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GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS

Inherently Sovereign:

Celebrating 75 years

The 75th Annual Keetoowah Celebration will be held October 4th.

Chief Jeff Wacoche gives his address at the 74th Annual Keetoowah Celebration.

Sneak peek of last year’s car show.

Bingo was a hit at the 74th Annual Keetoowah Celebration.

and the day of celebration.

If you do not have anything

TAHLEQUAH, Okla- The United

planned

on the evening of September

Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indi27,

the

Jr.

Miss and Miss Keetoowah

ans invites all tribal members and

Pageant will take place at The Vennon-members to its 75th Annual

ue starting at 6p.m. The Keetoowah

Keetoowah Celebration, held on the

Golf Tournament will take place at

first weekend of October.

the Pryor Creek Golf Course in Pryor

This year’s theme “Inherently

with Seniors (60+) in the mornSovereign” was chosen by the celebration committee members, employ- ing and the 2-man scramble in the

afternoon on October 2. The golf

ees who volunteered with planning

tournament continues as the 4-man

the big day. The event is held every

year honoring October 3, 1950, when scramble will take place on October

the United Keetoowah Band officially 3. Sign-ups begin September 1 for

voted to have its constitution and by- the golf tournament.

On October 2, Chief’s Dignitary

laws ratified.

Dinner will take place with an invite

Generations and generations of

Keetoowah people have been coming only. This year, the committee added an open mic gospel singing on

out to this celebration every year.

This year the committee wanted it to October 3, beginning at 7p.m. at the

celebration pavilion. The chili supper

be special as we are celebrating 75

and stomp dance will be on October

years. Like previous years the celebration has a full list of activities and 3, with supper at 7p.m. and stomp at

9p.m.

events planned for pre-celebration



See CELEBRATION, Page 2

LANI HANSEN, Senior Reporter

September 2025

UKB Condemns Secret

Legislative Attempt to Terminate

UKB Land Rights

The United Keetoowah Band of

Cherokee Indians (UKB) is calling for

the immediate retraction of proposed

congressional language – proposed in

secret by Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin at the request of the

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma (CNO)

– that would terminate UKB land and

economic development rights within

the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation.

The provision, which the UKB

obtained only through a Freedom of

Information Act request, seeks to redefine who is recognized as Cherokee

under federal law, undermining the

UKB’s sovereignty, identity, and legal

standing. The draft legislative provision would strip the UKB of its ability

to gain trust land.

“This is not a policy disagreement. This is a deliberate, targeted

act of tribal termination by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma leadership

through CNO Senator Mullin,” said

UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche. “The draft

language is a blatant betrayal of the

U.S. government’s trust responsibility, a violation of federal law, and an

attack on tribal sovereignty. It undermines the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling the UKB can have lands

held in trust and the reaffirmation of

the Department of Interior M-Opinion that the UKB is a successor in

interest to the Cherokee treaties.”

The UKB also publicly discredited recent claims from the CNO

regarding federal court, congressional, and executive branch positions.

The tribe points to three indisputable

facts:

• Congress formally recognized

the UKB in 1950. Act of August 10,

1946.

• Federal courts — including

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the

Tenth Circuit — confirmed the UKB’s

entitlement to lands held in trust, a

decision the U.S. Supreme Court let

stand. Cherokee Nation v. Bernhardt,

946 F.3d 1222 (10th Cir. 2019), cert

denied.

• The U.S. Department of the

Interior reaffirmed earlier this year

through M-Opinion M-37084 that

rights over the Oklahoma Cherokee

Reservation are shared equally by the

UKB and CNO.

“These facts completely dismantle

the CNO’s narrative,” Chief Wacoche

said. “If our rights truly didn’t exist,

they wouldn’t need to attempt to

erase us through legislation.” The

UKB is urging members of Congress,

tribal nations across Indian Country,

and all Americans who value sovereignty to demand the withdrawal

of the proposed language from any

appropriations bill and to oppose any

attempt to erase a sovereign Native

nation.

UKB leaders are also calling on

all tribal members to act now by

contacting Senator Mullin’s office directly to voice their opposition to this

harmful proposal, and by reaching

out to CNO leadership to insist they

end their support for any legislation

that would diminish the rights of the

UKB. “This is about more than the

UKB,” Wacoche said. “If this attack

succeeds here, it can happen to any

tribe in the United States.”

TAKE ACTION: Please visit

https://www.ukb-nsn.gov/DefendUKBRights and send a letter to Sentor

Mullin remanding he retract this

legislative provision.

Groundbreaking on UKB First Council House

The Historic Council House will include four offices and council chambers for meetings.

new council house will be historic.”

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on

TAHLEQUAH, Okla- It was a monumental day

August

7, with MASKA Builders a Native American

as the United Keetoowah Band Tribal Officials

Enterprise.

Chief Wacoche was joined by current

were joined by tribal employees on the groundand

former

council as they shared what this meant

breaking of their own administration building.

to

them.

“This will be our very first council house,”

Currently the tribal council meet in the UKB

Chief Jeff Wacoche said. “It is very monumental

Wellness

Center on the complex on the first Satursince the first tribal council meetings in 1859 is

day

of

each

month. The council sits four officers

when the first constitution was written and approved back in the woods. Later in the years, meet- including the chief, assistant chief, secretary and

ings were held at different houses. So, to have this treasurer as well as nine district representatives.

