The Native Alabamian Cherokee tribe

Jadyn Headrick Presents:

Contents

Location Origin of Cherokee

name Government Native Alabamian

Life Homes Appearance Food Transportation

Weapons Arts and Crafts Language Traditions and

Rituals Legends What Did My Tribe

Leave Behind Other Important

Facts

Location of the Cherokee Tribe

Northeast Corner of Alabama

Name Origin

The Cherokee name comes from Chelokee Chelokee means “People of different

speech” The Cherokee call themselves Ani’-

Yun’ wiya or Tsalagi Ani’-Yun’ wiya means “the real people”

or “the principle people” Tsalagi means “people living in a land of

many caves

Cherokee Government

Each town had a Chief who led during wartimes and a Priest who led during peacetimes

Chiefs were guided by a town council made up of both men and women

Cherokee Government

In early times, the Cherokee did not have one Chief who ruled overall The entire group only met for

ceremonies and wars The post of principal chief was created in

the 19th Century to unify the Cherokee nation

Native Alabamian Life

Boys Help the men Hunt and Fish Make arrowheads,

bows, and arrows

Girls Help the women Plant and Harvest

crops

Homes

Winter Homes Crawl inside Built to hold in heat

Summer Homes Walk inside Built to remain cool

Appearance

Light or dark tan skin Black hair

Boys would have mohawks

Girls would have long hair

Clothes made of animal skins

Food

Traditional Cherokee farmed, hunted, and gathered the food they eat, such as: Fish Deer Beans Squash Corn

Transportation

Land Transportation Walk When the English

came, ride horses

Water Transportation Canoe Rafts ▪ Made of animal skins▪ Would put belongings

on top and swim across the river

Weapons

Weapons were made of Stones Tree branches Deer horns

The Cherokee would carve the stones and deer horns into arrowheads and spears

Arts and Crafts

The Cherokee were known for the beauty of their carvings and basketry

They made tools, pipes, canoes, and baskets

Language

The Cherokee had no written language until 1821

Syllabary was created by a Chief named Sequoya A syllabary is an alphabet that is made up of sets of

syllables rather than letters

Traditions and Rituals

Each year the Cherokee held six major ceremonies The main ceremony, The Green Corn

Dance, took place at harvest time▪ Celebrated harmony and renewal▪ At this time, all crimes of the past year were

forgiven

Legends

Story-telling is very important to Cherokee Indian culture

There is a Cherokee legend “The Origin Jof Strawberries”

Jof strawberies

What My Tribe Leave Behind

Arrowheads Tools Words

Like AL (is a native American word) Artifacts

Other Important Facts

The Cherokee inhabited the southern United States in areas now recognized as Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia

The Cherokee originally called themselves “Aniyunwiya” (the principal people)

Settlers called them “Cherokee” (speakers of another language)

Cherokee citizens today sometimes live on Native American territories

Other Important Facts

In 1838, the government began to force the Cherokee of their lands

Seven thousand government troops took the Cherokee from their homes and walked on foot about 800 miles

Along the way about 100 Cherokee indians died

This was known as the “Trail of Tears”

The End

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