Native American Heritage Month
Celebrate the rich histories, diverse cultures, and important contributions of our nation’s first people.
On the Qualla Boundary, members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians honor and cultivate traditions that have guided their culture for thousands of years.
Visitors can learn more about Cherokee history and heritage at a variety of museums, interpretive centers, and historic sites in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
A recreated historic village, an outdoor drama, a cultural museum, craft shops and galleries, hiking trails, waterfalls, and trout streams are some of the many ways to explore and experience the ancient history and thriving culture of the Cherokee.
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
A perfect place to begin exploration of Cherokee heritage and traditions is the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Visitors are greeted at the entrance by a 20-foot hand-carved statue of Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. For details, please visit mci.org.
Cherokee Homestead Exhibit
The Homestead Exhibit is open air and accessible 24/7. A Cherokee summer house, a winter house, food storage crib, and more can be seen on this free, self-guided tour. The site also features interpretive signs and two walls with public art representing Cherokee legends and stories. Visit www.clayhistoryarts.org for more details.
Oconaluftee Indian Village
At the Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee, you can step inside the world of an 18th-century Cherokee village and see a dugout canoe under construction, pottery and baskets being crafted, and a blow gun demonstration. Tours are led by guides, many of them Cherokee High School students, whose interpretation of Cherokee culture is based on both scholarly research and oral tradition. Go to visitcherokeenc.com/play/attractions/oconaluftee-indian-village for details.
Qualla Arts and Crafts
Within Qualla’s airy and well-appointed space, you’ll find river cane, split oak, and honeysuckle vine baskets of Smithsonian quality, along with ceremonial masks, low-fired pottery, wood carvings, bead work, stone carving, and pipes for coming to peace with life in general and calling forth the abiding spirit of rivers and mountains. Visit www.quallaartsandcrafts.com for more information.
The Cherokee Indians of North Carolina have built a vibrant and successful tribal community in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Take a day to visit by going to the Cherokee Welcome Center, 498 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee, NC.
For more information, call 800-438-1601, or go to www.visitcherokeenc.com.
