This region of Southwest Virginia was called "Paradise" by early Native Americans. Its rich abundance of game, plant life, and flowing rivers made this native ground important for hunting. Parts of the "Wilderness Road," in which thousands of settlers passed over, began as buffalo traces and the "Warriors Path" used by Native Americans.

Our museum exhibit (July 1 - October 15, 2001) featured items that the Cherokee might have used, as well as some of the influences that first settlers brought to the region. As one viewed the exhibit, it was evident that these Native Americans used stone, notmetal for their tools. All of their technology came from the working of stone, wood, leather and clay. Native Americans were highly skilled at using materials from the natural environment to make items for both work and play.

We hope you enjoy learning more about the Cherokee culture and how early European settlers and Native Americans affected each other.

THE CHEROKEE

A branch of the Iroquois Nation, the Cherokee can trace their history back more than a thousand years. Originally their society was based on hunting, trading and agriculture. By the time European explorers and traders arrives, Cherokee lands covered a large part of what is now the southeastern United States. They lived and hunted in the Southern Appalachian mountains, including southwestern Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, and part of the Cumberland Basin. One explanation of the meaning of the word, "Cherokee" is from the word, "Cheera" which means "fire" in Cherokee. They called their warriors, "Sons of Fire." Another suggested origin for Cherokee is from the word, Tsa-ra-gi, which means cave people.

The Cherokee lived in small communities, usually located in fertile river bottoms. Homes were wooden frames covered with woven vines and saplings plastered with mud. These were replaced in later years with log structures. Each village had a council house where ceremonies and tribal meetings were held. The council house was seven-sided to represent the seven clans of the Cherokee: Bird, Paint, Deer, Wolf, Blue, Long Hair and Wild Potato.

The Cherokee Nation was established in the early 1700s, with a democratic government composed of a Chief, Vice-Chief, and 32 council members who were elected by the members of the tribe. A constitution and code of law were drawn up for the nation. Each tribe electred two chiefs, a peace chief who counseled during peaceful times, and a war chief who made decisions during times of war. However, the chiefs did not rule absolutely.

Decision-making was a more democratic process, with all tribal members having the opportunity to voice concerns. Cherokee society was a matriarchy. The children took the clan of the mother, and kinship was traced through the mother's family. Property was passed on according to clan alliance.

THE CHEROKEE ALPHABET A famous Cherokee, Sequoyah, invented a system for writing the Cherokee language. There are 86 characters in Sequoyah's alphabet, and each was based on individual syllables in Cherokee words. Any person who could speak Cherokee could also read and write it after learning the symbols. The Cherokee council passed a resolution to establish a newspaper for the nation. A printing press was ordered, the type case for the Cherokee alphabet, and the "Cherokee Phoenix" was in business.

PRIOR TO THE TRAIL OF TEARS: The 1700s'

As tribes acquired firearms from Europeans and used them against neighboring tribes, a "weaponry race" began. Tribes traded to acquire firearms for military purposes. Initially the guns were purchased with furs and skins. Several tribes, including the Cherokee, assisted colonist in driving out their mutual enemy, the Native American tribes of the Tuscarora, in a war that lasted from 1711 - 1713. However, with the Tuscarora out of the way, the tribes began to address their grievances with the colonist. MORE ...