Media

The Cherokee Nation has become part of the modern society of America. In 1973, President Richard Nixon indicated that the Cherokees had the right to vote, revitalizing the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation has created many different ways of communicating to their own people as well as highlighting their culture and values to those who do not yet understand how the Cherokee Nation operates. The Cherokee Nation has been encouraged to show their diversity in Media by creating sources that explain their history and culture. Colleges and Universities offer specific scholarships for those who are part of the Cherokee Nation as well.

The Cherokee Advocate.

The official newspaper of the Cherokee Nation since its founding in 1977. Monthly with a circulation of 95,000.

Cherokee Observer.

Independent monthly newspaper.

The Cherokee One-Feather.

The official publication of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians featuring news of interest to the local Cherokee tribe and to American Indians in general.

Cherokee Tribune.

Community weekly newspaper founded in 1934.

Journal of Cherokee Studies.

Covers historical and cultural research of Cherokees.

Cherokee Nation of New Jersey.

Founded in 1997. Seeks to educate people about the American Indian who is of African, Hispanic, Asian, and European mix, and to foster goodwill.

Casinos

In 1988, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act, which allowed federally-recognized tribes to open casinos on tribal property, but limited the casino offerings to games that were already allowed under state law. This opened the door for the Cherokee to build a casino in western North Carolina.         On November 13, 1997, the first major casino in North Carolina opened on the reservation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the western part of the state. The opening was the culmination of nearly a decade's worth of negotiation and compromise between tribal, state, and federal officials.

    

On opening day, the casino's first visitors waited in line outside no matter what the condition of the weather was and waited for hours just to get inside of the casino. As the day went on the crowd grew so large that they needed to make a public appeal for people to stay away. The casino's popularity has remained steady, earning $155 million in annual payouts in 2004, which provided $6,000-dollar annual bonuses to every member of the tribe.

November 1997 -- Cherokee Casino Opens

University of North Carolina

http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/nchistory/nov2007/index.html

Cherokees

Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Cherokees.aspx

WAR

The Cherokees were sucked into the French and Indian War in 1756 and in the Revolutionary War in 1775 by the British Army. They used them to help build forts in the their land to fight against the French and the Indians that were on their side. In the Revolutionary War, the British thought it would be a good idea to use the Cherokees as their advantage once again against the Americans. But, in the midst of the wars, hundreds of Cherokee villages were destroyed and were severely impacted by the wars.

The Cherokee were also involved in the Creek War in 1813 to help the Creek defend their villages against American soldiers from letting them take there land. The Natives lost and 

Cherokee members were also in American Civil War in 1861. Some Cherokee troops joined the Union and others joined the Confederacy. It resulted in a war between factions within the Cherokee Nation. 

Part iv: The Revolutionary War, Cherokee Defeat, and Additional Land Cessions

http://ncpedia.org/cherokee/revolutionarywar

The Cherokee and the Civil War

http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/Facts/24451/Information.aspx

Technology and it's affect on Cherokee Nation

• De Soto was the first explorer to meet the Cherokee Indians while looking for gold and silver
• He believed the Cherokee were keeping knowledge of the location of gold; so he killed many
• Foreigners brought diseases with them that greatly dampened the population
• With creation of new modern medicines and techniques, smallpox and other deathly illnesses have not effected the population as much as before
• Cherokee believed adapting to the European ways were a means for surviving; taught in newly created missionaries
• Cherokee Nation in North Carolina depend on tourism and the casino to keep living well and connected to their customs

"Cherokee Territory- Yesterday and Today." Cherokee Indian Reservation. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/Chereast/yestoday.htm>.

Coughlin, Ellen K. "The De Soto Expedition." The De Soto Expedition. Learn NC, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/1694>.

Multicultural Incursions

Before European settlers came to America, the Cherokee population had no limitations as to where they could flourish. They hunted, fished and grew crops wherever they pleased. At first, the Cherokee groups helped the Europeans to hunt, fish and farm in the new unfamiliar environment. The settlers began to build schools and churches and the Cherokee people began to learn the ways of the Europeans and the younger Cherokee began to build there own mills and little shops to join the white community. But some of the Cherokee people did not like these changes because they felt that they were starting to lose their culture. Cherokee members wanted to establish their own community in Georgia that would make them self governed from the white population. But, Georgia increased its state pressure on the federal government to release Cherokee lands for white settlement. Most settlers did not wait however and began to rush into the Cherokee territory claiming land that was not theirs. It also started to get worse when Andrew Jackson became president in 1830, gold was found on their lands, and the Indian Removal Act was passed. People were swarming in their territory and the Cherokee people were not allowed to protest against anyone intruding on their land because it was now government land. Then in 1836, the government passed the treaty that sealed the deal for white settlers. It was the removal of Cherokees West of the Mississippi in exchange for $5 million and new territory. The Cherokee people fought for a different approach but was never given to them. So in 1838, the Cherokee people were forced West of the Mississippi on a long and rigorous journey to what is now known as the Trail of Tears.

