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Amazing Grace, from Pow Wow Tales by Joe
Liles. |
Moose, Tony Joe, Lois, and Jim
were traveling through Oklahoma representing the
University of Michigan. Their "official" business was
to publicize their university so as to attract more
Native American students to attend college in the cold
North. Their unofficial business was to go to as many
powwows and gatherings as possible in the different
Indian communities throughout Oklahoma.
Today Moose and company found themselves in Tahlequah,
the capital of the Cherokee Nation. Throughout the
centuries, these people have referred to themselves as
the Tsa-la-gi. The visitors had just seated themselves
at a table in the Lodge of the Cherokee. The waitress
soon heaped upon their table a breakfast they would
not soon forget: eggs, country ham, biscuits, gravy,
and coffee. When the last biscuit was used to sop the
last of the gravy from the bowl, these visitors from
the North made their way back to their van in the
restaurant's parking lot. There, they were greeted by
an old Cherokee man. "I can tell you folks aren't from
these parts," he said. "If you're going to be around
here long enough, I'd like to invite you to a singing
at my church tonight." Moose and his friends looked at
each other and nodded their heads. "Sure, we'd be
happy to come," they said. The old man gave them
directions, shook hands all around' and disappeared
behind some parked cars. |
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That night, after an extensive
tour of the back roads around Tahlequah, the visitors
found the community church they were searching for.
There was no mistake, for the yard of the old wooden
church was literally crammed with pickup trucks and
cars. A welcoming light spilled out from the church's
open door. The visitors went inside and quietly took
their seats on one of the back pews. They were amazed
by what they saw and heard. A five-piece band was
performing at the front of the church; banjo, guitar,
piano, fiddle and dobro. The congregation of moms,
dads, children, elders, and babies clapped along with
the song for its final chorus. More bands were
registering with the church's secretary at the back of
the church. One after another, these bands poured out
talent, energy, and enthusiasm into the night until it
seemed that this little church could hold no more.
When the evening of song and music seemed to be
winding down, the church's preacher stood up and said:
"We have with us tonight a group from a long ways off.
These folks come to us all the way from the state of
Michigan. We are honored that they have come to visit
our community. I would like to ask them to come up and
share with us a song from their land." |
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Moose, Tony Joe, Lois, and Jim
looked at each other in shock. "He's talking about us!
What can we do? What songs do you guys know?" It was
determined that the only song that was confidently
known to the entire group was "Amazing Grace," and,
even then, they only knew one verse. The group
awkwardly worked their way down the aisle and shook
the preacher's hand as they took their place at the
front of the church. Joe pulled a harmonica from his
pocket and, on single notes, played an introduction to
the song.
The others came in with their voices:
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a
wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was
blind, but now I see."
To the amazement of Moose, Joe, and the other
new found musicians, the entire congregation rose to
their feet. When the first verse was finished, the
congregation took over. They sang the next four verses
. . . in the Tsa-la-gi language! When the song was
over, the group of visitors was overwhelmed with
people wanting to shake their hands. The preacher's
voice rose over the crowd and invited everyone to go
to the community building for a feast. Next door,
carefully balancing plates heaped with food, Joe and
Moose asked a woman: "What happened back there? Why
did everyone stand when we sang Amazing Grace"? |
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The woman replied: "You didn't
know?! You sang a song that is very important to our
people. Our ancestors sang this song to give them
strength when they were forced to walk from North
Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia to Oklahoma on what
we call 'The Trail of Tears'. This was done to
relocate our people to Indian Territory. Many died
along the way. The people here tonight are the
descendants of the ones who survived that terrible
walk."
Joe turned to Moose and shook his head.
"Amazing Grace!" he said. Moose answered: "Amazing
indeed!" |
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Copyright by Joe
Liles, All rights reserved. |
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