The four officers are housed in the UKB Federal

Services building until the new building is ready

for move in.

The new council house will have four offices

inside which will house the chief, assistant chief,

secretary and treasurer. This will include the

council chambers with a seating gallery, for council

meetings.

No expected date on when this new building

will be completed, but the UKB Tribal Council are

happy about having their own place.

The current council with MASKA Builders representatives at

the groundbreaking ceremony.

Current and former council gather to celebrate this historic

event on the new council house.

LANI HANSEN, Senior Reporter

The four officers were joined by current and former

council for the groundbreaking.

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

Assistant Chief

Amos Ketcher

aketcher@

ukb-nsn.gov

Secretary

Caleb

Grimmett-Smith

csmith@

ukb-nsn.gov

Treasurer

Sonja Gourd

sgourd@

ukb-nsn.gov

Cooweescoowee

Dist.

Clifford

Wofford

918-822-1953

Delaware Dist.

Tishaleta

Smith-Guevara

918-718-4366

tguevara@

ukb-nsn.gov

Flint Dist.

Frankie Still

918-507-1822

Goingsnake Dist.

Willie Christie

918-822-3803

Illinois Dist.

Janelle Adair

918-457-7067

Saline Dist.

Charles Smoke

918-457-7071

Sequoyah Dist.

Donald Adair

918-931-0941

Tahlequah Dist.

Sammy Allen

918-931-0177

By: UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche

Our work together as a sovereign

people continues on many fronts,

from defending our rights in Washington to celebrating the growth of

our communities here at home. This

month, I want to share updates on

the proposed legislative language

from Senator Mullin, the opening of

our Saline District Community Center, and the groundbreaking for our

new Council House.

September Edition

Chief's

Corner

JEFF WACOCHE

Principal Chief

jwacoche@ukb-nsn.gov

the courts – are attacked. Our Tribal Officers, legal and public affairs

teams are actively fighting this, and I

encourage every member to contact

both Senator Mullin and Cherokee

Nation of Oklahoma leadership to

oppose this harmful language. Please

visit https://www.ukb-nsn.gov/DefendUKBRights and send a letter to

Senator Mullin demanding he retract

this legislative provision.

SEPTEMBER 2025

ty gatherings, and essential services.

It represents the strength of our

community spirit and the resilience

that has carried us through generations. I want to thank everyone who

helped make this project possible,

from our Council to the local crews

who worked tirelessly to bring this

vision to life.

Building the Future – New

Council House

Finally, we have broken ground

Protecting Our Sovereignty in

on our new Council House, located

Congress

on our trust land. This building will

be more than a seat of government –

Recently, we learned that legit will be a visible and lasting symbol

islative language has been secretly

of our sovereignty and self-goverproposed to be added to federal

nance. This milestone is a reminder

budget legislation by Senator Markwayne Mullin that would strip away

A Place for Community – Saline that every battle we fight in court,

in Congress, or in the community is

rights of the UKB. This provision is an

District

about securing a future where the

attempt to circumvent the courts, the

Amid this fight, we also celebrate UKB controls its own destiny.

Department of the Interior, and the

progress. Last month, we opened

Our path is not always easy, but it

Senator himself by undermining our

the new Saline District Community

is

always

worth it. Together, we honsovereignty through the back door.

Center – a place built by and for our

or our ancestors, defend our soverLet me be clear: we will not stand by people. This center will serve as a

while our federally recognized rights hub for cultural programs, communi- eignty, and build a stronger future for

our children and grandchildren.

– confirmed by history, Congress, and

Celebrating 6th Anniversary: 10th Circuit Court

of Appeals Affirms UKB Land in Trust Rights

Six years ago, on September 5,

2019, UKB sovereignty and treaty

rights were affirmed through the

Courts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for

the Tenth Circuit ruled that the UKB

could take 76 acres of land in Tahlequah into trust.

This victory was a declaration of

sovereignty, self-determination, and

perseverance, presaging the later

affirmation by the Department of

the Interior of the UKB’s rights and

authority as a successor in interest to

the Cherokee Treaties. The land, purchased by the UKB in 2000 and home

to essential cultural, community, and

Member services, is protected in perpetuity. Placing it into trust not only

preserves it for generations to come

but also opened access to federal

programs, grants, and resources that

have strengthened the Tribe’s health,

education, housing, and cultural preservation efforts.

The path to land in trust was

filled with obstacles. The UKB applied in 2004 to have the land taken

into trust, a process approved by the

Bureau of Indian Affairs years later.

Legal challenges from the Cherokee

Nation of Oklahoma soon followed,

arguing erroneously the Tribe lacked

the authority to pursue trust status

without its consent. In 2017, a federal

district court sided against the UKB,

halting progress.

Undeterred, the UKB appealed.

The Tenth Circuit’s ruling was decisive: the UKB’s rights under the

Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936

include the same trust-land provisions

available to tribes under the Indian

Reorganization Act of 1934. The court

also rejected the argument that CNO

“consent” was needed before the Secretary of the Interior could act.

