Welcome to NativeTime blog!! This is a place to be connected to history, art, culture, show people and support social programs of Native American Nations. Be my guest!!
Bem vindo ao Native Time blog!! Este é o lugar para pesquizar sobre história, cultura, celebridades, pessoas importantes e trabalhos sociais do mundo nativo!! Fique antenado!!!
Jacob Pratt is a Dakota/Saulteaux and a registered member of the Cote First Nations in Saskatchewan Canada and by the things I could find about him I can say Jacob is a brillant talent and human being. We all wish you all the best on your path Jacob, way to go!!!
He is a traditional flutist, Dancer, traditional singer, and story teller. He is also a Hoop dancer and in this style he uses 15 different hoop to tell stories by creating different animals formation. So far awesome, isn´t it???
by Michael Keith Dubois
He started playing traditional native american flute still very young and now his first cd is already released entitled Eagle Calls. This cd was also nominated for an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award . Oh! I forgot to mention he is also a model and motivational speaker for youth.
Well, I am pretty sure everyone now is very curious to know more about Mr. Pratt, so take a look at his official website and check out his songs and modeling pictures . I did and I can say they are too much enchanting ( both music and pictures )...surely his music will touch your heart.
...."a true warrior is guided by compassion an not a desire to fight"..( Jacob Pratt )
For days I have been wondering about What could be the real meaning of being a warrior and have made this question to many of my native friends, this is in fact for another post I am working on but some of the answers I got fit completely for this one...." A real warrior fights for what he believes no matter it costs..a real warrior has a cause to be defended and fought "...
I come here today to ask for all my dear readers and followers that help the cause my friends David and Angelique Midthunder are fighting for. Take a look at it and if it touches your heart, donate!! it´s easy to do it and as Angelique says.." If everyone donates $1.00 dollar so we will raise $ 5.000."...
To understand better the cause I am talking about I will re-post David´s own words on here:
..."If you know me you know I never ask anything. This I am asking not for myself but for the children who have lost their fathers in combat. Special Ops Warrior Foundation provides college scholarships, leadership opportunities, and most importantly HOPE for these children who have lost so much. It's easy to donate by clicking the link below and find out more about my cause. ".. ( David Midthunder )
..."For me CrossFit WODs (Workout Of the Day) are another extension of my tribal ceremonial spirituality. In the Tribal CrossFit community we choose a person or cause to focus and dedicate our time and energy to, just as we do in Sweatlodge or Sundance. On Sept 17th the Global CrossFit tribal community is participating in a WOD called FIGHT GONE BAD to benefit the children of our brave Warriors who were KIA (Killed In Action). I'm dedicating this WOD to my son's combat unit"... ( David Midthunder )
I really hope all wonderful people around the world who read this post will have your hearts touched by it.
Angelique is married to David Midthunder ( Lakota Nation ) and eventhough she is not a native in blood I am pretty sure she is in her soul and together they make one of the most beautiful couple I have ever seen.
A multi talent woman, Angelique is a self taught documentary filmmaker, and a humanitarian and preservationist at heart. Her ultimate goal is to effect a change in social consciousness regarding environmental and cultural issues. She believes that education through entertainment is key to reaching the masses. A serious horse lover, her first nationally released work was the documentary she created for the Animal Planet with Walt Disney Studios, “America’s First Horse.”
For that she partnered with screenwriter/producer and fellow Spanish Mustang preservationist, John Fusco to spotlight the rare Indian War Horse. Angelique followed that up by directing and producing an artistic short film “The Horse is Good” with actor/artist/activist Viggo Mortensen (LORD OF THE RINGS, HIDALGO, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE).
Most recently, Angelique started her own production company, mostly directing and producing documentaries, and has since taken on the task of producing a series of Public Service Announcements for American Wild Horse Preservation. Her first narrative “Reservation Warparties,” broadcasts this season (2005-06) on PBS’s Emmy Award winning series “Independent Lens. Also she produced and directed the documentary “Silent thunder “ a very touching history – for more information about it here it goes a link about this work. Silent Thunder
She has led workshops for Native youth at Project HOOP—National Gathering 2006 inLos Angeles, California and New Mexico Highlands University Digital Filmmaking Bootcamp 2007 inLas Vegas, New Mexico. She sits on the general advisory board of Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary.
