The Power of Art
Josh Knight, Chief of the Waccamaw. 2023
Please enjoy this week’s post by Bader + Simon Board Director Bruce Maggi.
As a resident of South Carolina, I have an affinity for the local indigenous tribal group. The Waccamaw People, who have lived here for centuries, now have tribal grounds outside Aynor, SC. They are not federally recognized but are recognized by our state. This recognition was made possible by their Chief Harold Buster Hatcher. Chief Hatcher is a staple of the Waccamaw People, and he always makes himself available for interviews and events, allowing him to spread his people's history. Since returning to Horry County, SC, after his career in the U.S. Military, he has done everything possible to perpetuate the importance of not only the Waccamaw People but to make the ever-growing population of our area of the fact that the Waccamaw are still here.
Chief Hatcher and my paths have intersected many times over the years. Still, it has only been since I was employed by Coastal Carolina University that I have gotten to know him better. Let me tell you a little about this great man. As his ancestors have been for centuries, Chief Hatcher was born and raised in South Carolina, now called Horry County. Like many people of color, he was bullied and ostracized throughout his life living amongst the white people of this county. His life has been marked with racial stereotyping and unfair treatment for the only reason of having darker skin than the people around him. After his retirement, he again found he was being judged on his looks, not on the man. This situation set the Chief on a path to seek out other indigenous people challenged by the same hurdles as him. This experience motivated the Chief to embrace his heritage and bring others back into the circle of their ancestry.
Fast forward to 2022, in the visual arts department at CCU, there is another Teaching Associate who teaches classes in 2D art. His name is Josh Knight, and he is a fantastic instructor and an extraordinary portraiture artist. Josh and I spend our downtime at work talking about family, our interests, and our goals in life. During one of these conversations, I learned that he is indigenous but doesn't know much about his background due to a separation from his family after the adoption. Due to my teaching of American Indian cultures, the subject matter of the Waccamaw People comes up often in our conversations. While discussing Chief Hatcher, the Waccamaw People, and their annual Pau Wau with Josh, he decided he would like to go. On a warm November day, Josh, I, and our families headed out to the Waccamaw Tribal Grounds to enjoy an afternoon of music, dance, stories, and shopping. The Waccamaw People's Pau Wau is an annual event I attend with my family. I encourage all my students to experience a little culture they never knew existed. After several hours of enjoyment, Josh and I went over and got to speak with Chief Hatcher, and Josh took some pictures of him. Josh had decided from all he had learned about Chief Hatcher and his experience at the Pau Wau that he wanted to create a portrait of him. I have enjoyed watching Josh create a fantastic portrait of Chief Hatcher for the last couple of months.
photograph of Chief Hatcher.
As we are about to enter March, Josh has finished the painting and will present the artwork to the Chief. Josh did this painting at no cost to the Waccamaw People and wanted to document the importance of Chief Hatcher to his people and the people of South Carolina. Josh is now looking to paint more Chiefs of other tribal groups of South Carolina at no cost. Josh loves what he does and feels that this contribution is what he can do to help the residents of South Carolina see the people who were here in the beginning and are still here today.