National Museum of the American Indian celebrates Cherokee tribes

Through Sunday, the National Museum of the American Indian in D.C. is celebrating the contributions of Cherokee tribes across the U.S. with Cherokee Days, which celebrates and highlights Cherokee culture.

Chuck Hoskin Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. He said that he hopes people who visit understand something important.

“That Cherokee culture is alive. This isn’t just some footnote in history,” Hoskin said.

Hoskin said he hopes non-Cherokee parents will bring their kids to the festival, so they can better understand and appreciate the tribe’s place in the modern world.

“If we gave a generation coming up that has a deeper appreciation of where we came from, we’re going to have a generation of leaders and every day people in the communities who understand that tribes still exist and have a right to exist,” Hoskin said.

Plenty of Cherokee culture will be featured, including traditional flute music, storytelling, weaponry, woodcarving, beadwork, traditional games, basket-weaving, pottery demonstrations, and music and dance performances.

And if you can’t make it to the Smithsonian, the museum will livestream the events.

Can’t join us in-person? Watch the webcast from home at https://t.co/BV9oeRdMD1 #CherokeeDays https://t.co/PuCaLyZnPk

— National Museum of the American Indian (@SmithsonianNMAI) March 31, 2023