David Yeagley is the great-great-grandson of Comanche leader Bad Eagle. 
Today, October 11, 2010, is celebrated as Christopher Columbus Day. The actual holiday is October 12, noting the day 1492 when Columbus landed on the small Bahaman island he called San Salvador, the first of a small chain of Bahaman islands he named Española. BadEagle.com proudly recognizes this historical date–in honor of the greatest man since Jesus. It was not an accident that the Bad Eagle Reunion (of the fifth generation descendents of Bad Eagle) was scheduled in a convergence with Columbus Day. We believe American Indians should think independently from the slavish resentment so foolishly associated with the coming of the white man to the Western Hemisphere. Columbus never met an American Indian. (The Arawak Iindians, whom he did meet, were South American, from Venezuela and British Guiana.) That is the historical fact about Columbus’ reception. The consequences of his incomparable and daring aggression are irrelevent to the magnitude of the man and his personal character. Our Comanche numunukahn (clan, or extended family) recognizes individual achievement for what it is. We are strong enough, and aggressive enough ourselves to enjoy the freedom to recognize bravery and accomplishment in others, even our enemies.
But not every enemy. Some enemies are unworthy. They may be effective, but that doesn’t mean they are honorable as warriors at all. They may have to be mentioned, by way of explanation, but they are ever detestable. A liar, a deceiver, a fraud, a fabricator, and a murderer is not honorable, regardless of how effective he may be toward his enemies.
One such aversary of the Bad Eagle family, which BadEagle.com has identified, was a man named Sotero de la Corda (“Sortero Dela Cerday”). We know he was from the southwest, and that he appears to be a contemporary of Ygnacio Portillo (Bad Eagle’s son). He changed the spelling of his name many times over the years, and became known as “Dave Cerday.” We don’t know where he was from, when he was born, or what nationality he was, for certain. On some documents he claimes to be “Mexican,” others “White,” and still others, “Indian.” Different documents show him claiming different racial and national identity for both his mother and father. We know he apparently forged many records, documents, and practiced conspiracy, fraud, and what today would be called identity theft. He tried to assume the identity of the Bad Eagle family, and to possess Bad Eagle’s land, estate, and blood line (through marriages). He died ca. 1944, in the middle of WWII. On his deathbed, he told my uncle, “Your great grandfather [Bad Eagle] was a famous man. There is book written about him, in Spanish.”
George Portillo (grandson of Bad Eagle) and his wife, Juanita (Chickasaw), ca. 1940
So, the unfortunate fact is, due to the evil works of Dave Cerday (Sotoro Dela Cerday), the identity of Bad Eagle’s descendents has been obfuscated, confused, hidden, and even maligned, since the third generation, beginning with Bad Eagle’s grandson Anacleto (George), my grandfather. Our family does possess the records to varify our Comanche heritage, with grandeur, and to evince the fraud and bastardization asserted by Dave Cerday. Cerday had “marriages” to four different women that we know of, through two of whom he attempted to claim Comanche blood line–the Bad Eagle blood line, specifically.
It is as though Cerday brought a curse upon the family of Bad Eagle. He interfered with our family’s Comanche land allotments; he falsified documents, and even the birth certificate of one of his own children. He left heretofore permanent damage to the family image, having manipulated and otherwise usurped legal identities since the late 1890′s. Many Comanches to this day are uncertain about the identity of Bad Eagle and his descendents. This is all due to the fraud of Dave Cerday. There are a number of families who believe they may be descendents of Bad Eagle, but have never demonstrated it, and in fact never made any public claim or any special claim among the Comanches to be descendents of Bad Eagle. (Their true Comanche blood, if any, is therefore uncertain.) Not until I myself, a fifth generation direct descendent of Bad Eagle, began a public campaign to resurrect the name and honor of what I consider to be a great man, my great-great grandfather, Bad Eagle, have a few distant relatives begun to see an importance in their descendency.
Little did my ignorant political enemies know what they were touching upon when they mindlessly claimed I was not my mother son, my mother was not Comanche, and that Bad Eagle did not exist. These claims are still present on the internet, for which I am suing a number of individuals and media corporations. Little did they know when they were given false, non-demonstrable, hearsay, gossip from a low minded, hateful person that they were echoing distortions of established historical fraud.