"I founded Midthunder Productions in order to create films that touch the lives and hearts of viewers. A humanitarian and conservationist at heart, I believe in education through entertainment and focus on producing films that have a higher purpose." ( Angelique Midthunder )
Besides she´s a stunning stunt woman ( words from her husband – David Midthunder ). As the stunt business is very low key I could not get all the films which she has been doubling big stars…you know, to preverse the magic that floats on the movies. But here there is a very nice video showing a little about her work.
Here we are with some awesome movies to be released soon, so let´s check them out and wait anxiously!!!! Let your opinions here when you watch all of them !!!
I really miss Michael and Eddie on this poster...!!!
The Legend of Hell 's gate - an American Conspiracy
Hoje quero começar contando para vocês o quanto que aprendi a respeitar, admirar e amar a Nação Cherokee através dos meus amigos Tsalagi que ao longo do tempo estão sempre pacientemente me ajudando e respondendo todas as minhas infinitas questões e dúvidas, e acreditem, são muitas!!! Este post é dedicado a toda Nação cherokee e também aos meus amados e queridos amigos.
Falo isso aqui para que saibam que tudo o que decido postar aqui não vem simplesmente de pesquizas feitas pela internet, e este artigo em especial se realizou através de muita troca, muita conversa...por isso pessoal, as vezes posso demorar um pouco para postar...é porque estou proseando por ai ...
Como este é um espaço livre, de troca de informações, sintam-se a vontade para compartilhar qualquer informação comigo : sandra.padmaprem@gmail.com
A Nação Cherokee
Os Cherokees se chamam Ani-Yun’ wiya que significa Povo Principal, também no leste se chamam Tsalagi o que significa Cherokee em seu dialeto. Originalmente os Cherokees viveram na Geórgia, Alabama, Carolina do Sul e Norte, Tenessee, Kentucky e Virginia do Oeste.
Há algumas características particulares e importantes que diferem a Nação Cherokee de todas as outras Nações Nativas e creio que seja muito interessante poder aprender isso.Bem, os Cherokees vêem se misturando com a “sociedade branca” desde 1400’ , isso bem antes de outras nações, o quefez com que assimilassem outro estilo de vida em todos os sentidos e também os fez agricultores o que não é comum em outras nações neste mesmo período . Porém também eram hábeis caçadores , mas é importante perceber que essa mistura fez com que criassem uma nova característicapois mantiveram suas tradições e credos ancestrais ao mesmo tempo assimilando uma nova cultura e modo de vida bem avançado em termos de organização para sua época.
Isso me faz entender o modo de pensar de meus amigos Tsalagi do Leste, sempre respeitando as diferenças e nunca emitindo uma opinião racista...sempre penso que para se entender o comportamento dos moderno povo nativo é necessário conhecer sua historia.... No passado mais distante os Cherokees tinham uma sociedade matriarcal, significando que os clãns vinham das mulheres, das mães.
A maioria das tribos do Leste eram guiadas pelas regras das mulheres e os homens cuidavam do bem estar da família. Casamentos eram baseados na monogamia, também diferente de outras nações porém eventualmente poderia ser possível para o homem ter mais de uma esposa mas isso somente nos tempos mais remotos. Sim, o homem Cherokee precisava consultar sua esposa para tomar suas decisões. Isso explica o cuidado do homem cherokee tradicional para com as mulheres de sua família.
Hoje há tanto Cherokees do Leste e Oeste e três tribos/reservas oficiais. A Nação Cherokee em Oklahoma, United Keetoowah Band também em Oklahoma e a Nação Cherokee do Leste situada na Carolina do Norte, e há também várias comunidades pelo sul porém cada uma pertencente de uma das três tribos/reservas oficiais.
