Many Waters Newsletter                                                  BACK March 2009 Co-editors: Will Stringfellow, Diana Walks In Water Osiyo Relatives.    While they say spring is on the way, looking out my window it doesn’t seem like it. But, I know there are some in the southern part of our town that are already enjoying things greening up and even some early flowers poking their heads up. It seems our Town ideas have been popping up as well. But, first;    The Many Waters Town would like to send our thoughts to Chief Hicks. May he know that he stands in all our hearts and is enveloped by our love and concern for him. Loosing a loved one can make you feel so alone and lost. Chief Hicks, please know that many prayers have been and are still being offered for you and your family.    Our Town has many exciting things to share in this newsletter. We are moving forward with goals of our Town. Emmette Jorden, Our Town Ugu, addresses some of these goals in “As the Bear Growls”.  We are also welcoming Brett Perkins as our Town historian, in charge of our new lending library.    This month our featured biography is of Will Stringfellow, our Town Deputy Chief; and Will has read and is offering his review of “A Cherokee Feast of Days: Daily Meditations”. Our craft corner features an article from Gabe Gabel on how to make of a Cherokee dress after you throw away the directions that come with the pattern. Continuing with plant information, this month we focus on ‘Plants Useful to the Cherokee’. Another fun word search from Roger Black is included to help us move along with learning our language. BIOGRAPHY Bio of Wayne “Will” Stringfellow    Will Stringfellow was born in Kilgore, Texas in 1953.   He is the son of William Lee and Dixie Nell York Stringfellow, descendents of the Cherokee on both his mother (Cooper) and father’s mother’s (Smith) side. He was raised in Northeast Texas; spending his first twelve years in Johntown, Red River County, Texas along the banks of the Sulphur River and Mustang Creek, then moving four miles north to Bogata. He was raised by a large extended family of mother, maternal aunts, and maternal grandmother. Surrounded by a huge family consisting of brothers and adventuresome cousins, he grew up hunting gray and fox squirrels, deer, and cottontail rabbits; trapping coons, possums, and fishing along the creeks of Northeast Texas for catfish, perch, buffalo fish, soft-shell turtle, bass or whatever was biting. The woods offered an abundance of wild muscadines, plums, blackberries, huckleberries, and persimmons. Walnut, hickory, and pecan trees grew in the wilds of the country. Pear and apple trees grew at old home sites. Hardwoods such as hickory, dogwood, and bois d arc (Osage orange) were plentiful for bows. Even though, as a kid, persimmon sprouts were a quick remedy to the need of bows and arrows.            As kids, the cousins and kin were looking for and eating a wide spectrum of wild plants, such as sour dock (seedy tops were also used by the Caddo and Cherokee for flour), sheep shower (wood sorrel), poke salit (the purple berries of the top were poisonous but used as ink), and wild onions (Will’s father spoke of the joy of spring during the depression in which he could eat boiled poke salit and onions to his heart’s content. This led to a week of “being green”.)            Will grew up as a country kid with a large extended family. He was working on ranches by the time he was thirteen and got on his first bull the same year. As a young cowboy, he grew up working cattle in the bottomlands of Sulphur River. He rode bulls and saddle broncs and worked seasonally for Wing Rodeo Company from Pine Branch and Cuthand, Texas. He also worked as a hunting guide seasonally in Durango, Colorado.            Will always knew that he was Cherokee. It was common knowledge among his relatives and kin that he was “ Indian”.  Others had acknowledged him and his brothers as such many times. Of course, he was not raised in a culture that identified itself as Indian, but the simple customs of his family were of the Cherokee of the 1800’s. Gardening, quilting, family structures, woodland skills, and family philosophies were those that are evident in Cherokee research and stories.            After serving in the U.S. Army as a reconnaissance scout for the First Infantry Division (Big Red One) at Ft. Riley, Kansas, Will returned to East Texas State University where he earned a BS in political science and English (pre-law). He, then, was offered a position as a graduate assistant and coach for the University football team. After a successful couple of years, which included winning the Lone Star Conference Championship, he moved to Yaak, Montana. He earned a Masters in Health and Physical Education as well as a doctoral degree at Texas A&M- Commerce. In addition, he was awarded a Specialist degree from the University of Idaho with certification as a Principal and Superintendent.            