THE NAME
The most familiar name, Cherokee, comes from a Creek word "Chelokee"
meaning "people of a different speech." In their own language the
Cherokee originally called themselves the Aniyunwiya (or Anniyaya) "principal
people" or the Keetoowah (or Anikituaghi, Anikituhwagi) "people
of Kituhwa." Although they usually accept being called Cherokee, many
prefer Tsalagi from their own name for the Cherokee Nation (Tsalagihi Ayili).
Other names applied to the Cherokee have been: Allegheny (or Allegewi, Talligewi)
(Delaware), Baniatho (Arapaho), Caáxi (or Cayaki) (Osage and Kansa),
Chalaque (Spanish), Chilukki (dog people) (Choctaw and Chickasaw), Entarironnen
(mountain people) (Huron), Gatohuá (Creek), Kittuwa (or Katowá)
(Algonquin), Matera (or Manteran) (coming out of the ground) ( Catawba), Nation
du Chien (French), Ochietarironnon (Wyandot), Oyatageronon (or Oyaudah, Uwatayoronon)
(cave people) (Iroquois), Shanaki (Caddo), Shannakiak (Fox), Tcaike (Tonkawa),
and Tcerokieco (Wichita).
HISTORY
Consisting of 7 clans, the Cherokee Nation stretched from the Ohio River into
South Carolina. The Eastern Band of the Cherokee lived in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, believed to be the sacred ancestral home of the Cherokee
Nation. By the time European explorers and traders arrived, Cherokee lands
covered a large part of what is now the southeastern United States.
The Cherokee lived in small communities, usually located in fertile river
bottoms. Each tribe elected two chiefs -- a Peace Chief who counseled during
peaceful times and a War Chief who made decisions during times of war.
Cherokee society was a matriarchy. The Cherokee battled Carolina settlers
in the 1760's, but eventually withdrew to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Eventually,
the Cherokee readily adopted the tools, weapons and customs introduced by
the Europeans. War and disease decimated the tribe.
Europeans first settled Cades Cove in 1818. Before their arrival, Cades Cove
was part of the Cherokee Nation, who called the Cove, Tsiyaha or "place
of the river otter." The Cherokee never lived in the Cove, but used the
land as its summer hunting ground for river otters, elk and bison.
In the early 1800's, the Cherokees began a period of change. The Cherokee
Nation was established with a democratic government composed of a Chief, Vice-Chief,
and 32 Council Members who were elected by the members of the tribe. In 1808,
Sequoyah, a Cherokee silversmith, invented a system for writing the Cherokee
language and within two years, almost all of the Cherokee's could read and
write. The Cherokee Council passed a resolution to establish a newspaper for
their nation. A printing press was ordered, the type cast for the Cherokee
syllabary, and the Cherokee Phoenix was in business.
REMOVAL:
Unfortunately, the Cherokees did not enjoy prosperous times for long. With
the discovery of gold on Cherokee lands in 1828 and Andrew Jackson's 1830
Removal Act, calling for the relocation of all native peoples east of the
Mississippi River to Oklahoma, the U. S. government forced the Cherokees from
their homes in 1838. Almost 14,000 Cherokees began the trek westward in October
of 1838.
EASTERN AND WESTERN BANDS:
Prior to the "Trail of Tears," a small group of Cherokees in western
North Carolina had already received permission to be excluded from the move
west. Those individuals, often called the Oconaluftee Indians, did not live
on Cherokee Nation land and considered themselves separate from the Cherokee
Nation. To avoid jeopardizing their special status, the Oconaluftee Cherokees
reluctantly assisted in the search for Cherokee Nation Indians who had fled
to the mountains to avoid capture. To prevent further hardships for the Cherokees
still in hiding, Tsali eventually agreed to surrender and face execution.
Due in part to Tsali's sacrifice, many of those in hiding were eventually
allowed to settle among the Cherokees of western North Carolina.
Created by: Sam Park
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This page was last updated on
April 26, 2006
.