Essay On Cherokee Tribe

The Cherokee Indian tribe separates itself from other cultures with their history, gender roles, religion, clothing, and cuisine.

The history of the Cherokee is the first separation from other cultures. The Cherokee Nation occupied parts of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina in the southeast of the country when they were first founded. However, they were forced to relocate to Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma, after gold was found in their ancestral grounds in 1838. A 1,000-mile forced expulsion that became known as the "Trail of Tears" claimed the lives of about 4,000 Cherokee people due to sickness and challenging circumstances (About the Nation, 2022). Migration is a huge part of Cherokee history. It is what shaped

“To the Cherokees, the Earth was a flat disc of water with a large island floating in the middle. The Earth hung by four cords — one each in the north, east, south, and west — from a sky arch made of stone. This was the Middle World, where the plants, animals, and humans lived. Above the sky arch was the Upper World. This was where the guiding and protective spirits of humans and animals lived. These spirits could move from the Upper World to the Middle World and back to help the humans keep balance and harmony on the Earth. Below the Earth was the Under World of bad spirits. Bad spirits brought disorder and disaster. They could rise to the Middle World through deep springs, lakes, and caves. When these spirits caused trouble, Cherokees called on the spirits from the Upper World to help restore balance and harmony to the Middle World” (Raley, 1998). The Cherokee had a unique belief system. The system resembles what Christians, and many other religions know as heaven, earth, and hell, just without the presence of a god. They believed their ancestors would ascend to the spiritual world and protect them throughout their life. The bad spirits lived below the earth in the “underworld” and would wreak havoc on the world. “Native American peoples did not use a word such as "religion," … every part of their world had a sacred connection or religious meaning. Their ideas of religion were everything to them. They believed the world

“Clay pots were used for cooking or food was buried in hot coals. The Cherokee women made sure there was enough to eat throughout the years tending to the farms and the men hunted using every part of the animal as the Cherokee never hunted for sport. The deer served as the number one animal for their needs. The skins were used for created clothing for all members of the tribe with the women crafting the various beadwork on some items” (Cherokee Indians Food, n.d.). The women did the cooking when it came to feeding. The men hunted and the women gathered and prepared and always made sure there was food. They used every part of any animal they killed for something whether it was for clothes or blankets or just anything they could craft. “The Cherokee foods were hearty and robust, often cooked on stone hearths. Soups and stews were made frequently as one-pot dishes and corn, squash and beans were often planted together as “three sisters” and used in a variety of dishes. Cornbread was served as a side. Also, a staple of Cherokee Indian food was wild onions which could be eaten raw or cooked and mostly served with eggs. Fish was quite popular as well alongside deer and turkey with popcorn as a beloved snack. Cherokee Long Ear popcorn creates a beautiful snack and can also be ground into cornmeal or added to a soup. Its varieties of colors from yellow to black to purple, red, white, and blue is what made it