The Cherokee Nation is a sovereign tribal government. Upon settling in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) after the Indian Removal Act, the Cherokee people established a new government in what is now the city of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A constitution was adopted on September 6, 1839, 68 years prior to Oklahoma’s statehood.
Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 450,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s reservation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma. Services provided include health and human services, education, employment, housing, economic and infrastructure development, environmental protection and more. With approximately 11,000 employees, Cherokee Nation and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma. The tribe had a more than $2.16 billion economic impact on the Oklahoma economy in fiscal year 2018.
MISSION:
The Cherokee Nation is committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting Cherokee culture, language and values, and improving the quality of life for the next seven generations of Cherokee Nation citizens.
The Cherokee Nation and the City of Tahlequah have announced a significant investment to construct a combined 4.4-mile pedestrian-friendly sidewalk along State Highway 62, starting across the street from the Cherokee Nation’s Durbin Feeling Language Center, passing the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, and past the Casey’s Convenience Store to the intersection near Walmart, creating a continuous pathway for pedestrians walking or cycling west of town.
Our Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program graduated six students recently during a special commencement ceremony at the Durbin Feeling Language Center. Congratulations to ᎠᎹᏰᏟ (Michael Fields) of Wauhillau, ᎤᎪᏌᏓ (Katera Grayson) of Gore, ᏲᎾ (Jacob Mankiller) of Rocky Mountain, ᏓᎳᎳ (Michael McCoy) of Cookson, ᎠᏂᏥᏈᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᎤᏬᎭᎵ (Cherokee Smith) of Tahlequah, and ᏥᏴᏂᏍᏗ (Billie Jean Teehee) of Bell!
The Cherokee Nation is expanding its commitment to preserving traditional agriculture with the launch of Harvesting Our Heritage, a new initiative that will provide heirloom seeds to Community and Cultural Outreach-participating organizations across the country for community gardens and citizen distribution.
The Cherokee Nation recently celebrated an investment of up to $8 million each in strategic partnerships with Mercy in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the University of Oklahoma Health Stephenson Cancer Center in Tulsa. The contributions will support state-of-the-art cancer treatment centers, providing critical care closer to home for Cherokee Nation citizens and others being diagnosed or battling cancer in the region.
Since launching the Gadugi Corps volunteer program, the grassroots initiative has empowered Cherokee Nation citizens across the reservation and beyond to act in their communities and help give back to the tribe. Derived from the Cherokee value system, the word “Gadugi” emphasizes unity and working together.
