Hayesville Students Visit Nelson Heritage Park Exhibit

June 15, 2010 Although the Nelson Heritage Park Cherokee exhibit is incomplete, it is already providing educational experiences for students. Hayesville fourth and eighth graders practiced activities common in the life of the Cherokee who lived in our valley thanks to the efforts of community volunteers. Students played the butterbean game and used a rivercane spear to try to hit a chunkey stone. They learned how difficult it was to make the sides of the winter house, corn crib and summer house, while practicing weaving techniques. The students discovered making corn meal from corn kernels was time consuming and learned how the Cherokee planted corn and beans in a mound . Learning about the Cherokee’s respect for the balance of nature became meaningful when heard through several legends.
The students enjoyed learning about the seven clans and various symbols the Cherokee used to convey messages. The artifacts depicted on the retention wall at the base of the museum came alive for students after learning what the symbols and pictures represented. Of particular interest was the quote from Diamond Brown written in Cherokee and English that appears on one of the panels. The students learned about the Cherokee culture from educator and tribal councilman, Diamond Brown in a recent performance at the Hayesville school amphitheater. A visit to the museum enabled students to view artifacts from the Spikebuck/Quanassee village, identify locations in Clay County that retained their Cherokee names and discover the names of individuals displaced during the Removal.

The Cherokee exhibit has been made possible by funding from The North Carolina Arts Council, the NC. Conservation Fund and CNEF, The NC Rural Center, The NC Rural Centers STEP Fund, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, Clay County Board of Travel and Tourism, WalMart Foundation, HandMade in America and the Town of Hayesville. Eastern Bank Cherokee artists and consultants, Kevin Welch, director of the Cherokee Native Plants Center and local artists and volunteers were involved in the project.

The Cherokee Preservation Fund, North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Humanities Council supplied curriculum materials for use in the classroom. Lesson plans for the educational field trip were developed by CCCRA members and the presenters. If you would like more information or are interested in assisting with future educational experiences at the Cherokee exhibit, please call 389-3045.