Vacation part Two

I figured I better get the post for the second part of our vacation done before I forget about it. 

I have already had to go back and look at where I left off to see where I needed to start this time. 

We both have visited Tsi La Gi before but it had been years since our last visit.  The village has changed a lot.  My first visit was in the early 80's and at that time they had Cherokee people live in the village all summer long, so it made me feel like I was visiting strangers at their home.  That was my first experience visiting a place that was a mixture of an reenactment/educational/heritage teaching tool.

If you have never been to or heard of Tsi La Gi I guess  I should try to explain what it is.  Back in the late 70's the Cherokee tribe built a replica of what a native village would have looked like before they had contact with the white man.  For a fee you can have a guided tour of the village that includes replicas of buildings and Indians dressed in period costume.  The employees are usually making something like arrows. blow darts, napping flint or making a basket.
 

Our guide was pretty new but he did a nice job explaining things AND answering several strange questions. 

(I have noticed that I have the "people are strange" thought a whole lot, like bunches and bunches of a whole lot.)  He did good not laughing at some of the questions cause there were some very strange questions asked. 

The only original building left from my first visit was the council house.  If I remember correctly he said that it was built 43 years ago. 

While our Guide was showing us the Council house he explained that this one would be torn down to make a new one soon.  When this one was built they did not realize that the Council house was SUPPOSED to have 8 sides, not the 7 that they built.  They are continuing to try to learn some of their culture that was lost. 
There is also a replica of what a Cherokee town would have looked like after their move to Oklahoma.  There are a few log houses, frame houses, a school, church, a smoke house and a general store.  There was a small visitor at the school.  We tried to encourage it out the door but it seemed to be more comfortable inside.

The Cherokees were very educated by the time they were forced out of their native home.  Not long after moving to Oklahoma they opened schools and there was a higher literacy rate among the Cherokee than among the whites.
None of the tribes forcibly moved to Oklahoma were stupid savages.  It does amaze me that there are still people that think what they see on TV is real.  Did I mention that there were some really stupid questions asked?  I was afraid that I would start laughing so I had to walk away. 
We made one more stop before we headed home at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery.  The battery in my camera was used up by this point.  I thought I might capture some photos on the cell phone.  BUT my phone was also dead so I tried to get some shots with the hubby's phone.  I think I was able to get a few that looked pretty good BUT unless I buy a storage card for the phone I will not be able to download them from the phone...... anyway I am glad we stopped.  It was worth it.  I would love to go back again with a charged camera. 
I guess this blog is long enough so I will end it before the end of our vacation.  Maybe I will get motivated to blog more later about our trip to Woolaroc.  I have lots more to do in the next few weeks and  I really hope I get to put my camera to use.