Amanda Sequoyah Swimmer (October 27, 1921 – November 24, 2018) was an Eastern Band Cherokee potter. Swimmer's career focused on coil-built Cherokee pottery, and she worked to determine the name and function of these vessels. She was recognized in North Carolina for her contributions to the state's artistic and mountain heritage, and in 2018 she was named a Beloved Woman by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.[1]
Swimmer was born Amanda Mabel Sequoyah to Molly Davis Sequoyah and Runningwolf Sequoyah on October 27, 1921, on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina.[2][3][4] Amanda was the youngest of 12.[5] As a child, she lived with her family in a log cabin in Big Cove, a community of the Qualla Boundary. Her family was self-sufficient and grew all of its own food.[2] As a child, she attended Big Cove Day School.[5]
Potteryedit
Swimmer taught herself to form and fire pots after discovering a deposit of clay near her home in the Big Cove community. She sold her first pots to tourists brought to her home by a park ranger familiar with her work.
At the age of 36, Swimmer began working at the Oconaluftee Indian Village, where Mabel Bigmeat taught her Cherokee pottery-building methods. Swimmer demonstrated pottery making at the village for more than 35 years, often building more than a thousand pots in a summer season.[6] Swimmer was one of the first individuals to propose different uses and names for traditional Cherokee pottery.[7]
Swimmer was instrumental in reviving historic Cherokee pottery techniques that had fallen into disuse in North Carolina after the disruption of the mass Cherokee removal from their homelands to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River in 1839. lands in the American West. Swimmer did not use a potter's wheel to create any of her work. Instead, she built all of her pottery by shaping it only with her hands. She used various types of wood to fire it, and the final color of her pottery was determined by the type of wood that she used in firing.[8]
In 2009 she received the Mountain Heritage Award from Western Carolina University for her work in traditional pottery.[8]
In 2018 the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians honored Swimmer as a Beloved Woman, the highest award it bestows on a member. At the time, Swimmer was one of three living recipients of this honor.[3]
Personal life and deathedit
Swimmer (née Sequoyah) was 16 when she married Luke Swimmer.[2][5] Luke was eleven years her senior, a widower and a father. After marriage she became a step-mother to his daughter, Mary Ellen.[5] She said that they met at church: "Well, he used to stay over there across on the other side of the mountain; we went to church and we just got together, I met him there."[5] Together the Swimmers had nine children together, six boys and three girls.[5]
Swimmer was quoted as saying "I wouldn't take nothing to leave out of here. I'm 81. I've been here since I was born, and I don't tend to go nowheres. I just want to leave this world right here where I was born."[9]
Swimmer died at her home in Big Cove on November 23, 2018, at the age of 97.[10]
^King, Duane H. (1977). "Vessel Morphology of Eighteenth Century Overhill Ceramics". Journal of Cherokee Studies. II (1): 155.
^ ab"88-year-old potter honored". Asheville Citizen-Times. 4 October 2009.
