Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
 Flag of the Eastern Band Cherokee |
| Total population |
|---|
| 13,000+ |
| Regions with significant populations |
| North Carolina |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Christianity (mostly Protestant), traditional tribal religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Tuscarora), Nottoway, Meherrin, Coree, Wyandot, Mingo |
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States of America. The history of the Eastern Band is synonymous with that of the Qualla Boundary, although the EBCI own, hold, or maintain additional lands in the vicinity, and as far away as 100 miles from the Qualla Boundary. The Eastern Cherokee are the descendants primarily of those persons listed on the Baker Rolls of Cherokee Indians.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is not affiliated with the Cherokee Nation or the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, beyond cultural and historical ties.
Contents |
[edit] History, language and religion
The Eastern Band members are primarily descended from Cherokee who did not participate in the march on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma Territory, primarily owing to the foresight of Chief Yonaguska, and the help of his adopted Caucasian son, William Holland Thomas. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians still practice many of the original ceremonies, and many prominent Cherokee historians are affiliated with, or members of the Eastern Band.
Tsali (pronounced [ˈtsali]) opposed the removal, and remained in the Cherokee Homeland with a small group of Cherokee who formed a rebellious resistance against the United States to thwart the removal of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Tsali was eventually captured, and was executed by the United States in exchange for the lives of the small band he protected — who remained in the Cherokee Homeland and became the modern Eastern Band.
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian hosts and exhibits an extensive collection of artifacts and items of historical and cultural interest, from the early Mississippian Period through modern times, related to the Cherokee Culture. The Cherokee Heritage Center displays historical artifacts related to the march of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears and the development of Oklahoma Cherokee Culture.
[edit] Notable Eastern Band Cherokee tribal members
- Amanda Crowe, 1928–2004, sculptor and educator
- Charles George, 1932–1952, decorated US Army veteran
- Nimrod Jarrett Smith, 1837–1893, Principal Chief
- William Holland Thomas, 1805–1893, Principal Chief
- Junaluska, ca. 1775-1868, military leader and diplomat
- Yonaguska, ca. 1759-1839, Principal Chief
[edit] Contemporary language and religion
There are over two dozen Christian churches of various denominations within the Qualla Boundary. Many of the traditional religious practices of the Eastern Band have, over time, blended with new age views and customs according to Cherokee traditionalists, and have diverged as the result of cultural isolation of the various factions of Cherokee Society. However, many traditional dances and ceremonies are still practiced by the Eastern Band.
The Eastern Band has begun a language immersion program requiring all graduating high-school seniors to speak the tribal language beginning 2007. Of the total population in the Qualla Boundary, there are approximately 900 speakers, 72% of whom are over the age of 50.[1]
[edit] The Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation (Qualla Boundary)
The Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation, officially known as the Qualla Boundary, is located at 35°31′49″N 83°16′31″W / 35.53028°N 83.27528°W in western North Carolina, just south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The main part of the reservation lies in eastern Swain County and northern Jackson County, but there are many smaller non-contiguous sections to the southwest in Cherokee County (Cheoah community) and Graham County (Snowbird community). A very small part of the main reservation even extends eastward into Haywood County. The total land area of these parts is 213.934 km² (82.600 sq mi), with a 2000 census resident population of 8,092 persons.[2] The Qualla Boundary is not a reservation, but rather a "land trust" supervised by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. The land itself was a fragment of the extensive original homeland of the vast Cherokee Nation. The people had to purchase their land to regain it after it was taken over by the US government.
Today the tribe earns most of its revenue from a combination of Federal/State funds, tourism, and the Harrah's Cherokee Casino, instituted in the early 1990s.
