You wouldn't know it from looking at me, but I'm 1/32nd Cherokee.
I only learned this a few years ago. Even now, it seems hard to believe. I don't anything like someone from the Cherokee nation. And my blood is so diluted, I don't see how I could make a connection.
But I did.
I have a hard time remembering the names of streets. I truly do. This is why I don't work as a deliveryman. And yet, when I go somewhere, I never get lost, so long as I'm in my hometown. How is that? Simple, I navigate by what I see. Tell me to go to the bookstore, and I'll know I can get there by turning left at the school, turning right at the drugstore, and keep going until I see a sign advertising a sporting store. What does this have to do with the American Indians?
In olden times, long before there were any street names to memorize in North America, the Native Americans, including the Cherokee, navigated by by they saw; by landmarks. Go straight to the pond, then head to where the sun sets until you see a lone tree, and then you will be in prime hunting grounds. Or prime gathering grounds, depending on where you were. The Indians did not need GPS and Google Map to travel, for all they needed was the environment, and the same is true with me.
One of my favorite writers is Sherman Alexie, the Native American poet, novelist, and all-around wordsmith. I've read a short story of his, as well as part of an autobiography. Not only are his works great to read, they are also brimming with humor. Despite the stereotypes of yore, the Native Americans are not always stoic. Indeed, they have a sense of humor like anyone else, and the people I've met in real life with more Indian blood than me can attest to this.
Also, one of my favorite movies of all time is Little Big Man. That's a good movie.
I don't have much else to say, since like I said, this is a minor part of my background, but it's there. Tomorrow, I will cover other cultural connections I have. Then, the epilogue. And then, my usual logging schedule.
