Participants will visit notable Cherokee locations and parks throughout the 2,000-mile journey across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina
TULSA, Okla. – Consider it a long ride back in Cherokee history – literally. On a quest for knowledge and insight, a Cherokee Nation tour group will travel by motor coach along the Trail of Tears from June 13-19.
As the group travels the 2,000-mile journey from Tahlequah, Okla., to Cherokee, their activities and experiences will be blogged at www.CherokeeTourismOK.com. Each blog entry will feature the historic sites visited that day along with commentary and photographs that will provide readers with real-time information.
The Cherokee National Youth Choir will also participate in the tour and will perform at various locations. Founded in 2000, the Cherokee National Youth Choir is made up of 35 Cherokee students between grades 6 through 12. The Cherokee National Youth Choir performs traditional songs in the Cherokee language and has recorded numerous audio CDs. The group is an important symbol to the world at large, demonstrating that Cherokee language and culture continues to thrive in modern society.
“Whether participating in person or viewing online, participants will have a unique perspective on this extraordinary period of time. This is a remarkable learning opportunity for tour group members and blog followers,” said Molly Jarvis, Vice President of Cultural Tourism at Cherokee Nation Entertainment. “Cherokee Nation history will be presented geographically, musically and culturally along the Trail of Tears, which is a very somber period and has since defined the Cherokee Nation from East to West.”
The tour group will explore historic locations including Quatie Ross’s grave at Mount Holly Cemetery and Lake Dardanelle State Park in Arkansas; Fort Loudon Historic Site, Ross’s Landing and Passage, and Red Clay State Park in Tennessee; Chief Vann House, New Echota Historic Site and Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Georgia; and Kituwah Mound, Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Oconuluftee Village and Unto These Hills in North Carolina.
The motor coach tour will depart from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa with overnight stays in Memphis, Tenn., Chattanooga, Tenn., Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Cherokee.
Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism will present a second motor coach tour, “Exploring Cherokee History: West to East” on Oct. 1-8, 2011. The group tour will coincide with the Trail of Tears Association Annual Conference in Cherokee.
For additional information or booking for the upcoming “Exploring Cherokee History: West to East” group tour in October, please contact Heather Williams at (918) 384-7887 or heather.williams@cnent.com.
The Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism program presents four award-winning tours during the season that runs now through October including the Cherokee History Tour, Will Rogers History Tour, Civil War History Tour and Cherokee Old Settler Tour featuring authentic cultural sites and historic locations. The pricing for the four cultural tours is tiered for adults, seniors, and children ages 4-11 and 3 and younger, and subject to a tribal tax.
Specialty and event related cultural tours are also presented during the season. The event related tours feature a unique, cultural-filled itinerary that showcase Cherokee-focused events such as the Cherokee National Holiday. Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism also offers a variety of specialty tours including a return of History After Dark.
For ticketing, complete tour details and additional information on the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism program, call (877) 779-6977 or visit https://www.CherokeeTourismOK.com.
– Cherokee Nation Entertainment