Will met the mother of his two daughters, Lynsey and Jamie, in the Northwest. He attended Mountain Man Rendezvous with them, watching them grow with a spirit of the rendezvous. His older daughter, Lynsey is now the mother of a beautiful, happy baby girl named Alexis; while his younger daughter, Jamie, attends North Idaho College. Will teaches school in Sandpoint, Idaho and is active in the Many Waters Town of the Pacific Northwest District. He lives near the Idaho Panhandle National Forest in North Idaho. Next to McArthur Lake Wildlife Preserve, he built a log home from trees off his land and rocks gathered for the chimney. Within a two-mile radius of his home, it is not uncommon to see black bear, coyotes, elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, bald eagles, otter, beaver, snowshoe rabbit, weasels, turkeys, geese, ducks, and osprey. Occasionally, he sights a mountain lion, wolf, grizzly, or Canadian Lynx. Evenings are spent around the fire circle, where guests are always welcome to share a meal and conversation. Trappers, hunters, tanners, and fishermen are often seen at the fire pit, sharing and telling tales about the one that got away. 2005 Rendezvous    Will Stringfellow at a Mountain man rendezvous in Washington State. BOOK REVIEW Book Review by Wayne “Will” Stringfellow A Cherokee Feast of Days: Daily Meditations By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Publisher: Council Oak (Aug 1 2008) (Can be bought at Amazon)        This book is a daily reader. Each date of the year is listed chronologically, with a message on each page by the author, drawing from her Cherokee tradition. These messages are spiritual and relaxing to the reader. In addition to her words, there is a copy of messages spoken by various Native American leaders, on the bottom of each page. There is also a volume II.        I have found this book to be uplifting and at the same time calming as I read the daily message and refocus my thoughts on the real world. As one reviewer stated, “Hifler is like the sunflower: her roots run deep in the red clay earth and her face smiles up to God reflecting the blessings which he has bestowed upon her and upon all of us.”        I recommend this book as a bedside reader or daily start to the morning. I most often read the daily passage as I relax for the evening; it helps me as I reflect on the day’s journey and prepare to dream CRAFT CORNER THE CHEROKEE TEAR DRESS COMMERCIAL PATTERNS: Or Why Momma Is Drunk           Again By: Gabe Gabel    You want to make a “traditional” Cherokee dress to wear so the first thing you do is buy a pattern. You saw the pattern in a store, it looks right, it is labeled Cherokee Dress, you buy the fabric, and in 48 hours, if you don’t drink, you wish you did. You aren’t a dummy, but you can’t make sense of it.    Join the club.    There may be some good patterns out there, but I haven’t found one yet that isn’t frustrating. Or worse. I have heard from many women they have had a similar problem. But don’t give up this can work.    First of all, I would recommend checking out the article by Wendell Cochran on the web site, ‘The People’s Paths! Cherokee Cultural Facts-The Cherokee Tear Dress Facts’. It will give you all the background on the Cherokee women’s dress that you will need to help you make some decisions. He does discuss the variables in the “traditional” dress that are possible, the true accurate style as decided by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma Council. This style only has to be followed exactly if it is to be worn as a contestant for “Miss Cherokee”. Since I don’t believe any of us are going to be competing, we have considerable latitude.    So relax. We can do this. And, yes, but that Cherokee pattern if you want, (or if you haven’t torn it up in frustration already). It is a good place to start.    I would recommend planning on making two dresses. The first one will be your learning experience, and I have found that I have need for a work dress, one that I can wear while doing food preparation for Gatherings and other clan socials. For this one, but a good fabric of cotton or blend, fabric that you like, but don’t spend any more than you need to. The traditional trim on a dress has appliquéd fabric bands; your work dress can be trimmed with simple ribbons. But at least two more yards than the pattern requires, you may make mistakes or usually need to make some adjustments. (Do you know any women who are an exact size head to toe? I am not, and I like sleeves that are longer and roomier than most people).    Once you have made one dress, you will know exactly how much of that really special fabric you need without wasting or having to go back to the store praying that there is another yard or so left. One note to think about here, women who lived traditionally picked work fabric with the knowledge that they would be WORKING in it. Patterns and colors that helped hide traces of living kept a lady feeling like she looked neat and clean as she worked. Even with an apron there are spots that happen. Solid colors show EVERYTHING. Just think about it. In our traditions, at any gathering, people get fed.    Traditionally, it is made as a dress. It can be made in two pieces, as a skirt and matching blouse. If you decide to do this, be sure and cut your bodice pieces at least four inches longer at the very minimum. You can always attach the two together permanently later if you wish to make it into a dress. I also cut the sleeves at least two inches longer than the pattern pieces because I like the room and my arms are long.    There are several elements of design that say “Cherokee” about the dress and are always important. One of the most obvious is the stand-up ruffle where pattern pieces are gathered together. The ruffles are not hemmed, but are made of folded over fabric. The fabric bands or ribbon trim the sleeves, yoke, and skirt just above the flounce. Some people like ruffles around the collar and at the edges of the cuffs. Sleeve gussets are also traditional and were used since traditional dress did not have inset sleeves; they were needed to provide moving room under your arms. Actually, they may look confusing at first, but they are a great idea, especially if the wearer has full upper arms and strong shoulders.    