Wednesday, December 30, 2020

CC4 (part 2) - The Lord's Prayer

 

The Network TV Station Sign Off....

In the days before cable TV, the internet, YouTube, social media, TV network stations were not on-the-air 24/7. 

At the end of their broadcast day--usually around midnight, the network signed off the air. Usually playing a short presentation with a patriotic theme. 

Then came the test pattern and/or the white noise with the snowy screen until 6:00 a.m. 

A new day.

* When TV Stations Signed Off at Midnight

One of my favorite sign offs:

Nez Perce, The Lord's Prayer: Chief Shatka Bear Step offers the sacred Christian prayer in Indian sign language



(reference: https://youtu.be/PhLLHjn5sNc )

This sign off prayer in Native American Indian sign language had moved me since my childhood.

And it was the inspiration for this scene of Book 4, Rainmaker, in The Commander and the Chief series.

From Part 4. Chapter 3: Poetry and a Prayer

The set up:

One Sunday afternoon, the town of Hanging Tree Wyoming was celebrating in Rainmaker Park. Many have gathered to hear Cowboy Poetry, Shakespeare in the Park and the Coyote Calling Contest.  Mayor Bill Clark was the Emcee. 

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Showtime. 

Bill Clark straightened his bolo tie. Decked out in cowboy hat and boots, he took center stage. 

“As Mayor of Hanging Tree, I welcome you all to our week of Independence Day celebrations. First up, Cowboy Poetry. Where some of our finest home-grown artists will share their life experiences and philosophy of the Wild West.” 

Dudes and dudettes recited their works. Some brought their guitars and sang their lyrics. Various versions of Home on the Range. The Cowboy Way. Clingers to their God and Guns. Lovers of Freedom. Ode to Wyoming as to what America used to be.

After the final poem was recited, Bill Clark announced the last act of the set. “I’m pleased to introduce our native son, Anton Orlovic. And our Native American Chief, Nova Orlovic.”
 
The Orlovic Cowboy-Indian duo stepped on stage.

The Chief, Nova Orlovic, and her nephew, Anton Orlovic, are the final act of Cowboy Poetry.

Anton wore cowboy duds with old chaps that had belonged to his grandfather, Nick Orlovic Senior. He also wielded his grandfather’s acoustic guitar. Refurbished. Tuned.

Nova had put on her mother’s beaded white leather dress with matching knee-high moccasins. Her war bonnet of eagle feathers flowed down to her thighs. It had belonged to her great grandfather, Chief Elijah Rainmaker.

Plucking broken chords in a haunting Spanish sounding tune, Anton recited the Lord’s Prayer. In consort, Nova stood center stage and translated the words, phrase by phrase, into Native American Indian sign language:

Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not in temptation,
But deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the Kingdom
And the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever.
Amen.

Many in the audience teared up as Nova signed a rolling wave— eternity. Then pressed her hands together in prayer. 

A perfect act to follow church that morning.


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And a perfect act to end 2020 and begin 2021. 

With a prayer.

The Lord's prayer.

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Peacemaker, Book Three:

CC3 (part 1) - Peacemaker  (2017)

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Photos:

Rainmaker: DAVIS creative

 Plains Indian Sign Language/wikipedia.com