Cherokee Nation promotes native son and Cherokee culture

 

Just a few days after about 700 youngsters roamed the hills of Will Rogers Memorial celebrating Will’s 131st birthday, a group of kindergarten and first graders took their place.

A Cherokee Nation special project, more than 500 younger  students converged on Will Rogers Memorial to learn more about the man born to a Cherokee family in Indian Territory — and about Cherokee culture.

Students came from as close of Claremore Sequoyah and as far as Greasy and Tahlequah and Fairland and Coffeyville, Kansas. They accepted the invitation, a co-partner program, coordinated by Imogene Alexander, Cherokee Nation special projects coordinator.

Targeting the younger age group, most of them kindergarten and first grade, Cherokee storytellers shared the time-old stories with animal characters.

Why the possum’s tale is bare.

How the redbird got its color.

The first fire.

Why the turtle’s back is cracked.

Storytellers worked in Cherokee language words, using the Cherokee name for animals.

Jacklin Collins explained the use of blowguns in hunting wild game for food, and then kids got the first-hand experience under the tutelage of Michael Killer.

Andy Hogan, Will Rogers Memorial historical guide and Will interpreter, demonstrated trick roping and calf roping, two of the things Will Rogers enjoyed most growing up on the Indian Territory ranch where he was born.

Students also toured the museum and spent time in their favorite spot, the Children’s Museum, before gathering for a picnic lunch on the grounds.

 

The Cherokee greeting on the Will Rogers Memorial Theatre marquee welcomes Cherokee Nation guests of the Co-Partner Project.

 

Tonya Bryant has the attention of kindergarteners and first graders as she tells them how the redbird got its color, an ancient Cherokee story

 

Jacklin Collins explains how a blowgun was used in the early days of the Cherokee Nation for hunting wild game for food.

 

Matthew Reeder, Claremore Sequoyah first grader, takes his turn for trick roping and calf roping. Andy Hogan, Will Rogers Memorial Historical guide helped each youngster become a “pro”

 

Cherokee Storytellers Alice Wilder, Tonya Bryant, Glenda Deatherage and Wade Blevins shared the time-old stories based on animal characters

 

Jacklin Collins shows how a blowgun was used in the early days of the Cherokee Nation for hunting wild game while Michael Killer demonstrated actual use

 

Imogene Alexander (in background), Special Projects Coordinator for Cherokee Nation Co-Partner Program, welcomes a group of students to Will Rogers Memorial