Warm Welcome - July 10, 2017

My first impression of Cherokee is that the people are overwhelmingly kind and welcoming, which surprised me because we are clearly white tourists when in the past our history books have told us that Native Americans aren’t the biggest fans of white people. What I found most interesting and something that helped me have a better understanding of their culture and history was the Cherokee Indian Museum we visited today. The most interesting part was that all of the military generals and presidents that we learn about as children to be heroes in our own culture weren’t the nicest to people who didn’t have white colored skin. When you think about the history of the United States most citizens think about how badly white treated the African Americans and the Civil War and slavery, it seems that the Native Americans’ struggles and hardships get overlooked. Most people know that Native Americans took over this land before white people did, specifically the Cherokee tribe, and people white power such as British kings and Presidents of the United States promised this that never happened. For example, in the museum today I learned that Andrew Jackson did follow through with his promises to the Native Americans, which is just one authoritative figure of many who broke their trust. On the other hand certain people like Major Ridge and John Ross who tried to help the Natives by asking other powerful whites to leave them and their land alone. Major Ridge said at one time, “I know the Indians have an older title than the white man. We obtained the land from the living God up above, yet they are strong and we are weak. We are few: they are many. We can not remain here in safety and comfort. I know we love the graves of our fathers, but an unbending necessity tells us we must leave them” (Major Ridge, Cherokee Indian Museum Exhibit). I wouldn’t say that I believe in anything specific like the Indians do so in that way we are different, but we are the same in the way that I come from a small community that is family oriented and the community members become family members as well throughout the years. One huge thing the Cherokee take seriously is their family gatherings and their children. Children are incorporated into the culture and history as much as possible because they do not want it to die out. For example, I learned today that some parents even have the option of sending their children to a school where only the Cherokee language in spoken therefore their children learn and speak Cherokee fluently. I think it so important to this tribe to keep their heritage alive because of how far they've come and all of the hardships that have overcome. Their perseverance is truly incredible!