State-Journal.com - Proud of his past

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Photo By State Journal/Kelly Mackey Tony Estes practices throwing tomahawks at the Salato Wildlife Education Center, where he volunteers.

A decade ago, janitor Anthony Estes had no idea the hands he uses to clean Hearn Elementary School would one day be throwing tomahawks.

Shortly after meeting his part Native American wife, Vanessa, in 2000, Mr. Tony " as Hearn students call him " got interested in his heritage.

"The older I got, the more I was interested in finding out about my family and a side of my family that never gets talked about, that never gets seen," said Estes, 40.

He found out he was an eighth Cherokee and one sixteenth Comanche.

His curiosity about his heritage made others curious too, and he has spent the last few years speaking to students and adults. He's also spoken to the U.S. Coast Guard and taken part in a panel discussion at the University of Kentucky.

It started with students at Hearn and "just kind of snowballed from there," Estes said.

Custodian becomes an educator

Hearn's library media specialist Becky Nelson was one of the first to ask Estes about his heritage.

"He is custodian for the library so he's in and out of the library all the time and occasionally we chat," Nelson said.

Nelson told Estes that the 5th grade curriculum teaches students about the native peoples of Kentucky and soon was suggesting he speak to them.

Fifth grade teacher Sabrina Campbell was the first to invite Estes to lecture.

"After I talked to him and I got to know him, finding out how much he knew about Native American culture, I had to have him to speak to my kids and he did a magnificent job," Campbell said.

"He just broadened their knowledge of Native American culture."

After lecturing to Campbell's class, Estes was invited by many other teachers. Currently, he speaks to more than 15 classes per year, as well as at several Cub Scout meetings.

Estes brings many types of Native American artifacts to show students including staffs, ceremonial spears, headdresses, full regalia, buckskin and moccasins.

He wants to teach students that Native Americans are still around and their culture should be appreciated, he said.

"We've kind of brushed that culture away and we need to bring it back," he said. "They see pictures in the books of 200, 300 years ago and that's great, but I'd like to show them we've got Native Americans who are truck drivers, who are doctors, who sweep your floor, who do all kinds of things, and we're still here.

"I try to show them, this is what we do, when we dance this is how we look. I get a lot of questions such as "do you hunt your food?' I say, "yeah at Wal-mart, like everybody.'"

"My horse is a van," Estes said with a laugh.

Personal discovery

Estes started learning about his heritage by researching his genealogy.

"I went to Frankfort archives and dug up as much information (as I could) on my mother's side. I paid a historian to help me with my (father's) Texas side."

The research was interesting, but he was ready for something more tangible " a powwow " the Native American way of meeting together to join in dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships and making new ones.

"I didn't know anybody, I went there by myself," Estes said of his first powwow in Shelbyville, Ky." No one would even speak to me. Most Native Americans, especially full-bloods, are very reserved at first, very shy."

Then a man with long, flowing gray hair approached him and introduced himself as Buffalo Hawk, Estes said.

"He was very outgoing; he came up to me. I was telling him about myself and how I wanted to learn more about my history. He took me under his wing and was one of my greatest mentors."

Shortly after meeting, Ed "Buffalo Hawk" Garner told Estes about his hobby, throwing tomahawks.
"He taught me and I loved it," Estes said.

Estes began volunteering at Salato Wildlife Education Center, demonstrating the tomahawk throw and teaching others how to toss the Native American axes.

"I show kids how to do it, I give the history of the weapon and then I will get fancy," Estes laughed. "I will do it with the two hands, two in one hand, split the card."

Estes enjoys the Center so much, he decided to have his wedding there. Vanessa became Mrs. Tony on July 31, 2004, after a traditional Cherokee ceremony, officiated by his friend Buffalo Hawk.

Kindred spirits

Estes met his wife by chance in a small town outside Louisville.

"I believe there is always a certain path that we're supposed to take, and that was my path," Estes said.
Soon after meeting, the two started getting together and discussing their shared history.

"She has a rich native heritage just like me and I think that's what really inspired me, was her. I really wanted to learn more from the day I started seeing her," Estes said.

Vanessa, who is part Blackfoot and part Cherokee, said she was beginning to get involved with Native American activities when they started dating.

"I had been to several powwows before I met him, but after we met I took him to a powwow in Shelbyville and from that point on we have really been into it," Vanessa said.

Estes said the powwows have helped them embrace the Native American culture.

"We got into dancing and what those dances mean and we explored our heritage," Estes said.

The powwow's, tomahawk throwing and everything else have made Estes whole, according to his wife.
"He has finally found his place in life," Vanessa said. "When I met him he was searching. He's found where he's supposed to be and what he's supposed to be doing."

Continuing to educate

His friend at Hearn library, Nelson, also teaches a class in children's literature at the University of Kentucky.

When she needed a speaker for a panel about cultures representations in children's books, Estes quickly came to mind, she said.

"It's kind of hard to find in Kentucky, Native American adults who are still very much part of and participating in their native traditions along with their everyday life, so Tony immediately came to mind," Nelson said.

"I recommended him for that and he did an excellent job."

Speaking to schools and the Coast Guard serves two purposes, Estes said. First, his speeches raise awareness about Native Americans and their culture. Second, it shows students that every person can have a voice, that every person can have an impact.

"I try to show them, nobody's insignificant," Estes said. "I'm just a janitor, yeah, but there was a time when the whole Coast Guard was listening to me."