There is always another beautiful shawl dancing around the corner!

I was desperately trying to shut my Cedar Chest the other day.  I pushed, pulled, rearranged and finally SAT on my Cedar Chest to get it closed.  The problem was a mountain of Shawls bursting out of my trunk.  Beaded Shawls, Give away shawls, Spanish Shawls, Ribbon work Shawls,

Shawls! Shawls! Shawls!  

What I know for sure is that anyone can always use another shawl.  Danette and I were at the dances in Hominy last year when a woman offered Danette money if she would sell her shawl.   I immediately said YES!  (After all it isn’t my shawl) Danette said NO!  (and gave me the Stink Eye) the woman was confused.  Danette accused me of selling the clothes off her back. (She was right!)

 

She has never been one to part from her clothes and I am not either which is why I had no problem saying YES!

When I feel like changing my wardrobe I just put a different shawl on and I am good to go.  

Recently, Danette went to the Osage Sovereignty Day PowWow.  She had a new style of shawl fabric that had Velvet Flowers on it.   She went out to dance one time and put the shawl over her chair.    In a split second this very nice woman came up to the table and said she had to have that shawl.  At first, Danette hesitated…..that is my shawl she said.  The nice lady  answered “That shawl is so pretty let me just try it on.  So Danette let her try it on and she could see true joy in the woman’s face (exactly how I feel every time I put on a new shawl) So I can proudly say she sold the shawl off her own back.

 The woman looks Lovely in her new shawl.

Danette called me later that evening and sadly told me that she had sold her shawl.  And I repeated my favorite motto.........There is always another beautiful shawl dancing around the corner!!  

Oh!! by the way Danette said she will not be selling anymore of her shawls!!

These are my Peeps!

These are my Peeps!

My Grandmother Strikeaxe kept me after school when I was little. I would walk to her house. My snack would be waiting for me which I ate sitting in front of the black and white TV with 3 channels. Dark Shadows was my favorite show after school. On some days the TV didn't do it for me so I would wonder over to her gigantic coffee table and open the drawer where hundreds of photos of friends and family were scattered inside the drawer.  I took it upon myself to "organize" them which then became a scattered mess of hundreds of photos on the floor. Among the pictures I found these two treasures one day. These are family pins from the turn of the century. Grandma said women used to wear these pins with there Wahbonkah pins or as brooches. This pin is of Cora Wildcat Strikeaxe.






I do not know the name of this young girl. Someone loved her and wanted to wear her pin. I find it sad when I go to flea markets and garage sales where I see piles of long forgotten family photos for sale on some strangers table.I plan on burning all the pictures of myself with my eyes closed, goofy smiles or where my rolls are showing through my shirt. I am only keeping the pictures with my best side showing so they won't offend anyone walking by the flea market table after I am long forgotten. I keep this girl in my jewelry dish with my rings and earrings. I consider that to be a place of honor since I love jewelry so much. I just want her to know I may not know her name but she is not forgotten.




I wonder if she liked jewelry as much as I do?





I first met Danette at The Grayhorse dances in Fairfax Oklahoma. She is a ladysinger and always dresses in her Osage clothes to sing at the drum during our dances. I noticed right off that under her Wahbonkah pins she was wearing a family pin. This is her family pin of her Great Grandfather Ed Cox.


I think he looks very distuguished.


This one is of Danette's Great Great Aunt Jennie Long.




I love the little gold frame.


This beautiful pin is Danette's Great Great uncle Tom Cox.







Here is a picture of an Osage woman Old Lady White Plume wearing her family pins. I wonder if they will call me Old Lady Julie someday? I hope not!






The Cedar Chest is building a photo booth in our new store so that we can take pictures of your family in their Indian clothes and start making family pins again.

We think it is important to remember our Peeps!