By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Dr. Carmaleta Littlejohn Monteith, Beloved Woman of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Elawodi (Yellowhill), is a force to be reckoned with. Her boundless energy, along with the passion and love she has for her people, combine to make her unstoppable.
She received the Beloved Woman designation in 2021 with the passage of Res. No. 447 (2021) by Dinilawigi on May 6, 2021. The legislation, submitted by the EBCI Beloved Women Committee, states, “Carmaleta Littlejohn Monteith, an outstanding member of the Yellowhill Community, has dedicated her life to embodying the Cherokee Core Values and strongly exudes characteristics of a Beloved Woman.”
Dr. Carmaleta Monteith, Beloved Woman of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, is shown at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Whitewater Landing in Cherokee, N.C. on Aug. 27, 2025. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
That day, she commented, “The women that precede me, I respect and honor them, and I hope to be able to hold the integrity of this honor and continue to serve. We’re not islands unto ourselves. It takes everyone in the community to achieve things.”
Beloved Woman Dr. Monteith is the chairwoman of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Governing Board and helped found the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation Board. Two years ago, the Carmaleta Monteith Endowment for Cherokee Hospital Foundation was established at the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) and “will offer scholarships and funding opportunities for continuing education and professional development” according to a press release by NCCF.
In that same release, Brittney Lofthouse, CIHA executive director of development and community relations, said of Beloved Woman Dr. Monteith, “With dreams and ambition rooted in education and a desire to never stop learning, Carmaleta has adapted and transformed her influence a dozen times over in her lifetime, always adjusting to meet the greatest needs of those around her. She is a waymaker. A creator. A visionary. And she does it all with a fervent love and passion for the Cherokee People.”
With her, it is always Cherokee first, Native first. She wants to be at the table – not for accolades nor recognition, but to be able to represent and have the Cherokee voice heard loudly and clearly.
In 2014, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the current Cherokee Indian Hospital, Beloved Woman Dr. Monteith noted, “This is the first hospital that our community has had any say in.”
Given her example, this is the last time someone will have to say those words. She makes sure that Cherokee people have a say.
In 2009, Beloved Woman Dr. Monteith received the Frell Owle Award, an award given by the Cherokee Boys Club honoring those for service to Cherokee families.
The day that Dr. Monteith was named an EBCI Beloved Woman, EBCI Taline Ugvwiyu (Vice Chief) Alan B. Ensley summed up her work ethic and influence, “She’s never said no to anything that’s been asked of her…the work that she’s done with the school and the hospital has impacted our communities more so than any of the other projects. She’s the lady behind the scenes that makes things work for all of us.”
Whether working with the hospital, the NAIWA (North American Indian Women’s Association), the Yellowhill Community Club, or other organizations, she is always at the front lines of helping the EBCI people.
The late great Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”
Beloved Woman Dr. Carmaleta Monteith has more than paid her rent. She is a gem.
