Then and Now creates 3d models and digital media for the public, depicting historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. The project's next public address will take place in July.
The exhibit is free to the public, in hopes that it will deepen familiarity with our historic sites, and highlight the connections between art, technology, and our identities in the wake of modernity.
This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
A number of Cherokees, who contribute to the digitization of the Cherokee culture, have referred to themselves as Tsalageeks, pronounced ja-la-geek, and derived from the word Tsalagi (ja-la-gi), the name of the Cherokee Language. This site is inspired by, and adjacent to the efforts of Tsalageeks who have worked hard to make culture more accessible, and more secure through digital means.
While tracking down the origins of the title, I decided the best way to find out would be by asking another Tsalageek, I've found from one source, that the term was first coined in 2007 by Dr. Phillis Fife at the 35th Annual Symposium on the American Indian. The term has been used by the scholar Dr. Candessa Teehee in her dissertation. She teaches Native American Studies at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. I will try to provide more information about this word origin as it reveals itself.
Any other information you think may contribute to the accuracy of this project is appreciated. Share some stories, or descriptions you may have heard about the history of Northeast Oklahoma. You can find the contact form here.
TheTsalageek.com tries to maintain small file sizes to allow accessibility to as many people as possible. Internet service quality and access are an issue for many. This is especially the true for marginalized groups across the country, and around the globe.
Have a question, comment, or contribution? Please contact The Tsalageek here, or through Facebook.