The Cherokee Nation in the 1820

The University of North Carolina 

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4548

Globalization and the Cherokee Nation

• With early globalization in 1829, gold was discovered on Cherokee land in Georgia
• Cherokee Indians were moved more than 800 miles west of Mississippi 
• Trail of Tears
•         Many died en route or once they arrived due to weakness 
• In an 1866 Treaty, freed Cherokee slaves and allowed them to become American citizens
• Early globalization resulted in de-culturation of the Cherokee Nation

"Trail of Tears." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1567.html>.

Population

When Europeans first came into the southeastern United States where the Cherokee thrived, they were accompanied by disease. This was in 1540 and it is estimated that epidemics wiped out at least 75% of the original native population. In 1674, the Cherokee population totaled about 50,000. After further disease (small pox), the population dropped to about 25,000. The Cherokee suffered more loss, costing them about 25% of their population after their "removal" and The American Civil War.  Today, the Cherokee is the second-largest Indian tribe in the United States with more than 300,000 tribal citizens. Over 70,000 Cherokee reside within a 7,000 square mile geographical area in northeast Oklahoma.

Lee Sultzman, Ken Martin. Cherokee History: Population. 

 http://www.tolatsga.org/Cherokee1.html. Electronic Document. Accessed November 18, 2012

The Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center. Our History: What Is the Cherokee Nation Today?.

http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/Facts/24449/Information.aspx. Electronic Document. Accessed November 18, 2012

Geographic Location

Cherokee culture originated in the southeastern area of what is now the United States. There, the Cherokee culture thrived, continuing to develop as they shaped their government and way of live.
However, when gold was discovered in Georgia in the 1830's, thousands of Cherokee men, women, and children were rounded up for their "removal" from the state. The Cherokee were herded and forced to march 1,000 miles until they arrived in "Indian Territory." The trail is now referred to as "The Trail Of Tears." The new territory is now part of the state of Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation's Jurisdiction is compromised of 14 counties in NE Oklahoma. The jurisdiction includes 6 full and 8 partial counties within Oklahoma tribal statistical areas. The Jurisdiction is estimated to be 7,000 square miles.












The Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center. Our History: A Proud Heritage.
http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/Facts/24449/Information.aspx. Electronic Document. Accessed November 18, 2012

The Language of the Cherokee

The Cherokee language is the one of the largest Native American languages that are still spoken today.  The language itself is called Tsalagi. Only 6% actually speak actually speak Tsalagi today.  The language contains many morphemes, which are basic sounds that form many words. The spoken language has two different dialects: Giduwa (Eastern) and Otali (Overhill written by Sequoyah). The Cherokee language also has an written alphabet which is rare among Native American tribes.  There are many modern resources that are available that help learn the language.  Below is the Cherokee alphabet invented by Sequoyah aka George Guess.

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/cherokee.htm (alphabet)

Your Dictionary Reference                                                                                                              Cherokee Language                                                                              http://reference.yourdictionary.com/other-languages/Cherokee-Language.html

Kinship, Family, Gender

• Kinship Organized around the social unit of the clan. There are specific terminology that the Cherokee natives use, such as "gidda". This is a term used for someone's father and their father's brothers. In this system of kinship there are four important lineages; the farther's, the mother's, the mother's father's, and the father's father's matrilineal. These relationships control all the social interactions such as marriage, choice of teams in games, and inheritance of property.

• Children  Many Cherokee children hunt and fish with their fathers. In the past, Cherokee kids had more chores and less time to play, but they did have dolls, toys, and games to play when there was an opportunity. In one popular game, Cherokee kids tried to throw a dart through a moving hoop. Anejodi, a stickball game related to the Iroquois game of lacrosse, was a popular sport among Cherokee teenagers and adult men. Like many Native Americans, Cherokee mothers traditionally carried babies in cradleboards on their backs--a custom which many American parents have adopted now. 

• Men and Woman Roles Like their distant cousins the Iroquois, the Cherokee Indians had an even division of power between men and women. Cherokee men were in charge of hunting, war, and diplomacy. Cherokee women were in charge of farming, property, and family. Men made political decisions for the tribe, and women made social decisions for the clans. Chiefs were men, and landowners were women. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine. 

