Good morning, good morning, good morning, welcome, welcome, welcome thee. It's time now for Nady to beat John Weston in with the study. How you doing there, guy? I am doing great, Tom, and how are you well?
You know, if the weekends were any livelier, my Mondays would be different.
I guess exactly.
At the weekend's very livelier, that have to arrest you, right, Oh golly, you bet, you bet so Ocio Nagata Hello everyone, host the Sun of Lee. Good morning and happy Monday, or as we stay at a Cherokee Reservation, Unada dot Quo.
Nah.
It was a busy weekend for me at the Washington County Cherokee Association. We hosted our annual Fall Cultural Celebration Day. It was a fantastic day and we couldn't have asked.
For better weather.
I mean, it cooperated just to the tea for us, and we were really happy with all the people that turned out. It was great to see everyone. We held it from ten to three and we had several artists who took part in the native market we had there, including author Jonathan Kentner. He's written several books about from a nuclear Cherokee perspective, including some that were supernatural about UFOs and big food and things like that.
I thought that was kind of my kind of guy, exactly.
And we had artists who had some fantastic beadwork and traditional clothing. We had a great food vendor out there. I got a shout out to Kay and J Southern Eats and Sweets. It is a food truck of nothing but Southern comfort foods, stuff that when doctors walk up on it, they're just going to hang their heads because they know that the people are going to be coming to them and their their blood sugar is going to be kind of out of control.
That's that's always a battle for me, I know. But it smelled good.
It did smell good exactly right in fact, you know that's I think that's one of the most successful parts of any event is to have good food vendors. And I haven't splurished. I splurgh and I got one of their dishes. It's called the Pecan Cobbler. And my blood sugar is raising just thinking about it. But anyway, it was incredible. Even though I only had I only had. I limited myself to a couple of bites. I'm trying
to keep my doctor happy. When I go back for my diet beats check, and I could hear my panks and my doctor both thanking me for exercising some restraint.
Not even the whole dessert. Oh man, you know I would have jumped in and helped you.
Oh, I'm sure we could have shared it, Tom, I would have got it. We could have got a couple of spoons. That's right, that's right. So, as everyone knows, Halloween is not far away, and we're going to do a little something, a little different on today's broadcast. I thought it would be great to recounsel with the spooky stories from native culture for all of our ghouls and.
Goblins tuning ends of the show.
But before we begin, I'd like to thank our sponsored Coffeevill Cooperative Credit Union located at three thirteen West ninth Street and Coffeeville. They are all about providing you with great personal financial services. Speaking of holidays, if you're not experiencing any anxiety about it now, Christmas is only sixty five days away, So if you're anything like me, sometimes you might wait a few days before Christmas to actually
start your shopping. But if you're a planner, you might be wondering where you're gonna get those extra funds to do some of your Christmas shopping, So you might want to head on up and see the people to Coffeeville Cooperative Credit Union. They're there to help. You can see Lyle Martin's staff. They'll treat you right and they'll make your financial goals whatever they might be a success. Coffeeville
Cooperative Credit Union, It's where you belong. Check it out on Facebook or their website at Cooperative cu dot com. Insured by NCUA. Speaking of Lyle, I saw him at our cultural celebration.
A great guy.
I don't know if he had Endo con cobbler, but I can tell you Lyle's a heck of a cook in his own right.
Okay.
In fact, he makes an incredible grape salad. And I believe a few years ago here in Bartiswell we had the Taste of Home show out at the community Center. He would on a recipe contest which was I actually took that recipe from him and replicated in my own kitchen and it was fantastic, Just a great recipe. But anyway, nata Bee would also like to thank our many listeners
for your continued support and tuning in. So one of our first spooky stories comes to us from the Cherokee homeland of the Great Smoky Mountains, the legend of Spearfinger. So long long ago there lived a strong medicine woman named Spearfinger.
She was a shape shifter.
Her real appearance was that of an old woman, but her skin was so rough and hardened by the elements that looked like stone.
She was known as Utlanta by the Cherokee.
On her right hand, her forefinger was very long and bony and very sharp, and that's how she got the name Spearfinger. So basically, with her sharp finger she would pierce the sides of her victim and steal their livers. Oh yes, exactly so. She was never shy of her intent. In fact, her haunting chant echoes her love for livers through the mountains, sending shivers down the spines of all who hear it. Ua la na chiku sasase liver, I
eat it. The alluring voice of Spearfinger is carried by the natural breezes of the Great Smoking Mountains, alerting warriors, hunters, and children of their presence. Those wise enough will seek shelter and wait until her voice and thundering steps disappear. Those who wish to defy the legend, though they may
never know it, are sure to meet her. Spearfinger has a horrific form, a stone skinned, utterly figure shrouded in a cloak of leaves and rocks, as she's a deceiver who can change her appearance to trick her targets.