^Deramus, Elizabeth. (Photographer). "Amanda Swimmer: Cherokee Elder & Potter" Cherokee, North Carolina: Southern Book. (2002) https://www.elizabethderamus.com/Retrieved 25 November 2018
^Beautiful Soul: Beloved Woman Amanda Swimmer Passes Away, Cherokee One Feather, November 2018
April 10, 2024
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Amanda Sequoyah Swimmer October 27 1921 November 24 2018 was an Eastern Band Cherokee potter Swimmer s career focused on coil built Cherokee pottery and she worked to determine the name and function of these vessels She was recognized in North Carolina for her contributions to the state s artistic and mountain heritage and in 2018 she was named a Beloved Woman by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 1 Amanda SwimmerBornAmanda Mabel Sequoyah 1921 10 27 October 27 1921Big Cove North Carolina U S DiedNovember 24 2018 2018 11 24 aged 97 Big Cove North Carolina U S NationalityEastern Band Cherokee AmericanOccupationPotterTitleBeloved WomanSpouseLuke SwimmerParent s Molly and Runningwolfe SequoyahAwardsNC Heritage Award 1994 Mountain Heritage Award 2009 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Pottery 3 Legacy and honors 4 Personal life and death 5 See also 6 ReferencesEarly life and education editSwimmer was born Amanda Mabel Sequoyah to Molly Davis Sequoyah and Runningwolf Sequoyah on October 27 1921 on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina 2 3 4 Amanda was the youngest of 12 5 As a child she lived with her family in a log cabin in Big Cove a community of the Qualla Boundary Her family was self sufficient and grew all of its own food 2 As a child she attended Big Cove Day School 5 Pottery editSwimmer taught herself to form and fire pots after discovering a deposit of clay near her home in the Big Cove community She sold her first pots to tourists brought to her home by a park ranger familiar with her work At the age of 36 Swimmer began working at the Oconaluftee Indian Village where Mabel Bigmeat taught her Cherokee pottery building methods Swimmer demonstrated pottery making at the village for more than 35 years often building more than a thousand pots in a summer season 6 Swimmer was one of the first individuals to propose different uses and names for traditional Cherokee pottery 7 Swimmer was instrumental in reviving historic Cherokee pottery techniques that had fallen into disuse in North Carolina after the disruption of the mass Cherokee removal from their homelands to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River in 1839 lands in the American West Swimmer did not use a potter s wheel to create any of her work Instead she built all of her pottery by shaping it only with her hands She used various types of wood to fire it and the final color of her pottery was determined by the type of wood that she used in firing 8 Legacy and honors editIn 1994 Swimmer received the North Carolina Heritage Award In 2009 she received the Mountain Heritage Award from Western Carolina University for her work in traditional pottery 8 In 2018 the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians honored Swimmer as a Beloved Woman the highest award it bestows on a member At the time Swimmer was one of three living recipients of this honor 3 Personal life and death editSwimmer nee Sequoyah was 16 when she married Luke Swimmer 2 5 Luke was eleven years her senior a widower and a father After marriage she became a step mother to his daughter Mary Ellen 5 She said that they met at church Well he used to stay over there across on the other side of the mountain we went to church and we just got together I met him there 5 Together the Swimmers had nine children together six boys and three girls 5 Swimmer was quoted as saying I wouldn t take nothing to leave out of here I m 81 I ve been here since I was born and I don t tend to go nowheres I just want to leave this world right here where I was born 9 Swimmer died at her home in Big Cove on November 23 2018 at the age of 97 10 See also editJeremiah Wolfe Myrtle Driver JohnsonReferences edit Fota Ana December 6 2018 Amanda Swimmer Potter and Keeper of Cherokee Traditions Dies at 97 New York Times Retrieved July 31 2021 a b c Amanda Swimmer Cherokee Traditions Western Carolina University Retrieved 12 April 2018 a b Kays Holly Amanda Swimmer named Beloved Woman Smoky Mountain News Retrieved 12 April 2018 Amanda Mabel Swimmer obituary Crisp Funeral Home Retrieved 26 November 2018 a b c d e f Swimmer Amanda Interview with Susan Gardner Personal Interview 13 October 1995 UNCC Qualla Boundary North Carolina https nsv uncc edu interview nasw0015 html Amanda Swimmer Traditional Artists Blue Ridge National Heritage Area https www blueridgeheritage com artist amanda swimmer King Duane H 1977 Vessel Morphology of Eighteenth Century Overhill Ceramics Journal of Cherokee Studies II 1 155 a b 88 year old potter honored Asheville Citizen Times 4 October 2009 Deramus Elizabeth Photographer Amanda Swimmer Cherokee Elder amp Potter Cherokee North Carolina Southern Book 2002 https www elizabethderamus com Retrieved 25 November 2018 Beautiful Soul Beloved Woman Amanda Swimmer Passes Away Cherokee One Feather November 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amanda Swimmer amp oldid 1207082148, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
