▁of ▁wood ▁to ▁fire ▁it , ▁and ▁the ▁final ▁color ▁of ▁her ▁pot tery ▁was ▁determined ▁by ▁the ▁type ▁of ▁wood ▁that ▁she ▁used . ▁ ▁Rec ogn ition ▁Sw immer ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Heritage ▁Award ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁she ▁received ▁the ▁Mountain ▁Heritage ▁Award ▁from ▁Western ▁Carolina ▁University ▁for ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁traditional ▁pot tery . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Band ▁of ▁Ch ero kee ▁Indians ▁hon ored ▁Sw immer ▁as ▁a ▁Bel oved ▁Woman , ▁the ▁highest ▁award ▁the ▁feder ally ▁recognized ▁tribe ▁can ▁best ow ▁on ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁members . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁awarded , ▁she ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁living ▁recip ients . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁Sw immer ▁( née ▁Se qu oy ah ) ▁married ▁Luke ▁Sw immer ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 6 . ▁Luke ▁was ▁eleven ▁years ▁her ▁senior , ▁a ▁wid ower ▁and ▁a ▁father . ▁After ▁marriage ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁step - m other ▁to ▁his ▁daughter , ▁Mary ▁Ellen . ▁Am anda ▁rec alls ▁how ▁they ▁met , ▁“ Well , ▁he ▁used ▁to ▁stay ▁over ▁there ▁across ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ; ▁we ▁went ▁to ▁church ▁and ▁we ▁just ▁got ▁together , ▁I ▁met ▁him ▁there .” ▁T ogether ▁Am anda ▁and ▁Luke ▁wel com ed ▁nine ▁more ▁children , ▁six ▁boys ▁and ▁three ▁girls . ▁ ▁Sw immer ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying ▁" I