I have found that having a long sleeved blouse that fits well, or a shirt waist dress that fits you can help in fitting the pattern pieces, especially if you are making the dress by yourself and have no one to help you measure your body. If you have help you can get accurate measurements about shoulder width, arm length, bodice and skirt length. If you are well-endowed chest wise, you may wish to cut your gathered bodice pieces wider. THE DRESS TOP or BLOUSE    If you can’t find the “Cherokee Dress” pattern, you can adapt a regular blouse pattern if it has a straight yoke front and back. Take out the curve of the inset sleeve on both the yoke and the sleeve top, making sure that the yoke is wide enough to go all the way across your shoulders. You can choose a pattern that has the kind of collar that you wish to make. You will need front and back yoke (the front yoke will be in two pieces) Back and front bodice lengths to be gathered to yoke pieces (again, two front pieces) that are                                             long enough to allow two inches for the folded ruffle   Two sleeve lengths that are long enough to allow two inches for folded ruffle   Cuff pieces. (if you wish cuff ruffles, you will need to cut these too)   Collar pieces or cut facing pieces around the neck opening. (These will be turned under so that you will not have a rough edge on your neck).   Two strips of fabric about an inch and a half wide to turn under down each side of the bodice opening GUSSETS:  Cut two squares about six to eight inches on a side, depending on your size.   Cut these across the diagonal so that you will have four triangles. I go ahead and sew these immediately about an inch and a half down from the shoulder end of the sleeve pieces, one on each side. code -------   gather ___ ___ ___  fold __ __   trim __ At this time sew your trim to the bodice yoke pieces and the sleeves. (I have used the very thin iron-on fusible tape to hold the ribbon in place or there are special dissolvable adhesives that also work).   I attach the bodice pieces to the yoke and then the sleeves, going ahead and running the sleeve seams and gusset pieces on down the side of the bodice. (There will be an uneven transition from the ruffle to the edge of the gusset, just fiddle with it, the two ruffles coming together will hide it. There may be a better way to handle this, I don’t know it). Then put the fabric strips down the bodice front pieces. Do the neck treatment of your choice. Gather your sleeves to the cuffs. Hem back the sleeve side edges about two inches. Then run the seam along the sleeves, gussets and sides of the bodice. Make buttonholes on the cuffs and bodice front. Sew on buttons. Real pearl shell buttons are nice. You will need several for the front skirt waistband. Many dresses I have seen have a wide waistband that uses four buttons, two to a row. THE SKIRT This is fairly simple to do. Remember that the flounce is about a third to a quarter of the skirt length. Sew all your skirt widths together, and then add the trim that will be just above the flounce. Your flounce pieces need to be sewn together, iron the ruffle fold, gather the whole length and attach. Hem the bottom edge. Then put on the waistband, most of the dresses I have seen have a square group of four buttons to overlap and close. This means that the waistband needs to be wider than an inch, mine is a full inch and a half finished sewn width. The skirt opening is just below the bodice opening. The dress is supposed to have a bit of a blouse fit to the bodice. At this point, you could adjust the fit of the blouse to your preference and have someone help you pin it to the waistband for stitching.  Any and all  Questions , Complaints, Helpful hints  can be directed to Gabe at 208-265-9613 as this is her pattern.  Many Blessings to you!                Common Plants Familiar to the Cherokee By: Walks In Water The Cherokee had a close kinship with the world they lived in. They learned to listen to the plants, knowing that the plants would communicate what they were to be used for. James Mooney, 1885, wrote in a paper of the promise which the plants made to man:    ‘Each tree, shrub and herb, even down to the grasses and mosses, agreed to furnish a remedy for some one of the diseases named (rheumatism), and each said: I shall appear to help man when he calls upon me in his need…When the doctor is in doubt what treatment to apply for the relief of a patient, the spirit of the plant suggests to him the proper remedy.”    Listed here are only a few of plants the Cherokee found beneficially in their daily life. More will follow in future letters. Anyone wishing to contribute to this list please feel free to send it to me. Also, if you have some good recipes, I will be more than happy to add them into the newsletter. SOLOMON’S SEAL   ‘U ta nas ta’. 1) The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads; steamed or boiled for greens. 2) Roots are dried and beaten to be used as flour for bread 3) The root is heated, bruised and applied as a poultice to remove ulcerated swelling resembling a boil or carbuncle YARROW    ‘S a so ni gis ti’ “goose weed” Prevents infection, stops bleeding, deadeneds the area and can settle some gastro digestive problems. 