Ren Herdman, a native of Vinton and a graduate of William Byrd High School, will be
presenting a program on “Native America: Different Tribes, Different Journeys” at the Charles
R. Hill Community Center on Saturday, March 29 at 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend “for
an opportunity to learn about our community’s history not taught in the classroom.”
Herdman is the highest-ranked multi-ethnic female martial artist in the world in her form of
hand-to-hand combat with a 7th-degree black belt, but she is equally as well known for her work
in helping others and educating them about Native American culture.
She visited the Community Center’s Cane Tai Chi Class several months ago. Her first visit to the
Cane Class inspired her to develop a short form program which she is now teaching the elderly
in her tribe.
Following her lecture on Saturday, Herdman will join instructor Steve Garay at the Defensive
Cane Tai Chi at the Center at 5:30 on Monday, March 31.
Herdman is proud of her native roots and the native American culture in the local area. The focus
of her presentation on Saturday is “revisiting a day in the life of our local tribes.” She will
display an array of local tools and kitchen utensils from the archaic period which have been
found in and around Roanoke and Bedford Counties. She will also bring photos of locally
culturally modified trees and rocks with mortar holes.
She is the CEO “Chief” of the Central Appalachian Cherokee Tribe—the first female in that
position. She is multi-ethnic and proud of all the heritage she represents. Like most Americans
on the eastern side of the country, Native American blood quantum isn’t her largest percentage.
However, she is well-documented to be of Native American descent by both DNA and family
history. She is a descendant of Jesse Brock, a Cherokee Patriot who served as a scout in the
American Revolution.
She also feels that God is calling her to help with Native American causes.
Herdman has spent years studying and documenting Native American sites throughout the
Central Appalachian region and across the country. She also speaks as a Native American
educator on the local tribes that were present in the Central Appalachian region, as well as tribes
that were present in other parts of the country
Herdman is also an ordained chaplain, a martial arts instructor, and an active military member of
the State Guard, where she proudly serves as a Warrant Officer.
Last summer, Herdman made a donation of archaic Native American artifacts from the Central
Appalachian Cherokee Tribe to the Vinton History Museum for their collection. The items came from areas of Roanoke County and Glade Creek, and include grinding stones, plates, and pottery
chards with a reed pattern.
Herdman said this donation was made to honor her ancestors.
