Journal Entry of a Cherokee Indian

Journal Entry of a Cherokee Indian

Victoria Murray

Eth/125 Cultural Diversity

March 25, 2012

Kelly Hyman

Journal Entry of a Cherokee Indian

My name is Sonia and I am a member of the Cherokee tribe. My ancestors and I have lived in the Western Carolinas for many years. We have lived in this area prior to, and since the European Colonization of America. Many of my ancestors moved to Oklahoma, it was a forced move and they had no choice in the matter. Lucky for me, I somehow remained in the Western Carolina area. Some of my family members had a way of hiding out and staying back so they would not have to relocate.

We at one time feared the White man. I recall when the European settlers migrated to America in the 16th century. We already had our own culture and way of doing things for our people. Even though we had our own way of doing things, we quickly adapted and picked up some of the colonists customs. One example of this is weaving. My great-grandmother was a remarkable woman and she loved to weave colorful blankets for the women who were expecting babies. Today, my tribe has learned how to use a sewing machine. Of course, I still like to weave, but the reason I choose to sew is because it is a lot less time consuming. Every once in a while I will weave because it reminds me of the background I have. It takes me back to my roots and heritage. I also from time to time enjoy molding dishes from clay. Back in the 1800’s my ancestors used clay to make dishes to eat and drink from.

The Cherokee Tribe takes great pride in their land. We use our land to plant crops that feeds our families. Some of the crops that we plant are corn, potatoes and beans. My people would hunt, fish, and plant crops to survive. My great-grandfather would hunt with a bow and arrow he hand made to kill deer that we would eat for dinner. When my great-grandfather would go on his hunting trips, my great-grandmother would do the daily chores that needed to get done such as washing...