In the circle of life • It's the wheel of fortune • It's the leap of faith • It's the band of hope • Till we find our place • On the path unwinding • In the circle, in the circle of life
The Circle Of Life as performed by Elton John in the movie the "Lion King" tells of the circle of life in a lion's pride. This collage tells the circle of life in the history and makeup of Roger Mills County. Our circle begins not in the year 1892 when the Cheyenne and Arapaho Reservation was opened to white settlement but with the beginnings of life as we know of it in the area some 60 million years ago.
We as human inhabitants in this area are but babes in the circle of the evolutionary time line. The first known inhabitants in what is now known as Roger Mills County were sea creatures who swam in an ancient sea. This sea in turn left a true mark for the circle, our distinctive red soil. The next inhabitants were some of the first mammals to walk the earth, prehistoric camels, three toed horses, and other creatures whose circle has long been closed.
Man made his presence known some 8,000 to 13,000 years ago coinciding with the disappearance of some of these prehistoric animals. years continuously. This is a significant achievement in the circle of life here in Roger Mills County as this county has seen its share of ups and downs through the years.
Symbolism abounds in this collage as it carries out the theme of the circle of life. The wheels, which are shown, represent not only the white culture but also our Native American culture. The wagon wheel represents the pioneer spirit, the Native American culture by the medicine wheel, agriculture by the tractor wheel, and the hubcap from an automobile represents modern transportation.
Plants, which are vital part of our circle of life, are represented in this collage. Wheat, which is a common thread linking man to the soil and is produced in abundance when Mother Nature is merciful, is a part of this collage. Sage a sacred plant to the Native American is also a part of this collage reminding us that there is more than one culture represented in our county.
The circle of life is represented also by our youth who are our future, parents who are our present, senior citizens who are our past present, and our cemeteries where we visit our past and future resting place. Birth and death are a part of our circle and life will go on when we pass from this earth.