Trail of Tears
Not to be confused with the Chisholm Trail of the last post, we saw part of the Choctaw Trail of Tears last weekend. We were at a family reunion that was held at the "Choctaw Family Investment Center" in Broken Bow. It was a very nice place, adjoined by a Boys & Girls Club, new Headstart building and sports fields. Behind the buildings, local lore says, is a little paved road that is supposed to be part of the Choctaw Trail of Tears. Of course my home school mom ears perked up at that bit of info.
This trail is not very far from the "End of Trail" motel where Stan's parents spent their wedding night in 1954! It didn't occur to any of us until this weekend that it really was the End of Trail for the Choctaws who "resettled" in this part of the country after being forced out of their homes in Mississippi.
Here's some info that I found online tonight about that specific trail (not to be confused with the other Trails of Tears that afflicted the Cherokees and other tribes) ...
The signing of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 between the Choctaw people of Mississippi and the United States government signified the removal of the Choctaw people from their land. The removal was orchestrated through a series of five-hundred mile walks to reservation lands in Oklahoma.
The suffering caused by the mistakes and inefficiency of the War Department, combined with one of the region’s worst blizzards in history, was indescribable. Transportation problems became critical; wagons were in short supply and many roads became impassable except by foot.
The walks resulted in the loss of a substantial number of the participants and are now known as the Choctaw Trail of Tears. Thus, the Trail of Tears carries with it a strong reminder of the perseverance of the Choctaw people--both those who walked the trail, and those who remained behind in defiance of the removal treaties.
Can you imagine? I want to start railing about the past sins of our country but I don't have adequate words. What can we say about such greed, mercilessness, prejudice and murder? We have seen it played out again and again in our country.
What can we do? Pray for guidance as we train up God's future leaders ...
Posted in: on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at at 11:58 PM
