Too many chiefs. Or, at least, too many Pose-For-A-Few-Bucks chiefs. That's the way it looked to us last summer in the classic tourism town of Cherokee, just east of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home of "The World's Most Photographed Indian."
Since 1985, whenever in the region, we snap a picture with the old feathered warrior, Chief Henry -- who is back every season, as regular as the blue corn crop or the buffalo herd. Change occurred ver-r-ry slowly in Cherokee, until the arrival of a giant casino a few years back stirred things up. And as correctness whittles at every other Indian attraction in the US, how long will the Chief hold onto his land and title?
Turned out we should have been more concerned about the traditional foe of old attractions: spontaneous combustion. Fires have swept Cherokee attractions over the past few years: in 1994 Chief Saunooke's Village went up in flames; in 1996 half of Chief Henry's Teepee Village burned and in 1999 the entire place combusted, destroying twenty businesses. Snakes Alive, a popular attraction, was gutted. Fortunately, the parking lot teepee of Chief Henry, about 50 feet removed from the mall, escaped the flames.
Nevertheless, in the wake of that inferno, a notion has perhaps taken hold that Chief Henry can be unseated as the town's reigning photo op. How else to explain the surfeit of chiefs in Cherokee? The "World's Most Photographed Indian" apparently isn't the only Native American ready to pose for tips; the main drag of Cherokee abounds with headdressed chiefs and warpainted braves, and every other Trading Post and Souvenir Shop in this Indian-themed town features a teepee -- some full size, some kid-sized -- near which stands a local warrior willing to be photographed with all and sundry.
At the Indian Summer Souvenir Outlet, for example, Whagoo-Le sits under a large metal canopy, poised to apply war paint on the faces of tourist children. Whagoo-Le will also pose with the mounted Bill the Buffalo in front of the outlet, although a sign warns "Caution! Do not touch chemically treated skins on animals." Another sign advertises "Have your photo taken with Chief Sitting Bull inside the Store." Sitting Bull is Indian Summer Souvenir Outlet's manager -- and he's sitting inside.
Teepees appear on both sides of Hwy. 19 a little further on. The one on the left promotes "Have your photo taken with Chief Henry," but the Chief is nowhere in sight. On the right, a brave stands in the porch shadow of the Cherokee Reservation Craft Shop, waiting for visitors before jumping up onto his teepee platform in the blazing sun.
This is Spotted Horse, who performs in elaborate ceremonial dances elsewhere on the strip. It's too hot midday to be doing any dancing, so Spotted Horse helps out his relatives, who own the Craft Shop, by enticing tourists to pull over.
The original Chief Henry, who passed away in 2007.
We ask him about Chief Henry, and he says he hasn't seen him all summer. "That's his teepee, though," he reflects. "You know, he owns a mini golf up the road."
Chief Saunooke sits under an awning in front of a teepee at his sprawling Trading Post. Or at least we assume it's Chief Saunooke. "Tips appreciated for ALL photos," the sign reads. Families line up for the privilege of posing with this friendly Chief of the Mall. We cross the footbridge over a wide stream into Saunooke's shopping complex, a string of souvenir stores connected to the Bear Pits, Alligator Alley, and a fancier set of stores. Out the back exit there's another Chief, wearing a floor length headdress. Hunched over a card table display of jewelry, he hacks briefly, then reaches for a pack of cigarettes in his waistband.
Our hero -- Chief Henry!
The Chief is busy posing with families heading in and out of Saunooke's. But he's also intent on promoting "Super Magnetic Jewelry, handcrafted by Chief Henry." The signs promise that this jewelry is a scientifically proven cure for arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and migraines.
We can see that construction on the new Teepee Village was underway across the street -- likely open for the next season. "I have a new teepee coming," he tells us between snapshots, jewelry sales, and exhaled clouds of smoke. [Chief Henry died in 2007]
