Do you have an interest in Cherokee history? Are you wondering who your Eastern Band of Cherokee tribal ancestors are? Interested in the Cherokee language? Are you interested in Cherokee Culture? If so, you are invited to attend a meeting at the Qualla Boundary Public Library, located in the Ginger Lynn Welch Building, on Thursday, March 27 at 5pm.
One of the anticipated goals of this organizational, information meeting is to explore the possibility of starting a community organization similar to the Swain and Jackson County Historical and Genealogical Societies. These organizations provide for publication historical and genealogical studies of Swain and Jackson Counties. We would like to gauge the interest in forming a similar organization devoted to the Qualla Boundary and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Additionally, another important item of discussion at this meeting are continue and energize plans to promote the awareness and need of the Eastern Band to discuss the research, archival, and capturing of all aspects of Cherokee culture and history – including Cherokee language preservation, Constitution and Charter issues, artifacts, photographs, historical research, archeology, arts and crafts, genealogy, the history of tribal land, etc. Too many times we attend meetings and conferences to hear the non-Indian tell the Cherokee about ourselves. It is time for us to take the reins and assume responsibility for our history and culture.
To begin the process, community members must work together with the Tribe and other programs that work in these areas to begin to organize our historical and cultural needs. We invite representatives from any Tribal program to attend this meeting to hear the discussion of needed organization to begin addressing the needs and how to begin a joint process of working together to strengthen and re-new leadership about the Cherokee history and culture preservation.
Anyone and every community member or interested persons are invited to attend this meeting.
Info: Mary Wachacha 497-5350 or wachacha@dnet.net
– Mary Wachacha
