Cherokee Nation by Rebecca

Writing

ROOM 13

CHEROKEE NATION

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By Rebecca

INTRODUCTION

The Cherokee Nation are Native American people. It is the largest Cherokee federally recognised Tribe in the United States. It was established in the 20th century. Some tribe members descended from the old Cherokee nation, who had relocated from the Southeast.

History

During 1898-1906, the US government dissipated the former Cherokee Nation governmental and civic establishments, in order to make space for the Indian Territory in the new state of Oklahoma. Between 1906 and 1938, the tribal government was not determined.

Modern Cherokee Nation

In the 1930’s, Franklin Roosevelt administration worked towards improving conditions by supporting the Indian Reorganization Act, which led to other tribes to reestablish their governments. On the 8th of August, 1938, the Cherokee Nation held a general convention in Fairfield, Oklahoma to elect a chief of their tribe. The Cherokee Nation elected J.B Milam as leading chief.

American Indian Wars

The American Indian Wars, were multiple armed conflicts between European Colonists and Governments, and later American settlers, the United States Government or people of North America. The wars started in 1622 and ended in 1924. The wars occurred across the North American continent. Causes of the Wars were land ownership and resources. Years between 1789 and 1891, the US census estimated 25,000 European men, women and children and over 39,000 Indians. This heavily impacted the population.

Cherokee Nation Song

The Cherokee Nation song was written by John Loudermilk. The Cherokee Nation song refers to the five civilized tribes, including Cherokee, that were chased off their land onto the Trail of Tears. The lyrics in the Cherokee Nation Song have depth and meaning, as such the second line of the first verse “put us on this reservation” showed how the Cherokee tribe was forced to move onto the Trail of Tears. On the first line of the second verse, “took away our native tongue” refers to how the Europeans taught all of the children english instead of the Native American Indian language, as well as the line “and taught their English to our young.” In the second verse, the third and fourth line “and the beads we made by hand, are nowadays made in Japan,” talks about how everything nowadays is commercialised and made in countries like Japan or China. The third refers to how the Europeans took the whole Indian Nation and forced the Cherokee people to move to the Trail of tears, in other words, the reservation. The lines in the third verse “They took the whole Indian Nation, Locked us on this reservation, Though I wear a shirt and tie, I’m still part redman deep inside.” The last lines regard to how the Cherokee people were like Europeanised, to talk like the Europeans, dress like the Europeans and even act like the Europeans. The “I’m still a redman inside” means that no matter how the Cherokee may be forced to act, they will always be part of their culture and heritage. The last verse of the Cherokee Nation Song, “But maybe someday when we’ve learned, Cherokee Nation will return, Will return, Will return, Will return, Will return.” This indicates that the artist who wrote the song, John Loudermilk, thinks that in time, the Cherokee Nation will develop into the proud culture it used to be.

Personally, I think that the Cherokee Nation has been mistreated over the centuries by other cultures and tribes. The song, Cherokee Nation, has a strong message about the mistreatment of the Cherokee Nation. The lyrics that John Loudermilk wrote gave a strong sense of purpose and meaning.