posted 11-10-2005 11:13 AM               

by Pat Musick, Jerry Carr and Bill Woodiel

In March 2002, artist Pat Musick, her husband, Jerry Carr, and historian Bill Woodiel set out to commemorate a portion of the great and tragic Trail of Tears. On the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees, among other American Indian tribes, were forced to migrate westward, leaving their homelands for the unknown.

Following the tradition of Christo, and inspired by installation artist Andy Goldsworthy, Musick and her crew created an art installation. It is an eye-catching piece of art featuring five yokes that combine oak, wood, steel, and native Ozark sandstone, designed to represent the struggle of those who took the brutal journey.

The installation traveled to twenty-two stops along the Benge Route across nothern Arkansas, the actual route taken by some of the Cherokees in 1838. Musick and her crew moved the installation to each spot along the Trail of Tears; sometimes using the wagon ruts or other physical remains still present to guide their way. Time was spent in each area, meeting locals, setting up, photographing, and moving on, as ephemeral as the Cherokee's journey itself.

This book chronicles the journey, with full color photos, poetry (Musick imagines a young Cherokee mother making the trip with her child), maps, journal entries, and introductory essays on art and history. This is a beautiful and powerful portrayal of the strength, courage, and perseverance of the Cherokee people. It is more than a book; it has become a documentary piece of history.