Leatherlips Curse

Time for the Annual Muirfield Memorial PGA Golf Tournament in my neck of the woods. It is said that Jack Nicklaus built his course on Wyandot Indian burial grounds, and that the tournament is cursed by Chief Leatherlips. It is certainly peculiar that every year, golfers and spectators are drenched with pounding rain. Could it be that Central Ohio just gets a lot of rain this time of year? Possibly. 

  

Leatherlips

Wyandot warrior 

There were signal trees,

bent, tied as sapling maples,

marking the sacred burial ground

of the Wyandot.

They grew into silent curled trunks,

respected by the Sells brothers

and their settlers;

words were their bond.

Two hundred years later:

no one remembers.

The chief sings a valedictory chant,

song of the living dead,

laughs as he calls wind from the Scioto,

rain to avenge his people.

Strident golfers run for cover

in shiny Range Rovers;

spectators under umbrellas

watch torrents of answered prayer. 

tk/May 2014



Masterfully read by R.A.D. Stainforth... 

The Curse of Chief Leatherlips

Wyandot warrior

It's Leatherlips season again at Willow Manor. Native American Wyandot Chief Leatherlips was executed 201 years ago, June 1, 1810, on the banks of the Scioto River, in the general vicinity of Willow Manor. 

This chief was called "Leatherlips" because he was known to be trustworthy; his word was his bond. He was friendly with white settlers in and around Dublin, Ohio, including the early resident Sells brothers, and was a local fixture at their new Black Horse Tavern. 

Leatherlips' Wyandot people relocated to Northwest Ohio, and were plagued by many mishaps, including disease. They blamed Leatherlips for their turn of unfortunate luck, returning to Dublin to escort him to their northern encampment. When he refused, his fellow Wyandots accused Leatherlips of witchcraft, and pronounced the sentence of death, executing him by tomahawk. 

This time of year is also our local Muirfield Memorial PGA Golf Tournament. It is said that Jack Nicklaus built his course on sacred Wyandot Indian burial grounds, and that the tournament is cursed by Chief Leatherlips. It is certainly peculiar that every year, golfers and spectators are drenched with torrents of rain. Could it be that Central Ohio just gets a lot of rain this time of year? Possibly.