NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In between the hustle and bustle of modern-day Nashville are stories of an ancient past.
"In fact, all of downtown Nashville sits atop an ancient Native American city that extended across the Cumberland River miles into what is now East Nashville," said Albert Bender, coordinator for the American Indian Coalition of Nashville TN.
Bender is a Cherokee activist and his ancestors date back thousands of years in Tennessee.
He said today's city was built on a Native American metropolis. At one point, Nashville was the largest Native American city in the U.S.
"The population of ancient Nashville a thousand years ago was estimated to be about 400,000," said Bender.
But in a city now consumed by cranes and excavators, he worries about preserving that past.
"I'm concerned that there's the distinct possibility of an erasure of the past, an erasure of the history of ancient Nashville."
Despite the atrocities his ancestors faced, Bender has made it his mission to keep their rich history and culture alive.
"It's a struggle to keep alive the culture and traditions of Native American people," said Bender. "But it's a struggle that we feel that we are winning, and it gives hope and a large part of our traditions that will continue on to future generations."
He's happy to do it this Indigenous Peoples' Day and every day of the year.
