Posted by Rich/Mohican Press on April 04, 1999 at 08:07:54:
A joyous Easter Sunday to you ALL!
The most exciting thing around here this past week has been Eric Schweig's phone call giving us the go-ahead to begin promoting his exquisite pendants. We are sorry that we have no photo yet available. As soon as Eric returns to Vancouver, he plans on getting them photographed & we'll put them up. Now, we are limited to taking advance deposits ($50 or in full) so that Eric can have some idea of the initial demand. Check the link on the Opening Page for a description of this new item. Browse his Mask Gallery, as well, for samples of his talents. Don't forget ... new mask will be exhibited sometime this week!
OK, now for the not-so-good news concerning The Gathering ... I have privately discussed this with a few of you to get some feedback. Here's the low down ...
The property that is owned by Sterling Diagnostic Imaging, comprising 3 waterfalls - including The River Walk - is currently up for sale. It is expected that the land will transfer ownership on or about 4/30/99. Thus, the chances are huge that Sterling will no longer own that land come Gathering time, putting our written agreement with them to view the falls in severe jeopardy. Now, the good news. At this point, it would appear that the North Carolina Forest Service, owners already of Hooker Mills Falls (Canoes), are strongly in the running to buy this tract of land. If that happens, all is well. We will have complete access to all the falls. We'll have to do our own lunch, though, as the Forest Service is not in the box lunch business. It is possible, however, that the property will be sold to a private group, in which case we'll have to start over with them. Results of that would be uncertain. We'll have to wait & see. Should the worst happen, we will not be able to offer The River Walk as part of the 3-day Gathering and would fall back on Plan B, which was actually Plan A before our agreement with Sterling, and that would be to start the day at the Elk Hunt & Tracking The War Party area, swing down to see Hooker Mills, and then go to the movies. And that's where we stand at the moment. The illustrious Program Guide Editors have the situation well in hand. We will update The Gathering Page to reflect any changes in our itinerary just as soon as anything is confirmed. For now, we'll be optimistic and think everything will go on as planned. Thought you all should know.
Some reasons to attend the 1999 Great Mohican Gathering:
- To enjoy the company & comraderie of a great bunch of Mohicanites!
- To walk the ground & view the spectacular vistas that comprise Downtown MohicanLand. (Coincidentally, they are featured in the movie! :))
- To see "The Last of the Mohicans" on the big screen, maybe for the first time!
If we haven't heard from you, and you do want to attend, what are you waiting for??
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Some upcoming good TV viewing from the History Channel:
Saturday -- 04/10/1999
8:00/5:00 Custer's Last Stand. A look at the life and military career
of George Armstrong Custer who took his last stand at the Battle of
Little Bighorn against Sitting Bull and the Sioux Nation. Did he
foolishly lead the Seventh Cavalry to certain death? Leading historians
weigh his legend against fact in this 2-hour special. [TV G]
Friday -- 04/23/1999
8:00/5:00 The Mound Builders. A thousand years ago, Cahokia was the
largest North American city. Thought to be the center of a society that
built thousands of mounds of different sizes and shapes, Cahokia may
have been the zenith of prehistoric society. What tantalizing secrets do
the mounds reveal about the people who built them--then vanished? [TV G]
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Our fairly new, and somewhat buried, Unrelated Links Page is a partial reflection of some of our other interests ... sure to be expanding over time. If you've been there, you might be curious as to the reference to Jimmy & Juanita Little Coyote ...
As the sun was casting its early evening glow over the ridges of the Little Bighorn Valley, I found myself leaning on a split rail fence at the Crow Trading Post in Crow Agency, Montana. The hill that was the scene of Custer's Last Stand was visible a short distance away. I rested there, conjuring up images of smoke & dust, gunfire & war whoops, finely painted Sioux & Cheyenne warriors swooping in, at the last, to eliminate this threat to their way of life. It was right there in front of me ... this historic place. A large Indian man walked by me, his hair, hanging in a pony-tail, nearly to his waist. I imagined him to be Touch-The Clouds, the huge Minniconjou friend of Crazy Horse ... the man who eulogized him at his moment of death with the words, "He has looked for death and it has come." My imagination was running wild this day. I was back in the 1870's.
It came to be that this man, Jimmy Little Coyote of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, and I found ourselves in conversation, 111 years later. He was a craftsman & very fine artist - and was there to trade. We struck up a bond very quickly, and so Elaine invited him to come over to our camp site later on for some coffee. He did come over, with his very special wife, Juanita, a Navajo. We spent a great evening together with these down-to-earth and warm folks. Jimmy extended us an invitation to come visit his gallery in the museum at the St. Labre Indian School & Mission, on the Cheyenne Reservation, the next day.
We did, and had the chance to see his superb work, get to to know this marvelous couple a bit better, and check out the school and all the worthwhile things being done there to help the Crow & Cheyenne people. At one point, Juanita pulled us aside and said, "He REALLY likes you. He NEVER lets children drink sodas in the Gallery." Our 3 boys were happily drinking sodas right there. Well, we really liked them, too. It was a great day and a half ...
The next year or so, we received a formal invitation to attend their daughter's wedding. Circumstances did not permit us us to be present, and as so often happens, we lost touch through the years. Not too long ago, we discovered that St. Labre had a Web Site up, and while browsing the site I sent off an E-Mail to them, asking of Jimmy & Juanita. It was with great sadness, and shock, that we learned that they had both passed on several years ago. A great loss, I am sure, to everyone whos' lives they had surely touched. To our surprise, however, shortly afterwards, we heard from their daughter, DeWanda - the same daughter, still happily married, for whom we had been extended wedding invitations long ago. This wonderful lady surely has inherited the qualities of her parents, and we have struck up a good friendship with her. She works at St. Labre, carrying on the mission of Jimmy & Juanita to help the children of the Cheyenne & Crow Reservations.
Though we met, face to face, but that one time back in 1987, Jimmy & Juanita always held a special place in our hearts. Today, I can look at the finely crafted items they shipped to our home and feel their presence as I lay in bed. On this Easter Sunday, my prayers go out to the spirit of Jimmy & Juanita Little Coyote, our friends ... May they rest in peace.