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| "The Great Hill shall belong to the Cherokee throughout time" |
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We are citizens of the Great Hill located in
Henderson, Kentucky. Since our conception as The Treaty Party in 1835, we've been
a nation of mixed bloods. We're however no less Cherokee than our Tahlequah
brothers in the West or our Qualla brothers in the East. We further proclaim
our rightful freedom, celebrate our independence and maintain our sovereignty guaranteed by a viable treaty ratified in 1866.
Brief history ... In 1862, Stand Watie was
elected principal chief of the Southern Cherokee Nation. After his death in
1871, our Nation fell into peril. Without the protection of Stand Watie, the
"mixed-blood" Southern Cherokee were brutally terrorized by the Pin Cherokee (an
opposing faction of "full-blood" Cherokee) that blamed us for the loss of
Cherokee land in Georgia. Although protection from the government was requested,
they stood by while our people were systematically burned out and murdered. The
Union Army wanted to help, but they just did not have the troops to protect us. The Pin Cherokee
eventually forced most the of mixed bloods out of Oklahoma. While some remained
in hiding, most others fled to the neighboring state of Arkansas. In an attempt
to save the Southern Cherokee from further decimation, Chief James Martin,
cousin to Stand Watie, gathered the mixed blood refugees and organized 75 wagons
at Fort Smith to form a wagon train. Some opted to stay behind, while many
departed with the wagons. Others chose to split off along the way for
destinations such as Tennessee Illinois and Missouri, but the majority pressed
onward to Kentucky with Chief James Martin. The Southern Cherokee Nation and
their constitutional government were thereby effectively reestablished in
Henderson, Kentucky. However, this tragic event left many of the southern
Cherokee scattered and forgotten to all but a few.
Once in Kentucky, the Southern Cherokee
reunited with their relatives who managed to evade the U.S. Army - while the
rest were forced to march on the Trail of Tears through western Kentucky in
1838. The Southern Cherokee stayed quietly to themselves for well over 100 years
for fear of being sent back to Indian Territory. They would still be concealed
from the public if it were not for pseudo groups calling themselves
Southern Cherokee. The Southern Cherokee of Kentucky remains the only sovereign
Nation. In 1893, we were officially welcomed to Kentucky and "Recognized as an
Indian tribe"
by Governor John Y. Brown. In 2006, Governor Ernie Fletcher paid
tribute to the Southern Cherokee Nation for its 114 years of existence
in Kentucky.
Please see our historical documents page, as it provides information in support of the foregoing statements.
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