Cherokee Indians Culture

Cherokee Indians Culture has long since been thriving years before any Europeans made contact with them. The Cherokee people are quite diverse, socially advanced, family driven and committed to their community. They focus on community-based activities, foods that bring every member together and clothing and music that are not only beautiful but tell a story and a history of their people.

The Cherokee embraced the culture of the Europeans, learned from their ways and then advanced their tribes forward.

Cherokee Indians Culture

Cherokee Arts

The Cherokee is all about their love of the arts. Nature is very inspiring and used in every element of the handmade artifacts. Honeysuckle and Buckbrush are the most popular for gathering time. The latter being found below the earth and honeysuckle gathered on the ground. These both make beautiful baskets.

Cherokee baskets are made from the women of the tribe. These colorful, handmade baskets were the only storage available for many years until glass and plastic made their debuts. The baskets utilized natural dyes from broom sedge, bloodroot, black walnut, and butternut to create beautiful and timeless pieces.

Cherokee Indians Culture

The dyes used in Cherokee Indians Culture are just as unique as the baskets and clothing they make. Weeds and tree barks were often mixed with soap and alum to achieve one of a kind results.

Cherokee Indian Culture also focuses on handmade clothing. The torn dress is the popular piece among women and men look to the ribbon shirt. Both are made from Calico fabric. The torn dress is the official dress of “Miss Cherokee” and both the shirt and dress are the official uniforms of the Cherokee National Choir.

Cherokee Food

Food is a very important part of the Cherokee Indians Culture. Both men and women play their parts as hunting, gathering and farming all play significant roles in food. Corn is the most important crop followed by beans, squash, wild onions and eggs and fish and deer. Cooking is essential to the Cherokee way of life as well as their social interactions. It is a part of every celebration and food gets every member of the tribe involved.

Cherokee Music

The music of the Cherokee is culturally diverse in inspiration. There are many different instruments used, but always you will hear drums, rattles, and flutes. Tribal stories and chanting are also included and perfect for ritual dancing and ceremonies among Cherokee Indians Culture. Stories are told not only with the voices but also through the chanting and harmonious instruments.

The Festivals of the Cherokee

There are 6 main celebrations that the Cherokee honor annually. Not all tribes and ceremonial grounds honor all of the festivities, but a lot still do. The celebrations are as follows: a winter festival involving tobacco, a Green Corn Ceremony, First New Moon of Spring, Mature Green Corn Ceremony, Great New Moon Festival and Friends Made Ceremony which celebrated new and old relationships. The other festivals focused on the number one crop corn or the Cherokee new year or the moon.