugly sweater party and white elephant exchange. Again, amid the backdrop of a beautifully decorated room, more of my dear friends and I were able to gather and enjoy each other’s company. Along with the aroma of the wonderful food, laughter filled the room. Following these events, I’ve been on a high. Although I’ve been listening to Christmas music since early November, it’s good to know that I am not alone in anticipating all of the events that have been taking place because I have seen that many of my friends and relatives put up their trees before our first cold front. This time of year brings out the kid in many of us. We become filled with the spirit of giving. We know that we are at our best when we are kind and helpful. It seems that everyone is giving away free hugs and smiles. This all reminds me of my childhood. Growing up, we didn’t have a lot. Most of the time, we really only had each other. My parents always worked hard to provide for me and my siblings. Even though we knew that they couldn’t afford the most expensive toys, we knew that the holiday season was a time for us to focus on our love for each other. We were able to slow down a little and take stock of how lucky we were to be together. At this time of year, I, especially, miss my mom. She passed away on December 23, 2011. She was looking forward to Christmas right before she died. Christmas 2011 was very difficult. Everyone missed her so much, but we knew that she wouldn’t have wanted for us to mourn for too long, so the next year, we made sure to honor her memory by celebrating Christmas, even though we missed, and continue to miss, her so much. What makes this time so special for me is that it is filled with all of the memories that I have gathered during my time on this earth. While I do have some sad moments, like the loss of my mother, those are outnumbered by the happy moments that I’ve collected. This time of year brings with it love, hope, joy, magic, and miracles. Note: This blog was published as an article in the 12/16/16 edition of the Kinney County Post. The Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association had a booth at the Kinney County Frontier Christmas Celebration. We were situated in a great location that allowed us to see everything that was going on, and everyone had to walk by our booth as they entered the Civic Center. From this vantage point, I was able to witness something that truly warmed my heart. I was able to witness unity in real time.
The night before, I went to the Christmas caroling and town lighting ceremony held at the court house, and that was where I got my first inkling of how powerfully and readily this community comes together. Everyone who was there was there to celebrate the beginning of this magical season, so there was no time to let the cold or rainy weather slow anyone down, and I don’t believe that I heard one person complain about the change of plans because of the weather. Instead, everyone simply went along with the change without complaint because they wanted to be a part of something that was meaningful and memorable. When I got home on Friday, I was full of excitement because I couldn’t wait to see what Saturday would bring. On Saturday morning, there were so many people that I was overwhelmed for a bit. And these people showed up with huge smiles on their faces. They were armed with hugs and kinds words. As the day continued, I had many pleasant conversations and interactions. When there was a lull, I played the observer and watched as families walked about. Young children seemed to rule the day as they excitedly dragged their parents from one booth to another. And this day truly was a celebration of the children and young adults of this community and their innocence and spirits. The drama club did an amazing job. Their performance emboldened everyone who witnessed their talents and reminded us of why we had gathered in the first place. This group brought the house down. Before the toy giveaway, we were told that last Wednesday, only twenty-four toys had been received, so those responsible for the toy drive got on their phones and worked very hard to make sure that they pulled this off for the children of our community. As the kids received their toys, their faces were filled with gratitude and pure delight. There is nothing more heart-warming than that, and their happiness had the effect of spreading to the adults who were watching them as they received their gifts. Like the children, I saw many adults who were in awe at and grateful for the gifts their children received. I’ve said this many times, but I think it always bears repeating. I am so proud to live in a community where we can come together to celebrate and support each other. Our local vendors were able to display their abundant talent and hard work. The children were able to see how important they are to everyone here, and I was able to witness, once again, how connected and unified we all are. Note: This blog was published as an article in the 12/08/17 edition of the Kinney County Post. I have to be honest. Before we opened the Seminole Negro Indian Museum, we didn’t know what to expect. We constantly wondered and worried if anyone would actually visit once we opened our doors. I am sure that many of you know that starting something new can feel like wading out into uncharted waters. It can be extremely exhilarating and completely nerve-wracking all at the same time.