A tribo do leste de Carolina do Norte manteve os costumes e tradições antigas e falam Tsalagi ( o idioma cherokee ) -no oeste falam no dialeto overhill mas também utilizam o dialeto mais antigo chamado kituhna e Giduwa durante cerimônias e rituais sagrados. É importante entender que os cherokees do leste mantiveram suas tradições ancestrais, pois ali viviam inicialmente e durante a remoção para o oeste ( “território Indígena” designado pelo governo americano ) alguns conseguiram escapar e se esconderam nas montanhas e esses sobreviventes são os que conseguiram refazer o que hoje é a Reserva da Carolina do norte e seus descendentes puderam ter contato com suas raízes, suas tradições enquanto todo o povo que foi levado a força para o Oeste por uma questão de adaptação foram se misturando com as tribos locais que para ali também foram removidas.Hoje há sim, uma tênue divisão entre Leste e Oeste e isto é visto através de “comportamento e modo de pensar”...
Os sete clans
Há também dentro da sociedade Cherokee 7 clans, ainda hoje pelo menos quanto ao Leste ainda é respeitado esta tradição. Pois saber o clan de um cherokee é importante por muitas razões: Historicamente e ainda hoje entre cherokees tradicionalistas é proibido se casar com alguém do mesmo clan pois os membros são considerados irmãos e irmãs . Também quando se procura orientação espiritual ou tratamento é necessario o nome do clan. O lugar em cerimônias e na Stomp Dance também é feito por clan.
O caminho das lágrimas ( Trail of Tears )
Por TODO os Estados Unidos, todas as nações Indigenas sofreram o horror das remoções forçadas de suas terras e isso não foi diferente para os cherokees. Importante ressaltar que na época de remoção os cherokees já possuíam uma forma de governo organizada e representantes como o Major Ross que asseguravam junto ao governo americano, o domínio das suas terras através de tratados e acordos que foram obviamente quebrados posteriormente pelo governo.
Pelo início de 1800’ os cherokees originais iniciaram uma forçada migração para o Oeste. Mesmo grupos que já haviam voluntariamente se mudado para as terras doadas na região do Arkansa aonde estabeleceram um organização e um pacifico estilo de vida, comum álias entre os cherokees pois sempre foram um povo pacifico, mais tarde entretando também foram forçados a migrar para o “território Indígena”. A remoção aconteceu por causa do ouro encontrado ao norte da Geórgia , a febre do ouro fez o governo dos Estados Unidos( Presidente Andrew Jackson ) decidir que era tempo para os cherokees serem removidos deixando para traz suas terras e lares. Simples assim, muito simples!!
Sob ordens do então Presidente Jackson o exercito americano iniciou um ato de remoção forçada. Os cherokees foram então amontoados em barcos para viajarem o Tenessee, Ohio, Mississippi e o Rio Arkansas para chegarem ao “Território Indígena” . Muitos ficaram em campos de aprisionamento aguardando seus destinos.
Uma estimativa de 4.000 ( número do governo, porém historiadores Cherokees mostram que este número é na verdade 10.000 ) morreram de fome, exposição ao mal tempo e doenças. Esta viagem se tornou na memória histórica de todas as nações indígenas norte americanas como “ o caminho aonde eles choraram” ou “o caminho das lagrimas”.
assistam ao fantástico video sobre o "caminho das Lágrimas" feito por Avalon
Stomp Dance – Tradição Cherokee
A Stomp Dance é uma dança muito antiga e tradicional para o povo Cherokee. Embora não seja apenas a Nação Cherokee que a realiza mas outras nações do sul também. Há Stomp Dances publicas que são mais celebrativas e há também outras de caráter mais religioso e são feitas de forma reservada não sendo abertas ao publico porém nem tanto secreta pois um não nativo pode participar desde que seja convidado.
As danças celebrativas são diferentes daquelas que são feitas de forma privada.
O contador de histórias ou o Protetor dos contos
De acordo com uma antiga lei tradicional, os contos e estórias eram somente contadas entre os cherokees ou outro indígena de outra nação. Mesmo sendo um cherokee ou outro tipo de indígena, eles teriam que ser convidados pelo protetor dos mitos ou contador de estórias para ouvir-las. Primeiro os ouvintes teriam que ir até um homem da medicina para serem preparados. O homen da medicina fazia então uma cerimônia de cura riscando seus braços do ombro ao cotovelo e do cotovelo ao pulso com uma espécie de pente, normalmente feito de dentes de cobras realizando assim uma espécie de cura.