All regular activities begin on

Saturday, October 4 at the celebration

grounds. There will be the annual

car show/truck show/bike show,

kids fishing derby starting at 8a.m.

The annual stickball tournament

will begin at 9p.m. The committee

also added a fun little activity, turtle

races so be sure to start picking up

turtles as you see them, this will be at

10a.m. Events following throughout

the day are cornstalk shoot, volleyball, marbles, arts & crafts vendors,

kid’s activities, chunky, horseshoes

and blowguns.

The 11a.m. activities consist of

Chief’s address, crowning of the new

UKB Ambassadors, tradition keepers

and gospel singing. The traditional

meal will be served at noon. Cornhole tournament begins at 1p.m.

Bingo starts at 2p.m.

There will be a special movie

screening going on all day at the museum. The museum will also be hosting a quilt show which will run from

CELEBRATION

In the six years since that ruling,

the UKB has moved forward with determination. Freed from the financial

burden of property taxes and empowered with new funding opportunities,

the Tribe has invested in infrastructure, expanded services for Members,

and continued to safeguard Keetoowah traditions. Each step builds

on the foundation that decision laid,

reinforcing the UKB’s ability to chart

its own course.

Now, the UKB faces a new challenge. As the Department of Interior

considers the UKB application for

trust lands for gaming, the CNO and

Sen. Markwayne Mullin are working

to stand in the way of our progress by

proposing secret legislative language

to harm the UKB. The secret legislative language is a direct attack on

UKB sovereignty and would restrict

the UKB’s ability to have lands taken

intro trust for gaming – halting our

economic development opportunities.

To learn more and speak up as

Keetoowah people, visit ukb-nsn.gov/

DefendUKBRights.

October 4-October 31. If you want to

learn how to access Dawes Allotment

packets and locate those allotments

on a map, there will be two presentations located at the UKB Education

Building, 10a.m. and 2p.m.

The UKB is looking forward to

this year’s celebration, so bring the

whole family out and let’s make this

one memorable.

For more information, email lgodwin@ukb-nsn.gov.

SEPTEMBER 2025

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

LUNCH SERVED MONDAY - THURSDAY 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, all meals to go must be picked up by 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

BREAKFAST SERVED FRIDAY 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, all meals to go must be picked up by 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM - $1.00 FOR EACH TO GO MEAL

All Meals Subject to Change Without Notice***

UKB 55+, SPOUSES = FREE, CDIB 55+ & SPOUSE MUST CONRIBUTE TO COST OF MEAL $1.00 EACH MEAL, GUEST $5.00/Child 0-12 $3.00

September 2025

Sun

Jim Proctor Elder

Community Center

918-871-2747

918-871-2861

Mon

Tue

1

UKB TRIBAL

Telephone

2

O F F I C E S Tuesday

CLOSED

Goulash

Italian Green Beans

Garlic Bread Stick

Peaches

Wed

3 Skyscraper Day 4 Wildlife Day

Meatball Sub

Onion Rings

“Cooks

I t a l i a n P a s t a Choice”

Salad

Pineapple Cake

7 Grandparents Day

8 Star Trek Day

Nutrition Center

Closed

Training

14 Gobstopper Day

15 Greenpeace Day 16 Collect Rocks

Chicken Strips w/ Day

Beef Tacos

Dip

Spanish Rice

Tatar Tots

Mexican Corn

Mac N Cheese

Fresh Pineapple

Bread Stick, Fruit

17 Constitution

Day

Hamburger Steak

Mashed Pot/Gravy

Carrots, Roll

C h e r r y

Cheesecake

21 Nat. Dance Day

22 Fall Equinox

Day

Spaghetti w/Meat

Sauce

Italian Green Beans

Garlic Toast, Fruit

28 World Rivers Day

29 Confucius Day

UKB Tribal Offices

Celebration

Monday

Work Week

Tuesday - Saturday

Jaw Breaker

Thu

Fri

Sat

5 Day of Charity

6 UKB Regular

Biscuits N Gravy

Council

Scrambled Eggs

Meeting

B a c o n ,

10 AM

Hashbrowns

Justice

Center

Juice, Melon Mix

Read a Book

12 R U OK? Day

Nutrition Center

Closed

Training

13 Hug Your

Boss Day

19 Raspberry Day

Pancakes

Scrambled Eggs

Sausage, Potato’s

Juice, Mix Fruit

20 Batman Day

23 Nat. Checkers

Day

Meat/Cheese

Nachos

Mexican Rice

Ranch Beans

Fruit Salad

2 4 C h e r r i e s 25 World Dream 26 Love Note Day

Day

Jubilee

Kitchen

Baked Chicken/ S

E P T .