We spent many, many months planning the layout of the museum, preparing each section, researching our history to make sure our information was accurate, studying other museums, and nitpicking and agonizing over the placement of each and every picture on display. Each completed objective meant we were one step closer to achieving our goal of opening a museum that would tell the story of the Black Seminoles. When we had our grand opening on April 25, 2015, we were overwhelmed by the turnout. We were humbled by the support we received from all of those who attended, and since our opening, we’ve had several visitors who have returned and brought friends and family with them. The museum has become a unique meeting place, where we are able to discuss and explore several thought-provoking topics. We’ve been able to meet with college students, historians, and writers, and give them tours to help them better understand the Black Seminoles as a people. We’ve also been very lucky, in that, we’ve had the support of all of the other local museums. It feels like we’ve become a family, and we are indebted to the expertise and kindness and friendship that we’ve been shown. The Fort Clark Historical Society and Museum (Old Guardhouse Museum) donated display cases and artifacts. Any time we’ve had a question, they’ve helped by answering it or pointing us in the right direction. The Filippone Museum, which is run by the Kinney County Historical Commission, opened its doors not long after we opened ours, and we’ve enjoyed engaging in an open dialogue about museums and history and so much more. In the time that the museum has been opened, I’ve asked myself several times, Why are museums important? I think I am finally able to answer that question with some confidence. I’ve learned that museums allow us to celebrate ourselves. They allow us to explore our history. They allow us to illuminate what we find beautiful, meaningful, and important. Museums tell visitors, “This is what we want you to know about us.” Museums invite exploration and curiosity. They foster imagination and hope. Now that we are in the holiday season, we invite and encourage you to go out and explore your surroundings. We are so fortunate to live in this community that is so full of history and people who are passionate about preserving and promoting it. If you haven’t already, I think you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to take some time one Saturday to visit the museums that are working to preserve the history of this beautiful place that we all call home. Note: This blog was published as an article in the 12/01/16 edition of the Kinney County Post. Last Saturday (November 12), the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association celebrated Thanksgiving a bit early by having a potluck meal following our monthly meeting. We had turkey, stuffing, gravy, yams, greens, mashed potatoes, and many, many different kinds of cakes and pies and cookies. Before we ate, we bowed our heads to say prayer. As we did this, I couldn’t help but reflect on all that we had to be grateful for.
This year has been an illuminating and prosperous year for the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association. Thanks to the participation of many Brackettville residents and several tireless volunteers, we’ve had several successful fundraisers. Our two “big” celebrations – Juneteenth and Seminole Days – continue to grow each year. Each year, we get to see old faces that we’ve grown to love, and we get to see new faces that will soon become family. Our little museum is thriving, and we look forward to opening our doors each Saturday to welcome the public and tell our visitors a little about the history of the Black Seminoles. I, personally, am thankful for those unsung heroes who have helped without asking for anything or who turn down our money because they just want to be of service. There is a group from Laughlin that has adopted the cemetery, and they are always on call when we need help. There are countless members of the association like Beverly and Joe Kelly who go out and clean the cemetery when they see it needs some attention to be paid to it. Thank you to Corina Torralba and her sons and her brother Lee and Lee’s better half Ana and Mary and Al Nofi for traveling great distances to come to our little meetings and fundraisers. Thank you to Bertha Benson for your calming presence and innovative ideas. Thank you to vice-president Affie Brown for being such a strong voice and trusted confidante. Thank you to treasurer Mary Vasquez-Gamble for making sure all the bills get paid. I am grateful that we are always finding new ways to keep Miss Charles Emily Wilson’s dream alive. We, as an association, are able to come together when we need to, but we are also able to come together when we want to and have a good time filled with love, laughter, and music. We are one big extended family, as most of us are related to each other, and our little early Thanksgiving celebration reminded me of that. We were seated at several tables that formed one long line. Everyone laughed and joked with each other as soothing music played in the background. Every so often, someone would ask, “Who made this? It is so good!” One gentleman said that the food was so “bad” that he had to go back for thirds. The people gathered in that room are descendants of a people who were stolen from the shores of West Africa, landed on the shores of the southern US and forced into slavery, escaped into Florida, moved to Oklahoma, migrated to Mexico, and finally settled in Texas, specifically Brackettville. Here we are the children of the children of the children of these extraordinary people, gathering, sharing, laughing, talking, loving, and living. We are so grateful for and humbled by the sacrifices they made. Happy Thanksgiving to you all from the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association. Note: This blog appeared as an article in the 11/24/2016 edition of the Kinney County Post. Recently, someone told one of my relatives that she was “negative.” Instead of being offended by these words, my kin said, “This person calling me ‘negative’ is really saying more about herself than she is about me. She is trying to project her feelings about herself onto me. Luckily, I know who I am, so her words have no effect on me.”