It is good, then, that all this geneological history should come out into the open now. It is time. The curse of Bad Eagle must be lifted. In those days, it was all about land and money. Oklahoma became a state in 1907. Indian land allotments were precious at the turn of the century. An enterprising crook, like Dave Cerday, could get in on the land in one of three ways: marry an Indian, murder an Indian, or forge a document. (Cerday did all three–though the only Indian we know he had children by was a Chickasaw woman.)
And so our family, the real descendents of Bad Eagle, were presented with a complex historical outline (over 30 pages) of the family, as prepared by me, along with other memorabilia, at our reunion here in Oklahoma City. This reunion was of first cousins, all children of the children of George Portillo (grandson of Bad Eagle). We are all fifth generation descendents. Our children, on the Comanche rolls, are sixth generation. Two of them, to beautiful young women, were also present. This was a precious bonus, for they are the keepers of the flame. To them will be entrusted the family name, honor, and love.
Of course, we expect no messiah to appear among us. The treasure of our family is not for the hope of eternity. Rather, we hope that our family treasures eternity. I, for one, recognize in the family of George Portillo, a family love that I have not witnessed, or very rarely witnessed, in the world. I have been significantly involved in many different ethnic groups over my life time. My own family presents a love which I find precious, and worth recognizing. It is in a Comanche blood line, and it has involved the Judeo-Christian religion, most recently the Seventh-day Adventist faith (and still some Roman Catholicism–brought again to the family through marriage). I cannot sort these influences out quite perfectly, but I know that they are related.
I have found in the way in which Comanche families love and honor one another, despite all manner of personal offenses, dysfunctions, socio-psychological problems, reflects a kind of human bonding that, to me, represents a pre-Christian Christianity. The willingness to tolerate profound offense, to abide the dishonorable–for some deeper, larger value and purpose, this is a deep Comanche way. This trait in the Comanches, along with Christian communion, makes for a wonderful human experience in the world. I feel profoundly privileged to understand this.
My pursuit of the honor of Bad Eagle means to honor both the love of a Comanche family, and the love of Jesus.
Usu hakaru weehutui
Jesusitu weehutui. Jesusi, numi sutai.
U niwaitu nunu sumu oyetu. Jesusi, numi sutai.
Namakweyui
15 responses so far ↓
1 Pamela K. // Oct 11, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Very good post! I’m glad your reunion turned out so well for you!
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forevermore. Psalm 125:1-2
2 David Yeagley // Oct 11, 2010 at 3:54 pm
The Lord blessed my grandfather George. He was deeply wronged, but, in due time, he saw justice. It took many, many years.
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Ps. 27: 13,14.
The damage done to our family name is not altogether healed. I feel responsible to continue the restoration begun by my mother, one of her sisters, and her brother.
3 Mario // Oct 11, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Dr Yeagley, I appreciate that you have you told the whole world about an early form of identity theft that had occured toward your family. Is this what those nimrods that are using your name( I will not give them satisfaction of the attention whores that they are) are basing the claims that you are a fake? I did read their websites to see what proof they had to say that you are not a descendant of Bad Eagle and they even went so far to say that Bad Eagle did not exist!
I am amazed how far they are willing to go and say you 1) are not an Indian but a white man pretending to be one, 2) you are a racist in the tradition of the KKK hiding behind the idea that you are an indian, 3) not a descendant of Bad Eagle, and 4) Bad Eagle is not the name of the Indian that you are claiming as an ancestor.
Funny how these jokers are willing to give a free pass to prove your “buddy” Ward Churchill as being “part indian”. No scrutiny in their part about Ward Churchill, he just says he has indian blood and that is just fine with them.
I hope that lose liars will be mired in legal wrangling that will make them think twice saying lies about you. Unfortunately, the left with pro bono lawyers will come to the rescue.
I enjoy reading your articles, especially from an indian point of view. Just keep it up Dr. Yeagley and do not let some malcontents stop you. Just think of it this way, you must be doing something to get them to attack you, which means you are scaring them.
4 David Yeagley // Oct 12, 2010 at 7:37 am
Mario, my enemies have not one shred of evidence for anything they have claimed about me personally. None. They think if they quote each other, that represents research and validation. They think of they report what someone else wrote on the internet, that means it is fact, and they are justified in presenting it as fact. They do no research of their own, not when it comes to facts about me and my family.
