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Participants: Gaston County |
The following transcript is from the Town Meeting featuring guests Dr. Barbara Duncan and Bo Taylor of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. If you would like further information about the museum, you may visit its web site at http://www.cherokeemuseum.org. |
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Dr. Barbara
Duncan |
Gaston County: Dr. Barbara Duncan will be our guest today from the Cherokee Museum. We are delighted to have her as our guest today! Dr. Duncan: Good morning everyone! We are glad to have you here today. Dr. Duncan and Bo Taylor of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian are ready to start answering your questions. Dr. Duncan is Education Coordinator at the museum and Bo Taylor is the Archivist. So you can start asking your questions! |
Hillsborough El Sc: We would like to know who is Tsali? Dr. Duncan: Hillsborough students: Tsali was a Cherokee man who killed two soldiers while being rounded up to go on the Trail of Tears. He and his family hid in the woods, and the soldiers couldn't find him. Finally, the army and the government agreed that if Tsali and his grown sons came in, gave themselves up, and were executed for the killing of the soldiers, that the rest of the Cherokees hiding in the mountains could stay in western North Carolina rather than go on the Trail of Tears. Tsali and his sons gave their lives so their people could remain in their homeland. Hillsborough El Sc: Wow, we didn't know that. |
 Hillsborough |
Statesville
Middle |
Gaston
County: Can you give a little history of the museum? Dr. Duncan: Hello Gaston County--The Museum of the Cherokee Indian was started in 1948 to "preserve and perpetuate the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee." In 1998 we opened a new exhibit that tells the story of the Cherokee using interactive technology, special effects, and computer generated animation along with artifacts. Dr. Duncan: What other questions do you have? Hillsborough El Sc: How many western Cherokee hid in the woods during the Trail of Tears? Dr. Duncan: There were about 500 men, women and children hiding in the Great Smoky Mountains because they wanted to stay in their homes. |
| Statesville
MS: How old is the Cherokee tribes ? Dustin Dr. Duncan: Hi Dustin! The Cherokee people say that they have always lived in these mountains, that the Creator put them here. The first Cherokee man and woman lived at Shining Rock, near Waynesville, and the first village was Kituwah, near Bryson City. Today, there are about 11,000 Cherokee people who live in western North Carolina. Also, Dustin, archaeologists have found evidence that people have lived in these mountains for 14,000 years. Statesville MS: Who is the leader of the Cherokee tribes? Stuky 1 Dr. Duncan: Hi Stuky! Today the Eastern Cherokee elect a Principal Chief every four years, and the Chief now is Leon Jones. Also, every two years, they elect 12 council members who make decisions and laws for the tribe. |
Ebenezer Elementary School |
Statesville Middle School |
Statesville
MS: Why was Cunne Shote known as the stalking turkey? Jitterbug Dr. Duncan: Hi Jitterbug, Generally people were named for something important that happened in their life. He might have been known for his turkey hunting abilities. "Cunne shote" means stalking turkey in the Cherokee language. Ebenezer: Where is the Cherokee Museum located? Dr. Duncan: The museum is located in the town of Cherokee North Carolina, about one hour's drive west of Asheville. Come visit! If you can't get here, check out our website at www.cherokeemuseum.org |
| Hillsborough
El Sc: Were there any conflicts between clans? Dr. Duncan: Hello Hillsborough Elementary--There were some conflicts between clans, but they all saw themselves as Cherokee. Conflicts were kept to a minimum because of the "blood law." If someone from your clan was killed, your clan could take revenge on one person from the killer's clan. The revenge stopped there, so there were not extended feuds. Statesville MS: How many and which states have Cherokee Tribes in them? Dr. Duncan: Statesville asked about tribes--Bo says Cherokee people are in all 50 states! Cherokee people are everywhere, and are the second largest tribe in the U.S. The official, federally recognized Cherokee tribes are:
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Bo Taylor of the |
Statesville Middle School |
Statesville
MS: How have the Cherokee's traditions changed over time? K.T. Dr. Duncan: Hello Statesville MS --This is a deep question. Cherokee traditions have changed over time in a lot of ways, using different materials for baskets, or adding metal to their technology. But the important thing is that the Cherokee people still have a unique way of looking at the world and relating to each other as well as their own language, stories, and dances. Ebenezer: Who founded the Cherokee Museum? Dr. Duncan: The museum was founded by a group of Cherokee people and white people from nearby counties called the Cherokee Historical Association. |
| Transylvania
Count: Does the drama "Unto These
Hills" accurately depict the history of the Cherokee? Dr. Duncan: Transylvania COunty asked about Unto These Hills. We feel that the drama does accurately portray Cherokee history, with some poetic license. One of the additional historical facts that the drama doesn't bring out is that about thirty Cherokee families already owned their own land here, the Oconoluftee Citizen Indians, through the terms of the 1819 treaty. The state of North Carolina legally allowed them to stay here. Transylvania Count: Thanks - we know lots of people who attend this play. Ebenezer: What do you do at the Cherokee Museum? Dr. Duncan: Hello Ebenezer--at the Cherokee museum I teach courses for teachers, meet with visiting groups, plan a festival with Cherokee people in June, and raise money. Bo works in the archives finding answers to questions for people and keeping together all our special documents and old historical papers about the Cherokee. Other people at the museum keep the exhibit running, work in the gift shop, and greet visitors. |
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Ebenezer: How many people died on the Trail of Tears?
