September 28, 2005

I have been receiving comments from various people recently. This past week I received a letter from Annika in New York; from Sheryl in Denton; from Cathy in California, and from Vera in Gainesville. Annika and Cathy were concerned about Hurricane Rita. They asked me to keep them posted on its local developments. I was apologetic as I responded telling them that Aubrey was now dryer than before much to our disappointment – we did not receive any rain from the hurricane.

While I look back to the beginning of my columns in The Town Charter about events in the Onega and Aubrey region for the past seven years, I find that I have been able to gather up lots of information about Aubrey’s past.

I have been quizzed as to why I call it "talk from under the Tipi." I think that after seven years, I shouldn’t have to explain the title, because that is exactly what it is all about.

When I was growing up about seventy years ago, some of the most joyous occasions in my early life were when my Grandma and Grandpa would have all of our family members gather at their house. The kids would find room and sit on the floor while my Grandfather, Wood Goin, would hold out his hands with palms up. There were no words uttered, no giggles muttered and silence would occupy the large living room area. (This is the same room that is my living room today.) My brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles as well as our great-uncles relaxed reverently and sat quietly for a few silent moments. We had all gathered around the fire place and were circled around my grandfather patiently watching his hands.

He would slowly turn over his hands as if he were pouring water with his hands. But no, not at all, my Grandmother quickly slipped over in front of the fireplace mantle and put her hand on the volume control of the table radio. My Grandfather’s hands would come together and when he placed his hands in his lap he said "My Dear Ones, we are in troubled times."

Grandmother would turn the volume up enough so that everyone could hear and without any other comments, the radio speaker said, "Good Evening, Mr. and Mrs. North America and all the ships at sea." At that precise moment the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt commented "Japan has just bombed Pearl Harbor."

I was ten years old at the time, and little did I know that this "Talk from under our Tipi" would yield three brothers, one cousin, and one uncle to serve in the armed services for the call to defend this country.

Many Tipis were occupied at the same time in the same manner. Other local Native American families were gathered together with similar talks from under their tipis.

We didn’t have a fire burning in the middle of the room, nor did we sit on dirt floors, but there were many loyal Americans that were sitting on dirt floors poking their fires.

Folks, all of this has occurred in just one short lifetime.

This Saturday, we are going to celebrate the festival and gathering of crops laid by for the winter months.

I understand that there is going to be a huge display of Native American arts and crafts and other items that were a part of their lifestyles. Please stop by these Indian booths and get acquainted. After all, we have over a thousand Cherokee descendants still living in Aubrey.

Family names of native Cherokees are Hollar, Goin, Harmon, Wilson, Daniels, McNatt, Smith, Carroll, Weaver, Farmer, Buttons, Looper, Coffey, Henderson, Brumley and Slatons, and many others that just don’t come to my mind.

Hope to see everyone Saturday at the Peanut Festival.

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