.
.
Osiyo
Brothers and Sisters, I
am
Ken "Gigage-Asgaya
Gvdodi Waya-Dikata"
Dantzler. The son of
Rosetta Gardner (1/4
Cherokee and Edward
Dantzler 1/4 Black Dutch
) I am happy to say
that I came from a proud
people. I wear my Tsalagi
name in honor of my
grandmother
(a-gi-li-si) Alberta
C. Jackson the daughter
of a
Cherokee (father:
George Collins) and
French/Choctaw(mother:
Rosie Wilson). I
received my name at a
family gathering from the
elders of the family who
have never forgotten
their roots. The Elders
placed me in front of the
family after a cleansing
ceremony with sage in a
red blanket along with a
lock of hair from an
ancestor. Later, The
Family Elders along with
my grandmother gave me my
Tsalagi name as a
reminder of my roots
because I had red skin
and wolf eyes.
I
have roots that traveled
from the East Coast to
Oklahoma in the
"Trail of
Tears" with
family members from the
Delaware and Virginia
area. Many settled in
Arkansas and some went to
what is now Claremore,
Oklahoma. I am descent of
George Collins ( known as
Red Man) who was
half-Cherokee and Irish
who helped in
establishing a
denomination out of
the Methodist Church
in New York because of
the injustices of Native
people and
African-Americans.
I
am the historian of the
family and keeper of the
family heirlooms given to
me from my grandmother
who departed October 28,
2000. When an individual
departs from this life, I
remind our family at such
gatherings of our roots.
My
birthplace was Chicago,
Illinois. I
graduated from Dumas High
School in Arkansas. I
hold a B.S. in Biological
Science from the
University of Arkansas at
Pine Bluff. An A.A.
degree in Biblical
Studies and B.A degree in
Religious Studies from
Carver Bible College in
Kansas City, Missouri,
and obtained a World
Christianship Ministry
Honorary Doctor of
Divinity Degree. I have
done graduate work in
Education at the
University of Missouri
and Avila College.
I
have worked with
prominent national
recording artists such as
the late James Cleveland
and Edwin Hawkins, and
recorded an album
entitled "I've Got
My Source".
I
have worked in the Kansas
City Public School
District, I served as the
Vice-Chair of Title I,
Co-Chair
of Title II for
individuals living with
disabilities. Chaired the
Evaluation Quality
Assurance Committee.
Received an award for
working with people
living with disabilities
from the Kansas City
Health Department, and
with the Missouri State
Case Management Team.
I
am a member of the
Heart of America Native
American Center in Kansas
City, Missouri. I am
now attending Saint Paul
School of Theology
continuing a Masters
Degree in Historical
Theological Studies.
| "The
Creator told everyone of
us in our tribal
beginnings to look after
our ceremonies, and each
other." |
| --Barney
Bush, SHAWNEE |
Please
feel free to contact me
for more information. I
am here to serve.
Wado
Clan
Chief Gigage-Asgaya
Gvdodi Waya-Dikata
- Kansas
Clan
- .
-
- Clan
Chief Kenneth
"Gigage-asgaya
Gvdodi Waya-dikata"
Dantzler
-
- 1010
Brooklyn Ave.
- Kansas
City, Missouri 64127
- Phone:
816-221-1167
|
