Ken Blankenship, the MCI Executive director, stated that, "This may be the most important acquisition the museum has made in the 25 years I've been here." Also, the MCI Educational director Barbara Duncan stated that this sash,"This is a rare example of Cherokee beadwork at the time it was changing from the straight lines and white beads of the 18th century to the filled-in, colorful scrolls and flowers of the 19th century bandolier bags."
The Staff of the Cherokee Phoenix News went on to report that the family that had owned this sash before, the Cole family, had taken such great care of the artifact. It is also stated that they were, "...willing to have it come back to the Cherokees."
Clearly, this is a great thing not just for the Museum for the Cherokee Indians, but for the Cherokee's as well. This is a good thing that they are finally getting some of their ancient artifacts back. This sash will not only help educate those that come to the museum, but it will help educate other Cherokee's that were unaware of this artifact. This artifact can be used to study the way that the sashes were made. This sash can help educate Cherokee's as to what their past was. This sash is something that was so rare, and now that they finally have it back, they will be able to study it, make replicas of it, and learn from their past.
However, there is one negative statement that comes to my mind. Why is it centuries later that the Cherokee's are finally getting back their belongings? Yes, the phrase, "better late than never" is true here, but it just goes to show you that people are still holding on to the Cherokee's past, and not letting them have it. This is just yet another way to control the Cherokees.
