A lovely fall evening in Weatherford, Texas

[Doug Kerr]

This past Thursday evening (2011.11.10), the Weatherford (Texas) Public Library held a Folklore Festival.

The library, even though only a couple of miles from the center of town, is located in a lovely park-like campus. The festival was held outdoors. It was a lovely evening, albeit with the air a little cool by our standards (mid 60s F). The venue was well illuminated by a number of portable construction light towers (with engine-generators).

The library staff was assisted in the preparations by the Friends of the Weatherford Library, a nonprofit group that provides volunteer support and fundraising for the library. Carla is a member of its board. She and her colleagues labored over the preparations for most of the week.

There were a number of small "exhibit tents" in which there was storytelling, quilt making, wood carving, and the like, as well as face painting. (The aluminum tent frames were augmented by cardboard overlays, built by Carla and her colleagues, to suggest wood construction.)

A lovely privately-owned chuckwagon (a rolling commissary and kitchen for cattle drives, wagon trains, and the like), beautifully restored, was set up, with the owner and his sidekick baking delicious biscuits for the attendees. (The chuckwagon, by the way, was invented here in Weatherford by famed cattle drive organizer Charles Goodnight, a topic for a further note!) A hayride was operated by students from nearby Weatherford College, which provided the vehicle.

On a little circular outdoor "stage" there were various acts of entertainment, including folk singing, guitar playing, and a magic act (by the publisher/editor of one of the local weekly newspapers, an accomplished magician). The opening act was Carla doing her famous Kiowa Butterfly Dance (done as a fancy shawl dance) (a topic for a further note).

As I waited for the show to begin, I saw the moon rising between two trees to the East. This was a grab shot (by available light) of the overall scene. I think it nicely captures the atmosphere of the venue:

Douglas A. Kerr: A fall evening at the Weatherford, Texas Library​

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This is ex camera except for two stages of sharpening (one after the downsizing for posting).

The fellow seen to the left is the library's chief technical guy, here seen adjusting the portable sound system in preparation for the show.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Charlotte Thompson]

Doug
Very nice composition lovely catch of "our Texas Moon "

The weather is so nice now in Texas-Weatherford I am sure is a joy too-

Charlotte-

 

[Doug Kerr]

Here see Carla performing the Kiowa Butterfly Dance (done as a fancy shawl dance):

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla does the Kiowa Butterfly Dance​

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Here we see the back of her shawl (which she made). Prominent is the Great Seal of the Cherokee Nation.

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla's shawl, from the back​

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The bottom border of the shawl is a wolf motif in recognition of her descent from the Cherokee Wolf Clan. She however has no clan herself, since in the Cherokee culture clanhood is passed only through the female line. Carla's descent from a female member of the Wolf Clan is through the male line for several generations.

Also note the bald eagle feather (there is a second one in her hat, which we call the "Indian Joe Hat").

As you may recall, these feathers were a gift from a prominent Cherokee sculptor (now sadly deceased), from his own personal bald eagle carcass. Under US federal law, only enrolled members of recognized Indian tribes may possess bald eagle (or golden eagle) feathers, and there is a serious obligation under tribal tradition to properly respect them and care for them. We had to declare her performance to be a formal Cherokee event or else it would not have been permitted for the feathers to be handled at night (they normally repose in a special cedar box).

We might call her regalia for the dance "modern urban Cherokee".

I am extraordinarily proud of Carla's Cherokee heritage and the many things she continue to do to honor it. She recently completed a rigorous 40-hour seminar in Cherokee history and civics, written by the prior Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Corntassel (Chad Smith) and taught by an eminent Cherokee scholar and a member of the Cherokee legislature.

Prominent in the civics portion was an understanding of the role of the Cherokee Nation as a sovereign nation within the United States, under which concept it must be treated as other sovereign nations (France, for example). For example, if the US Supreme court makes a ruling that affects the Cherokee Nation in its relationship with the United States, that ruling must be served on the Cherokee Supreme Court.

Of course, most Cherokee citizens are also US citizens, and of course are also subject to the laws of the US and of the US state and city in which they reside, and all the physical territory of the Cherokee Nation is also part of the US state of Oklahoma ("nowdays", as the Cherokee like to remind us - the Cherokee Nation was there first). But Cherokee citizens residing in the territory of the Nation may use Cherokee license plates on their vehicles.

Now, for a change in pace, we see Carla in a rather different regalia at a recent dinner party held by our financial adviser to recognize the patronage of his clients:

Douglas A. Kerr: Those Cherokee girls sure do clean up nice​

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Best regards,

Doug