CherokeeTribe

This item is about the Cherokee Tribe. I am part Cherokee and I wanted to start with them. My Great Grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee woman and lived in Kentucky. Her husband was a white man and I write this with her in mind. I never got to meet her but I am sure she is with me in spirit. I hope you will enjoy this newsletter.

The word Cherokee comes from a Muskogee word meaning "speakers of another language." Cherokee Indians originally called themselves Aniyunwiya., "the principal people" but today they are called Cherokee.

The Cherokees are original residents of the American southeast region in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Most Cherokees were forced to move to Oklahoma in the 1800's along the Trail Of Tears. Cherokees still live in Oklahoma today. Some Cherokees escaped the Trail Of Tears by hiding in the Appalachian hills or taking shelter with caring white neighbors.

In the 19th century, The Cherokees were known as one of the "Five Civilized Tribes" because they has assimilated numerous cultural and technological practices of their European-American neighbors. They are the largest of the 563 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States. The Cherokee tribes: the Cherokee Nation Of Oklahoma, the United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina.The Eastern Cherokee people live on a reservation. Indian reservations are lands that belong to Native American tribes and are under their control. Each Cherokee tribe has its own government, laws, police and services. Cherokee people are also US citizens and must obey American law.

Cherokee women serve on tribal councils and have for a few centuries. If a Cherokee woman wants a divorce, she leaves the husband's belongings outside the tee-pee or house in this day and age. A Cherokee woman can have her brother or uncle teach the male child how to hunt.Cherokee men are in charge of farming, property and family. Men made political decisions for the tribes and women make social decisions for the clans. Chiefs were men and landowners are women. Both genders take part in story telling, artwork, music and traditional medicine.

Today, women can also be chiefs. Modern Cherokee people trace clan relationships through their mothers.

Cherokee children go to school and help around the house. They like to hunt and fish with their fathers. Cherokee girls used to play with dolls made out of corn husks and pine needles.

Cherokee Indians lived in settled villages along the river. The houses were made of rivercane and plaster with thatched roofs. They were strong and warm like wood cabins.

Cherokee men wore breechcloths and leggings. Cherokee wore wrap around skirts and poncho style blouses made out of woven fiber or deerskin. The Cherokees wore moccasins for shoes. Cherokee men shaved their heads except for a single scalplock. Sometimes they would wear a porcupine roach which was made out of stiff animal hair, moose hair, deer's tail and was dyed with bright colors and decorated with feathers and shells. Cherokee women wore their hair long. Men would paint their faces and bodies when going into battle. Cherokee women wore beaded necklaces and copper armbands.

The Cherokees used to make dug out canoes from hollowed out logs. Cherokees used dogs as pack animals. There were no horses until the colonists bought them over from Europe.

Cherokee hunters used bows and arows or blowguns to shoot game. Fishermen used spears and fishing poles. Warriors fired arrows or fought with a tomahawk or spear.

Cherokees harvested crops of corn, beans, squash and sunflowers. They ate berries and nuts along with buffalo, deer and other small game. Soups and cornbread were also made and served.

In the past, each Cherokee band was led by one war chief and one peace chief. Cherokee chiefs were chosen by a tribal council. Cherokee war chiefs were male and peace chief could be a woman. Today, Cherokee tribal councils and chiefs can be either gender and are elected like senators and governors.

As I was writing this, I couldn't help thinking about the song: CHEROKEE NATION By: Paul Revere and the Raiders. A nice tribune to the Cherokee People. That song will always have a special place in my heart.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article about the Cherokees. Thank you for reading.