Throughout life, we all must face the opinions of others. We all must realize that not everyone is going to like us or be kind to us. As performer Dita Von Teese has been quoted as saying, “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” Some people can and do use their words simply to bring sadness and hurt. When they are not able to have a healthy adult dialogue, their tongues turn into swords. They think that belittling and insulting people is fine; luckily, they are wrong. The important thing, though, is to remember that no matter what anyone thinks of you, the most important thing is what you think of yourself. No one else’s opinion should be able to affect you if you have already fortified yourself with self-awareness and self-love. Someone who is self-aware and self-loving will not use his or her words to personally attack or bring anyone down. We must not forget that arguing with a fool makes it hard to tell who is who, so instead of attacking someone, it is important to realize why that person is attacking you and to react in a way that is indicative of your intelligence and wisdom (and good home training). This incident reminded me of the advice given in The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The four agreements are (1) Be Impeccable with Your Word, (2) Don’t Take Anything Personally, (3) Don’t Make Assumptions, and (4) Always Do Your Best. The following is a brief explanation of the four agreements and is excerpted from Mr. Ruiz’s timeless classic:
So when someone comes hurling negative insults your way, you have a choice to make. Will you get down in the mud with that person and come out just as dirty? Or will you, instead, be understanding and wise and respond with kindness and love? When I was a little girl, I thought that I had a pretty clear idea of who I was, and I thought I knew everything. I was Augusta Ann “Gigi” Goodloe, the daughter of Johnny and Dora and the sister of Bumpy, Bootsie, Sunny Girl, Dodo, Ricky, Rudy, Kim, Wally Gator, Arkie, and Mimi Nett. And that was it. That was who I was, and I thought that that was all I had to be. As I grew into adulthood, I, of course, learned that I could and had to be so much more than just a daughter and a sister. Being a daughter and a sister, of course, prepared me for life. When I became a mother, I learned so much more about myself, especially about my capacity to love and my ability to function on very little sleep. In learning about myself, I’ve learned that the beautiful thing about life is that it is always challenging you to become more than who you think you are. Life, very rarely, will allow you to observe from the sidelines. In order to get the most out of life, you’ve got to get in the game and be a participant. You can’t always sit the song out; sometimes you’ve got to get up and dance. At this stage in my life, I am still learning new things about myself, and I am happy to learn new things and new ways of doing things. Each morning, I wake up eager and curious to see what the day will bring. For example, on Saturday, we had a harvest festival at the Carver School. The day started out a little shaky because we had trouble lighting the stove, so it threw us a little (or a lot) behind schedule. Normally, I would have panicked and cancelled the whole event, and I thought very hard about doing that, but this time, I knew that we had planned and worked so hard to get to that day that there was nothing that could stop us from seeing it through. So I put on my thinking cap and figured out how to get the job done, and because I had a great group of supportive people around me, we did not let one little setback ruin the whole shebang. I am happy to report that we ended up having a successful barbeque. Later that night, at the dance deejayed by Joseph Trevino (DJ Musicman), I sat back and watched as people danced. I had told myself that I probably wasn’t going to dance because I was tired, but when I heard the music start up, I reminded myself that life is dance, so there I was on the dance floor, shaking my tail feather. Sometimes you just have to dance! And I had two great little dancing partners for a couple songs, and watching these two little boys laugh and dance and play really made the whole day seem worth it. As the long day slowly came to a close, I couldn’t help but think about how it had started and how I had started. When I was a little girl, I thought I knew everything. Luckily, life has taught me that that is not true. And earlier in the day, I thought that one setback was going to indicate how the rest of the day’s events would go, but I am happy that I was wrong, and I am happy that there is always something new to learn. Note: This blog appeared as an article in the 11/03/16 edition of the Kinney County Post. On Saturday, October 15, the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association (SISCA) held a cemetery cleanup day. We began at a little after nine in the morning. We honestly could not have asked for better weather. It was a cool, beautiful morning, and it stayed that way the whole time we were out there.
To be honest, that morning, I had overslept, so I was running a few minutes late. When I arrived, there were already three people there, and they were hard at work. Clarence Ward, the cemetery cleanup coordinator, was navigating a riding lawnmower. John Daniels was using a weed eater to trim around the graves, and James Pledger was using a push lawnmower to cut where the riding lawnmower couldn’t fit. SISCA secretary Corina Torralba and her two sons had driven in from San Antonio, and they helped in numerous ways. They bought a weed eater and a lawnmower and immediately went to work, while SISCA vice-president Affie Brown and I picked up debris. After all of the work that had been done, food was a welcomed sight. At the right moment, Diane Flowers and her brother Clarence arrived with refreshments in the form of sandwiches. Affie Brown also provided sandwiches, and Corina provided water. We were out there for about four hours, and we accomplished a lot. After we had finished for the day, I took a moment to look around and see the work that had been done. It felt amazing to be a part of the process of keeping our ancestors’ resting place in good condition. Everyone commented on how peaceful it felt to be out there, right at that moment, after having accomplished what we’d set out to do. Like most of the people who were volunteering, I have several relatives buried at the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery. It is also an honor to be able to clean up their final resting places, and I know it is extremely important to honor them by maintaining the cemetery. And this is what the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association was formed to do — to maintain and preserve the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery. I love the idea of setting a goal and accomplishing it. What I love even more is setting collective goals and accomplishing them with people who are all striving for the same conclusion. On Saturday, everyone who came out to the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery came to improve and beautify this sacred space that we all hold dear. Everyone came and did their part. We plan on making this a monthly event. It will coincide with our monthly meetings. The next cleanup day is scheduled for Saturday, November 12. Following the cleanup, we will have our meeting. At this next meeting, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. More details will follow soon. I would like to thank Clarence Ward, John Daniels, James Pledger, Corina Torralba and her sons Lee and Bryan, Affie Brown, Diane Flowers, and Clarence Flowers for all of their hard work. Note: This blog was published as an article in the 10/20/2016 edition of the Kinney County Post. Each year, as we prepare for Seminole Days, life can get pretty hectic. There are a lot of phone calls, e-mails, and letters being sent, lots of traveling back and forth to make copies, buying trophies, and trying to make sure enough food is bought that will feed everyone. Add to this life and the inevitability of Murphy’s Law. Of course, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. This year, amid all of this, I decided to do something that I, sometimes, forget to do – breathe.
