Artist Daniel Horsechief

Blairsville, GA – The latest class of Leadership Union experienced the culmination of two years of planning and hard work on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 with the celebration and unveiling of “Transcendent”, a 10-foot tall statue cast in bronze by the renown Oklahoma, Native American, Pawnee Cherokee artist, Daniel Horsechief, who was on hand for the “We Are Still Here” event.

Commissioner Paris with Chief Joe Bunch and Cherokee Councilman French

Mayor Jim Conley

GA State Rep. Matt Gurtler

The unveiling event was an all-day affair that started at 10 a.m. with an opening prayer by Beloved Man-Jerry Wolfe, then singing in both English and Native Cherokee performed by the Native Praise Choir.

Victoria Vasquez, Councilman French, Chief Joe Bunch, Deputy Chief Louis Hicks

Blairsville Mayor Jim Conley, Union County Sole Commissioner Lamar Paris, Georgia State Representative Matt Gurtler and a representative for Hunter Hill, who wasn’t able to be there, all spoke to the hard work of the Leadership Union class, especially that of Chairman Jim Brown, which put on the event. They spoke of what an honor it is to be a part of this recognition of Native Americans, the Cherokee Nation, the Choctaw, the Chickasaw and the Muscogee Creek that inhabited these very mountains long before Americans set foot here.

Native Praise Choir

Muscogee Creek Deputy Chief Louis Hicks, Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Deputy Speaker Victoria Vazquez, United Keetoowah Band Chief Joe Bunch and Eastern Band of Cherokee Representative Councilman French all spoke of the honor they felt in being a part of the event, of their welcome back and of the memory of those Native Americans who were torn from their mountain home here in Georgia two hundred years ago as a result of the discovery of gold.

The actual unveiling took place immediately following the speeches. Daniel Horsechief spoke of the initial mistrust his people felt when they were first approached about this event, the genuineness of Mr. Jim Brown that convinced them otherwise; of the shrinking world we are experiencing today and the need for cooperation between peoples all over the world.

The afternoon, following the unveiling, entailed a barbecue lunch, a stickball game, a demonstration Stomp Dance by Cherokee Nation dancers, dinner at 6 p.m. and a praise and worship service with Native Preachers and Native Hymns.

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