Finalmente eles estavam prontos para ouvir as estórias numa pequena choupana . As estórias transcorriam por toda a noite até o amanhecer, até o avô sol aparecer no leste. Então, eles iriam se banhar. Cada pessoa deveria mergulhar sete vezes na água enquanto o homem da medicina recitava preces.
As estórias eram passadas de geração a geração. Dizem que um verdadeiro guardador do mito pode se tornar o seu próprio toten. Também dizem que os mesmos devem ser atores, mímico, cantores, dançarinos, há muito para se tornar um guardador do mito. Há dois grupos de estórias contadas pelos Cherokees. Primeiro há as estórias sagradas. Essas estórias são mais serias e contam sobre a arte de curar, encantamentos, canções e coisas mais sagradas. Os Cherokees também são excelente herbalistas e utilizam-se das ervas em seus inúmeros rituais que não são passados para pessoas de fora, não nativos.O segundo tipo de estória são sobre animais, contam os porque da aparência e ações de certos animais. Nas estórias os animais são muito maiores o que realmente são agora e eles podiam falar. É ensinado aos cherokees que no inicio o homen tinha a habilidade de falar com os animais. Nós falávamos a mesma língua. Mas, o homem abusou de seu previlegio falando demais e se tornando ganancioso. Por isso perdemos essa especial habilidade...isso me faz lembrar que talvez Nárnia não seja apenas um conto fantástico.....
A lenda da Rosa Cherokee
Mais de 100 anos atraz, o povo Cherokee foi levado de suas montanhas, seu lar quando o homem branco descobriu o ouro nas montanhas da Carolina do Norte e Geórgia. Essa jornada é hoje lembrada como “O caminho das Lágrimas”. Era uma manhã de verão e muito quente, e a maior parte do tempo as pessoas tinham que caminhar guiados por soldados rudes que mais pareciam guiar animais do que pessoas. Eram maltratados, humilhados. Os homens ficavam tão frustrados com o tratamento dado a suas mulheres e filhos sem nada poderem fazer para protege-los. Os soldados, muito impacientes e duros ficavam irritados com cada pequena coisa que pudesse dar errado. Coisas tais como pessoas passando mal, caindo ao cansaço...de quando em quando homens eram mortos durante a viagem, pois se revoltavam com tudo isso e tentavam lutar. Muitas e muitas pessoas morreram com as dificuldades tamanhas do caminho. A maior parte da viagem era dura e triste e as mulheres lamentavam e sofriam por perderem seus lares e dignidade.
Os homens mais velhos sabiam que eles deveriam fazer algo para ajudarem suas mulheres a não perderem suas forças. Eles sabiam que as mulheres teriam que ser muito fortes para poderem ajudar as crianças a sobreviverem. Então, uma noite após terem acampado no caminho, os homens mais velhos se reuniram em preces ao “ grandioso” ( Deus ) para ajudar seu povo. Eles contaram a “Deus” que o povo estava sofrendo e temiam que os pequenos não sobrevivessem para reconstruirem a Nação Cherokee. “O Grandioso disse: “ Sim, Eu vejo a tristeza e sofrimento das mulheres e eu posso ajuda-las a manter suas forças para poderem cuidar dos pequenos, digam as mulheres de manhã para olharem para traz aonde suas lágrimas cairam no chão. Eu rapidamente farei crescer uma planta. Elas irão ver uma pequena planta verde a principio com o caule crescendo, então a cada gota de lágrima caído ao solo nascerá uma, e mais uma, e outra, e eu farei essa planta crescer tão rápido que pela tarde serão todas flores brancas, com cinco pétalas e no centro o dourado para lembrar o ouro que o homem branco tanto quiz e que em sua ganância removeu o povo cherokee de sua terra natal.
