Robert Perry
Almost two hundred years ago the Indian Peoples were expulsed from the American Southeast. It was winter time and many of the people wore the clothes on their back when captured in summertime. Many of the young and old died along the way to Indian Territory. Hundreds were loaded on boats at Tuscumbia Landing for the voyage to the far west. Saturday the descendants and other interested citizens gathered at Tuscumbia Landing to honor the ancestors. Everyone gathered at
Cora Peters
the Landing to hear the elders speak softly and solemnly sing old songs in their language. Busloads of Creeks and Chickasaws came dressed in their colorful traditional clothing; they have returned to their Homelands. Tuscumbia is named for a Chickasaw, Tuscumbia, who was a War of 1812 veteran. Tuscumbia is former Chickasaw Homelands. Then, the Walk
begins as the Choctaw singer softly beats the drum to set the pace. This year Cora Peters, Poarch Creek Indian, the first-ever anointed Tribal Elder princess made the walk; she is 82-years old. Half way there, the group halts at the softball field to gather the stranglers as the local pack of Cub Scouts hand out bottles of water. Although the walkers have quietly moved toward the midpoint, they meet
Annie and Robert Perry
friends from the previous walks. All the walkers stream into Spring Park to be greeted by the thong at the Oka Kapassa Festival. The rest of the day turns into a joyful celebration and why not – we Indians have survived.
The idea of the Walk to honor the ancestors came from a Mohawk man, “Walking West to Indians is walking toward death; walking east is toward life and rebirth.” He told this to Annie Cooper Perry who established the walk in 2003 and has been the Event Coordinator. She doesn’t call herself anything more than this because the only plan is to start and finish. Whatever happens along the way is completely unrehearsed, but is always refreshing to those who attend and especially those who return each year.
