weeks and when you have time to roam around in that area there is almost always something interesting going on. Last week was no exception and we saw that in nearby Pickens County, the Pickens County Museum and the Reedy River Intertribal organization were again teaming up to present "Selugada VII; A Native American Celebration." To be held at historic Hagood 
Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center, Selugada VII (Selugada means "cornbread" in Cherokee.) would be three-day Pow Wow - acelebration of Native American culture with tribes from across South Carolina represented as well as participants from as far away as Arizona - but - which would also include exhibits and demonstrations of early American life from 
other cultures as well. It would also be one of those special occasions when ancient Hagood Mill - which dates back to the late 1700s with the current building constructed in the early 1800s - would be operating for all to see. And, there would be demonstrations of arts and crafts from 
Native American as well as the diverse cultures that made up the early American Southeast. So we decided to take a break from more serious matters and spend a day re-connecting with our Southern roots. It was a very good choice. Located just outside the wonderful town of Pickens (a place my brother 
visited just about every Wednesday) in an incredibly historic area of our state, Hagood Mill has been faithfully restored and maintained as a permanent reminder of the events and people of our past. It is well laid out for easy access by people of all ages and physical conditions with 
permanent exhibits effectively displayed. The demonstration sites, craft booths, cooking areas and ceremony and performance venues were all very thoughtfully set up so that you could easily visit the sites without interrupting activities in progress. (And there were a ton of those at all times!!!) The early American folklife demonstrations were extremely accurate and effective and the work we saw was magnificent. The wares that were being sold (Native 
American and European American) represented some of the very best in authentic craftsmanship - and the prices were spectacularly reasonable. Displays by the S. C. Archaeological Society and members of the Crawford family showed an 
astonishing collection of Native American tools, weapons and implements made of stone and other natural materials. It should also be noted that the mill site is also an area where 
an astonishing number of ancient "petroglyphs" (stone paintings) were found. And - there were demonstrations of Native American skill in areas we don't normally think of - such as "Blowgun" construction and 
use. Fascinating! I suppose you would normally expect that folks doing demonstrations would be 
courteous but I have to tell you, the peoplewho were demonstrating the various crafts, artwork, cooking, cultural explanations, sewing, cooking - and on, and on - were truly the warmest, most welcoming representatives of the best of our cultural heritage. It was fun and enlightening to see the work they were doing but it was even more rewarding to know that they were people who were thoughtful and considerate on the most elemental human level. It was refreshing and restorative!One of my favorite demonstrations was the "open fire cooking" display.
It showed Native American techniques for cooking just about every kind of food you could imagine. And - we got to taste it!!! It was excellent and you would be amazed at the ingenious techniques used in its preparation. And - the 
construction of the various implements was a history lesson in itself. Now, you guys are generally a lot more knowledgeable than the average bear so you might have already known some of this stuff but, I really got an education. Take the bowls used for cooking by the Native American families for example. Without metal to use in construction of cookware they relied on the substances available in the environment. Here, "soapstone" is 
fairly prevalent so they took advantage of the characteristics of the stone in both creating implements and in how they would be used. Note the large rock on the right above. You will see some circular protrusions on the surface that do not appear natural. Well, they are and they aren't. The Native American lady out shopping for a new 
cooking pot would find a boulder that had the right sized protrusions and begin transforming it into a bowl-shape. When they achieved the desired proportions they would carefully chisel the bowl away from the body of the boulder. The properties of this particular stone allow it to heat slowly and then retain heat quite efficiently. By learning how close to the flames the bowl needed to be to maintain certain temperatures the cook could achieve an amazing level of precision and evenness. Also note 
in the photograph of the cooking circle on the right the sweet potatoes and corn sitting at strategic spots between the rocks at the outer edges, strips of venison smoking on flat surfaces - and - the suspended chickens roasting on the far right side. The bowls you see here 
contained a range of culinary delights that would be the envy of any Food Network star. They had venison stew, wild mushrooms, a squash and broccoli casserole and beautiful beans and peas. The wonderful thing about this event was that it provided treats for every one of our senses. The smell of wood fires permeated the air and blended with the savory aroma of food being cooked on open fires and on grilles; the tastes of the treats we were able to sample were amazing; the colors of the regalia and of the artwork on display were vividly stimulating; the sounds of native drums and chants as well as the 
excited chatter of children was delightful and - everywhere we went we were able to touch and feel history around us in the soft luxury of the craftwork, the fluffy cotton bolls in the gin area; the roughness of the millstones and the smooth warmth of finely polished wood. It was a delightful day and I just realized that there is so much more to show you that we can't do it justice by trying to get it all in here. So, we'll close this post at this point and come back to focus on two areas - the Native American cultural experiences and the history associated with Hagood Mill itself. Rest up and come back soon so we can see the rest of this wonderful place. See ya.
