Discover the Intriguing World of the Cherokee Tribe: Top 7 Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Sequoyah's Texting Syllabary

When Sequoyah invented texting for the Cherokee squad before it was cool: He created a unique written language consisting of about 85 syllables in the early 1800s, which allowed the Cherokee tribe to achieve mass literacy in no time! Despite having to deal with the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee language and syllabary stuck around and remains in use today as a co-official language with English, taught in schools and universities in Oklahoma and North Carolina.
Source => nationalgeographic.org

2. Cherokee Democratic Governance

Behold, the tribal democracy that'll give Uncle Sam a run for his money: The Cherokee Nation proudly showcases its modernity with a ratified constitution and a fancy tripartite government system, complete with executive, legislative, and judicial branches – soaring high above stereotypes as one of the few Native American tribes to embrace such a democratic governance.
Source => cherokee.org

Did you know a legendary trickster is responsible for maple syrup's sweetness? Discover how the Chippewa tribe turns diluted sap into delicious syrup – and even outsmarts a cheeky folklore character in the process! 🍁✨

=> Fun Facts about The-Chippewa-Tribe

3. Plant-based Cherokee Medicine

Feeling a little minty with a side of blackberry and sumac? Turns out, the Cherokee tribe has just the right recipe for health: The Cherokee people have a long history of using wild plants like blackberry, mint, and sumac for their medicinal properties to treat illnesses and practice preventive medicine, allowing visitors to explore the Oconaluftee Indian Village gardens and learn about these natural healing secrets.
Source => blueridgeheritage.com

4. Geographic Soap Opera

In a land filled with Moravian missionary grandpas and rivers with a knack for defying GPS systems, enter the Cherokee Tribe, creators of the ultimate geographic soap opera: Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, for instance, is named after the Cherokee phrase for "the place where the aged man dwells"—an ode to the missionary village that once thrived there. Meanwhile, the Youghiogheny River, flowing through Pennsylvania and Maryland, gets its name from the Cherokee term for "stream running a contrary or crooked course," reminding us all that even rivers can go through a rebellious phase.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Cherokee Women Power

Who's the boss? Cherokee women, that's who: In the Cherokee tribe, women owned the home, all its contents, and even held custody of the children. They had such power that the term for husband translates to "the man I am living with for now." In case of a divorce, these resourceful ladies just had to leave their man's belongings outside the lodge to call it quits, making it quite common for a Cherokee woman to switch partners like a playlist on shuffle.
Source => aaanativearts.com

6. Floating Earth Mythology

When the ancient Cherokee decided to embark on the original Airbnb adventure, they chose a floating island complete with ropes and sky vault: In Cherokee mythology, the earth is believed to be a large island held up by ropes at each cardinal point, suspended in the vast sea, with its mythical origin traced back to a helpful Water-Beetle who collected mud from the ocean depths before the earth even existed.
Source => study.com

7. Stickball Conflict Resolution

Before the referees were tribal elders and before the field was fabled battlegrounds, the Cherokee had themselves a thrilling game of stickball to settle their beefs and practice their peacekeeping skills: Historically, the Cherokee Tribe engaged in intense stickball matches to resolve disputes before they escalated into war; today, it's a way to honor their cultural heritage as a "medicine game" and "little brother of war," though now less about feuds and more about friendly competition.
Source => visitcherokeenc.com