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Voice of America: Eastern Cherokee and tourism
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Filed Under: National

"In 1838, the Cherokee were forced to give up their land in the east and migrate to what is now Oklahoma. More than 4,000 died on the journey known as the Trail of Tears, but some Cherokee remained behind, hidden in the mountains of Appalachia. Our correspondent visits their modern descendants, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Cherokee, North Carolina, draws many tourists, especially in the summer. If they stick to the commercial district, they may be misled by what they see:

"We didn't live in teepees," said Little Hawk Brown.

Little Hawk Brown says it's important to educate tourists

"They'll come here and might be ignorant not knowing about my culture, and I think it's my job to inform them and make sure that they know so they leave with a better understanding."

Tourists can learn at events like this, where Brown and other members of the Warriors of AniKituhwa perform traditional Cherokee dances. They can also visit the tribal museum, an arts and crafts shop and a living history museum that shows what Cherokee life in the mid-18th century was like, from how Cherokee hunted, to the types of homes they DID live in."

Get the Story:
Cherokee Indians Teach Tourists in North Carolina (Voice of America 11/11)

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