Cherokee Indians - Personal Essay

My name is Ashwin, which means strong horse. I am originally from the Cherokee Tribe located in Georgia. I was nine years old when my family and I were forced to move to Oklahoma along the Trail of Tears, I still live in Oklahoma today. I was of one the lucky ones who escaped the Trail of Tears by hiding in the hills.

I remember my Father as a hunter, and my Mother being in charge of the farming and our property. My parents were always good at telling stories, art work , and would sing to me every night. I absolutely loved being a kid on the land. I would run free, play when my friends, my favorite game to play was lacrosse. I also enjoyed playing stick ball. I played a lot, but had to maintain my part of the chores. I would usually do my chores early in the day that way I could have the afternoon to play.

Cherokee comes from the word “Chelokee” meaning “people of a different speech.” They are the second largest tribe in the United States. They used to travel about the country, living in tepees that were made of sticks and animal skins. They would build their fires in the middle of the tepee. The smoke from the fires was let out of a small hole at the peak of the tepee. The Cherokee Indians have many rituals that they perform that may seem unusual to us today. The tribe would offer thanks, usually in a dance ritual called a sundance. They would also have sweat ceremonies to cleanse themselves of evil spirits.

I was so young and didn't ask many questions as to how our tribe was organized. It is my understanding that there were three federally recognized Cherokee tribes..The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. The Eastern Cherokee people live on a reservation. The Oklahoma Cherokee people live on trust land The Keetowah Cherokee do not have a land base. Each Cherokee tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, Cherokee Indians are also US citizens and must obey American law.

I have a lot of great memories from our tribe and my childhood. Living on the land was way different that it is today. My Father was always dressed in breechcloths and leggings. My Mother was always dressed in skirts and blouses. I always had good healthy food to eat. My Mother was a fantastic cook. She would cook the wild game that my Father killed. We had corn, squash and beans, along with pumpkin, melons, and sunflowers. Corn was the most important food. The women always made sure they planted enough crops to provide food for two years.

I can remember my Father sitting us down one night very upset. He went on to tell us that the US government wants the Cherokee to abandon hunting along with their traditional