Appalachian Cultural Resources Workshop Papers (The Role Of The Museum Of The Cherokee Indian And The Qualla Arts And Crafts Mutual) (2024)

NATIONAL PARK SERVICEAppalachian Cultural Resources Workshop Papers

Contemporary arts and crafts among the EasternCherokee include basketry, wood carving, stone carving, beadwork, andpottery. The history of these traditions can be traced to pre-Europeantimes, and these crafts have been passed on from generation togeneration. Today, several hundred Cherokees derive all or part of theirincome from craftwork. The Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual has done muchto promote and market the work of local craftsman. It is one of themost successful Indian owned and operated craft cooperatives in thecountry. The strength of a proud heritage combined with the demand forCherokee crafts nationwide will insure that the ancient traditions willbe continued for many generations among the Cherokee people.

MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN TO DAY

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian houses a vastcollection of archaeological and ethnographic materials, primarilydealing with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Today, approximatelyseven thousand Cherokee are living in western North Carolina. Themuseum is designed to maintain the native culture and language of thelocal community, as well as to provide an information center andlearning experience for the general public.

Collections

Archeological—most of the museum collectionsconsist of archaeological materials from the original Cherokeeterritory. The collections are donated to the museum, and in some casesthey are on loan. The museum does not purchase artifacts from anysource.

Exhibits

The museum's innovative displays and audio-visualexhibits that provide a unique opportunity to relive Cherokee historyand share the experiences of Cherokee culture. Cherokee oral traditionsis the subjects of the first displays in the museum. Sacred Cherokeemyths which survive today have been handed down from one generation tothe next. The visitor learns about the importance of the Sun inCherokee life and how, according to tradition, it was set a sevenhandbreadths above the earth at the beginning of time. The ancientsacred stories of the forming of the earth, the origin of the mountainsand valleys, the first fire, the origin of the Milky Way and the plantsand animals come alive with the aid of modern technology.

Programs

Outreach Service—the museum hasan outreach service that lectures to school groups and otherorganizations upon request. This program is limited only to a onehundred-mile radius.

Special Events

Annual Cherokee Heritage Art Show—this art showfeatures work by various artists, including many Cherokee artists, andall work is for sale. It is displayed in the museum galleries. Prizesare awarded in six categories and the show is on display from October 1through October 31.

Research Facilities

Archives—the archives includes fourteen hundredpublished volumes and collections of manuscripts, photographs, andmicrofilms. The archives is open to interested persons by appointmentonly.

Memberships

The annual museum membership fee of fifteen dollarsentitles members to free admission to the museum and to researchprivileges upon request. Members also receive one free issue of theJournal of Cherokee Studies.

Journal of Cherokee Studies

The journal is published annually and containsscholarly articles pertaining exclusively to the Cherokee Indian.

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN

The first Cherokee Museum was founded in 1948 as ameans of educating the public. A group of tribal leaders acquired an oldlog building at the intersection of U.S. Highway 41 and19. Local Indian and non-Indian residents donated the first artifactsand relics. Through the years, interest in the museum continued,promoted principally by Mr. Carol White and the Board of Trustees of theCherokee Historical Association. The establishment of the museum wasprompted by a growing awareness that the general public knew very littleabout Cherokee culture. Conditioned by the distortions of themedia—especially "westerns" as well as the "chiefs" that were beginning toappear in front of craftshops in the village—the visiting publictended to perceive the Cherokee in terms of war bonnets, tomahawks, andwigwams.

As the tribal leaders watched the burgeoningtourist-oriented business on the Reservation, they became determinedthat some means must be established by which the public would be able todevelop and awareness of, and appreciation for, the history, culture,and traditions of the Cherokee Indians. The museum became that means.From its modest beginnings in 1948, the Board of Directors established apriority goal: to depict the history, culture, and tradition of theCherokee Indians with integrity and authenticity. In 1952, the CherokeeHistorical Association was established and immediately acknowledgedthe development of the museum to be its primary objective. The museumacquired a Cherokee curator and lecturer, Mise Owle. For the nextsixteen years, he lectured the public on the little-known aspects ofCherokee culture: herbal medicine, Sequoyah and the Cherokee alphabet,and authentic cultural aspects such as clothing, food, farming, andrecreation. The museum received non-profit, tax-exempt status in 1970.In 1975 a new facility was constructed.

On August 17, 1992, the ground was broken to begin anexpansion project which will improve the services provided. The museumareas which will be enlarged are the giftshop, art gallery, framing department, andarea for general storage of artifacts. A new travelingexhibit/conference room will be added. Also, there are plans to includean outdoor pre-contact homestead exhibit which will have livedemonstrations when weather permits. The tentative completion date isset for June 1993.