Closed

Gravy

BIRTHDAY’S

Cleaning Day

Boiled Potato

Cheeseburgers

Corn on Cob

French Fries

Roll, Fresh Fruit

Cake/Ice Cream

27 Nat. Scarf

Day

30 Love People Day

Hamburger Stew

Commodity

Cheese

Hominy

Cornbread, Pears

Please check on

your elders and

neighbors

Wado

TORNADO

WARNING BE

AWARE, TAKE

SHELTER, UKB

LIGHTHORSE

9 When Pigs Fly 10 Swap Ideas Day 11 Patriot Day

Nutrition Center

Nutrition Center

Day

Closed

Closed

Nutrition Center

Training

Training

Closed

Training

18 Old Friend Day

Brown Beans w/

Ham

Fried Potatoes

H o m i n y ,

Cornbread

Jello-w/Fruit

Fl o w e r As t e r /

Cosmos

Protect yourself! Stay home if you feel sick! Thank you for your patience and understanding - Title VI Staff - 2% Milk, coffee, tea! “September is

National Happy Cat Month” September’s name comes from the Latin word “septem” meaning seven! September’s full Moon, the Corn Moon,

reaches illumination Sunday, September 7, at 2:09 PM “There are flowers enough in the summertime, more flowers than I can remember, but none

with the purple, gold and red. That dye the flowers of September.” “The first September was crisp and golden as an apple. Oh, sweet September, thy

first breezes bring the dry leaf’s rustle and the squirrel’s laughter, the cool fresh air whence health and vigor spring, and promise of exceeding joy

hereafter!” September is the month of Apples! “Married in September’s golden glow, smooth and serene your life will go” “If the storms of

September clear off warm, the storms the following winter will be warm”

UKB Tribal Enrollment

18300 W. Keetoowah Circle Tahlequah, OK 74464 Open Monday-Friday | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As with other federally recognized tribes, the United Keetoowah

Band has its unique process to determine membership.

Visit ukb-nsn.gov/membership for Enrollment documents and a brief

FAQ section of the most common questions about UKB membership. Find forms for Membership Applicaitions, CDIB Instructions,

Update Your Information and UKB Relinquishment.

For additional questions, or if you are a member who has lost your

en-rollment card, call the UKB Enrollment Office Registrar Amanda Stopp at 918-871-2797. Questions concerning history, cultural

practices, cloth-ing, language or ceremonies are better suited for our

John Hair Cultural Center and Museum. Visit ukb-nsn.gov/john-haircultural-center-muse-um or call 918-871-2866.

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2025

ELYSE WILD, Native News Online

Facilities Construction: $188.7 million, including $14 million specifically for staff housing to

help recruit and retain healthcare professionals

House Committee Approves $8.4B for Indian Health Service,

Including Advance Appropriations for 2027

TAHLEQUAH, Okla- As Indian Country braces

for the impact of sweeping federal cuts, the Indian Health Service may receive advanced appropriations next year. The House Appropriations

Committee last week passed the Fiscal Year 2026

appropriations bill for Interior, Environment and

Related Agencies. Included in the $8.41 billion earmarked for IHS is $6.05 billion in advance appropriations for FY 2027.

The president’s budget request, announced

in May, included zero advanced appropriations

for the IHS. The newly passed bill follows a June

Committee hearing during which lawmakers from

both sides of the aisle pledged to restore advanced

appropriations for the federal agency.

The Committee’s total funding for IHS is about

$500 million more than the president’s budget

request of $8.1 billion. Both figures fall short of

the $63 billion request made by the National Tribal

Budget Formulation Workgroup in 2024.

IHS is tasked with providing health care for

3.6 million Native Americans. The agency has long

suffered from lackluster funding, driving high staff

vacancy rates, resulting in what many in Indian

Country say is inadequate care.

Urban Indian Health — $105.99 million, or $15

million more than the FY 2025 enacted amount.

Seventy percent of Native peoples in the United

States live in urban centers.

The bill authorizes a notable increase for

• Infrastructure and Equipment:Health Care

Urban Indian Care

• Sanitation Facilities Construction: $131

million

• Emergency Generators: $8 million for backup power systems across IHS facilities, tribal

health programs, and urban Indian organizations

Other funding allocations include:

• Purchased and Referred Care: $1.05 billion

for emergency, hospital, and specialty care

services, with particular attention to PRC-dependent areas, including California

• Dental Health: $287 million, including $8

million to expand Dental Support Centers to all

12 service areas and $6.5 million for electronic

dental records

• Alcohol and Substance Abuse: $286 million

for treatment programs

• Contract Support Costs: $1.819 billion (indefinite appropriation)

• Tribal Leases: $366 million (indefinite appropriation)

• Indian Health Professions: $95.3 million for

scholarships, loan repayment, and professional

training programs

• Produce Prescription Pilot: $7 million to

increase access to fresh produce and traditional

foods.

• Alzheimer’s Disease Programs: $6 million for

culturally appropriate dementia care

• Maternal Health: $3 million for improving

maternal health outcomes

• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Initiative: $31 million for criminal investigators and evidence recovery equipment

“A place of peace”: Tohi Edasdi Recovery Community Center

opens officially

By SCOTT MCKIE B.P., One Feather Asst. Editor

CHEROKEE, N.C. – “This is a dream come

true,” said Samantha Bradley just prior to cutting

the ribbon on a new facility that will provide a

friendly face and a caring heart to those in active

addiction or those on their recovery journey. She

helped open the new Tohi Edasdi Recovery Community Center located in Wayohi (Wolftown) in

Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, July

29.

Tohi Edasdi is part of the Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness program which

describes itself as “a nonprofit staffed entirely by

Certified Peer Support Specialists who draw on

their own lived experience of recovery from mental

health and/or substance use challenges to support

others”.

