One of the photos in Roger and Shawna Morton Cain’s presentation on Cherokee hunting and gathering depicts an elder with her full cart, in the aisles of Wal-Mart.

The picture has more than one meaning, Shawna Cain said. Many people today turn to Wal-Mart, whereas their ancestors turned to the woods for sustenance. And the Stilwell Wal-Mart Supercenter is built on land formerly occupied by hickory and pecan trees, where Cherokees gathered nuts since arriving in this area.

There was yet a third significance. The shopper was buying pork meat and eggs, to go with a traditional wild onion meal she planned to prepare.

The Cains discussed “21st Century Cherokees: Hunters, Gatherers and Modernity,” during the State of Sequoyah Commission conference last week at Northeastern State University.

The Cains, graduate students a the University of Arkansas, are researching these elements on traditional Cherokee culture, focusing on the Greasy and Marble City communities.

Shawna said many people brought up with the knowledge of how to hunt and gather their food, what plants to use, and when and where to look for them, are running out of room. Much land in Oklahoma is no longer open for these purposes.

Many acres were lost under water when Lake Tenkiller was created.

“They were paid a pittance for their land so we could water ski and swim,” she said.

The Cherokee Nation holds about another 50,000 acres in trust, and it is posted “no trespassing,” along with much private land. Property owners wanting to keep hunters out prevent many people from gathering plant materials, and not otherwise affecting the environment.

Logging, especially in Adair County, has further reduced the availability of land, Roger said.

Still, people are using natural foods in their everyday lives, although this tradition is vanishing. The Cains are trying to preserve and pass along the knowledge. They say one-on-one and one-on-two apprenticeship is the best method for the teacher and student.

Shawna first discussed research by Anna and John Kilpatrick before the construction of Tenkiller Ferry Dam. They talked with Cherokee elders being displaced by the project. These people spoke of the thick layers of acorns and other nuts that used to carpet the bottom of the forest.

“It was so thick that no one had to feed the animals,” Shawna said.

Squirrels and other small animals people hunted for food were plentiful as well.

“As a basket maker, I go to the woods to gather my dye materials, my river cane,” Shawna said. This is getting more difficult.