[edit] Gaming Relations between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and North Carolina
In 1988, the United States Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which allowed federally recognized tribes to establish casinos on tribal property. Under the act, tribes are limited to offer casino games that correspond to the already-existing level of gaming allowed under state law; in this circumstance, North Carolina proves to be exceptional in that the Cherokee were permitted to establish a casino offering Class III gaming well before the state allowed a lottery. Casino establishment usually goes by the pattern of a state first offering a lottery, followed by an agreement between the state and the Indian tribe in question, which allows for the establishment of a casino or other form of gambling operation.[3]
Gaming relations between the state of North Carolina and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians have always been somewhat different from relations between other states and tribes located within their state-lines. Although North Carolina did not have a state lottery until August 2005 (the North Carolina Education Lottery), it permitted the Cherokee to open Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in November 1997.[3]
The first major casino in North Carolina, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino (part of the Harrah's Entertainment corporation) was opened on the reservation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the western part of the state on November 13, 1997.[4] The casino was the result of nearly ten years of negotiations among tribal, state, and federal officials. Tribal Chief Jonathan “Ed” Taylor and North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt developed a plan for a casino that would meet state laws and satisfy local and tribal concerns[3].
Tribal leaders wanted to be able to offer more than just bingo and other Class I forms of gambling, to attract large crowds. The tribe had previously opened a small casino offering forms of video poker and electronic bingo, which had been challenged by the Asheville U.S Attorney on the grounds that the tribe was offering a form of gambling that was not legal elsewhere in North Carolina. the tribe wanted to ensure agreements to prevent such problems.[3]
Many Cherokee leaders opposed the establishment of a casino on tribal lands. The tribe’s spiritual leader, Walker Calhoun, said in 1995 that “gambling would be the Cherokee’s damnation.” The tribe and Governor Hunt came to a conclusion: the casino would be allowed to offer electronic games that required “skill or dexterity” and with a maximum jackpot of $25,000, table games were to be prohibited, and alcohol was not permitted. One half of the annual casino earnings were to be divided among all members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee tribe as an annual bonus.[3]
With the inception of the North Carolina lottery in August 2005, Harrah’s Cherokee casino has been permitted to extend its repertoire of offered games to include Class II and III gambling. As thousands of people visit Harrah’s each year and the casino’s popularity continues to increase, the economic benefits of the casino have become evident. Annually, at least $5 million of casino profits is given to the Cherokee Preservation Fund; an institution which pays for projects that promote non-gambling economic development, protect the environment, and preserve Cherokee heritage and culture.[5] Another portion of casino profits goes to improving tribal health-care, education, housing, etc. Part of the revenue also goes to the state of North Carolina, as provided by the agreement drafted by Taylor and Hunt.[3]
The casino earned $155 million in yearly profit in 2004, which gave approximately $6,000 dollars to each tribal member in that same year.[3]
[edit] Cherokee bears
In 2009 Bob Barker teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to call on Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to correct treatment of bears kept in three privately owned zoos in the Qualla Boundary. They suggested the zoos be closed and the animals transferred to more favorable facilities.[6] Critics alleged the animals were caged in excessively small quarters that did not meet recommended standards for animal treatment. Michell Hicks met with Bob Barker and listened to Barker's proposals but defended the zoos.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Comprehensive Cherokee Language Survey, EBCI Dept. of Cultural Resources. Cherokee, NC. 2005.
- ^ United States Census Bureau, Eastern Cherokee Reservation, North Carolina
- ^ a b c d e f g Sedgwick, Jessica. "This Month in North Carolina History: November 1997 -- Cherokee Casino Opens." Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 1997 (retrieved 18 December 2009)
- ^ North Carolina Education Lottery. "About Us, Introduction and Timeline." Cited October 1, 2008.
- ^ "Cherokee casino should be granted the option other tribal casinos enjoy." Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, North Carolina. 12 December 2005.
- ^ "Bob Barker asks Cherokee chief to end bear pits." MSNBC. 29 July 2009 (retrieved 18 December 2009)
- ^ Sandford, Jason (August 5, 2009). "Bob Barker, PETA protest treatment of Cherokee bears". Mountain XPress. http://www.mountainx.com/news/2009/080509buzz3. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
[edit] References
- Finger, John R. Cherokee Americans: The Eastern Band of Cherokees in the 20th Century. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. ISBN 0-8032-6879-3
[edit] External links
- Official Website of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (tribal forms)
- Eastern Band of Cherokees History
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian
- EasternBand.com - Unofficial voice of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians
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