The man was standing alone, over by the merchants, away from the dancing in the PowWow circle. Away from the drums. Away from the elders' seating.
He had a most interesting face.
After getting his permission to take his photo, I didn't want him to look into the camera lens for this shot so I stopped talking and let him pose how he wanted to.
After which, I asked his name.
"They call me Cherokee Ron," he answered.
"They" might call him that, but obviously Cherokee Ron liked that name and wanted me and others to do the same.
He comes every year to the Trail of Tears Park in Hopkinsville, Kentucky from his home in Louisville, some 170 miles away, to support the PowWow.
The PowWow is an annual event at the Trail of Tears Park that remembers the Cherokees as they passed by Hopkinsville after being forced to leave their homes, schools and properties.
I asked if there was a story behind his headband.
"It keeps my hair off my face," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. He added that his hair is getting long.
Lesson: The comments of the photographers in the 100 Strangers Group are much appreciated. They're right. Sometimes a portrait is better if the subject doesn't stare right into the camera lens & I let the subject do what comes natural.
I had regretted earlier in this group that I did not have one of my strangers look at me. But, I think the pensive look on this elder's face is better than having a photo of him looking at me. Where I stand now is that sometimes a photo is best when the subject looks at you and at other times, it is best to have them look away. That is to say, do I want him engaging, or contemplating the universe?
Ah, photography!!
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This is my 6th in the 100 strangers project challenge that I have accepted in asking strangers if I can take their photo. See photos of strangers from other photographers and find out more about the project by going to the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Tags: Hopkinsville Kentucky Cherokee Native American PowWow Trail of Tears
Tags: Trail of Tears Kentucky Trail of Tears Commemorative Park Native American dance Cherokee celebration PowWow
Cherokees from Kentucky and surrounding areas dance each year to remember the Trail of Tears
Tags: pow wow Native American Cherokee Trail of Tears
The cherry red face grabbed me in the crowded path around the Powwow circle. Red face. Black eye.
"Are you Mohican?" I asked, seeing the Mohawk hair style, exposing my ignorance on Native American matters.
"No, I'm Cherokee," came the reply.
I told him that I was participating in the 100 Strangers portrait challenge to photographers, and asked if I could take his photo. Jamie H. did not compete in the warrior dances of the 28th Trail of Tears powwow, but he was a prominent sight at the event. The bleachers on the rim of the powwow circle of the dance competition can be seen in the background.
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This is my 7th in the 100 strangers project challenge that I have accepted in asking strangers if I can take their photo. See photos of strangers from other photographers and find out more about the project by going to the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Tags: traditional dance Hopkinsville Kentucky Trail of Tears Commemorative Park Trail of Tears red face cherokee Powwow Native American U.S. Route 68
Tags: Trail of Tears Native American Powwow Native American dance competition powwow Cherokee costume heritage Kentucky Trail of Tears Park Hopkinsville hopper Indian nation feathers mask