It might seem simple, but it is something that can easily be forgotten when a tense or stressful situation arises. This year I truly learned that, even though I may not be able to control other people’s actions, I can control the way I respond to them. And I decided to handle everything that was thrown my way with wisdom and grace. But before I did any of that, I had to clear my head and breathe. When I breathe and refocus, I am able to see the reason why the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association is so important to me and our many members and friends. I am able to see why we work so hard to preserve the legacy of those who came before us and why we are making sure that the ones that come after us are as passionate about our history as we are. I am able to see that it doesn’t help to sweat the small stuff; instead, I just inhale and exhale a few times and take in the peace that comes with this exercise. As First Lady Michelle Obama so eloquently said, “When they go low, we go high.” This is the best response for anything in life. Always take the high road. Always remember that the one shouting the loudest isn’t necessarily winning the argument. If you can’t think of anything else to do, do the first thing that you ever did – breathe. I hope that no matter what you may be facing that you will remember this simple but powerful act. Being able to calm yourself and being able to assess a situation before reacting or, even worse, overreacting is so important. Seminole Days 2016 has come and gone, but this year was a learning experience. I learned a lot about myself in the planning of this event, and I feel that I became a bit stronger and am now ready to focus on the goals that I’d like to accomplish as president. I believe that I have found a secret weapon that will allow me to combat anything that threatens my path, and that is the simple act of breathing. Note: This blog was published as an article in the 10/06/2016 edition of the Kinney County Post. In my time on this earth, one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of working together. No matter what the task, it seems to go by so much faster and easier when everyone unifies in pursuit of a common goal. I had the opportunity to learn this at a very young age. When I was young, Saturday mornings were spent cleaning up the house. My siblings and I each had certain chores that we had to complete before we could go out and play. So with the music blasting, my sisters and I would clean our rooms, wash dishes, set the table, and wash and iron clothes. My brothers would cut and gather the wood for the wooden stove, and they made sure our goats, pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats were fed. My mother even taught us how to cook a few simple meals. Her main goal was for us to help each other and learn how to work together. If one person had been tasked with cleaning the whole house alone, that person’s whole day would have gone to completing the long list of chores, but with all of my siblings (and oftentimes our friends) each doing our part, the house was cleaned in a couple of hours. Now, everything went smoothly as long as my mother was there to supervise. One time, my mother left me in charge of my younger siblings, and they, of course, decided to not listen because “I was not the boss of them.” Instead, they ran through the house and refused to do any chores, which, of course, made my job very hard. It was all fun and games until one of my brothers fell and received a nasty gash right on his eyebrow. Even though there was blood everywhere, I remained calm and ran to our next door neighbor’s house. She came to the house and put cobwebs on his head to help stop the bleeding. When my mother came home and found out what happened, she became upset with my brothers because none of the house work had been done because of their horse-playing. After everyone had calmed down, we picked up where we had left off and eventually completed our chores. Later that day, I heard my mom telling my brothers that they, instead of tearing up the house, should have been working together like she had expected them to. Her expectation, when she left, was to return home to a clean house, and we all felt bad that we had disappointed our mom. From then on, we did our best to work together to keep a clean house because we knew how hard our mom worked to keep a roof over our heads. When you love something, working together should be one of the easiest things to do, but we all know that it isn’t always that easy. This can be because people have different ideas, goals, or motivations. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and strive to help for the greater good. As president of the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association, I am always thinking about ways to get people to work together. We all have different strengths, and we all come from different backgrounds, but everyone who wants to lend a hand can help in some way. I am always surprised and delighted to see who shows up when we need to get some work done. I am always happy to roll up my sleeves and break a sweat if it is necessary in order to get the task completed. Although it will get done, it is always, always, always so much better when there are others who are willing and able to help. During Seminole Days, we had so much help that it was overwhelming at times. In the year ahead, as we prepare for our next Juneteenth and Seminole Days celebrations, I look forward to working together to achieve our goals. Romans 8:28 states: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (KJV). Note: This article was published in the 9/29/2016 edition of the Kinney County Post. |
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AuthorAugusta Pines Archives
July 2017
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