By DAWN ARNEACH
One Feather Ad Sales Coordinator
FLAT ROCK, N.C. – A world premiere of “Raising Cane: The Cherokee and Rivercane” was shown at the Thomas Auditorium Blue Ridge Community College on Unadodagwidena (Saturday), Duliisdi (Sept.) 19. The movie highlights the use of rivercane by Cherokee Basket weavers/makers.
The movie highlights the need to build up cane breaks once again in the southeast and to provide a barrier between creeks/rivers and embankments that could possibly help ease flooding in different areas, as well as providing places for Cherokee artisans to collect cane as needed.
The movie had support from Community Foundation of Henderson County, N.C.; NC Humanities; the McGrady Family Fund; Paul and Simone Shoemaker; Asset Marketing Brokers; Helen Bishop and Susan Grider; Dirk and Paige Wilms; and the supporters of the Center for Cultural Preservation.
Center for Cultural Preservation Executive Director David Weintraub said he felt this was a good way to show the need of rivercane in the southeast while sharing the many uses of rivercane. He has worked with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) over the years for other various projects as well.
Several EBCI tribal members were featured in the movie, sharing their knowledge of how they collect and use rivercane in their baskets, including Mary Thompson, Betty Maney, Beloved Man Davy Arch, Dylan Morgan, and Gabe Crowe.
There will be another showing at the Tryon International Film Festival at the Tryon Arts Center Pavillion in Tryon, N.C. on Unadodaquidena (Saturday), Dunindi (Oct.) 10 at 12:30 p.m. You can also order a DVD copy at https://saveculture.org.
