The Cherokee's way of survival and life

                As the original owners of the Tennessee Valley, the Cherokee Indians had a very developed culture; however, the Cherokee also were very dependent on the land and community surrounding them. The Cherokee depended upon the area they resided in because they survived being farmers, hunters, and gatherers. Traditionally, the men were in charge of hunting and fishing while the women were instructed to harvest, take care of the property, and the family. The Cherokee men were the only ones allowed to be chiefs centuries ago, along with having the only political power; the females made social decisions. By Cherokee custom, main villages had central plazas. At these central plazas, chiefs would hold meetings and redistributive feasts. Additionally, each family farm would have a special area just for the chiefs to sit at the annual harvest.

                Hunting was not a sport to the Cherokee Indians; it was a means of living. The chiefs would only hunt for the needs of their family. Since hunting was so important to the Cherokee, every part of the animal was used. The most important animal Cherokee could hunt was deer. The Cherokee also hunted turtles for food and used the turtle shells for rattles. Along with deer and turtles, Cherokee men hunted for other meats such as wild turkeys, small game, and fished in the river.

                The agricultural aspect of life was in the Cherokee women’s hands. The women were the landowners and in charge of the property and the farming. Cherokee women would make sure they planted enough crops to provide food for the next two years, in case of a crisis or unexpected event. Some of the crops that were harvested were corn, squash, beans, pumpkin, melons, sunflowers, tobacco, and others. The most important crop was corn. Extra supplies grown of corn were given to passing travelers through friendly territory. These travelers were understood to be needy; however, it was also understood that the corn was available with regards that it belonged to the chief through his charity. Women of the Cherokee also gathered berries, nuts, and fruit for their families to eat.

                Being one of the five largest Native American groups, the Cherokee had a very custom and traditional culture as the men were chiefs and women were landowners.

 References: 

Altman, Heidi M.

2006  Eastern Cherokee Fishing. Alabama: University of Alabama Press.

King, Duance H., ed.

1979  The Cherokee Indian Nation: A Troubled History. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.

Kottak, Conrad P.

2012  Mirror for Humanity: a Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. New York, McGraw-Hill.