Bradley commented on the staff of the Center,

“We’re all peer supports. We’re all in recovery from

something – substances or mental health.”

She spoke of her own past with addiction.

“When I was into my addiction, here on the

(Qualla) Boundary, I was what they call a chronic

relapser. I call it a chronic overcomer. But, I kept

going back over and over. At the time the Hospital

didn’t have all the fancy long-term…now we have

this beautiful continuum at the Hospital, which is

amazing. But, at that time I got sent to Asheville

for treatment and that’s how I got in contact with

Sunrise.

In 2016, I came out of treatment and they

were doing this beautiful work. We hire peer supports, we’re giving people a chance, we pay them

a living wage, and to be able to support people

where they’re at. My dream has always been…I

love Asheville and Asheville has a lot of resources,

but I’m not from Asheville. I’m from Cherokee.

I’m EBCI (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and

this is my home and I felt like my people deserved

more.”

According to Sunrise, peer support specialists

can help people find some of the following services: wellness options; MAT (medicated assisted

treatment); food, clothing, and hygiene supplies;

employment assistance; community navigation;

transitional housing; help obtaining an ID; harm

reduction services including Naloxone; and education/training.

Sue Polston, Sunrise executive director, stated,

“I just wanted to thank everybody for coming out

here, and thank the Tribe and everybody that has

given us this opportunity to be here. As Samantha

said, I supported this 100 percent, but I knew I

couldn’t do it. I’m not from here. I don’t know the

culture. But, every one of these folks back here do

and I am so privileged to have them on our team

and have every one of you all here today. This is a

bigger turnout than our Asheville drop-in center.”

On the Center, Bradley said, “What it is, in

essence, is a place where people can just come

and be. They don’t have to be here for any reason.

They don’t have to be sober. They don’t have to

be in recovery. They don’t even have to be on the

track to recovery to be just a community member.

It’s just a place to come. And, in our place specifically, Tohi Edasdi, is a place of peace. We want you

to feel like you’re at peace when you come here.”

She thanked the Wolftown Community Club

for their support. “Wolftown Community Club has

Samantha Bradley, center, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the western regional director at

Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, cuts the ribbon to officially open the Tohi Edasdi (A place of peace)

Recovery Community Center in Wayohi (Wolftown) in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, July 29. (SCOTT

MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)

A portion of the interior of the Center

been super supportive. We’re in their community.

When we came in, we didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes so we would just go around and introduce ourselves. Wolftown opened their arms to

us and has given us training space when we didn’t

have it.”

Pat Oocumma, of the Wolftown Community

Club, praised the work of Sunrise. “They are those

that have found themselves and what I see in them

– leaders, peers, warriors, and not sugar-coating

anything. No judging.”

Bradley further noted, “Our main thing is

showing people that we’re going to show up for

them no matter what. We’re going to show up.

The idea is Tohi Edasdi, ‘A Place of Peace’.

We’re right on the river. We’re going to keep culture at the forefront…It’s free. It’s low-barrier and

we connect people with what they need.”

Everyone is welcome, Bradley stressed. “We

hope that we can help someone. I just want to be

able to help someone make it to the next day.”

The Center will be open Monday through

Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information,

call (828) 506-8505.

People are shown gathered for Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting.

Bradley spoke to the crowd and said, in part, “We hope

that we can help someone. I just want to be able to help

someone make it to the next day.”

SEPTEMBER 2025

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

“A Sacred Thread” showcases the Snowbird Community’s

language, culture, and land back efforts

BROOKLYN BROWN, One Feather Reporter

SNOWBIRD, N.C. – A Public Broadcasting

Service (PBS) North Carolina documentary about

Cherokee language and cultural revitalization in

Tutiyi (Snowbird) titled “A Sacred Thread,” premiered on July 31. Filmmaker Brooks Bennett,

who has worked closely with Tutiyi community

members in the past on other projects, condensed

two years of filming into the hour-long documentary.

Executive Producer Heather Burgiss felt that

the documentary was critically important to make,

“This is a project that we feel very passionately

about. It’s right up our mission alley, and I’ve been

working with Brooks for three years on this project, Brooks had been working on the Matriarch

Mural project and really got to know the people

and the place and the stories of the Snowbird

Cherokee, and he really developed relationships

that led to seeing that there was an underrepresented story here, and that was the mission that

really aligned with what we do.

“Snowbird Cherokee is a nuance; in the dialect

and trying to keep the language alive for future

generations, and not just the language, but the

culture and looking back at the land and looking

at place names and the heritage. So, we just felt

we had a responsibility if we could, to try to help

amplify the voices,” she said.

Angelina Jumper, the cultural resources supervisor of the Junaluska Museum and a member of

the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) from

Tutiyi, is one of the main voices of the film.

“It was a really cool experience and I’m a

talker, so reflecting on things and talking about

them, it just helped me understand more and I

think learn more, not just about myself, but how

important the work that we were doing was, and

that really came out through the film. I was really

excited that that was what was captured and what

[Brooks] was able to convey for us,” Jumper said.