Into their demise.
For the children local Cherokee tribe, she'd take the form of a lost tribe elder to earn their trust, and then before they know it, she would steal their liver, and the only evidence of her stealthy attack would be a slow, painful death. So, according to Cherokee legend, Spearfinger was eventually defeated by the local tribes. They tried for years to kill her, using water to drown her and
massive concealed pits to trap her. Her stone skin kept her impervious to every mortal attempt on her life, but her fate changed with the arrival of Jikili. The tiny bird, also known as the Carolina chickadee, is believed by the Cherokee to be a celestial being who swooped down from
the skies to help end Spearfinger's madness. Cherokee warriors had set up a trap for her, a burning brush near a pit, knowing she'd be attracted to the smoke and fire, as she'd always has been with the killing the Blaze. The warriors lay in wait until she descended upon their position, disguised as a recognizable elder from the Cherokee village. It wasn't until she fell into the hidden pit the ugly
wretch showed her true form. Arrows flew from the hidden Cherokees, but broke on impact against her stone skin.
It was a futile attempt.
To eradicate her from the Great Smoky Mountains. But just when all hope seemed lost, a sign soared down from above. It was a titmouse, which perched itself on a tree near the fallen Spearfinger and sang a gentle song. The warriors heard it a nahua or heart, took aim at the friend's chest. Arrows continued to deflect off the beast, and, fearing that titmouse had lied to Cherokee, cut out its
tongue and sent it off before Spearfinger could escape. Though the real hero, the Jigili, flew down and perched on the struggling Witch's right hand. The warriors now understood and aimed their arrows at the exposed appendage. Though Spearfinger fought to keep her heart protected, it was soon pierced by the well forged tip of a Cherokee arrow, ending her
reign of terror. There's a slightly less dramatic version of this of Spearfinger's death, where a bandit warrior simply sought the Witch's home and defeated her in a quick confrontation without the help of Chikili's song. Regardless of how the Cherokee vanished Spearfinger, they could finally live among the wildlife of the Great Smoky Mountains without hear fear of having their livers taken from their bodies. So here's another story
that I found and I thought was really interesting. Now, this one's actually closer to home and actually has some truth to it.
It's you know, it's not a fake. The other one didn't. Oh my god.
Well, yeah, the other one was more of a cautionary tale for the Cherokee youth. But anyway, closer to home, the oce Age have their own ghost who is said to still haunt the Huska. John Stink was also known by his Osage name Hotamoe, which means rolling or roaring thunder. He was about nine years old and his family migrated to Indian Territory and he settled in Bahusca. He had always preferred to live camping out in the open air,
explaining white man house make me sick. John was camp near Fairfax when he became ill during at tuberculosis epidemic. One day, some friends stopped by only to find him unresponsive and his body cold and stiff. Thinking he had passed, they brought him to an Indian cemetery on Bacon Rind Hill east of Bahuska, along with his bow and shield.
Assert assorted trophies and medical mysteries. He was placed in a shallow grave and covered with rocks, leaving his face exposed so that he could find his way to the spirit world. Eventually, John emerged from his komotos stupor and exumed himself. He collected his belongings walked back down the hill to his camp. To his surprise, the first os A he encountered along the way ran in fear of him. He knocked on a neighbor's door to borrow a pinch
of tobacco for his pipe. First thing I needed, I guess was a smoke after climbing out, only to have the man also flee in terror, as he exclaimed John on Stink dead me no Lynn Tobacco. As a man, John Stink was a popular member of his community, but as ghosts. As a ghost, his friends and his neighbors ran in fear from him. The sad reality was that he was still sick and needed their help. Out of desperation, John went to the trading post of Pasca seeking food
and assistance. The beleaguered ghost next campsite was at an alley behind the building, where he lived with a pack of five dogs. In nineteen oh six, John claimed his o Sage allotment, which was offered by the government to members of the five civilized tribes. He received an acreage near the Pasca country Club and golf course, and in time the old hermit was known to be in a possession of a large stray collection of stray golf balls.
He was kind of a hoarder's collector of everything. It was there, he said, isolated from the outside world as the twentieth century marched on around him. Now the Osage people enjoyed some good news in nineteen oh six, and that was when huge oil reserves were discus on their land. Royalties from royal revenues or head rights were paid to tribal members and continued to increase in value until the
nineteen thirties. By nineteen twenty, the twenty two hundred and twenty nine members of the Osage Nation were officially the wealthiest people on Earth. One can only imagine the chore it must have been for an Indian agent assigned to find John stink and explained to him that he was suddenly stinking rich. John had lived his life without money and at first claimed he had no need for it. He soon changed his mind and a tall barbed wire
fence built around his property, only without a gait. Just like many members of the Osage tribe he had assigned. He was assigned a guardian to help him with his finances. Once a week, The old hermit had supplies delivered to his property to cover his basic needs. Despite his sudden wealth, John's only vice was the smoking of five cent cigars.