Deus ou"O Grandioso” disse que as folhas verdes seriam sete, uma para cada clãn cherokee. E a linda flor começaria a se espalhar e tomaria de volta a terra perdida..e teria espinhos em cada caule para protege-la de qualquer coisa que tentasse remove-la. Na manhã seguinte os homens mais velhos disseram as mulheres para olharem para traz e ver o sinal Divino. As mulheres viram a plantinha nascendo e crescendo cada vez mais rápido e se espalharem por todo o solo. Elas olharam as pétalas se abrirem, tão lindas que esqueceram de seu infortúnio e sofrimento e se sentiram também lindas e fortes. Pela tarde puderam avistar muitas flores por todos os lados. Começaram a pensar na força que lhes fora dada para criarem suas crianças como a “nova nação cherokee”." Elas souberam que a flor marcava todo o brutal caminho das lágrimas. Bem, a Rosa cherokee é apenas uma das muitas lindas estórias cherokees e possuem diversas versões, mas uma coisa é certa, de fato essa rosa não existia na região antes do caminho das lagrimas...
Everytime I decide to write up something for this blog I do it carefully with deep respect and admiration .That´s why I try hard to get the most accurate information possible. Here is a place to share information so, please If you have something to contribute, feel free to do it !!
I want to start this article telling you that I learned to respect and admire Cherokee Nation thru my Cherokee friends who have been always kindly and pacientlyteaching me and answering my infinite questions and doubts about Cherokee history and tradition. This article is dedicated to all Cherokee people especially to my dear friends who are very special people. I really hope you enjoy it !!
The Cherokees called themselves the Ani-Yun' wiya meaning leading or principal people. The original Cherokees lived early times in Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia.
There are some caracteristics of Cherokee Nation which make them a little bit different from the other Native Nations. They have been mixing with white society since 1400’ and it made them to assimilate other ways of life, about eating, housing, dressing and also it made them agricultors what was different among Native Nations ways of life. In the ancient past, Cherokee had a matriarchal system, meaning clanships come from the mother. Most of the Eastern tribes were ruled by women and the men ruled the warfare .The marriages were based on monogamy but eventually could be possible for a men to have more than one wife if the first one accepted it but only in ancient times.
Nowadays there are either Eastern or Western Cherokees and three official bands or tribes. The Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma and Easter Band of Cherokee Nation Indian in North Carolina and also there are many Cherokee communities in the South but each one belong to one of the three bands. The Eastern tribe kept the old ways and can speak Kituhwa or Giduwa ( ancient cherokee language ) and this band was built by the ones who could get hidden in the mountains during the removal. Overhill is spoken by the Western bands by influence of neighborhood tribes but speak the ancient language during medicine, holy cerimonies and all sacred things.Cherokee people call themselves Tsalagi.
Sequoyah and The Cherokee Alphabet System
Most historians credit Sequoyah, the most famous Cherokee, with the invention of the syllabary. However, some oral historians contend that the written Cherokee language is much, much older. But even if there was an ancient written Cherokee language, it was lost to the Cherokees until Sequoyah developed the syllabary. The development of the syllabary was one of the events which was destined to have a profound influence on our tribe’s history. This extraordinary achievement marks the only known instance of an individual creating a totally new system of writing.
Born in the 1770s in the Cherokee village of Tuskegee on the Tennessee River, Sequoyah was a mixed blood whose mother, Wureth, belonged to the Paint Clan. Sometimes the young man was known by his English name, George Gist or Guess, a legacy from his white father. Sequoyah, reared in the old tribal ways and customs, became a hunter and fur trader. He was also a skilled silver craftsman who never learned to speak, write or read English. However, he was always fascinated with the white people’s ability to communicate with one another by making distinctive marks on paper - what some native people referred to as "talking leaves".
The Stomp Dance
It´s an ancient dance and very tradicional for Cherokee people eventhough not just cherokees dance it but other Southern Nations also do it .There are public Stomp Dances for celebration and there are religious ones which are made in private, not to be showed but not so secretive once a non native can take part of it by being invited for a healing. The public stomp dances are not the ones made in private, they are different ones.
There are seven clans in Cherokee Society
a ni gi lo hi (Long Hair), a ni sa ho ni (Blue),a ni wa ya (Wolf), a ni go te ge wi
(Wild Potato), a ni a wi (Deer), a ni tsi s qua (Bird), and a ni wo di (Paint).
