Cultural appropriation. From the tomahawk chop to the Jeep Cherokee to car dealership, cigar shop style Indian statues towering over a heavily trafficked road, it is interwoven into American society. Some Indigenous members of our communities are outspoken and repulsed by it. Others just chuckle and say that it is part of living for Natives in America.

First, I wish to thank Mr. Robert Jumper for his article and sharing his memories and perspective of the commodity program. As the manager of the Tribal Food Distribution (Commodity) Program, I would like to respond to his article.

Each morning as I come into work from the Painttown area, I come through downtown Cherokee.  Lately, I’ve noticed more and more tattered U.S. flags in downtown and some in other parts of the Qualla Boundary.