“I feel like it really captured the interconnectivity of what we all do, and it showcased things

that I don’t think that you can get from just talking

to people about the language and the culture. And

then you’ve also got this element of the natural

environment that I feel like when we talk about

language and culture that gets left out or we just

don’t think about it.”

A major part of the film was Jumper’s discovery regarding her family’s land, the Wachacha

tract of land that was unethically taken by the U.S.

Forest Service in the early 20th century and now

operates as Rattler Ford Campground.

“That’s probably one of my favorite things

that developed out of the film is that when I had

started work, I had found remnants of Register of

Deeds stuff, and I was like, ‘What is this? This is

my family. This is Wachacha family stuff.’ And then

I started digging deeper,” she said.

“I think T.J. [Holland] had begun that research,

and Louise [Reed], when I was working with her

before she passed, I had the privilege of being able

to talk about it with her, because it was her family,

too, and she had known about it… Louise is the

woman that taught me seven generations behind

me, all the names of the people who existed behind me, and if I hadn’t spent that time with her

then I wouldn’t have that knowledge. We filmed

maybe two weeks after I had pulled out all that

stuff from the U.S. Forest Service archive, so that

was really raw. I’m glad it happened that way, because watching it back I’m like, ‘Wow, that did say

what needed to be said.’”

Gilliam Jackson, a Cherokee fluent speaker

from Tutiyi, also starred in the film and discussed

sacred sites including his family’s graves that are

also now managed by the U.S. Forest Service. “I

think the message that I wanted people to understand was the amount of control and the lack

of control that we have as Indigenous people on

stolen lands. We gather together sometimes with

our family, and most of us in our community come

from the Wachacha family. My grandmother was

a Wachacha, and as I understand it, I think there

Cassidy Galaviz

Angelina Jumper, the cultural resources supervisor of the Junaluska Museum and a member of the Eastern Band of

Cherokee Indians (EBCI) from Tutiyi, is one of the main voices of the film. (Images courtesy of PBS North Carolina)

were 13 or 14 siblings, and most of them are buried in that burial ground. In order for us to just go

out and clean and cut weeds and rake, we have to

get permission from the Forest Service,” he said.

“I’m truly grateful to the people who were

involved in the documentary. I just think that

people need to know Snowbird is a very culturally

rich community, and by far, we have the greatest

percentage of Cherokee speakers per capita. The

Trail of Tears started right above where the Ingles

Supermarket is now in Robbinsville. We had at

one time three mounds, and things that have been

written about Cherokees in North Carolina often

excludes Snowbird.”

Jackson works with second language learners

in the Dadiwonisi adult language program, and he

highlighted one of the program graduates as making a powerful statement about the importance of

Cherokee language and culture. “During her graduation speech, she said ‘I have become a Cherokee

woman.’ She was a Cherokee woman by enrollment and by biological blood, but it was a lot more

meaningful when she said, ‘I became a Cherokee

woman,’ meaning I’m learning the culture. I’m

learning the language. My blood is different now.”

Cassidy Galaviz is the Dadiwonisi program

supervisor and a member of the EBCI from Tutiyi.

The film also followed Galaviz’s journey towards

fluency, with the late Cherokee fluent speaker

J.C. Wachacha, or “Eduts,” being a mentor and

supporter for Galaviz. “I really enjoyed this experience. I think just some of my favorite moments

was honestly just being in Eduts’ garden. I really

enjoy my job, I really enjoy all of it, helping bring

a community together and working with the students, working with the language,” he said.

With Eduts’ unexpected passing during filming, Galaviz spoke to the significance of having

this footage of Eduts speaking. “It means a lot. I’ve

always been very aware of capturing those things,

even as a kid, knowing, understanding how quickly speakers are passing, how fast the language is

‘dying out,’ all those things. It is greater to me because it’s captured in video. To be able to actually

see the reactions, because there’s a lot of nonverbal communication with the speakers. Whenever

they talk, they’ll give out hand gestures and things

like that, which videos really do capture. We can

still see him. We can still hear him. We can still

talk to him.”

Galaviz is hopeful that the film will encourage

more language learning. “Hopefully it does light a

fire in people a little bit to want to learn the language more. And honestly, even if not, it’s perfectly

fine. We’re still going to learn, we’re still going to

keep going. We’ll pass it on for anybody who wants

to. But for those that do, hopefully they now have

resources and things like that to know where to

go, to know who to look for. If they see me, they

can try to talk to me. Even if they just say ‘siyo,’

I’m going to say ‘siyo’ back. If that’s all you know,

use it. I’ll be happy either way.”

Filmmaker Brooks Bennett has built strong

bonds with the Tutiyi community, who are the subject of the film. In 2017, Bennett was just passing

through on a trip with his wife when they stopped

at Cherokee woodcarver Billy Welch’s shop. “That

was my first introduction to Snowbird people, and

I bought a little bear from him. He told me kind of

the broad stroke story, and I always kept that bear

on my desk and I would look at it whenever I was

doing a project and think if there’s ever an opportunity to collab with PBS on something like that,

then that’s what I think I was pulled here for.”

Bennett noticed a ‘thread’ tying together Cherokee land, culture and people, and that thread is

the language.