The knowledge of a person's clan is important for many reasons; historically, and still today
among Cherokee traditionalists, it is forbidden to marry within your clan. Clan members are considered brother and sisters. In addition, when seeking spiritual guidance and Indian doctoring, it is necessary to name your clan. Seating at ceremonial stomp dances is by clan, as well.
Trail of Tears
All Native Nations faced the horror, were forced to leave their lands, were removed to reservations, were made slaves, fought for resistance and struggled for survival. It was not different for Cherokee people.
By the early 1800’s the original Cherokee Nation began the forced migration to the west. Even a group known as Old settlers previously had voluntarily moved to land´s given them in Arkansas where they estabilished a government and a peaceful way of life but later however they were also forced to migrate to Indian Territory. The removal happened because of the gold found out in northen Georgia, the “gold fever” made the U.S goverment ( President Andrew Jackson ) decided it was time for the cherokees to be removed leaving behind their farms, lands and homes. Simply like that!!!
The Cherokee were rounded up in the summer of 1838 and loaded onto boats that
traveled the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers into Indian Territory. Many were held in prison camps awaiting their fate.
An estimated 4,000 died from hunger ( but true numbers by Cherokee Historians is 6.000 to 8.000 ), exposure and disease once they faced all sort of weather, rain, snow, cold and they were not given time even to bury their beloved ones, they were forced to keep on the march not matter what could happen to them. The journey became a cultural memory as the "trail where they cried" for the Cherokees and other removed tribes. Today it is widely remembered by the general public as the "Trail of Tears".
Under old traditional law, the tales or stories were only told to fellow Cherokee or other Indian People. Even if an individual was a Cherokee or other type of Indian, they would have to be invited by the myth keeper or tale teller to hear the stories. They would first have to go the medicine man for preparation. The Medicine man would then perform a scratching ceremony on them. He would scratch their arms from shoulder to elbow and elbow to wrist from a comb, usually made from the teeth of a rattle snake. A healing red powder was blown over the red marks that the comb made on their arms. Finally, they were able to hear the stories of the myth keeper, in a small dome shaped earthen covered hut. The stories would last all night and into the morning, until Grandmother Sun appeared in the East. Then they would go to the water. Each person would dip themselves seven times under the water while a priest would recite prayers from the bank of the water.
The stories were passed down from generation to generation. It is said that the true myth keeper can become the animal about whom they speak. It is also said that myth keepers have to be actors, mimes, singers, dancers.There are are many, many parts to being a myth keeper.
There are two groups of stories told by the Cherokee. First, there are the sacred stories. These stories are the serious type of stories which tell about why the Cherokee came to have certain healings, songs and that sort of thing. The second type of stories are the small animal stories. These stories tell why a certain animal looks the way they do, or act they way they do. In the stories, the animals are much larger than they are now and they could speak. It is taught to the Cherokee that in the beginning, man had the ability to speak with the animals. We spoke the same language. But, man abused their privilege by taking too much and becoming greedy. Therefore, man lost their ability to speak with the animals. Cherokee people have a large bunch of Tales and Stories, maybe the most famous is The Legend of the Cherokee Rose and there are many different versions of it and the fact is that there was never a such plant until the Trail of Tears making this a true story and not a myth.
Legend of the Cherokee Rose
More than 100 years ago, the Cherokee people were driven from their home mountains when the white men discovered gold in the mountains of North Carolina and Georgia. Their journey is remembered as the Trail of Tears. Some of the people came across Marengo County in West Alabama. It seems that after they had left the mountains, they came this far south so not have to climb more mountains.
It was early summer and very hot, and most of the time the people had to walk. Tempers were short and many times the soldiers were more like animal drivers than guides for the people. The men were so frustrated with the treatment of their women and children, and the soldiers were so harsh and frustrated that bad things often happened. When two men get angry they fight and once in a while men were killed on the trip. Many people died of much hardship. Much of the time the trip was hard and sad and the women wept for losing their homes and their dignity.
