Cherokee Tom

This is Tom. He was one of our instructors for the one time Native Americans of the Rogue Valley class my son took this morning. He is a Cherokee Indian and was given permission by the Shasta people to help educate on some the cultural beliefs of the Shasta Indians.
He was wonderful. We sat in an "umma" -which is shaped like a tee-pee but not mobile and is covered with bark. He showed us all sorts of hand crafted tools, spoons to eat acorn mush, fish hooks and arrow heads. He mesmerized the kids by starting fire with friction in a "drill hole." Very cool. I almost didn't ask him if I could take his picture - but I am glad I did. He was the highlight of our day.