“There’s a metaphysical quality or this spirit

behind everything story wise, content wise, whatever I’m experiencing in nature or with Buffalotown or with Billy [Welch] or even the Matriarch

Mural project, and that’s kind of the title is it’s the

spirit that runs through everything in the community and it’s the spirit that motivates people to

research their history and the spark that initiates

those crafts. The more Cherokee I learn, the more

I understand that these things are better expressed

in the language, and we don’t have the right vocabulary in English to really convey that meaning

or the essence that was developed here.”

Bennett said filming in Eduts and his brother Mike Wachacha’s garden was one of the more

spectacular parts of the project. “The history and

that connection and to be able to go there and it’s

not just on paper. I think that’s the biggest thing

is real world experiences in the places where the

language has been spoken forever.”

With encouragement from Eduts’ wife, Jeanne,

Bennett captured parts of Eduts’ funeral for the

film. “I got the invite to the funeral from Jeanne,

and I went to the service at the church in Snowbird

without a camera, and I just wanted to be there

for this community that I love. So, Jeanne was

actually the one who encouraged me. She’s like,

‘He always wanted to be in front of the camera. He

always wanted to tell the story. This is no different

and you shouldn’t think of it as anything different.’

I was very reluctant in that moment because this

is my family now, and I didn’t know if it was right

to bring a camera, but when Jeanne wanted it, I

felt like it was kind of my duty to make sure that

that was preserved with everything else, and I’m so

glad that I did. I stayed very in the background the

whole time. You can see how my style of filming

was different in every other moment than that.

“It was hard, but it was beautiful. And seeing

CLMAP [Cherokee Language Master Apprentice

Program] and Dadiwonisi come out and sing, I

think it was exactly what he would want. And I

think the final line from the film, ‘I think that they

can still see us and that they’re watching over us,’ I

felt like he was there that whole time.

The late J.C. “Eduts” Wachacha

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2025

Boudinot Scholars Program Awards First Scholarships

“The goal is to encourage our members to go to law school and then come work for our tribe.” Victoria Holland

the Reorganization Period (1934-1950). With the Eastern Band, Boudinot

helped to win a $5,000,000 settlement in the US Court of Claims. Boudinot

Two Keetoowah college students have been awarded scholarships from

was passionate about helping his people. He worked tirelessly until his death

Boudinot Scholars Program for the upcoming fall semester. Both students

are exclusive UKB members and have participated in the UKB summer youth in 1945 to establish federal recognition for the United Keetoowah Band.

August 10, 1946, almost one year after Boudinot’s death, federal Conemployment program for the past two or three years. Micah Vann is attending

gressional

recognition was awarded to the Keetoowahs, due in great degree

Cameron University with a double major in psychology and criminal justice,

and Teala Wildcat-Johnson, is attending NSU and is majoring in graphic arts. to the expertise and tenacious efforts of Frank J. Boudinot.

Fast forward to 2025, and another pair of Keetoowah tribal members who

Boudinot Scholars is a privately funded scholarship program for Keebecame

lawyers, Bryan Shade and Victoria Holland came together to initiate

toowah students exclusively enrolled in the United Keetoowah Band of

this scholarship. “Basically, this was Bryan's idea, he reached out to me about

Cherokee Indians who are pursuing law degrees and who are committed to

practicing law in a manner which benefits the Keetoowah Tribal Community. it, and I was all in,” declared Holland.

“The goal is to encourage our members to go to law school and then

The scholarship is named after Frank J. Boudinot. Frank J. Boudinot,

come

work for our tribe. We face many legal battles as a tribe, and no one

ᎪᎳᏅ (kolanv or raven) was born in Indian Territory, OK, August 20, 1866,

is going to be more of an advocate for our tribe than our tribal members.

and grew up on his family’s allotment in Ft. Gibson, IT. He began his college

This inaugural year we had no applicants specifically for the legal field, but

career at Bacone in Tahlequah and completed his Juris Doctorate degree at

we still wanted to encourage our tribal members to further their education.

the University of Michigan College of Law. Upon completion of his law degree, he served as legal counsel to several Indian tribes in Oklahoma, includ- We became aware of two young ladies who are exclusive UKB were in the

Summer Youth Program, and we wanted to honor them by gifting them some

ing the Keetoowahs, Delawares, Shawnees, Seminoles, and Cherokees.

scholarship money,” she said.

The focus of his legal work was helping tribes to preserve, to gain com“We are hopeful that in the future we will have applicants that want to

pensation, or to minimize the loss of land throughout the Allotment Period

further

their education in the legal field and assist in moving our tribe for(1889-1906). Later, he helped organize the Keetoowah Government during

ward,” concluded Holland.

Marilyn Craig, Museum Marketing Coordinator

Happenings at the John Hair Cultural Center and Keetoowah Museum

Sew and Sew

The final series of classes in Getting Back to Basics will be Sewing. With previous classes, participants learned about hand stitching and quilting. This series will focus on machine sewing. Participants will learn how to operate the machine, make different stitches, and will be making an apron as a class project.

Keetoowah Tradition Keeper Betty Holcomb will be teaching the sewing classes. Betty teaches a lot of traditional classes, including preserving and canning food and making Kanuchi balls, but she says sewing is her favorite thing to do. This series of classes will be held September 20, October 18 and November 15. The cost of the series is $75. For more information, contact Barbara Girty Foster at 918-871-2794.