This is a slam dunk case, as far as facts go. But, attorneys aren’t really into facts, but into presentation. This court case will go on a long time, I’m afraid, basically because I do not have the funding for it, and because it simply is not important to anyone but me.
Who cares whether an Indian is an Indian–except other Indians? But, the case is about libel, principally. Malice, fraud, racism, etc. There are a variety of torts, actually. But, when the rubber meets the road, before the judge, the issue sometimes becomes something else.
Lying is quite permissible in court, you know. A lie is given equal status as the truth, in the name of tolerance, patience, justice, and equality.
5 wyoman // Oct 12, 2010 at 10:21 am
As your court case drags on it is important to remember an old belief of mine. You are defined more by your enemies than your friends. I would be proud to be considered an enemy by your antagonists. They, more than any other single thing, prove your value and the value of your position.
6 David Yeagley // Oct 12, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Well, I’ve certainly attracted a variety of opponents, from the very uninformed and low, to the professional distortionists. I can’t really say I feel flattered. I have yet to find a worthy opponent, on my terms. (Not that I’m looking for one, but, who knows, maybe I actually am.)
What I’ve learned is this: one does not have the luxury of choosing one’s opponents. They chose you. I am greatly ashamed and embarrassed by the quality of my opponents. It is degradation, not honor. Perhaps I err in this estimation, but, that’s how I feel. They had their trustly little internet tools to magnify their otherwise minescule significance.
But, as one learns to be humble, one pays a terrible price.
7 David Yeagley // Oct 12, 2010 at 3:51 pm
In going through boxes of family records, I found this little shot.
David Yeagley, at five years old, in OKC.
Now, tell me that’s not an Indian kid. Why, I look almost like grandpa George! I remember that thirt, too. It was cotten flanel, and red. It had fence posts and ropes all over it. I thought it was cool, with blue jeans. (But, I always cried if I had to wear patched jeans. I hated patches.)
8 Pamela K. // Oct 12, 2010 at 4:18 pm
You do not have to convince me or anyone else who frequently contributes to this site that you are an Indian. You are an Indian! You come from a strong-willed and proud people with an innate tenaciousness when it comes to fighting the battles of life and that’s something to appreciate! However, if you are a Christian, then you know that your true identity is in Jesus Christ.
“You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will confess and praise You for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are your works, and that my inner self knows right well.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance and in Your book all the days of my life were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:13,14,16
9 David Yeagley // Oct 12, 2010 at 9:16 pm
It’s not that I have any identity problems in myself, or in my family. It’s just that I went public with my ideas, and my enemies decided their best shot against my ideas was to smear my identity. That’s all. And that involves my entire family. Thus, I resist the lies.
But, then again, St. Paul was in jail over his ideas. That hasn’t happened to me, yet.
10 David Yeagley // Oct 13, 2010 at 7:47 am
Interestingly, one of my senior cousins (one we all admire greatly) dismissed the whole internet experience as a non-reality. “Real men don’t do internet,” he said. That’s what I felt he was saying to me. Like, it doesn’t really matter what happens or doesn’t happen on the internet.
Oddly comforting, the thought. Yet, I was making a living at it. Indeed, it was internet that, when corrupted by my lying opponents, essentially impeded my profession of political writing and speaking. Or, it seems that way to me. I know that was their publicly stated intention.
Perhaps internet is a kind of fantasy world, but, it has an influence in the real world.
11 Illana // Oct 14, 2010 at 7:47 am
David,
I don’t think your opponents question about your roots (even if some of them do it)..
I assume they question about your feelings with the Black community and your anti-Muslim opinions..
12 calliegal235 // Nov 4, 2010 at 11:02 pm
I wrote you that I also checked out their websites; several have broken links, BTW. Those people are vicious. The thing is, this is important for someone like Dr. Yeagley. This is, I think, their attempt to blackball Dr. Yeagley. They want to effectively silence him, and they mean to shut him out of places of employment, or vocations where he would be influential, particularly in their spheres.
13 calliegal235 // Nov 4, 2010 at 11:05 pm
P.S. Yes, the internet is something of a fantasy world, but it is also something of a very real business world. I use it to buy and sell real things! I make real money (okay, so it’s actually a Federal Reserve Note, but my bank is still accepting them). Dr. Yeagley also uses the internet professionally, so it’s important.
14 calliegal235 // Nov 4, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Wonderful photos! Thanks so much for sharing them!
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