Just some thoughts from The Iris Garden to honor my friends who know their roots, who honor me with their special friendship. Native American Indians are loyal friends.
The eagle was considered a sacred bird by most Native
Americans. An Eagle Dance was
performed. Only the bravest warriors and
those most learned of the sacred ordinances were presented the feathers of the
eagle.
(Gary Frey loved eagles. This is one from his collection.)
The
Cherokee Blessing: American Indians revered the Great Spirit,
who presided over all things and created the Earth. The Great Spirit is said to
be omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient and was often called Apportioner and
Creator, the maker of all things and the one who lives above.
(I’ve had this “Cherokee Blessing” so long I
do not recall where I got it.)
The Indian
Maiden: The Cherokee nation had a
'maternal' society. The women sat on clan councils
and oversaw tribal functions. Kinship
and tribal roots followed the mother’s family, not the father. The role of “Beloved Woman” was the highest
one could attain. The Cherokee woman owned
the house and the furnishings. She
managed everything while the man hunted.
If she wanted a ‘divorce’, she sat his clothes and belongings outside
the door and was done with him.
(I got
this fine maiden at a crafts festival and I have named her 'Mourning Dove'.)
Cherokee
Map 1900: Shows the loss of Cherokee
land from the original ownership in the blue, through the end of the Revolution
to the final land cessation.
Trail of
Tears Map: In 1838–1839 the
Cherokee were forced to move west to ‘designated’ Indian Territory in Oklahoma. The route is known as the 'Trial of
Tears'. It was also called by the
Cherokee, ‘The Trail Where They Cried’.
Over 800 miles through North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky,
Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, to Oklahoma, they suffered from disease, exposure
and starvation. Approximately 16,000
began the Trail and as many as 4,000 died.
Many of these deaths were due to the “worst winter in one hundred years”(encampment
1838-1839) in Southern Illinois.
Quligi: (Kwe
– lee – gee) My friend Quligi is a Cherokee descendant. He attends powwows and in this photo is
performing the Southern Straight Dance.
There are eight styles of American Indian Powwow Dances, four for men, and
four for women. The Southern Straight
Dance represents history after colonization in which the man wears a cloth
ribbon shirt. Often called ‘The Teacher’
or ‘Grandfather’s Dance’, the movements indicate teaching a younger male how to
track.
Gary’s
Quilt: He never asked for anything
beyond cherry pie. One day he came home
from work at Walmart and had a piece of fabric in his hand. In fabrics and crafts they often displayed a
quilt panel or stretches of fabric on the wall.
They had changed out the display that day and he gave a donation to the
Children’s Miracle Network for his pick off the wall. He handed the fabric to me and said, “I want
you to make me a quilt.”
The Spirit
Plague and my Cherokee wish for you.
Good resources:
