CHEROKEE, NORTH CAROLINA

The Cherokees "Red Fire People" called this area Shaconage or Place of Blue Smoke.  On Friday, July 6th, after the train ride, we drove thru town, passing so many gift shops (we stopped by a store named Spirit of the Wolf), each claim to have authentic Cherokee handicrafts, along the main busy road, filled with tourists, on their way to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  At the end of town, we saw Natives who dressed in traditional headgears and clothing(we wonder how they did not faint from wearing layers of clothes in such warm weather) setting up outlets of woodcarvings, baskets, beadwork, pottery and woven goods.  There are other activities in Cherokee including a casino, horseback riding, a place for the kids to learn about history of a Cherokee village in the 1750s and also the Mountain Farm Museum showing how mountain settlers lived way back when.  There is an outdoor drama that recounts the story of European people coming to North Carolina in 1540, then forced the Natives from the land.  Their forced removal in 1830s to Oklahoma is known as the Trail of Tears.    

Bus Boy (www.bus-stories.blogspot.com), this sign is for you :)   

There were about a dozen or more of these sculptures on display along the main road.  Each with a different design and a story about the struggle and strength of Native Americans.  The temperature was in the upper 90s and we were tired from driving all day, so I did not get out of the car and only take photos when we slowed down or stopped at traffic lights.  The above turned out real nice when no other car blocking the view.