Demonstration Day spotlights early Native American culture
Snowbird – The community had an opportunity to learn more about Graham County’s first inhabitants Saturday at the 35th Annual Fading Voices Demonstration Day.
The event was held at the Little Snowbird Baptist Church and featured traditional Cherokee crafts, food, games and music. Several Native American artisans were also on-hand – demonstrating their crafts – and plates of traditional food were also available for sale. The day’s demonstrations also included a game of stickball and a Cherokee flute demonstration and a women-only cast iron lid throwing competition.
Snowbird Cherokee Community Leader Roger Smoker spoke to the importance of the tribe sharing its culture with the community.
He said the demonstration day also served as a reunion for the community itself.
“It seems like it’s the only time we see each other,” Smoker said. “The rest of the time we don’t hardly see each other. It’s more like a fellowship, I guess.”
He said the demonstration day started in the 1980s, as more of the Snowbird Cherokee moved further from their traditions. Smoker added that he was glad to see an in-person event taking place, as COVID-19 case numbers continued to stay low and more people were vaccinated against the virus.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ COVID-19 measures have been among the strictest in the region.
“I think everybody’s kind of getting tired of staying home and they want to come out more,” Smoker said. “It’s good to see people coming out like this again and fellowshipping with each other.”
Smoker also acknowledged the Graham County Travel and Tourism board for its support of this year’s event. A Raleigh-based PBS film crew also attended.
Woodcarver Charles Watty was among the traditional craftsmen on hand. Watty had carvings of various animals in different native wood types including walnut, cherry, buckeye and butternut.
“I’ve been carving for about 45 years, Watty said. “I started when I was about 14 years old. I learned from Amanda Crowe. She was the Cherokee High School art teacher.”
Watty stressed the importance of sharing his Cherokee culture.
“I love it,” Watty said. “I try to go to every show I can that invites me. This is my seventh year doing Fading Voices. I’d like to keep the Cherokee Tradition going.”
Like Watty, basket weaver Ramona Lossie also emphasized the importance of keeping Cherokee culture alive through her craft.
“I grew up with it,” Lossie said. “I watched my mom doing it when I was little and I just took it on.”
She said the entire process – from gathering river cane to a finished basket – could take up to six months.
Most of her weaving is accomplished using only two knives as tools.
“They don’t know what goes into making a craft,” Lossie said. “It’s a lot of artwork that takes a lot of time and a lot of detail and they don’t know until they see it.”
She also said she enjoyed coming to Fading Voices to demonstrate her craft and her culture.
“It’s to share and learn,” she pointed out.