Travel
I was able to experience their
history more realistically through
the power of Unto the Hills and the
Oconaluftee Village. Unto the Hills
is an outdoor drama performed
by Cherokee residents that
demonstrates the groundwork and
aftermath of the Trail of Tears.
Their reenactment was quite
gripping; I was shaken by the end.
The Oconaluftee Village is a replica
of what a Cherokee village would
have looked like in olden times, with
employees wearing period clothes,
buildings made in period style, etc.
There were various “stations” to
walk through and talk with
employees, such as a trapping booth,
weaponry booth, canoeing booth,
trading booth and basket-weaving
booth. Both of these productions
gave me a first-hand glimpse into
the life and past of the Cherokee.
The Cherokee are very much lovers
of life and enjoy singing, dancing and
music with fervor. In their tradition,
dancing is a way to express
celebration, joy, prayer and
fellowship. On my second to last
evening in Cherokee, there was
a bonfire in Islands Park, while
John-John told stories and sang
to the audience. Upon finishing,
John-John asked Last Bear and his
wife, Cota Bear, to lead a dance in
which the audience could participate.
It was called the Friendship Dance
and it was a beautiful, unifying way
to close my week. To see natives and
Caucasians, elderly and young, male
and female, all celebrating and
laughing together was to see
potential in humanity.
I look forward to visiting these
great people, my friends, again.
Cherokee do not have a word for
goodbye in their language; they
believe they will always see each
other again, either in this life or
the next. They simply say until
we meet again.
41