HAYESVILLE – Hayesville’s new Cherokee Homestead Exhibit, a joint project of Clay County Communities Revitalization Assoc. and The Clay County Historical Arts Council, will host a dugout canoe building workshop with Davy Arch of Cherokee on Friday, Sept. 17 from 9am – 4pm. Arch, an EBCI tribal member, is an accomplished artist and historian.
He has served as a designer and consultant for much of the public art featured at the exhibit. The homestead exhibit is located adjacent to the Clay County Historical and Arts Museum. It consists of replicas of a Cherokee winter house, summer house and corn crib,(late 16th through mid 18th century).
The site also displays public art, representing elements of Cherokee heritage and culture, including clan masks, mural panels and contemporary and historic quotes from Yonaguska, Walker Calhoun, Lynne Harlan, and Cherokee County – Snowbird Rep. Diamond Brown.
Other EBCI members and affiliates involved directly or indirectly with the exhibit include Garfield Long, EBCI linguist and artist; Russ Townsend, EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office; T.J. Holland, Junaluska Museum; Tyler Howe, EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office; Kevin Welch, The Center for Cherokee Plants; and Sarah McClellan-Welch, EBCI Cooperative Extension Office.
Arch will be working on a 17’ poplar log. Darry Wood, of Hayesville, and other volunteers will assist. This event is open to the public.
Rep. Brown will present programs to Hayesville 4th and 8th graders on Oct. 11. He will speak and tell stories related to “his people’s” history and their relationships with nature. His program serves as an introduction and provides background information, prior to the student’s outdoor classroom experience at the homestead exhibit.
Source: Clay County Communities Revitalization Assoc.
