Hastings Shade

Hastings Shade (May 20, 1941 – February 9, 2010 ) was a former deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation. He was a traditionalist, artist, and master level fluent speaker of the Cherokee language.

Background Hastings Shade was born on May 20, 1941, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His parents were Tom and Leanna Stopp Shade. He was the only known maker of Cherokee marbles (gadayosdi). He painstakingly fashioned the balls from limestone and they are about the size of a billiard ball.

He also made fishing and frog gigs that are sought after by collectors. In an unusual political move, Shade ran independently for deputy chief in 2003 but did not win the election. During his time in office, he helped develop the Cherokee Nation's language programs, specially the Cherokee language immersion programs for school children.

Personal Shade was considered a fullblood Cherokee. However, since he was a sixth-generation descendant of Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, he no doubt had a degree of European ancestry, as Sequoyah himself was not a full blood Cherokee. Hastings was married to Loretta Shade, also a master level fluent speaker of the Cherokee language. Together they lived in Lost City, outside of Hulbert, Oklahoma. " according to Hastings' son Larry Shade. Hastings' grandfather Charley Smith modeled this by encouraging Hastings to be aware of his surroundings, be attentive as Charley pointed out the creatures and spoke their names, shared their stories, and asked Hastings to listen to their sounds. "Grandpa would say: 'Nitsadulihv'i tsadetlosgwasdi. Tla yidetlosgwasdi." That is "If you want to learn, you'll learn. If you don't want to learn, you won't learn," as recounted by Hastings widow, Loretta Shade.

Published works Shade, Hastings. Myths, Legends, and Old Sayings. Self-published, 1994. ASIN B0006RH39I Cowan, Agnes; Loretta Shade; Hastings Shade; Agnes Louise Clark; and Jane B. Noble. Cherokee–English Language Reference Book. Welling: Cross-Cultural Education Center Inc., 1995. ASIN B00182V8YQ. Christopher B. Teuton; Hastings Shade Cherokee Earth Dwellers: Stories and Teachings of the Natural World. 2023.