CHEROKEE INDIAN RESERVATION

CHEROKEE INDIAN RESERVATION

For complete information visit the website Cherokee Heritage Trails. Cherokee Heritage Trails website provides historical information, a map, sites to visit, directions to Cherokee historical sites in the north Carolina Mountains, Tennessee Mountains and North Georgia.

The Cherokee Indian Reservation is located on Highways 441 and 19 at the east uncrowded entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Cherokee, derived from the Creek word "Chelokee," means "people of a different tongue."

Here at home in their ancient homeland of the Smoky Mountains, the North Carolina Cherokee Indians still compete with bows and blowguns. They still play the ancient ballgame of Indian Ball and uphold the old traditions and still play other primitive games and dances that were begun centuries before the white man ventured into the region.

Deep in the heart of North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains you will find the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Each year, visitors from across the country and around the world come to discover this ancient land and to enjoy the natural mountain beauty the Cherokee have revered and honored for centuries. Their 56,000 acre reservation, known as the Qualla Boundary is home to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and is adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Approximately 8,000 Cherokee Indians live on the reservation. The town of Cherokee, North Carolina, within the reservation, offers many attractions such as The Museum of the Cherokee Indian, "Unto These Hills" Outdoor Drama, the Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual and the Oconaluftee Indian Village which is a recreated Cherokee Village of the 1750's. The latest attraction to the reservation is the Harrah's Cherokee Casino which offers 24 hour casino action and top-notch entertainment.

OCONALUFTEE INDIAN VILLAGE

You can get a picture of of what life was like among the Cherokees over 250 years ago at the Oconaluftee Indian Village on the reservation. The Oconaluftee Indian Village recreates the early life and contains the structures of woven cane and clay (as used in baskets) used by the earliest Cherokees. You will also see dirt-floored cabins later introduced to the Cherokees by white traders. view blowgun demos, watch craftmanship demonstrated in beadwork, pottery, weaving, mask carving, canoe making, arrowhead carvings. Learn about the language and medicinal plants and herbs as used by the Cherokee.

2007 Admission: Adults $13.00 Children: (6-13) $6.00 Discount for Groups of 15 or more

Telephone: (828)-497-2315 or (828)-497-2111 (Off Season) Located near Mountainside Theater, home of "Unto These Hills", U.S. Highway 441 North

The Oconaluftee Indian Village is open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily The Village is open seasonally from May 5th until October 22nd

UNTO THESE HILLS OUTDOOR DRAMA

A must-see event, the exciting outdoor drama, Unto These Hills, is performed nightly from early June through mid-August and depicts the real life drama of the what is means to be a Cherokee Indian according to Cherokee history, not the history read in white man's textbooks. Recognized as one of the top outdoor dramas in the United States with over 5,000,000 visitors since its opening in July 1950. The Drama tells the history of the Cherokee people from about 1540 through their forced removal from this area in the late 1830's.

2007 dates and show times:

Beginning June 8 June 8 thru August 18, shows are nightly, except Sundays.

Show times: Pre-show entertainment begins: 8:00 p.m. Performance begins:

8:30 p.m.

MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN

Visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee where you can view the largest collection of artifacts of the Cherokee nation that tell the story of the ancient tribe up until the Trail of Tears. Ancient artifacts include spear points on exhibit predate the bow and arrow by centuries, and the pottery is said to been fashioned by unknown people at least 10,000 years ago.

QUALLA ARTS AND CRAFTS MUTUAL

Established in 1946 this is the finest Native American-owned and operated arts and crafts co-op in the United States. Crafts of over 300 Cherokee craftspeople are sold through the cooperative including basket weaving, jewelry, pottery, clothing, flutes, drums, weapons,finger weaving, wood carving, art and beadwork.

DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE

Several Eastern Band of Cherokee artists have painted a series of large, life-size fiberglass bears and painted them in colorful vibrance and artistic meaningful designs.

Currently there are 13 painted bears completed, located in various spots around downtown Cherokee. An overall total of 25 bears have been commissioned for painting by Cherokee artists and will be placed in the Central Business District.

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