1) Flowers are boiled into a tea to stop abdominal or ulcer bleeding 2) Tea made from the flowers can be drunk to slow down heavy menstrual bleeding 3) The leaves chewed into a poultice can be applied to bad tooth to stop any tooth pain 4) A poultice placed on any open cut will deaden the area, stop the bleeding and prevent infection. WILLOW  ‘Di lig li ski egw’ 1) The scrapings from the inner bark made into a tea acts as a painkiller similar to aspirin 2) The root is chewed for hoarseness 3) Bark and stripped twigs are used in basketry. LUPINE  ‘E gwa’ Drink and wash with a cold tea made of the entire plant to check hemorrhage and vomiting. PEPPERMINT  ‘Gow gi’ 1) Drink a cold infusion for a sick stomach. Wring up the leaves in water and drink fir an upset stomach 2) Drink a tea to depress fevers 3) Smell the leaves to relieve a cold 4) The plant is used to flavor foods. 5) Bathing in a mint wash in the summer pulls the heat from your body and leaves you feeling cool and refreshed MULLIEN   ‘S li yus ti’ 1) Natures toilet paper 2) An absorbent lining for a baby’s pack board 3) A tea of the roots for female troubles 4) Rub the leaves under the armpits for prickly rash 5) Rub leaves on baby’s bottom for diaper rash 6) A syrup decoction of the roots is taken for coug Banks, William H.  Plants of the Cherokee.  20004 by Great Smoky Mountain Association AS THE BEAR GROWLS OSIYO We Are All Related! As a result of the impromptu meeting (can you say potluck) this past weekend we have come up with a few goals for our town hopefully in the next year. First, we confirmed that we will have a gathering here on our farm similar to the one we had last fall, Date September 19, 2009, a Saturday. Second, we will strive to have a seven sided arbor erected on this site as a traditional type meeting house.  (All people are invited to help us with construction, but don't worry, Emmette's tractor has a post hole digger-Gabe says)   (Come to think of it, work day probably means Another potluck!) Third, We want to set up a library here on the farm with books on our history and culture, both donated or loaned by our town members and friends.  Some of these books will be for on-site research but most will be able to be borrowed by our members.  At some point we may have it developed to a level to be of interest to other researchers, too. Fourth, near the seven-sided arbor construct a medicine wheel with traditional ceremony. Fifth, set up a mentoring group for our young people and those who want to learn more about our culture, language and ceremonies. Sixth, achieve an up-to-date mailing list of members and families currently living in the Many Waters town area so that all can be notified of town events and progress. (The Bear also wishes to develop a roster of those members of our families, close and extended, who are on active duty as members of our armed forces, that they may be recognized for their service.  They do not need to be enrolled members.  Please let Yona know their names service, and relationship to our members.) I think if we can accomplish the majority of these goals we will be well blessed.  Most of the specific plans for these endeavors are in place.  Now we need take steps to get them underway.  I am in constant contact with our District Chief, our Tribal Chief Hicks and our Beloved Woman Grandmother Red Leaf.  Our District Chief Fox Dreamer is going with us on our Texas trip where we hope to meet with several other tribal leaders.  Once we get back, I would like to host another town potluck in late April, so please keep that in mind. Do-na-da'-go-hv Yona One of our proposed goals for the town is to establish a food bank for local tribal members in need and to be able to contribute to the local community food bank. If everyone who grows a garden would plant one extra row that could be donated, or purchase one or two extra cans or boxes of food when shopping, we should be able to fulfill this goal. We are currently working an establishing a storage and distribution site—it’s a work in progress. DWIW Osiyo, Cousins, Please plan to join us for our Fall Gathering on the weekend of September 19, 2009 in Sagle, Idaho. This is the second Fall Gathering for our Town and we are planning to have a great time socializing, learning, and recreating. This gathering will take place on the grounds of our Town Ugu, Emmette and his wonderful wife, Gabe.            We will be telling more about the Gathering in our next newsletter, for more information, please contact Emmette or Gabe at 208/ 265-9613. Or Will Stringfellow stringw@hotmail.com or Diana Walks In Water walksinwater@hotmail.com. Sincerely, Dr.Wayne " Will" Stringfellow Texas Cherokee/ Tsalagiyi Nvdagi LANGUAGE FUN By Roger Black A K A W I G A  L  A  S  T N V L A U L K  S  T  E  A W I N D Y N O  V  G W L U M K O E W N A T  A   I S L E U G T G T  U  Y  A T D N A V I   L S  V  N W I   L T  I  G S N  I  O T S W A M K L O I  Y  S  I  Q L  S O T Y A O E G V U M N  I   I W N S H O T A T W S K A N D I H   O N K O H I    I G A L I    T A ATI – deer                            SGOHI – ten ATSIYEHI – wife                TALI - two                                    GIGAGE – red                     TSALAGI - Cherokee GITLI – dog                         TUYA - beans              GVGEYUI – I love you       USTI – little/baby KOHI IGA – today              WADO – thank you OSDA – good                      WAKA - cow OSIYO – hello                     YONA - bear              QUANA – peach