News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Barbara Gibson displays a Charles Littleleaf flute.
For Barbara Gibson, owning and operating a Native American store has been a lifelong dream.
Gibson brought that dream to Sisters, opening Blue Feather Indian Trading Post in the Town Square last month. She had previously been in business for nine years in Crooked River Ranch and in downtown Redmond.
Many of her customers have followed her to Sisters and Gibson is looking forward to enjoying the brisk trade of Sisters.
Gibson moved her store from Redmond to Sisters on the recommendation of her friends, Charles and Vicki Littleleaf.
“Downtown Redmond is really struggling,” Gibson said. Vicki Littleleaf suggested a move to Sisters “and she was right; it’s thrived.”
Blue Feather carries Charles Littleleaf’s flutes. Littleleaf is a master flute-maker and a noted musician who has performed often in Sisters.
The flutes are a key element of Gibson’s business. She plans on using them to help sustain the trading post through the winter when stores must rely on local trade.
“I do flute workshops, I do a drumming class,” she said. she will offer craft classes as well and, she said, “I’m hoping that will get me through the winter.”
Gibson is of Native American descent herself. Her mother and father were both deaf-mute. Her mother was Cherokee and her father had Apache bloodlines.
“I’ve been having a hard time trying to trace that heritage down,” she said.
Blue Feather specializes in Native American craft items.
“There’s not many items that I buy that are not hand-made,” Gibson said.
Blue Feather Indian Trading Post is located at 161 E. Cascade Ave. For more information call 549-1380.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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