Hastings Shade (May 20, 1941 – February 9, 2010"Former Deputy Principal Hastings Shade Passes." Cherokee Nation. (retrieved 10 Feb 2010)) was a former deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation. He was a traditionalist, artist, and master level fluent speaker of the Cherokee language.
Background Hastings Shade was born on May 20, 1941, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma."Hastings Shade 1941-2010." Muskogee Phoenix. 11 Feb 2010 (retrieved 13 Feb 2010) His parents were Tom and Leanna Stopp Shade.
Traditional artist Hastings Shade was declared a Cherokee National Treasure in 1991 for his extensive traditional knowledge, particularly his ability to make Cherokee marbles by hand.Nation Treasures. Cherokee Arts and Humanities Council. (retrieved 13 July 2009) He was the only known maker of Cherokee marbles (gadayosdi). He painstakingly fashioned the balls from limestone and they are about the size of a billiard ball.Fauntleroy, Gussie. Tradition! Arts and Crafts Revived. Native Peoples Magazine. 1 Dec 2005 (retrieved 13 July 2009)
He also made fishing and frog gigs that are sought after by collectors.
Deputy Chief Shade served one term as deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation, from 1999 to 2003, with Chad Smith.Conley, Robert J. A Cherokee encyclopedia. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2007: 214-215. . (retrieved through Google Books, 13 July 2009) In an unusual political move, Shade ran independently for deputy chief in 2003 but did not win the election. During his time in office, he helped develop the Cherokee Nation's language programs, specially the Cherokee language immersion programs for school children.Fields, J.A.F. Assessing the Impact of Total Immersion on Cherokee Language: A Culturally Responsive, Participatory Approach. Page 8 (retrieved 13 July 2009)
Personal Shade was considered a fullblood Cherokee. However, since he was a sixth-generation descendant of Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, he no doubt had a degree of European ancestry, as Sequoyah himself was not a full blood Cherokee. Hastings was married to Loretta Shade, also a master level fluent speaker of the Cherokee language. Together they lived in Lost City, outside of Hulbert, Oklahoma. Shade died on February 9, 2010, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "He foremost was a gentleman and a traditionalist who was fluent in Cherokee language and conversant in Cherokee thought. He was a teacher," said Chad Smith.
Dideyohvsdi Cherokee Earth Dwellers by Christopher B Teuton and Hastings Shades describes teachings and the process of learning from within a Cherokee cultural context, where teaching and learning are entwined. Speaking of Hastings, "He would say 'This is a teaching.'. He would never say 'I'm a teacher," according to Hastings' son Larry Shade. Hastings' grandfather Charley Smith modeled this by encouraging Hastings to be aware of his surroundings, be attentive as Charley pointed out the creatures and spoke their names, shared their stories, and asked Hastings to listen to their sounds. "Grandpa would say: 'Nitsadulihv'i tsadetlosgwasdi. Tla yidetlosgwasdi." That is "If you want to learn, you'll learn. If you don't want to learn, you won't learn," as recounted by Hastings widow, Loretta Shade.
Published works Shade, Hastings. Myths, Legends, and Old Sayings. Self-published, 1994. ASIN B0006RH39I Cowan, Agnes; Loretta Shade; Hastings Shade; Agnes Louise Clark; and Jane B. Noble. Cherokee–English Language Reference Book. Welling: Cross-Cultural Education Center Inc., 1995. ASIN B00182V8YQ. Christopher B. Teuton; Hastings Shade Cherokee Earth Dwellers: Stories and Teachings of the Natural World. 2023.
References
External links Gigging: A Cherokee Elder Spears for his Supper. Wisconsin Public Radio piece audio about Hastings Shade