Journal Entry

May 3, 2009

Summer has come early to Northeastern Territory of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation. As I gathered water from a nearby stream, I noticed the faraway snow capped mountains; summer has not reached them yet. The stream is lower that it was. There has been no rain to help the crops grow. Everyone in the village is meeting tonight for a ceremonial rain dance, so the spirits will be pleased and give us the rain that is needed for the crops. This will cause our rivers to run aplenty and make our crops grow, in turn the deer and the buffalo will continue to have all they need. The men of the village will also be going on a hunting trip in a few days.

`Today, I felt my second child start to really move, the baby will come in the late summer. Today is also wash day for most of us. We wash our deer skin clothes by rubbing them on the rocks and hang them on the bushes to dry. I also started to make a new dress today out of a new deer hide my husband had brought to me. My oldest son rode bare back for the first time on the pony his father had given him. His father had also given him his first bow and arrow,so he could start to learn how to use them. My husband has a big responsibility; he is the Chief of this village. The Chief has many worries each day. But he tells me we have chosen a good place to camp, because mother earth has given us plenty to last till winter starts again. Then we will move to a winter camp. When this happens the whole village is packed up. The women will do most of the packing. The stars are plenty in the dark sky. The men are all gathered around a fire in the center of the village. The women are getting everything settled for tonight. Some men are checking on the ponies.We did the rain dance already and it was a great thing to see my son dance in it for the first time. I just think about what this next one will be like and cannot wait until he is able to dance too. `

`Also I was talking with one of the elders earlier today and she...