Arrrowhead Making / Flint Knapping
Sonny Ledford
Read more about Sonny LedfordBob Reed
Read more about Bob ReedGeneral Grant
Read more about General GrantDavy Arch
Read more about Davy ArchSonny Ledford
Carver, dancer, and lecturer on Cherokee history
Cherokee, NC (Qualla Boundary)
When Sonny Ledford teaches others about Cherokee culture, he says, "I tell about how I grew up, from a child to a man." As a small child growing up in Birdtown, Ledford spoke Cherokee, and he only began to learn English when it became a practical necessity for enrolling in kindergarten. His mother, a member of the Bird Clan, and his father, a member of the Long Hair Clan, both spoke Cherokee as their first language, and were deeply versed in the tribe's history and traditions of artistry. Geneva Teesatuskie Ledford, his mother, was from the Snowbird Community.
Read more about Sonny LedfordBob Reed
Cherokee arrowhead and blowgun maker
Cherokee, NC (Qualla Boundary)
Bob Reed demonstrates the making of arrowheads, blowguns, and blowgun darts as well as the use of the blowgun. He also demonstrates wood carving and chipping arrowheads. His presentations describe Cherokee life during the 1500 - 1700s, a time when Cherokees were making their own tools. Typically, he presents school programs for students in 5th grade and older, and he always leaves time for question and answer sessions.
Read more about Bob ReedGeneral Grant
Cherokee craft demonstrator, dancer, presenter
Cherokee, NC (Qualla Boundary)
General Grant gives lectures and workshops on Cherokee spirituality and medicine, woodcarving, silversmithing, bone and antler carving, flint knapping, drum making, primitive technology, and making reproductions of traditional artifacts. He is also an accomplished powwow dancer and is pictured here in powwow regalia.
Read more about General GrantDavy Arch
Cherokee storyteller, lecturer, craft demonstrator
Cherokee, NC (Qualla Boundary)
Davy Arch tells Cherokee stories, presents lectures on Cherokee history and culture, and demonstrates carving, flint knapping, and mask making. He adapts his programs for audiences of all ages. Using artwork from different mediums, he describes both Cherokee history and contemporary Cherokee life. He is a founding member of the Cherokee Potters Guild.
Read more about Davy Arch
