Cherokee heritage groups are associations, societies and other organizations located primarily in the United States. Such groups consist of persons who do not qualify for enrollment in any of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes (the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians).[1][2] As the Cherokee Nation enrolls all people who can prove descent from a Cherokee ancestor, many of these groups consist of those who claim Cherokee ancestry but have no documentation to prove this alleged heritage. Some have had their claims of ancestry checked and proven to be false. A total of 819,105 Americans claimed Cherokee heritage in the 2010 Census, more than any other named tribe in the Census.[3]
Some of these heritage groups, notably the authorized satellite communities of the federally recognized tribes, seek to preserve Cherokee language and culture.[1] However, others are groups that have not existed from historical times. Their members may have no connection whatsoever to Cherokee culture or heritage.[1] While some groups are steadfast in their desire to be culturally accurate, and to find documented family connections to the living Cherokee communities, many others may incorporate non-traditional elements such as stereotypes of Hollywood Indian dress, New Age beliefs (cf. plastic shaman), made-up dances and ceremonies, or imitations of what they believe to be Plains-style ceremonies.[1]
A heritage group may incorporate study of genealogy and language study, along with providing social events. Many groups that claim to be tribes, but have no requirement of Cherokee heritage, instead focus on "Indian hobbyism", role-playing, celebrating their ideas of pow wows and other festivals that are not historically part of Cherokee culture.[1] Some have formed in an effort to gain financial benefits through fraudulent means.[1][2]
The Cherokee Nation encourages people seeking accurate information about Cherokee heritage to become active in "appropriate cultural organizations" rather than those with "unverifiable ties to Native American citizenship", as "the reality is these groups and individuals misrepresent true Indian culture and identity... and typically members know little or nothing about the true culture they claim to represent."[1]
^ abcdefgGovernment Relations, Cherokee Nation (2009). "Support the Federal Recognition Process to Protect all Tribal Citizens" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
^ abGlenn, Eddie (2007-01-06). "A league of nations?". Tahlequah Daily Press. Archived from the original on 2009-06-20. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
^Smithers, Gregory D. (October 2015). "Why Do So Many Americans Think They Have Cherokee Blood?". Slate.
and 24 Related for: Cherokee heritage groups information
Cherokeeheritagegroups are associations, societies and other organizations located primarily in the United States. Such groups consist of persons who...
and later periods." Cherokeeheritagegroups Scuffletown, Kentucky – a town established by Cherokee in Henderson County Cherokee in the American Civil...
The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ Tsalagihi Ayeli or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ Tsalagiyehli), formerly known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three...
The Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama is a state-recognized tribe in Alabama and Cherokeeheritagegroup. It is based in northern Alabama and gained state-recognition...
tribes, or bands. Cherokee Nation spokesman Mike Miller has suggested that some groups, which he calls CherokeeHeritageGroups, are encouraged. Others...
self-identify as Native American tribes Cherokee#Tribal recognition and membership Cherokeeheritagegroups "Northern Cherokee Community Assn of the Old Louisiana...
Affairs Commission Cherokeeheritagegroups Native American identity in the United States National Congress of American Indians "Cherokee Tribe of Northeast...
Mexico, an outlier branch of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma CherokeeheritagegroupsCherokees in Mexico Northern Cherokee of the Great Plains (the historic...
Springs, Texas. Cherokees in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an outlier branch of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma CherokeeheritagegroupsCherokees in Texas Northern...
the Cherokee Nation opposes state-recognized tribes, as well as Cherokeeheritagegroups and others with no documented descent who claim Cherokee identity...
Indian Community (also Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands of the Mount Tabor Indian Community) is a cultural heritagegroup located in Rusk County, Texas...
have a minimum blood quantum requirement. Numerous Cherokeeheritagegroups, some authorized by Cherokee communities, but most considered to be pretendians...
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi) is a federally recognized Indian tribe based in western North...
organizations claim to be Native American tribes, including many Cherokeeheritagegroups. These groups are neither federally or state-recognized tribes. One such...
The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ or Anigiduwagi Aniyvwiya, abbreviated United Keetoowah Band or UKB) is a federally...
as a "Blessed Woman" of the Lost River Band of the Cherokees, an unrecognized Cherokeeheritagegroup in Mitchell, Indiana. 1984: Let's Get Physical 1985:...
the Cherokee people. Ethnologue states that there were 1,520 Cherokee speakers out of 376,000 Cherokees in 2018, while a tally by the three Cherokee tribes...
church elder, is a sacred site to the Chickasaw. Vernon M. Tanner Cherokeeheritagegroups Chickasaw Plastic Shaman Pretendian "CHALOKLOWA CHICKASAW INDIAN...
Indian groups in the American South, North, Midwest, Southwest, and the Plains regions. The Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muskogee (Creek), and Cherokee were removed...
Cherokee history is the written and oral lore, traditions, and historical record maintained by the living Cherokee people and their ancestors. In the 21st...
Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee to combat fraudulent Cherokeeheritagegroups. Cowan Watts received the Ely S. Parker Award, the highest honor...
Global Information