Ray Joe Hastings loves Current River and everything about it. That’s why his passion in life is preserving the river’s history, its pastimes and culture for the generations to come.
In order to do that, Hastings set out on a path years ago that led him to become a collector of river artifacts and a maker of authentic fish gigs, the latter of which he mastered both as an artisan and a practitioner.
He then wrote the book on gig making...literally. He has also been featured in a number of publications about the Ozarks and river life, past and present.
Most recently Hastings’ story was featured in the July 2023 issue of Rural Missouri, the Ozark Border Electric Cooperative magazine.
The article, written by Jim McCarty, credits Hastings with keeping alive the art of gig making using the methods of Paul Martin, whom the writer described as “an aging master blacksmith living in Bunker,” and who had learned the art of gig making from his father, Tucker.
Hastings had discovered Martin’s gigs in a hardware store in Van Buren and tracked him down.
He is quoted in the article, as saying, “I didn’t let my shirttail touch my pants till I had a bead on Bunker.”
He found Martin in his shop and introduced himself. The two became friends, and later Martin, (who was 70 years old at the time and passed away in 2006), agreed to teach Hastings how to make the gigs through an apprenticeship with the Missouri Folk Arts Program.
Watching the lessons take place was one of Martin’s 27 grandchildren, Anthony, who was 10 years old at the time.
Hastings, who will turn 86 on Sept. 24, has gone on to make hundreds of gigs using the skills he learned from Martin, and has participated in numerous gig making demonstrations in various venues.
However, the story doesn’t end there.
Two years ago, Hastings again took part in a Missouri Folk Arts apprenticeship, this time as a teacher. It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, because his student was the (now grown-up) Anthony Martin.
It had become important to Martin to carry on his family’s gig making tradition, but he’d not had the chance to learn it from his grandpa.
So, he appealed to the only other person in the world who had: Ray Joe Hastings.
Hastings said his student was a “quick study” and a credit to his grandpa Martin.
That’s why, when Hastings was asked to demonstrate gig making at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, he recommended Anthony Martin instead. And, Martin, now a third-generation gig maker, was happy to accept.
He fully intends to keep the tradition alive. What’s more, the same gig making skills and techniques passed down more than 100 years ago by Tucker Martin, will one day hopefully be passed on to a fourth generation of Martins, as Anthony next schools his own son, Riley.
Hastings might well fold his arms and rest on his laurels. As an artisan, he learned from the master, and accomplished even more than what he initially set out to do.
He has left the art of gig making in capable hands. But that’s just one aspect of Current River.
As a collector, it is vitally important to Hastings to make certain future generations in Ripley County learn everything that can be taught about the river’s rich history.
He does that through teaching and by donating items from his personal collection to the Current River Heritage Museum outdoor sports displays.
The latest of his gifts is a canoe paddle which was handmade by the late Buck Adams to commemorate the Lion’s Club National Canoe Race which was held on the river Aug. 1983. Adams’ wife, Irma, gave the paddle to Hastings after he passed.
“There is only one other like it that I know of, and it belongs to Buck’s son, Robin,” said Hastings.
He decided the paddle belongs in the museum, where it’s craftsmanship can be appreciated, and that important date in Current River history, will be remembered.
The 40-year-old paddle has a unique design, which features a layer of solid steel sandwiched between polished sassafras.
Lions Club canoe races on the river were a long-time tradition, which ended July 1, 1984, although local Boy Scouts of Troop #69 have sponsored them a few times since.