NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Lumbee recognition not included in Senate-passed NDAA bill
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, a state-recognized group, was hoping that federal acknowledgment would be one of the things included in the passage of a recent military spending bill, but it was not to be.
This Week in Native News
This Week in Native News
Federal legislative updates of interest to EBCI citizens (Oct. 14)
The One Feather will now provide weekly legislative updates on various pieces of federal legislation of interest to members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The bills are shown in the order in which they were introduced following the new bills for the week.
ONE FEATHER PHOTOS
COMMUNITY ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
EBCI Tribal Option promotes healthy vision this July
July is recognized as Healthy Vision Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of eye health and encouraging individuals to take proactive steps to protect their vision.
An amazing journey: Keredith “Tooter” Owens has traveled the world dancing, sharing culture
Sitting at a table in the Qualla Boundary Public Library, Keredith “Tooter” Owens looks over a pile of her photographs documenting her career as a fancy shawl dancer at pow wows.
Graceful beauty: Nakoa Chiltoskie enjoys dancing and the camaraderie of pow wows
Nakoa Chiltoskie, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, loves the graceful movements of dancing and the camaraderie that pow wows bring. She started dancing at age 7.
OPINIONS ᏃᎵᏍᎬᎢ
SPEAKING OF FAITH: Compelling devotion, Part 2 of 2
Let’s look at Luke 14:16-23: “Then He said to him, ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
COMMENTARY: Kinship, not governments, defines the Cherokee People
For centuries, the Cherokee people were united not by a single central government but by kinship, clans, and shared values. Our ancestors built their lives on responsibility to one another, not bureaucracy. Towns governed themselves. What held us together was culture, language, and family bonds. Governments came later.
COMMENTARY: The Matriarch Era
Following the Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) primary, I wrote a commentary about the women candidates showing up, showing out, and providing a new hope for the general election.
SPORTS ᏍᎦᏚᎩ
BASKETBALL: Lady Braves win Western Regionals, advance to State Championship
On the evening of Monday, March 11 in Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial (LJVM) Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., the (#3) Lady Braves basketball team defeated (#1) Mountain Heritage, earning the title of North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 1A Western Regional Champions, with a final score of 64 -51.
BASKETBALL: Lady Braves topple Bishop McGuinness in Fourth Round
The Cherokee High School Lady Braves ended the two-year reign of the Bishop McGuinness Lady Villains on the evening of Friday, March 8, at Southwest Guilford High School in the fourth round of the NCHSAA 1A state basketball playoffs.
TRACK & FIELD: CHS competes in WNC Kickoff Invitational
The Cherokee High School (CHS) varsity track and field teams competed in the WNC Kickoff Invitational at the Western Carolina University track on the afternoon of Thursday, March 7.
OBITUARIES ᏧᏂᏲᎰᏒ
OBITUARY: Vivian Burgess Owle
Vivian Burgess Owle, 85 of the Birdtown Community, passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side on Friday, July 25, 2025.She was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
OBITUARY: Frieda Marlene Brown
Frieda Marlene Brown, born Jan. 13, 1939, in Graham County, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. A lifelong resident of the Snowbird Community, Frieda was known for her unwavering devotion to her family and faith. She never failed to make an entrance – always fashionably late, and always with a presence that filled the room.
OBITUARY: Michael Dean Owle “Deano”
It is with a mix of sadness and celebration that we announce the passing of Michael Dean Owle “Deano”, who left this world and departed into eternity, on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the age of 58 after an extensive battle with cancer.
HAPPENINGS
Chief Dugan to speak at Savvy event at Harrah’s Cherokee
Former Principal Chief Joyce Dugan will be the keynote speaker at a Savvy event at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort on Wednesday, April 17.
Upcoming Pow Wows for April 19-21
Note: This list of pow wows was compiled by One Feather staff. The One Feather does not endorse any of these dances. It is simply a listing of ones occurring throughout the continent. Please call before traveling.
ZZ Top to play Harrah’s Cherokee
ZZ Top will play Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Event Center on Friday, Oct. 11. Tickets go on sale at ticketmaster.com on Friday, April 12.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WCU seeks public feedback in updating its campus master plan
Western Carolina University is in the process of updating its 2014 Campus Master Plan and will hold two virtual forums to allow for public feedback.
Dracula looks to bring a spectacle to Cherokee
An immersive experience, high-level action, and a lot of blood. This is what is being promised from the producers of Dracula: The Failings of Men, a show coming to the Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee this weekend.
Tribal member acts in “Reservation Dogs” and runs a business
The television series “Reservation Dogs”, being shown on Hulu, has taken the world by storm and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is among the cast.
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