The Letter Activity

I really enjoyed our activity today, because I felt like it gave everyone a chance to say what was really on their mind regarding Living Stories of the Cherokee. It wasn't about answering a prompted question, or feeling like we had to give the "right" answer, or an overly intelligent one. It was just about expressing our own thoughts and questions and I really appreciated that. Sometimes, free writing can be cut a little short, understandably, in a class with such a small allotted time. So I figured I would post my letter that I wrote during class, as well as a few things that I didn't have time to include.

Dear Freeman Owle,
I truly believe storytelling to be an art, one that can serve as a unifying force for those telling, and those listening. You, like many other Cherokee storytellers, have the gift of carrying your heritage with you wherever you go, and sharing it in the form of words. I was curious though, knowing that English is your first language, in the importance that you place on storytelling in the Cherokee language. Clearly, the meaning and importance of these stories come across in English as well, but has there ever been a time in your life, that you have wished you spoke a larger portion of the Cherokee language? Do you think that the change of telling the stories primarily in the Cherokee language to English, has changed the stories themselves, or perhaps, bits of the culture as a whole? What kind of things do you do to hold onto the authenticity of the Cherokee culture while storytelling in English?
Another aspect of Cherokee storytelling that really interests me is the fact that the Cherokee stories artful nature is emphasized by being intertwined with other forms of art. Dance, song, medicine, and crafts are only a few of these. What kind of other art forms do you like to include in your storytelling, if any? How important do you think it is to share these other representations of Cherokee culture alongside your storytelling? Thank you so much for your time and sharing your culture with the world!

Sincerely,
Katie Rossignol

Also, here is a video of (and about) Freeman Owle! So cool!