a Medicine story to ponder

“Your face has the same calm in its pull on the senses of those who admire, or wish to touch the place your calmness sits upon. As you matured your face acquired a solid grounding that created its own definition of beauty. What a journey your face took telling the stories, and condition of your life, temple, temperament, education, sense of self, and the sensuality that calls the mates, and friends you have needed to live deeply. Your face hides and reveals what hides and reveals, Thelma.”  -Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

"I made it (the dress) from a pattern provided by Whispering Winds Magazine and won first prize for Native American month at my job.  I like learning how to do things for myself and everything can be an artistic endeavor. My grandmother did and my great grandmother was a Chitimacha Medicine woman. State of Louisiana wanted to jail her for practicing medicine without license. She moved to a house boat and went up and down Bayou Teche still doing medicine. She was famous for her Water Moccasin cure and tonsil cure. She was also the tribal midwife." -Thelma Thomas