Indian Heritage

I came across this drawing I did in my college print making class and it got me to thinking about my Indian heritage. My great-grandma Carter-Douglas was recorded as having Osage Indian blood. My dad still talks about how his grandmother had long thick, wavy, black hair past her behind. My dad is in his mid-seventies and he still thinks women are suppose to have long hair like that. I have the same thick wavy and sometimes curly hair. It is so much more manageable when cut shorter, but of, course Dad thinks it looks better when it’s longer.
Mom says that one time when, my Grandpa Douglas was helping with yard work at my aunt and uncle’s house, some neighbors stopped by and ask my aunt, who is that Indian out in your front lawn. She replied, That’s not an Indian, that’s my father-in-law. Truth is, he did have Indian ancestry. He looked so much like an Indian that he got this a lot. In fact, when my oldest sister was born one of Mom’s cousins said, “wow stick a little feather on her head and she looks like a little papoose.” Mom didn’t know what to think!!! I have dark hair, dark eyes and high cheek bones, but other that I look very northern European. I have Swedish, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish ancestry, also.

Grandpa Douglas with horses