Even though I didn't have a chance on Family Sunday to visit much with Harrison Lowe in his Dineh traditional dress at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles - he was done with telling his creation stories and I was between sets of my flute songs and the stories I like to tell about them - I did have a chance to talk some with John Bradley (Oklahoma Cherokee/Comanche) at the end of our day. He had been outside on the plaza making traditional toys featuring corn cob darts with the kids.
John had just come back from visiting the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., viewing undisplayed artifacts that most folks will never see. We talked about my wampum bandolier sash and the old Aniishnabeq and Cherokee wampum belts and how they are being kept for the people by the respective elders of each of those nations, William Commanda of the Ojibwe and Benny Smith, among others, of the Cherokee.
I also spent some time getting to know Anaquad Cobe who came in and caught the end of my program. I had seen him the day before at the Pechanga powwow - we've crossed paths many times before without really getting to know each other. That happens a lot in Indian Country - it's a small world in many ways, where you see the same faces over and over again. You feel like you know each other on some level, even when you've never spoken to each other.
Anaquad was a friend of Floyd Westerman and Apesanahkwat, both of whom had recurring roles on "Northern Exposure", one of my all-time favorite television programs. Of course, Floyd has passed on but Apesanahkwat is still with us, serving as the Tribal Chairman and Legislator of the Menominee Indian Tribe in northeastern Wisconsin.
Of course, any Family Sunday at the Autry includes spending some time with Pam Hannah and Barbara Arvi, former Director of Operations and former Director of Education, respectively, at the Southwest Museum before it merged with the Autry. Pam is the current Director of American Indian Outreach at the Autry and Barbara is the current Program Director at the Southern California Indian Center. I always feel grateful to spend time with both of them and I appreciate their friendship.
What? You say I'm a name-dropper? Well, after family come your friends, and it's good to have them and speak well of them and make new friends too - right, my friends?
So - another good day at the Autry.