Keetoowah Museum Celebration Activities

The John Hair Cultural Center and Keetoowah Museum will host a Quilt

Show, and a Bogo Earring sale - buy one, get the second one at half price on

October 4. Celebration Shirts will only be sold at the Keetoowah Museum on

Saturday, October 4, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Quilt Raffle - Some lucky person will win a quilt during the 75th Annual

Keetoowah Celebration. As part of the show promotion, museum staff will

sell chances on a beautiful pink and green floral star quilt. The chances are

$3 for one ticket, $5 for two tickets, or $10 for five tickets.

The Keetoowah Museum gift shop will begin selling the tickets on August

4 and sales will end at 3 pm on Celebration Day. The quilt will be raffled off

at 4 pm on October 4 and you do not have to be to be present to win. For

more information, contact Kyndal at 918-871-2763.

For more information about these events and activities, call us at 918871-2866 or send a message through Facebook at John Hair Cultural Center

and Keetoowah Museum.

SEPTEMBER 2025

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

TAKE ACTION NOW !

Defend UKB Rights!

PROTECT OUR RIGHTS, LAND AND FUTURE

A secret provision drafted by Senator Markwayne Mullin, coordinated by the

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma (CNO), threatens to strip the UKB of trust land rights

and future economic development opportunities. This is a direct attack on our

sovereignty, our identity, and our treaty-protected relationship with the United States.

UKB Affirmation of Rights is clear:

Congress’ Confirmation of Rights: Keetoowah Status Act – 1946.

Courts Confirmation of Rights: The U.S. Court of Appeals

upheld UKB trust land rights. The Supreme Court left that

decision intact. Cherokee Nation v. Bernhardt, 946 F.3d 1222

(10th Cir. 2019), cert denied.

Executive Branch Confirmation of Rights: In 2025, the

Department of the Interior reaffirmed that the UKB and the CNO

share equal rights over the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation.

SEND CONGRESS A MESSAGE NOW!

Raise your voice and protect our treaty rights.

It only takes a minute. Scan the QR code or visit

ukb-nsn.gov/DefendUKBRights to demand your

representatives defend UKB rights.

UNITED KEETOOWAH BAND of

CHEROKEE INDIANS in OKLAHOMA

UKB-NSN.GOV/DEFENDUKBRIGHTS

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2025

Center for Native Health to unveil community kiln in the fall

we were starting the kiln, Trey was there as well, and Levi did a prayer to the

beginning of the kiln, and we had a hawk that just flew over us. So, that was

CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Center for Native Health (CNH), in collaboration with the Ray Kinsland Leadership Institute and with support from South super special because then Levi explained what the hawk means.”

“I am from a different culture, too, so I bring my Brazilian point of view

Arts, Cherokee Preservation Foundation, and East Fork Pottery, is in the home

and my stories, and we are all sharing our different ways of doing. But at the

stretch of a community kiln build in Tsisqwohi (Birdtown).

Trey Adcock, executive director of CNH, said the idea of for the kiln came same time, I have so many commonalities as well, like clay. Clay is a good

from two award-winning potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians way to create and shape and build. We build things, but we also build community. It’s been very special and I’m very happy that I got to join it,” Der(EBCI), Tara McCoy and Levi West, “This project is driven by Tara and Levi’s

vision and dream, and we are blessed to be part of helping that come to frui- oualle said.

Bonnie Claxton, CNH deputy director, spoke to the health and wellness

tion,” he said.

aspect

of the kiln. “One of the exciting things about this project is that each

Louise Deroualle, a lecturer of art from the University of North Carolina

at Asheville (UNCA), along with Matt West, a former lecturer and studio tech firing will be a community event. With a big wood kiln like this, you need

lots of work to fill it up, lots of wood split, and lots of people to feed wood

from UNCA, worked closely with McCoy and West on the kiln build.

to the kiln consistently for 6-12 hours. At The Center for Native Health, we

“We had quite a diverse group for our size. Several tribal members, two

know that culture is health, and being in community is health. So, every time

non-members, one from another hemisphere. I probably asked Levi and

others too many questions but undeniably learned so much about Cherokee – this kiln is fired will be a physical act of individual and community health for

everyone involved, an example of healing through culture that makes our

the region and the people – past and present,” West said.

Native communities so resilient.”

Deroualle added, “Levi and Kilyne [Oocumma] have been great in just

The group is anticipating the first community firing of the kiln in early

educating and telling a little bit of the story how did clay happen and the

fall,

with a celebratory community event accompanying the fire. The One

mud daubers, and the relationship with nature, too. A cool moment the day

Feather will provide an update with the details for the event.

BROOKLYN BROWN, One Feather Reporter

Levi West, Bonnie Claxton, and Matt West pose with the Center for Native Health community kiln build in Tsisqwohi (Birdtown).

(Photo by Kilyne Oocumma, CNH Digital Media Storyteller)

Levi West, Louise Deroualle, and Matt West work on the community kiln.

(Photo by Kilyne Oocumma, CNH Digital Media Storyteller)

SEPTEMBER 2025

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

GIDUWAH CHEROKEE NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2025

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