Copyright © 2003 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation
Copyright © 2003 CNO
TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - "The Beginning They Told", an animated tale of a Cherokee legend, is now for sale at the Cherokee Nation Gift Shop in Tahlequah.
"It’s a good story about the beginning, so it was a good story to begin Cherokee animation with", said Joseph Erb, animator who worked on the video.
The characters, Beaver, Buzzard, and Water Beetle have to work together to derive a plan to find a new place to live when the sky vault they are currently living in becomes too crowded. Erb, in conjunction with Cherokee Nation staff, started by writing a script that was then translated into the Cherokee language to tell the story of how these three animals found a new place to live. Fluent Cherokee language speakers provided the voices for the characters and brought the script to life.
"I wanted to do something artistically to express my culture", Erb said. "I’m planning on continuing to use digital story telling to continue the culture and to use the language."
Erb, who is a Cherokee Nation tribal member, had heard the legend of 'the beginning' many times before he made it into a video. He believes that the video will not only help teach Cherokee children, but will also be enjoyed by Cherokee elders.
"It’s the children who aren’t speaking it (the Cherokee language) anymore", Erb said. "But the older ones are more familiar with the stories and know the language. Maybe it will get them to communicate with each other."
Copies of the video can be purchased for $15.99 at the Cherokee Nation Gift Shop, located at the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. They can also be purchased on the gift shops web site.
| Related contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |