WE TV
Discover Cherokee Indians, North Carolina
Category - North America
Cherokee Indians are the native people of North Carolina, find out all about them here!
The Tale of the Cherokee
The Eastern band of Cherokee Indians are the native people of North Carolina and have called the area home for more than 11,000 years. Early settlers to America did not want the Cherokee people living on the land, so in 1838 they forced the Cherokee to travel across the mountains to Oklahoma. This historical move is known as the Trail of Tears because so many Cherokee natives died on the journey. Many Cherokee didn’t want to leave their home, so hid in the hills or returned on foot. Today there are over 14,000 Cherokee living in North Carolina, all descended from these natives.
The history of the Cherokee is a fascinating tale, from the invention of the Cherokee language to the skills still used today to weave baskets, make weapons and create colourful beaded jewellery and clothing.
Today, the town of Cherokee has its own rules, law force and governers. The Cherokee people still practice many of the same traditions their ancestors did and use their skills to educate and entertain visitors to the State. Less than eight hours from the UK is the southern American state of North Carolina (NC). A short drive away from Charlotte airport and the sights of the city are quickly replaced with mountains, lakes and miles of woodland (if you drive in the opposite direction you hit beaches).