Book Release: “Touch My Tears: Tales from the Trail of Tears”

In 2012, I was honored as one of four artists in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Artist Leadership Program for my literary work in preserving Choctaw Trail of Tears stories. As a Choctaw, this historic event has always been close to my heart. Every spring, my mom and I make a special trip to Oklahoma to join our tribe in a commemorative walk to honor our ancestors.

Now we have a new way to honor them, and help other people of all cultures understand this piece of American history so few know of.

Touch My Tears: Tales from the Trail of Tears

Whether or not you enjoy history or reading fiction in general, I believe these stories will reach out from the pages and touch your heart. And maybe a tear or two of your own.

Video: My NMAI Project

The story of my journey as a participant in the NMAI Artist Leadership Program 2012-2013. Video produced by my talented mama, Lynda Kay Sawyer of RockHaven Productions:

Chahta Siah!

Book Fun Magazine: Be Proud

Choctaw Color Guard at a powwow in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, 2013. Photo by Lynda Kay Sawyer

In the May Issue of the digital publication, Book Fun Magazine, you'll find our Choctaw Spirit column with a special story in honor of Mother's Day. It's a flash fiction I wrote based on a time in my mama's life when she wasn't proud to be indian: Choctaw Spirit: Be Proud

Chahta Siah,

Sarah Elisabeth

P.S. For back issue columns, see Choctaw Spirit in Book Fun Magazine

NMAI Artist Leadership Program Part 6: First Plane Ride, and The River Inn

We hadn't flown in nearly twenty years when we boarded the tiny jet at DFW for the nonstop flight to D.C. Only a few nerves at take off, and then we enjoyed the Google Earth style view behind the wing.

Now you see it...

NMAI Artist Leadership Program Part 5: MSC National Anthropological Archives

In the National Anthropological Archives, we photographed hundreds of original documents from the time period of our study focus, the Choctaw Removal, otherwise known as the Trail of Tears.

What treasures are in here? Sarah Elisabeth opening yet another box of the dozens we examined and photographed at the NAA