Time of War
| If history repeats itself, then Cherokee is reliving its past. In the years 1776 to 1794, military conflict between the Cherokee and the encroaching frontier whites was at an all time high, as European settlers invaded Indian lands. This week, visitors will witness the conflict firsthand as a reenactment of war takes place at the Oconaluftee Indian Village. This 30-minute audience interactive mini-drama is performed on Tuesdays,Thursdays, and Saturdays at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Performances run June 15 through August 14, 2010. Time of War takes visitors into the past, to the mid-1700s to witness a conflict that leads to war. Before war breaks out, the War Chief assumes power from the Peace Chief, followed by the traditional, time-honored Warrior Dance on the sacred square grounds of the Village. Hand-to-hand combat enfolds as Cherokee warriors outfitted in traditional war garb and armed with stone knives and clubs, defend their land against an armed militia. "Visitors have been awestruck by this amazing, live demonstration of Cherokee history," said Shirley Cloer, the manager for the Oconaluftee Indian Village. "We have tried to create a lifelike enactment of what war was really like for Cherokee tribes in that day and age." |