The old men knew that they must do something to help the women not to lose their strength in weeping. They knew the women would have to be very strong if they were to help the children survive. So one night after they had made camp along the Trail of Tears, the old men sitting around the dying campfire called up to the Great One in Galunati (heaven) to help the people in their trouble. They told Him that the people were suffering and feared that the little ones would not survive to rebuild the Cherokee Nation. The Great One said, "Yes, I have seen the sorrows of the women and I can help them to keep their strength to help the children. Tell the women in the morning to look back where their tears have fallen to the ground. I will cause to grow quickly a plant. They will see a little green plant at first with a stem growing up. It will grow up and up and fall back down to touch the ground where another stem will begin to grow. I'll make the plant grow so fast at first that by afternoon they'll see a white rose, a beautiful blossom with five petals. In the center of the rose, I will put a pile of gold to remind them of the gold which the white man wanted when his greed drove the Cherokee from their ancestral home."
The Great One said that the green leaves will have seven leaflets, one for each of the seven clans of the Cherokee. The plant will begin to spread out all over, a very strong plant, a plant which will grow in large, strong clumps and it will take back some of the land they had lost. It will have stickers on every stem to protect it from anything that tries to move it away.
The next morning the old men told the women to look back for the sign from the Great One. The women saw the plant beginning as a tiny shoot and growing up and up until it spread out over the land. They watched as a blossom formed, so beautiful they forgot to weep and they felt beautiful and strong. By the afternoon they saw many white blossoms as far as they could see. The women began to think about their strength given them to bring up their children as the new Cherokee Nation. They knew the plant marked the path of the brutal Trail of Tears. The Cherokee women saw that the Cherokee Rose was strong enough to take back much of the land of their people.
He is a cherokee actor who has been acting brillantly in many roles. His well succeeded carreer has many awards and nominations. Very well deserved!!
Native Oklahoman, Vietnam veteran, sculptor, musician, author, activist. Each of those describes the legendary actor Wes Studi. Within a few years of his arrival in Hollywood, Studi caught the attention of the public in Dances with Wolves. In 1992, his powerful performance as Magua in Last of the Mohicans established him as one of the most compelling actors in the business.
On April 20, 2009 Studi appeared as Major Ridge in Trail of Tears, the third episode of We Shall Remaina ground breaking mini-series that establishes Native history as an essential part of American history from PBS's acclaimed series American Experience. He spoke his native Cherokee language.
Studi has since appeared in more than 50 film and television productions ( I am listing below all his imdb list ). His upcoming films include Avatar, directed by James Cameron.
In James Cameron’s new 3-D, sci-fi blockbuster “Avatar,” Cherokee actor Wes Studi lends his voice and face to the computer-generated character Eytukan, who with his wife is responsible for the safety and well being of the Omaticaya clan whose planet is being invaded by a private army bent on exploiting its resources. As one of the human characters says early in the film, “We have an indigenous population called the Na’vi….They are very hard to kill.”( By the way, Avatar in my opinion is so similar to real life... ). Even it´s a hollywood movie, it´s a movie who can touch people in general and maybe make everyonce start thinking about Indigenous causes...from the Fantasy to the reality of many nations once the movie portraits what has been happening to many native nations for centuries.
I definitly can not think about anyone else playing the role of "Geronimo" - This warrior andLeader Apache is so remarkable for the history and Wes showed him to the general public in a way that I imagine the producers and directors of this film even did not think about any other native actor to portrait him.
Leader of the resistance is a familiar role for Studi Whether in “Geronimo: An AmericanLegend,” “Last of the Mohicans,” or “Dances with Wolves,” Studi has played the indigenous man who fights against incursion.
The New Word
Also the way he portraited Wovoca in Bury my heart at Wonded knee was fabulous and touching...I could not let to mention it here...but for me personally his work in Comanche Moon is the most remarkable and fantastic.
Geronimo
As I could not watch Trail of Tears - A Cherokee Legacy and We shall remain , I ask to all my beloved readers to go to Avalon´s Blog to read more about this awesome person and talenty actor - West Studi ( http://www.avalon-medieval.blogspot.com/ ) . Also you can check out his fabulous work as a sculptor in his webiste.
( watch the video tribute to Wes Studi made by Avalon )
