This new PBS NC documentary follows the Snowbird Cherokee of western North Carolina as they fight to preserve their language, customs and ancestral traditions before they disappear.

Through intimate storytelling about the Snowbird Cherokee’s art, culture and deep connections to their sacred land, the film offers a powerful portrait of a resilient community safeguarding its heritage.
 

 
“If the last (native) speaker passes, that continuation would be broken, and there is a weight that’s heavy to that.”

Today fewer than 140 Cherokee speakers remain on their homeland; their average age is 65. A Sacred Thread spotlights Dadiwonisi, a Cherokee-language program that pairs Elders with young learners to preserve the dialect and other Cherokee traditions before they’re lost.

“Our community has been a relatively quiet, unknown group, and the knowledge or lack of knowledge about the Tutiyi (Snowbird community) exists even today within our Tribal membership,” said Gil Jackson, First Language speaker and Cherokee language teacher. “While many people have read or heard about the Trail of Tears, very few know the beginning point, which is in our community.”

Watch “A Sacred Thread” on PBS NC at video.pbsnc.org/video/a-sacred-thread-jj9rrm, or stream it on the PBS app.