SOWING THE SEEDS OF THE FUTURE
“There’s nothing like seeing the statue in person. It will change your life.” M.G.
(Women’s Heritage Trail Leadership)
The full title of this blog for those that aren’t frequent readers is “Women Rock: Statues and the Stories They Tell” but for publication purposes it was condensed to www.womenrockstatues.com which gives the reader the impression that we only talk about statues of women. While true, we also include other artifacts that leave behind imprints of accomplishments of great women such as mile markers, grave stones, plaques, stamps, busts, photos, and even original art work; and when appropriate we include men, if they happen to be a part of the statue (see The Embrace, Embracing Peace). But to me, as a writer, it’s the stories the statues tell that intrigue me the most. Without hearing their stories, we can’t appreciate what it was like to walk a mile in their larger-than-life shoes. As I like to say, behind every great statue of the matriarchy, there’s an awe-inspiring story be told.
This month’s fabulous statue, Sowing the Seeds, has a story you won’t soon forget. The statue first caught my eye in an article in Carolina Country, a local magazine created to connect members of a rural electric cooperative. There were only a few sentences in the magazine about the statue but I was curious about the three women depicted in the monument. I was also interested in how a small town such as Franklin, North Carolina could pull off such a momentous feat.
It began with women, of course. The Fork Heritage Association of Macon Country was in the process of developing a Women’s History Trail, a twenty-stop path through the town of Franklin that highlighted women whose cultural contributions were instrumental in the development of the town, when Barbara McRae, vice-mayor of Franklin, had an idea for a signature show stopper. She soon recruited a team of hard-working women who then enlisted sculptor Wesley Wofford to design, build and then erect a bronze statue that would not only honor women but also inspire future women to become cultural icons and civic heroes. When all was said and done, the sculpture became a national sensation.
According to the artist, the sculpture is a metaphor. The base of the statue represents the passage of time and the transfer of knowledge from one culture to another while the seeds represent the importance of agriculture. The touching of hands represent the sisterhood of women, often considered to be the bridge that crosses the cultural divide. The children represent the future.
The three females depicted in the statue are based on real women from the Franklin area. Na-Ka was a Cherokee women who married a Baptist minister (who was then forced to change her name to Rebecca Moss). Na-Ka and her husband bought acres of farming land to plant corn which was then taken from during the hellish period of time known as “The Removal.” Once they returned to the reservation, she promptly took her name back and then used the farming skills she acquired to become one of the most successful corn growers in the region.
Salley was an enslaved woman who found freedom on Na-Ka’s farm. She moved with Na-ka back to the reservation and then became instrumental in finding creative ways to use corn to make it more profitable.
Harriet Timoxena Siles was the daughter of pioneers who inherited a business sense from her parents. She befriended Na-Ka and Salley, and together they became entrepreneurial spirits.
The statue, the first of its kind in North Carolina, is a magnificent work of art. Not only is it beautiful on the outside with chiseled details and exquisite workmanship, but it also has an impactful message of a sisterhood that can cross cultural barriers while finding a path to empowerment without breaking the bonds that bind them. A skill we could all use more of right about now.
Rock on ladies! From the three women depicted in the statue to the mayor to The Fork Heritage Association, team work is what drives everything home. Women get the job done. But in the case, let’s not leave out the men who helped see this project to fruition (men in leadership roles at The Fork and Mr. Wofford, the sculptor, we see you and we thank you.)
This statue is larger than Franklin. A community composed of men and women who understand that it takes different cultures, genders and backgrounds to create beautiful paths to equality is a model for the entire world.
We have more seeds to sow and many more statues to erect.