Cherokee Nation Chieftans' Camp

'Sis, this one's for you. Isis is part Cherokee. Story from Rome News Tribune.com (Rome, Georgia, USA) Children study the past at Chieftains camp 06/18/08By Kevin Myrick / RN-T staff writer For the past five years, children such as 9-year-old Ruth Ann Freeman have been spending a week’s worth of days experiencing the history of the Cherokee at the Chieftains Museum Camp. Ruth Ann, a big archaeology and history buff, started the camp Monday and was excited at today’s lesson in archaeology given by Dave Davis, who works at the museum’s lab. “I love to dig up stuff and learn about the past,” Ruth Ann said. “I just think it’s interesting.” Ruth Ann listened intently while Davis explained all the tools that are used in his profession and about the history of the area at the camp, which according to camp director Debby Brown, explores Cherokee history and tradition. “They’re making all sorts of arts and crafts, from Cherokee masks, medicine bags and jewelry,” Brown said. “And a lot of the things we make are done the same way they did it and with the same materials.” Brown also regales the campers with Cherokee stories and legends, and on Friday at 1 p.m. the children will perform some of these legends on stage for friends and family to watch. “This is always a big highlight because the kids get to make the Cherokee legends their own,” Brown said. Brown sincerely hopes that her campers have fun, but also takes some history away with them. “We try to teach them as much as we can about Major Ridge and the Cherokees,” Brown said. “I hope that they can come to appreciate the part that Major Ridge played in this area and how important a person he was for an entire people.” Like Brown, Davis hopes that the campers will come away with some knowledge of archaeology. His biggest hope is that interest gained from this camp into his profession will lead to an archaeology camp that would have a simulated dig site. “I would love to have an archaeology camp,” Davis said. “It would teach the children, like this camp, more about the past, so they could appreciate the past and become good stewards of the past.” The camp ends Friday with the animal legends play being presented at 1 p.m. at the Chieftains Museum.