Talking to my three year old grandson this weekend. 12.5.12
Him: "I need that big light on!"...
ME: "Why do you need that big light on if you are going to sleep? Isn't the lamp enough light for you to go to sleep?"
HIM: "No, Because I need to see"
ME: "But if you are sleeping it is already dark in your head...you don't see the light...your eyes are too closed to see the light"
HIM: "But, no...I need to see!
ME: "If I close my eyes, I cannot see this light...all I see is the dark in my head...see, watch, I am closing my eyes.......look......all I can see it the dark already in my head. Close your eyes and see what you see."
(he closes his yes and breaks out into a big grin....when he opened his eyes, they sparkled and looked like this picture of the Sun...right in front of my eyes he had an epiphany!)
We both laughed in the wonderful dimness of the lamp...he went to sleep, and I sat there in amazement at witnessing his brain work in live time. - Almas Jamil Sami'
The colorful dresses worn by Choctaw women are made by hand and probably adapted from a 19th century dress design. No pattern exists for the dresses, which consist of a bodice with a fitted waist and a long, full skirt trimmed with ruffles and hand sewn applique. Learn more http://bit.ly/MW54S8
Native American beads were originally carved from shells, turquoise & other stones, copper & silver, wood, amber, ivory, and animal bones, horns, & teeth. Glass beads were not part of the Indian crafts scene until the colonists brought them to the Americas from Europe 500 years ago and they quickly became part of American Indian culture. Learn morehttp://bit.ly/X2hquU
This jacket was made by Native Arts Trading for a client in Texas. Yes it is made of smoked deer skin, colored with clay earth pigment paint with buffalo horn buttons, hawk bells, feathers, lined with an old time cotton calico, hand cut fringe, various other beads, etc. NATIVE ARTS TRADING
One of the most important and influential aspects of Native American culture is the beauty and style of Native American art. The artwork of the Native Americans was usually very colorful and symbolic and it varied depending on the tribe it originated from. Learn morehttp://bit.ly/WYlFX9
"The way the Creeks treated enslaved Africans was considered a much different and kinder form of slavery than the way the white Americans, Cherokee, or Choctaw went about it. Families could work under different enslaved African owners and did not have to live on the same property as who they worked for. The enslaved Africans worked quite hard and were paid, but had to give most all of their pay to their owners, being allowed to keep a small amount. Lucinda was treated as a family member and did her duties. Her responsibility was taking care of the baby, amongst being an extra had for cleaning and cooking here and there. She was not beaten or disrespected. It was understood what was needed of her and she followed along."
Lucinda Davis was an enslaved African woman who grew up in the Creek Indian culture. She spoke the Muskogee Creek language fluently. The main information source was from an interview in the summer of 1937, at which time she was guessed to be 89 years old. Lucinda's parents were owned by two different Creek Indians. Being enslaved so young without her parents, she never found out her birthplace, nor the time of her birth. Her parents were both enslaved Africans who sold her close to her birth, because they left their own masters either by running away or buying back their freedom. When Lucinda's parents left, her mother's master sold her to Tuskaya-hiniha. Lucinda was brought up in the Creek family she was sold to. - I Love Ancestry
"Her story draws a thin line between the Southern definition of slavery and the Creek understanding of family ties!" - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories
Emma, the wife of Garvin County Pioneer George Pitchlynn, (Chickasaw Roll number 3687), was born in Dublin, Montgomery County, Alabama in 1885.
She was the daughter of Arthur and Fannie Shaver Curry. Emma's mother was of Choctaw Descent. Her grandmother was named Caroline Shaver (1/2 Choctaw) and her great-grandfather was named John Ochiltree (full-blood Choctaw). Emma Curry was a pioneer of Garvin County.
She came to Wynnewood, Indian Territory in 1900 and married George Pitchlynn on December 10, 1902. She was a very religious person who cared dearly for all of her many children: Georgiann, roll no. 518, (born 1904), William, roll no. 114, (born 1905), Bertha (born 1907) and Theodore Pitchlynn (born 1908).
