James, Cheewa: - Cheewa James was born on the Klamath Reservation in Oregon and raised in Taos, New Mexico. She is a direct descendant of Modoc War hero Shkeitko, colorfully renamed "Shacknasty Jim" by non-Native people. Her full name Cheewa-wee, meaning "beginning of a basket" in the Modoc language, was given to her by the last woman survivor of the Modoc War. The cover of Cheewa's book is a photo of her Modoc father, Clyde James. Cheewa is enrolled with the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma. A master storyteller and professional keynote speaker, she is also an award-winning television producer and on-air talent. Cheewa attended Colorado College, University of Oregon, and NW Missouri State. Her degree is in English and speech.