• Today, Cherokee gender role traditions have changed. Cherokee women can be chiefs also... and Cherokee men are sometimes farmers. However, modern Cherokee people still trace clan relationships through their mothers.

Pow-wow Ceremonial Dance

• Marriage Life The Cherokee had some rules in order to get married. Due to the tribe being matrilineal (based on kinship with the mother or the female line) one had to marry someone else from another clan. The tribe was separated into seven clans. One had to ask a family member if it was a good decision. When the choice was made, in the morning the chief would put two roots on his two palms. The the chief would recite a prayer, and then if the two roots moved at the same time, it meant good luck. If only one moved, it meant bad luck.
• More information about the marriage ceremony
   -->http://napanews.tripod.com/id39.htm

References Cited:

Lewis, Orrin

2011. Facts about the Cherokee Natives.                      <http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2tiBBa/www.bigorrin.org/cherokee_kids.htm/>. Accessed November 15, 2012.

Gillman J., Pamela

1997. Kinship systems in relation to courtship and marriage. <http://www.boulder.net/~gillman/anthpaper/anthpap.html#Kinship>. Accessed November 14, 2012.

The Name "Cherokee"

The original name the Cherokee Indian's used to define themselves was the lower-dialect Cherokee term "Tsa-la-gi." When pronounced using their dialect, the word sounds very similar to Cherokee. White settlers were unable to pronounce the name properly, which lead to the name "Cherokee." 

The meaning of the word Tsalagi translates to "real people." The Cherokee also referred to themselves as "ani-uni-wa" or "principle people." These names helped to distinguish them from the "not real" or inhumane white society. 

North Georgia Web Development Team

Indian Place Names. Electronic Document, 

http://www.georgiamountains.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97&Itemid=208, accessed November 16, 2012

Change for the Cherokee Indians

•  Cherokee Nation today operates under a constitution ratified by Cherokee voters in 1976
• Population:1980-1990: 232,000-369,000
• Cherokee Indians may have to learn new language to be able to co-exist with other societies
•  Schooling is now available 
• Reserves are now made for remembrance of Cherokee Indians and also the remainder of the population resides at these reserves with their own schools and businesses.
• They allow visitors to come and learn about their culture and have a variety of attractions that appeal to their tourists including the Museum of the Cherokee Indians and an outdoor drama entitled, "Unto These Hills."

Pantas, Lee J. "Cherokee Indian Reservation." Cherokee Indian Reservation. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ashevilleguidebook.com/wnc/cultural-attractions/cherokee_indian_reservation.htm>.

Subsistence of the Cherokee

The Cherokee had settlements and villages throughout Appalachia.  They were hunter and gatherers and farmers.  The men often hunted game like deer, birds, bears, mountain lions, beavers and turkeys.  The women often grew corn (selu), beans, squash, pumpkins, and sunflowers.  Like all Native Americans, any game they killed  they used every part.  The intestines and stomach where often used as water pouches, the meat for food, the skins for trade, clothing, and blankets, and used the bones for utensils.  The women often gathered berries, herbs, and plants.  Many plants that were gathered often where turned into medicine for illnesses, diseases, and injuries.  The settlements and villages where often nears rivers and streams so fish was another source of subsistence.  The Cherokee always took what they only needed because it was apart of their culture to respect nature and Mother Earth and thank her before taking any animal's life.


Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and National Park Service
Cherokee Agriculture
http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/heritage/agriculture/cherokee-agriculture                                                   November 16, 2012

The History of The Cherokee

In public schools today we are taught  the history of our country from the point of view of the settlers, but what about the people that were before us first?  The Cherokees, a nation among the vast number of Native Americans, are one of those people. They once were small chiefdoms of people in the same area that banded together to make a nation with similar cultures and beliefs.  The Cherokee nations is still surviving today along with their culture, language, and beliefs.  One of the biggest historical events in American and Cherokee histories is the Trail of Tears.  During this time is when the conflict between American settlers and Indians came to a head.  It began in the 1800's when the settlers wanted to push west but where stopped because it was considered Native American lands.  The Government tried to buy out the Native Americans but they refused, they tried to coerce into them moving but they refused.  As pressure on the Government to obtain the Cherokees land increased so did conflict and sporadic fighting between settlers and  Native Americans.  Eventually, the Native Americans were forced off their land by the Government and onto a reservation in Oklahoma.  The removal happened during 1838 to 1839 and 4,000 Cherokees ended dying because of disease, exposure, and starvation.

Photo from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1567.html

Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center                                                                                            A Brief History of The Trail Of Tears http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/TrailofTears/24496/Information.aspx                         November 16,2012