THE MOTHERS OF THE CHEROKEE GRIEVED SO MUCH THAT THE CHIEFS PRAYED FOR A SIGN TO LIFT THE MOTHERS' SPIRITS, AND GIVE THEM STRENGTH TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, A BEAUTIFUL NEW FLOWER, A ROSE, GREW WHEREVER
A MOTHERS TEARS FELL TO THE GROUND.
THE ROSE IS WHITE FOR THE MOTHERS' TEARS. IT HAS A GOLD CENTER FOR THE GOLD TAKEN FROM THE CHEROKEE LANDS. IT HAS SEVEN LEAVES ON EACH STEM THAT REPRESENTS THE SEVEN CHEROKEE CLANS THAT MADE
THE FORCED JOURNEY.
TO THIS DAY, THE CHEROKEE ROSE PROSPERS ALONG THE ROUTE OF "THE TRAIL OF TEARS."
THE CHEROKEE ROSE IS THE OFFICIAL STATE FLOWER FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
"WE ALL TRAVEL MANY TRAILS. WORDS LEFT LOCKED IN ONE'S HEART, NOT SPILLED UPON A PAGE, LEAVE A BARE PATH. IT IS MY PRAYER TO THE SKY FATHER, THAT DURING MY JOURNEY THROUGH THIS LIFE, WHEN I AM TOUCHED BY ANOTHER THAT I WILL NOT LEAVE BEHIND A BARE TRAIL.
I AM FULL-BLOODED CHEROKEE-SHAWNEE. WE ORIGINATED FROM THE QUALLA BOUNDRY RESERVATION IN CHEROKEE, NORTH CAROLINA. I AM A DIRECT DECENDENT TO CHIEF DRAGGING CANOE (CHEES-YOU-UUH-SEE-NEE), MEANING "HE IS DRAGGING IT." HE WAS THE SON OF ATTAKULLAKULLA, THE TRIBE OF THE WAYHA (WOLF), PROTECTORS OF THE TRIBE.
DRAGGING CANOE WAS A MIGHTY WARRIOR WHO REFUSED TO WALK NUNNA DAULTSUNI (THE TRAIL WHERE THEY CRIED). INSTEAD HE LEAD OUR PEOPLE TO THE HILLS TO FIGHT FOR THE LAND NOW KNOWN AS QUALLA. BUT...MANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WALKED THIS TRAIL, SPILLING BLOOD AND TEARS ON THIS "PATH."
TRAIL OF TEARS
"HAIR DARK"
KATHERINE RAYBORN
SHE GAVE THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE AS SHE WAS TOLD BY HER ANCESTORS.
IT IS SAID THAT WHEN THE WOMEN CRIED, CHEROKEE TEARS FELL TO THE EARTH IN THE HEART OF THE STONE. FROM THIS STONE, BLOSSOMED A ROSE THAT GREW CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND HAD MANY THORNS SO THAT IT COULD NOT BE PICKED AND LEAVE THE TRAIL BARE. TODAY, THE CHEROKEE ROSE STILL BLOOMS ALONG THIS TRAIL FROM GEORGIA TO OKLAHOMA, FOREVER MARKING THE NUNNA DAULTSUNI."
KATHERINE RABORN WAS A SWORN 911 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT FOREST PARK, GEORGIA. SHE WAS A CERTIFIED PARAMEDIC, AND HAS WORKED WITH A RESCUE UNIT. SHE TRUELY WAS A SERVANT TO THE PUBLIC! "KATIE" WAS FORCED INTO RETIREMENT DUE TO ILL HEALTH.