He eventually had a cabin built on his property that he rarely used because he still preferred the outdoors and lived in an old town that quickly became cluttered with a variety of new possessions. One account claims of the old ghost that even bought a car, but it wasn't for driving, He just sat in it like any other piece of furniture. So the ghost of Pahuska, who haunted
his fenced in and landa lava, became legendary. The Daily Oklahoma even talked about him and his tail to their readers, and the misunderstood hermit's fame actually grew, which is incongruent to someone who just wants to be left alone. He was an imposing figure, standing six feet tall and had a long knife tucked into his belt. However, despite his reputation, he did occasionally entertain guests who were brave enough to
meet him. John lived the rest of his life and peace on his fenced in property with his many faithful dogs. He was generous with his money and donated to worthy causes, which included giving one thousand dollars to help build the oce Age American Legion Hut. In nineteen thirty eight, John broke his leg and during his recovery developedment pneumonia. His condition became worse and on September sixteenth, the seventy five
year old hermit slipped away for good. On September eighteenth, more than a thousand people paid their respects to Pehuska's ghost. Perhaps they attended out of a shame for how they had shunned their tribal brother, or maybe just to see if he was really dead. In one of his hands was placed the old rosary, and in the other a big black cigar. The remains of John Stink were interred down doors of the Pehuska Mausoleum, which was really contrary to how he lived. The land Alota John Stink called
home in life is still haunted by his legend. Residents of Pahusca are often reminded of the old man and his dogs, especially on dark nights near the country club, when eerie canine howels filled the air. So a pretty good story and lit I like that that was see exactly.
So before we go today, we have a few announcement announcement as we always do, make sure you check out the Facebook pages for the latest events, news and meetings for the Washington Cherokee Association, Cherokee Cultural Community in Dewey, the No Weita Cherokee Community and No. Wada and the Native American Fellowship in South Coffeeville. I encourage everyone to become involved.
We need more.
People to make sure we carry on our traditions and our culture and our language. Also check out the Delaware Tribe their page. Make sure you visit the Teton Trade clos Store located at Johnstone Sarah Building or in the Eastland Center. Cherokee Nation now has two official offices of the Cherokee Culture community in Dewey, which is a seven hundred East Durham a Career Services office and a Cherokee National Nation or Human Resources office. The Career Services office
is open Monday through Friday from eight to five. Human Resources is there Monday, Wednesday and Friday from eight to five. The Washington County Cherokee Association, we'll have our November meeting with Daniel Harris. He is the education director at the sutt Navian Research Center. He's going to speak about the efforts to revitalize the bald eagle populations. But from what I understand and my emails with him, he's going to have a redtail hawk and a chicken in tow to
bring to the association. So that's going to be a very interesting presentation. One of my friends, she commented. She said, well, I hope he doesn't feed the chicken to the hawk, because that would be a very gruesome presentation. So I thought, yeah, I doubt he's going to do that, but I'll just warn him in case he's thinking about it exactly.
Yeah. For those who don't know, the.
Washington County Cherokee Association's loath head just east of the kouy Skuui Health Clinic on County Road twenty nine hundred one a half miles west of Highway seventy five. We'd love to see you there on November seventh and six pm, and beginning next Saturday at ten am, we're going to have there at our building a free language course offered by Matthew Church, a graduate of a Cherokee Nation language program. Everyone is welcome, whether they belong to our our association
or simply interested in learning Cherokee. Also be sure to catch our friend Chris Crane on Frybread Journeys on the mighty six ninety KGGF. Be sure to check out their Facebook page. Tune in to our next edition of Native Beat November fourth at nine to forty five in the morning, with my guest, who will be Betsy Swimmer. Swimmer she is the public relations director of the Vocahantas Indian Women's Club. That organization has been active within the Cherokeeation Cherokee Reservation
for the past one hundred and twenty five years. It's amazing, Yeah, it should be an interesting interview for sure. You can catch native beat on the Barzel Radio Facebook page or in demand for the Barswel Radio app available in the Apple Store. A big wadeau, as we say in Cherokee, wan A. Sheis the Delaware would say Wanzi as the Osage would say. And to all of you listening, Dona de goha e until we meet again.
Dignity, compassion, excellence, Stop you in your home in crematory Bartlesville, No WAA Barnstall K two in Bartlesville, Ky two twenty seventy Q Bartlesville K two thirty six C. T. Podska Hey Thim. Just days after an independent