The premiere screening of the one hour documentary Mystery of the Trees will be presented in the sanctuary of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Family, 200 Griffith Road, Saturday, February 7, at 7 p.m. with reception following.

This first-ever glimpse into a part of Native American culture that has been mostly hidden from public knowledge is presented by the Mountain Stewards, a non-profit organization located in Jasper, who produced the film. The narration and participation of telling this story by Native

American actor Wes Studi (Dancing with Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, plus many other films) and interviews with tribal elders from the Cherokee, Muscogee-Creek, Comanche, Delaware, Ute, Osage, Quapaw and other tribes anchor the film

In a seven year journey, the Mountain Stewards, formed to build trails so that hikers could experience the beauty of the North Georgia mountains, moved from mere curiosity about oddly shaped trees they began to encounter to an in-depth research study of what many call Indian Marker Trees. In the best tradition of scientific exploration, probing the mystery first found in their own backyard raised many questions. As a result, in 2007, researchers from multiple states joined with the Mountain Stewards in exploring this fascinating but obscure story. As research continued, interviews with tribal elders provided glimpses into the understanding of the cultures which, after living close to nature for thousands of years, were almost destroyed.

The interviews with the elders not only resulted in a greater appreciation of the Indians use of trees but also instilled in the researchers a deeper respect for the spirituality and wisdom of those who were the first people on the land. It is hoped that the documentary will encourage the preservation of the story-telling trees as well as point the way to future areas of study about many other aspects of Indian culture that have been impacted.

The initial presentation of information on the Indian trees was offered in a book Mystery of the Trees published by the Mountain Stewards in December 2011 with a second printing in November 2012. The book offers an in-depth, world-wide look at the story of the trees. It can be purchased through the website at http://www.mysterytrees.org. Other information about the Mountain Stewards, a 501(c)(3) organization, can be found on its main web site, http://www.mountain stewards.org

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See Indian marker trees documentary