The Song Keeper
The Great Circle is an ancient ceremonial space. Song Keeper Travis Mammedaty enters that space to offer his memorial song.
"It feels like coming home," said Travis Mammedaty. "Even though I've never been here, it feels like coming home."
Travis had just finished singing what he called a "memorial song" in the center of The Great Circle. He was talking about being back in Ohio in general, though. He'd traced his ancestors back to Ohio — Indigenous Americans who were forced out of the state because of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
He now lives in Oklahoma, where many tribes landed. He was back in Ohio because of a fellowship from The Great Circle Alliance, which invites artists with Indigenous American heritage to the region to be inspired by The Earthworks.
In the video below, watch Travis sing the memorial song he created in the center of The Great Circle and talk about what it means to him to be a keeper of the songs.
The Great Circle is located at 455 Hebron Road. It is part of the Newark Earthworks system, a 2000 year old Hopewell era creation. The Newark Earthworks, along with 6 other Earthworks sytems in Ohio, were recently designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations. Photo by Doug Swift.
The Great Circle is located at 455 Hebron Road. It is part of the Newark Earthworks system, a 2000 year old Hopewell era creation. The Newark Earthworks, along with 6 other Earthworks sytems in Ohio, were recently designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations. Photo by Doug Swift.
Doug Swift writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.
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