"At the time when day and night were still deciding who comes first, there lived a Horse that will never be seen again. The Horse was not one that would become as the dying buffalo, for this Horse had no enemies. The reason that this Horse would not be seen again was because of love. It is a story that begins this way."
The Horse, who was called Wind Horse, was the fastest and gentlest of all the Indian ponies. He felt no fear, there was not one that would harm him. If there was an Indian wounded or that needed a ride, Wind Horse was there to care and to carry the Indian. Because of the kindness of Wind Horse, there is no more.
One day, as Wind Horse was feeling the good feeling from being free, he heard a cry for help. He ran to the edge of the forest and saw an Indian child Boy caught in a trap meant for Bear. The boy's foot was cut off and the Boy could not move. Wind Horse went to the side of the Boy and as the Boy leaned against him, he bent to let the Boy get on his back.
The Boy, who had no name, could not believe that this beautiful Horse would come to him as a friend. All his life he had lived alone, for with his bad leg no one wanted him. As he rode the wind on the horse, he could feel the good feeling that Wind Horse felt. It was as if he were whole and that he was with family.
Wind Horse knew that the wound that the Boy had was one that could not be fixed or healed. He was taking the Boy to the place of the Indian Hunting Ground. This place was where all were made whole and had no fear or need. Wind Horse felt sadness that one as young as this Boy had to go to the Ground but he knew that it would be for the best. As they traveled, the Boy noticed that the trail was always changing. First it was as it was when the Boy had been hurt, then it was as it was when he had been happy. Then it was the time when he had not been born. Soon he saw things that he did not recognize. The Boy became more close to Wind Horse, for he began to fear.
Wind Horse had seen the times and had seen the Boy and his life. He had felt the feelings of the Boy. Wind Horse knew that if he continued this ride, he would not be free any more. For the feelings that the Boy felt were now becoming the feelings of Wind Horse. For Wind Horse was the last of his race, the race of Horses that would feel the feelings of the rider. Should the rider remain on the Horse of Wind, he would share the fate of the rider, for then a bond would be made that would not and could not be broken. Wind Horse knew of this bond, and as a result, always put off the rider before any bond was made. This time, Wind Horse knew this would be his last rider.
As they traveled, the Boy began to talk to Wind Horse and Wind Horse listened. He listened to the hopes of the Boy that someday he would run with the leaves that blew across the ground. He listened as the Boy wished for someone to care and love the Boy who had the bad leg. As Wind Horse listened, he began to feel the love for the Boy that the Boy had wanted to give a friend.
"Yes," Wind Horse thought, "This is my last ride for I have found one that needs the feelings that I can give. Since I am the last of my race, I will spend the rest of my time with the one that can and will give the feelings that I need."
Wind Horse turned his head and nuzzled the Boy's head. He began to slow, for the end of the journey was near. The Boy looked up and saw the home of those who had gone before. He realized that his journey was the last one he would ever make. He began to feel fear. But as the Horse stopped to let the Boy down, the Boy realized that he had two good legs and that all his wounds, hunger, need, and hurt were gone. The Horse made no move to leave and the Boy knew that the Horse had also made his last journey.
Wind Horse had never brought his riders to the Hunting Ground, so he was not familiar with the place. He had a new world to explore and he had a friend to explore it with. As Wind Horse and the Boy walked into their new world, the Indian People felt a great sadness. Even though the People could not know what was happening, the feeling of great loss and unhappiness was all around. Wind Horse could hear their cries of despair, but he knew that with the passing of many suns and moons, they would soon forget him and his race.
Wind Horse had made his last journey. He would miss all his travels and the friends that he had made and helped along the way. He prayed to the Great Spirit to send a reminder to the Indian People of the friendship that he and the Indian People had shared. And with Wind Horse's prayer, the Horse was given to the Indian People as friends.
A long time ago in ancient time, while the Choctaw Indians were living in Mississippi, the Choctaw legends say that certain supernatural beings or spirits lived near them.
These spirits, or "Little people," were known as Kowi Anukasha or "Forest Dwellers." They were about two or three feet tall. These pygmy beings lived deep in the thick forest; their homes were in caves hidden under large rocks.
