From the Trail of Tears
to California

English | Español | 繁體中文 | 简体中文 | Tiếng Việt

The man in the photo is my Great Great Grandfather, Peter krebs. When he was 5 years old, he walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Indian Territory (now called Oklahoma), with his parents and his siblings. His mother died giving birth to her 15th child on the trail of tears.

Then there was what was called the 2nd Trail of Tears … Indian people from all over were again taken from their homelands to be sent to California to work for the war effort in the shipyard of Northern CA and the manufacturing plants of Southern CA to build the airplanes and parts.

Then there was the “Dust Bowl Days” which brought so many Choctaw people from their homes in Oklahoma and Texas for a new life.

For most that meant forget your tribal ways and fit in so you would not be discriminated against. Do not teach your children the traditional ways nor the language of their people ….. and just hope that they will fit in. I am proud of my Choctow heritiage and every year we honor my ancestors memenories. We keep alive all that they sacrificed for us . Every year we recieve an annual Christmas ornament from the Choctaw Nation.

Tommy Snook

Tommy Snook is a Santa Rosa, California artist since he was in high school. Proud of his Choctaw heritage, Tommy draws inspiration from his family, world cultures, and his own experiences. Working primarily in ceramics, sculpture, and watercolor, he enjoys shaping clay into both functional and expressive works, with a special interest in handcrafted mugs, cups, and sculptural forms. Tommy's work is creative, unique, and rich with meaningful detail. He hopes his art inspires others to appreciate the thought behind every piece while bringing joy and connection to those who experience it.