What exactly is a Cherokee?
The Cherokee are North American Indians of Iroquoian lineage who constituted one of the largest politically integrated tribes at the time of European colonization of the Americas. Their name is derived from a Creek word meaning “people of different speech”; many prefer to be known as Keetoowah or Tsalagi.
Who is the Cherokee God?
Unetlanvhi
Unetlanvhi (oo-net-la-nuh-hee): the Cherokee word for God or “Great Spirit,” is Unetlanvhi is considered to be a divine spirit with no human form. The name is pronounced similar to oo-net-la-nuh-hee. Jistu (jeese-doo): A rabbit whose name is pronounced similar to “jeese-doo.”
What are the different Cherokee tribes?
Today there are three federally recognized Cherokee tribes: the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) in Oklahoma, and the Cherokee Nation (CN) in Oklahoma.
What was the Cherokee political system?
The Cherokee Nation has legislative, executive and judicial branches with executive power vested in the Principal Chief, legislative power in the Tribal Council , and judicial power in the Tribal Supreme Court. The tribe’s democratically elected government, led by a Principal Chief, Deputy Chief, and Tribal Council.
What are some Cherokee customs?
Cherokee men once wore only a breechcloth and moccasins in warm weather. In colder weather they added leggings and a fringed hunting jacket. Chiefs and priests wore long, full cloaks made of feathers and feather caps (not the traditional and popular plains Indian headdress ) or cloth turbans.
What is the Native American word for Cherokee?
The Cherokee Indians are a Native American tribe. They are largest tribe in the United States. The name Cherokee comes from a Muskogean word that means “speakers of another language”. The Cherokee called themselves the Ani-Yunwiya, meaning “principal people”.