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Tahlequah, OK - The Cherokee Heritage Center held its second annual Lyman Vann Memorial Cornstalk Shoot on Saturday, June 22. In an attempt to keep the Cherokee heritage alive, the Cherokee Heritage Center holds many competitive traditional games.

"I think that teaching people the traditional games is a great way to keep our heritage alive", said Tonia Hogner-Weavel, event coordinator. "It helps to connect the past with the present."

The cornstalk shoot goes back to the times when Cherokee hunters and warriors would compete for accuracy with bows and arrows. To keep the tips of the arrows from breaking, participants shot through a large bank of dried cornstalks. Today the game is played the same way. Twenty-eight people competed in this year’s event and more than 50 people came to watch.

Winners,L-R: Freddie Farrell-1st,
Tim Grayson-2nd, Bill Fields-3rd

"I was pleased with the number of people who entered the shoot", said Hogner-Weavel. “It was a competitive event and exciting to watch. I was also glad to see boys ages 11 and 12 competing." Freddie Ferrell took first place in this year’s event, Tim Grayson placed second and Bill Fields placed third.

"I think all of the participants did an outstanding job making the cornstalk shoot a great success", said Hogner-Weavel. "The TsaLaGi Cornstalk Association was an instrumental part in the day's event and I appreciate them."

The Cherokee Heritage Center would also like to thank the Gannett Foundation for their support of the Cherokee Heritage Center and its events. Prize money for the shoot was sponsored by the Gannett Foundation. For more information on up-coming events at the Cherokee Heritage Center, call 918-456-6007, toll free 888-999-6007 or visit the website.