Dr. Duncan: On the Trail of Tears, about 16,000 people were marched to Oklahoma, more than 1,500 miles. From 4,000-8,000 Cherokee people died during the trail, especially children and old people, and were buried along the way. Transylvania Count: So Tsali is considered a "real hero" to the Cherokee? Is there a book about him? Dr. Duncan: Tsali is considered a real hero to the Cherokee, and some of his descendants still live here today. There is not any one book about him that we can think of. One of the Journal of Cherokee Studies issues reprints a lot of historical documents about him. |
| Ebenezer: How many people visit the Museum each year? Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer students--you have some really good questions! Did you know I can see you too! Last year 125,000 people visited the museum from all fifty states and thirty foreign countries. Ebenezer: How many sections are there in the Museum? How did the Trail of Tears get its name? Dr. Duncan: The museum has 9 zones from different periods of history, but they all flow together. The exhibit begins with a seven minute computer generated graphic animation telling the Cherokee story of how the world was created. Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer--Bo says, in Cherokee it's called The Trail Where They Cried, referring to the people who watched the Cherokees go by. Ebenezer: Did any of the Cherokees escape from the whites after they were captured? Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer--Did people escape from the Trail of Tears? Bo says yes, his great-great-great grandpa escaped in Tennessee and came back to N.C. Other people here have some stories about their ancestors escaping along the route and returning. Some Cherokee people went all the way to Oklahoma and then turned around and came back home to North Carolina, like Junaluska. |
NCCAT |
Visit |
Hillsborough
El Sc: Are you or Mr. Taylor Cherokee and if
so what is your clan? M and T Dr. Duncan: Hillsborough--Barbara Duncan is not Cherokee and comes from the Pennsylvania Germans and Scots Irish! Bo Taylor is Cherokee and comes from the Long Hair Clan. Gaston County: Is it true that the Cherokee people invented their own written language? Dr. Duncan: Gaston County--It IS true that the Cherokee people invented their own written language. A man named Sequoyah created the Cherokee syllabary, which has a written symbol for each syllable. He was the first person EVER who created a written language without being literate himself. Ebenezer: How many people does the museum employ? If we were to visit the museum, would someone give us a tour? Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer--the museum employs about fourteen people. And if you visit you certainly can have a tour. We will also send an info packet to your teacher. |
| Ebenezer:
How were the Cherokee captured or forced to walk on the Trail of Tears? Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer--The Cherokee were rounded up at gunpoint and taken from their houses by the U.S. Army. Transylvania Count: What kind of artifacts would we see at the Museum? Statesville MS: How many clans are there in N.C. and name a few. b-man Dr. Duncan: To b-man in Gaston County--there are seven Cherokee clans: Wild Potato, Wolf, Blue, Long Hair, Paint, Bird, and Deer. Statesville MS: Are the Cherokee children in the regular school system? michelle Dr. Duncan: Michelle, Yes Cherokee children go K-12 in a regular school system like other children in N.C. Statesville MS: Do you the Cherokee people believe in healing powers? Is there still a medicine man in the tribe? Jessica Dr. Duncan: Yes, Cherokee people still believe in healing powers, and people do medicine ceremonies. |
Ebenezer Elementary School |
 Ebenezer Elementary School |
Statesville
MS: Is it true that on the Trail of Tears, they had to stop every few miles to bury
somebody? Iceman Dr. Duncan: Iceman--yes, people were buried all along the way Ebenezer: Were there other Native American tribes on the Trail of Tears? Dr. Duncan: Ebenezer, yes, all the southeastern tribes were removed in the 1830's--Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek. During the mid-1800's tribes from all over the country were taken off their land and sent to Oklahoma. Statesville MS: Do the Cherokee people grow most of their food? Tarren Dr. Duncan: Gaston--Many Cherokee people have gardens today. |
Ebenezer: We will be logging off in about five minutes. Thank You! What kind of houses did the Cherokee live in? Dr. Duncan: About 500 years ago, Cherokee people lived in round or rectangular houses made of posts set in the ground, saplings woven between them, plastered with mud and roofed with bark. The houses always belonged to the women! Today Cherokee people live in regular houses, trailers, etc. The Cherokee never lived in tipis. Transylvania Count: Thank you for a most interesting session. We hope to visit the Museum soon. Gaston County: Thank you Dr. Duncan and David - how an hour flies by during the Town Meetings! Dr. Duncan: Bye to Gaston County and Transylvania. Great talking with you. Come see us! Dr. Duncan: Thank you for having us online! Transylvania Count: You and Bo were great! Thank you! Dr. Duncan: Teachers--I will be teaching a one-week institute on Cherokee history and culture this summer at the museum for graduate or ceu credit. Visit our website for more info at http://www.cherokeemuseum.org |
Dr. Barbara Duncan of the |
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Dr. Duncan: Sorry, students, we've run out of time--we'll answer your questions, and they'll be posted on the Teacher Connect website soon. You can also visit our museum website at http://www.cherokeemuseum.org and from there you can email Bo and myself. Thanks! |
