My son Louis is 7 and Francois is 5. My daughter Madelaine (mon petite chou) is 3. I hope
that my sons will grow to follow in my footsteps as Marines.
Virginie Marie Debois/Isi Ushi Tani (Ginger Jones)
I was born 42 summers ago in the moon of little corn. I was born in the village of Pakana,
of the Alabamo Tribe. The village is between two rivers of which they call Coosa and
Tallapoosa. Close to our village is a fort the Frenchmen call Toulouse. I am the daughter of the
Mico, and hold position of Clan Mother, Beloved Woman or Woman of Note as some may call,
which I have been for 2 summers. As a Beloved Woman I have the honor of sitting in on
councils, and of traveling from one village to another to dispatch and to receive messages from
other Beloved Women of our nation. I have traveled with my people to council with the
Europeans, and while at on of these I was given a musket which I have used many times to kill
both white and red enemies of our people. As allowed by our nation I have been on several
raiding parties, and while on one of these my husband was killed, that was some 5 winters
ago.
We have a daughter of 16 summers, my life in our village is raising her to the teachings
of our ancestors, I taught her about the tanning of hides to make leather, the care and cooking of
the animals, and plants we grow in our gardens. The spinning of grasses and animal hair to
make the yarn used in finger weaving and twinning, making baskets and mats out of cane.
Pottery making from river clay. Gathering nuts and acorns for flour and cooking oil, and
teaching her the uses of plants.
This past winter a great warrior of the French traveled to fort Toulouse. This warrior is
of great wealth and respect in his own clan, He was sent by the French to live with and learn
about my people. He is a trader and a chief of the French soldiers.
My father and this Frenchman, they call Debois, became very close in their trading and a
strong friendship grew. Father thought it would be of great wealth and opportunity to our people
for the Frenchman and I to get together. In a short time a fire started inside both Debois and I.
We were in love for 7 or 8 moons, and after accepting the religion of the French and being given
the name Virginie Marie by the black robe, we were wed and I went to live in the fort with
him.
With this, father was very pleased, my brother Tuklo Iti is pleased as well, he says the
trade goods are very good with the French, and he is honored to have this Frenchman, a his
brother, they too have become very close, and he is sure the trade goods will flow to him like a
mighty river.
As being the proud wife of this great French warrior, Debois, I hope to do great things for
my people. Already I have worked as an adviser to both my people and his, helping to ensure
peace and friendship.