When a boy child is two, or three, or even four years old, he will often wander off into the woods, playing or chasing a small animal. When the little one is well out of sight from his home, "Kwanokasha", who is always on watch, seizes the boy and takes him away to his cave, his dwelling place. Many times his cave is far away and Kwanokasha and the little boy must travel a very long way, climbing many hills and crossing many streams. When they finally reach the cave Kwanokasha takes him inside where he is met by three other spirits, all very old with long white hair. The first one offers the boy a knife; the second one offers him a bunch of poisonous herbs; the third offers a bunch of herbs yielding good medicine.
If the child accepts the knife, he is certain to become a bad man and may even kill his friends. If he accepts the poisonous herbs he will never be able to cure or help his people. But, if he accepts the good herbs, he is destined to become a great doctor and an important and influential man of his tribe and win the confidence of all his people.
When he accepts the good herbs the three old spirits will tell him the secrets of making medicines from herbs, roots and barks of certain trees, and of treating and curing various fevers, pains and other sickness. That is the reason the "Little People" take the boy child to their home in the wilderness, in order to train Indian doctors, transmitting to them their special curative powers and to train them in the manufacture of their medicines. The child will remain with the spirits for three days after which he is returned. He does not tell where he has been for what he has seen or heard. Not until he becomes a man will he make use of the knowledge gained from the spirits, and never will he reveal to others how it was acquired.
It is said among the Choctaws that few children wait to accept the offering of the good herbs from the third spirit, and that is why there are so few great doctors and other men of influence among the Choctaws.
It is also said that the "Little People" are never seen by the common Choctaws. The Choctaw prophets and herb doctors, however, claim the power of seeing them and of holding communication with them.
During the darkest nights in all kinds of weather you can see a strange light wandering around in the woods. This light is the Indian doctor and his little helper looking for that special herb to treat and cure a very sick tribesman. - a traditional story
A long time ago in ancient time, while the Choctaw Indians were living in Mississippi, the Choctaw legends say that certain supernatural beings or spirits lived near them.
These spirits, or "Little people," were known as Kowi Anukasha or "Forest Dwellers." They were about two or three feet tall. These pygmy beings lived deep in the thick forest; their homes were in caves hidden under large rocks.
When a boy child is two, or three, or even four years old, he will often wander off into the woods, playing or chasing a small animal. When the little one is well out of sight from his home, "Kwanokasha", who is always on watch, seizes the boy and takes him away to his cave, his dwelling place. Many times his cave is far away and Kwanokasha and the little boy must travel a very long way, climbing many hills and crossing many streams. When they finally reach the cave Kwanokasha takes him inside where he is met by three other spirits, all very old with long white hair. The first one offers the boy a knife; the second one offers him a bunch of poisonous herbs; the third offers a bunch of herbs yielding good medicine.
If the child accepts the knife, he is certain to become a bad man and may even kill his friends. If he accepts the poisonous herbs he will never be able to cure or help his people. But, if he accepts the good herbs, he is destined to become a great doctor and an important and influential man of his tribe and win the confidence of all his people.
When he accepts the good herbs the three old spirits will tell him the secrets of making medicines from herbs, roots and barks of certain trees, and of treating and curing various fevers, pains and other sickness. That is the reason the "Little People" take the boy child to their home in the wilderness, in order to train Indian doctors, transmitting to them their special curative powers and to train them in the manufacture of their medicines. The child will remain with the spirits for three days after which he is returned. He does not tell where he has been for what he has seen or heard. Not until he becomes a man will he make use of the knowledge gained from the spirits, and never will he reveal to others how it was acquired.
It is said among the Choctaws that few children wait to accept the offering of the good herbs from the third spirit, and that is why there are so few great doctors and other men of influence among the Choctaws.
It is also said that the "Little People" are never seen by the common Choctaws. The Choctaw prophets and herb doctors, however, claim the power of seeing them and of holding communication with them.
During the darkest nights in all kinds of weather you can see a strange light wandering around in the woods. This light is the Indian doctor and his little helper looking for that special herb to treat and cure a very sick tribesman.
