Will West Long facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will West Long
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Long c. 1925
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| Born |
Wili Westi
c. 1869 Big Cove, North Carolina, U.S.
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| Died | March 14, 1947 (aged 78) |
| Nationality | Eastern Band Cherokee, American |
| Education | |
| Known for | Cherokee cultural historian, mask maker |
Will West Long (born around 1869, died 1947) was an important member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. His Cherokee name was Wili Westi. He was known for making traditional Cherokee masks, translating, and helping to keep Cherokee culture and history alive. Will West Long played a big part in making sure Cherokee traditions, like dance, continued into the 1900s. He also helped start the Cherokee Fall Festival, which is now called the Cherokee Indian Fair.
Contents
Will West Long's Early Life and School
Wili Westi was born around 1869 in a place called Big Cove, in North Carolina. His mother, Sally Terrapin, was a traditional Cherokee medicine woman. His father, John Long, was a Baptist preacher. Even though his father was a preacher, Will West Long grew up learning about traditional Cherokee spiritual beliefs.
When he was about 16 years old, Will West Long went to Trinity College. This school is now known as Duke University. After a few months, he ran away from college and walked all the way home. He stayed home for a short time before going back to college for another year.
As a child, he learned to speak the Cherokee language but not how to read or write it. An older classmate from Tennessee taught him how to read and write in Cherokee. After college, he first worked as a farmer.
How Did Will West Long Become a Cultural Historian?
In 1887, a researcher named James Mooney hired Will West Long. Mooney needed help writing things down and translating Cherokee. Mooney encouraged Long to go back to school. So, from 1895 to 1904, Long attended Hampton Institute (now Hampton University).
Will West Long's Career and Work
For 10 years, Will West Long lived and worked in New England. He lived in towns like Conway, Amherst, and Boston. Around 1904, his health started to get worse, and his mother was getting older. Because of this, he moved back to the Qualla Boundary.
When he returned, he began a big project. He wanted to study Cherokee traditions in a careful way. This included learning about Cherokee medicine, rituals, and old stories. Long started working closely with James Mooney again. Both men wanted to save Cherokee history and traditions. Many other experts, like Mark R. Harrington and Frank G. Speck, also came to work with Long.
Making Cherokee Masks
Will West Long learned how to make traditional Cherokee masks from his cousin, Charley Lossiah. He made these masks for cultural uses. His son, Allen Long, also became a well-known Cherokee mask maker. His nephew, Walker Calhoun, was a Cherokee medicine man, musician, dancer, and teacher.
Will West Long's Death and Legacy
Will West Long died on March 14, 1947, from a heart attack. At the time of his death, he was working on several important projects. He was translating books with anthropologist Frank G. Speck. He was also writing a Cherokee dictionary with George Myers Stephens.
Will West Long's masks are now in museums. You can see them at the National Museum of the American Indian and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. His original writings are kept at the Gilcrease Museum and the American Philosophical Society.
In 2020, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian had an art show called "Many Faces." This show featured many Cherokee masks, including some of the Booger masks made by Will West Long.
See also
Images for kids
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Long c. 1925
