Cherokee Nation is the sovereign government of the Cherokee people. We are the largest of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes and are based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. Our headquarters are located in the historic W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, with sub-offices and service sites throughout Cherokee Nation’s 14-county reservation area.
Originally located in the southeastern United States in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, the Cherokee Nation was forced to relocate to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in 1838 after gold was discovered in our homelands. The thousand-mile forced removal became known as the “Trail of Tears” and came at a cost of nearly 4,000 Cherokee lives through sickness and harsh travel conditions.
Today, Cherokee Nation is one of the largest employers in northeast Oklahoma and is the largest tribal nation in the country. As the governing body of the Cherokee people, the Cherokee Nation has the right to structure its own government and constitution; make and enforce its own laws; regulate business, land, environment, and wildlife; and impose taxes within the Cherokee Nation’s jurisdiction.
The Cherokee Nation also provides for the safety of its citizens, other residents and visitors through its law enforcement agency, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. The Marshal Service has jurisdiction throughout the tribe’s 14-county reservation and is cross-deputized with more than 90 federal, state, county and city law enforcement offices to provide seamless services to everyone in the area.
The Cherokee Nation government, like the United States government, consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The three branches are separate and distinct, providing a checks-and-balance system. The tribe‘s business arm, Cherokee Nation Businesses, operates a variety of businesses, including gaming and manufacturing, and combined with tribal government figures, employ about 11,000 people in northeast Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation’s total economic impact in Oklahoma in the fiscal year 2018 was $2.16 billion.
Anadisgoi is the official online newsroom of the Cherokee Nation. Updated daily, visitors can view the tribe’s latest news here.
The Cherokee National Holiday commemorates the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Constitution and the Act of Union reuniting Cherokees both East and West.
Cherokee culture encompasses our longstanding traditions of language, spirituality, food, storytelling and many forms of art, both practical and beautiful.
The Treasurer is authorized by Article X Section V of the Constitution to accept donations on behalf of the Cherokee Nation.
Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions section. Here you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions we receive about Cherokee Nation.
The Gadugi Portal empowers tribal citizens to stay engaged and connected.
Cherokee Nation history extends beyond written records with the first known European contact being DeSoto in 1540. Read more on the story of the Cherokees here.
These interactive maps are intended to give a general idea of where the Cherokee Nation’s boundaries and resources are located.
Cherokee Nation citizens that are listed by NamUS as missing or murdered persons.
Stay in touch with Cherokee Nation by subscribing to one of our newsletters. Sign up is easy and free!
Our procurement portal offers opportunities for individuals and businesses to bid on work needed by the Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses.
Public Notices
The Remember the Removal Bike Ride was started for Cherokee youth to retrace the Trail of Tears and get a glimpse of the hardships their ancestors faced.
