...somewhere, west of the Mississippi, a native born son of the Wyoming Valley in northeastern PA was travelling among the Dakota, the Mandan, the Cheyenne and the Ojibway. Born in Wilkes-Barre in July 1796, his mother was captured during the Battle of Wyoming in 1778. He spent most of his boyhood growing up along the banks of the Susquehanna River; fishing, hunting, exploring.
If you've never heard of George Catlin, take a few minutes to read about him here and here.
If you remember the movie A Man Called Horse, then you can thank George Catlin for bringing the Mandan religious ceremony - the Okipa - to the big screen by witnessing the event and recording it in his journals while living with the Mandans, who were almost wiped out - some believe intentionally - by smallpox only a few years after Catlin left their villages.
In addition to his paintings, Catlin was a prolific writer. His extensive journals offer a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of the many different cultures he visited before they were tainted in any way by the traders and missionaries yet to come. You also might find this bit of historical conjecture quite interesting.
Anyway...I'll finish off today's post with some random pics from recent travels, walks, and everything before, after and in between.
Above: Flowers in West Wyoming Backyard
Below: One very interesting dragonfly (?)
Hey...it's cleaner than frackwater!
Have a good weekend.
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