Enjoy a Cultural Learning Opportunity at Cherokee

For an unforgettably enriching experience, come to the town of Cherokee and experience the wonders of historical exhibits, plays, music, and unique crafts. There is no other travel destination quite like Cherokee, so prepare yourself to open your mind and begin to fathom the complex and often-heartbreaking history of the Cherokee people. Be sure to open your eyes fully and absorb information at the museums and village about the fascinating customs, language, weapons, and crafts that in part define the character of these resilient and passionate people. A cultural learning opportunity at Cherokee will be one that you will carry with you wherever you go and one that you may reference often as you continue to better understand the wide variety of people that make up this diverse country.

Become a Cherokee Indian in 1750

This cultural learning opportunity at Cherokee may begin at the famed Oconaluftee Village. The smells, colors, and textures that you will experience on your tour through this 1750 replica of a Cherokee village will awaken your senses in a way that you may not have experienced before. As you glide softly along the trails, you may wonder why you feel so different. It is more than the kind faces that greet you at each hut as the women weave their baskets and the men carve canoes and craft sharp arrowheads. It is more than the quietude that is such a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The sights, sounds, and scents surrounding you in the village are exotic yet reminiscent of something, perhaps a way of life that most of us only glimpse in a deep wilderness or remote and natural setting. Yet it is in this setting that the Cherokee people formed their lifestyles and dynamic traditions. Above all, the novelty of the village is perhaps the deep integrity that the Cherokee lifestyle evokes. There is a certain reverence in everything they do, from weaving a basket to shooting a deer. Each custom carries rituals and symbolism in the context of a genuine respect for life. One cannot help but feel a certain nostalgia for this deep reverence for life, as it has been lost in so many settings of modern life. While walking through the Oconaluftee Indian Village, you feel as if you are a member of the tribe in 1750. This is indeed a novel feeling for any visitor.

An Authentic Cultural Learning Opportunity at Cherokee

Along your walk through the village, you will enter the great seven-sided council house, where a third fire glows. It is sacred fire, kept burning to symbolize the strength and unity of the Cherokee people, and used to kindle the fires in every village household. This council house, like those in every Cherokee village, has seven bench-lined sides to seat the seven clans: Blue, Bird, Long Hair, Paint, Deer, Wild Potato, and Wolf. This part of your cultural learning opportunity at Cherokee many people find spellbinding. The tour guides will describe to you what characterized each of these clans, making your experience complete with rich details of these complex and dynamic people.

Visit Cherokee, North Carolina Today