Among the various log cabins and frontier structures at Bardstown’s Pioneer Village were a couple of authentic teepees. As the twins approached these with curiosity, an extraordinary realization hit me; the boys have no idea what Native Americans are. In fact, their only exposure to cowboys is through the movie Toy Story. Now this is an amazing cultural change, because Cowboys and Indians were the foremost fascination for their grandparent’s generation. They were the pop stars of that time. Children read books about the old west, watched western movies, ask for guns, holsters, bows and arrows for Christmas and played Cowboys and Indians imagination games. For various reasons, these old west icons have lost popularity among today’s generation. Maybe when they learn that their sixth Great Grandmother was a Cherokee Indian, it will inspire them to learn more about Native Americans.
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