The Arts and Crafts of the Cherokee Nation: Carrying on the Ancient Traditions

Located next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Western North Carolina sits the ancestral homelands of the Easter Band of the Cherokee Indians Nation. Known as the Qualla Boundary, these 57,000 acres are home to approximately 9,000 members of a proud, intelligent, and deeply spiritual people.

Once the largest of all southern tribes, with a population of approximately 25,000 people, the Great Cherokee Nation covered an estimated 135,000 square miles in North America, stretching from the Ohio River down to the state of Alabama. The centuries since then have been filled with both tragedy and triumph.

From an ancient heritage that reaches all the way back to 11,000 B.C.  to the first contact with European settlers to peaceful trade and devastating conflict to the Trail of Tears up to the integration of today’s modern cultures, the Cherokee people have used ingenuity, inventiveness, and resilience to survive.

An inspiring and thought-provoking part of their history is arts and crafts. For thousands of years, artisans from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribe have been creating masterpieces, and they’re still carrying on these traditions today. Visit the Qualla Boundary and you’ll find people practicing arts like pottery, basket-weaving, finger-weaving, carving, and beadwork.

Highlighting the Arts and Crafts of the Cherokee Nation

Cherokee Basket-Weaving

Made from scratch, artisans start with a limb or trunk of a tree and begin shaving it down to the strips used to form the baskets. Many popular baskets are made from white oak or honeysuckle, but the most sought-after – and the most hard to come by – are the baskets made from river cane. These baskets are so rare and expensive because they are extremely difficult and time consuming to make. Cherokee artists may travel over 100 miles just to get the materials to make them.

Pottery and Its Place in Cherokee Tradition

Pottery has been in the Cherokee history since time began. It was very utilitarian, being used for things like cooking and storing goods. Unlike painted western pottery, Cherokee pottery is simple and primitive but deeply meaningful. For example, there’s the famous wedding pitcher that you’ll see in images, photographs, and other representations of Cherokee life and culture. It was used in wedding ceremonies, where the groom would drink from one side and the bride from the other. When the wedding was over, they would smash the pot.

Or there is the Seven Clan pottery. The Cherokee Nation was divided into seven clans, and this particular piece of pottery was designed with a place for each one. The Seven Clan pot was used in a tribal council, where a leader from each clan would bring his own stem, and they would pass the pot around, smoking together from a common pipe.

Traditional Cherokee Masks

Masks were typically created for specific ceremonies. While they are beautiful pieces of art, they were meant to be used and played an important role as a ceremonial object. One mask, in particular, is called the Booger Mask. These were colorful masks that represented evil spirits or enemies of the Cherokee. They were made from wood – or even hornet nests – and were originally made to be used in the Booger Dance, a winter celebration to ward off evil spirits from disrupting the upcoming growing season.

Cherokee Beadwork and Jewelry

Cherokee Nation bead workers would traditionally use all natural materials – like dried berries, corn, and teeth, bones, and claws of wild animals – to create beaded clothing and decorative accessories. Trade with coastal tribes sometimes provided access to colorful sea shells as well.

Historically, the colorful patterns held significant meaning for the tribes in which they were created. Unfortunately, many of those old patterns have been lost to time as the Cherokee tribe has faced changes. Modern bead workers often infuse their own style and creativity to design patterns that hold personal meaning to them or reflect Cherokee stories and beliefs.

Where to Find and Learn About Cherokee Arts and Crafts

Qualla Arts and Crafts

Admire baskets that are lovingly crafted from hundreds of strands of river cane. Marvel at Bird Clan masks carved in buckeye. Talk with the artist who handcrafted pottery made from local clay. Founded in 1946, Qualla Arts and Crafts is the oldest Native American Cooperative. You’ll hear the stories and witness the artistry of over 350 generational artists who are keeping the Cherokee heritage alive with stunning artwork and handicrafts. But even beyond this airy and awe-inspiring artist’s space, the co-op members and master craftspeople are working to be good stewards of the land and the products they use. Working with the University of Tennessee, they have helped to establish blight-resistant butternut trees, used as wood for Cherokee flutes and carvings as well as natural dye and nuts used in traditional recipes.

Medicine Man Crafts

Located in Cherokee, NC near the Museum of the Cherokee Indian,

Medicine Man Crafts is one of the oldest and most prestigious purveyors of authentic Cherokee crafts on the Qualla Boundary. Founded by Tom Underwood in 1963, and later sold to Kay Sharpe, this business carries on the great legacy of true Cherokee culture. Highlighting beautiful pottery creations from artists like Amanda Swimmer and John Wilnoty as well as hand woven baskets by Rowena Bradley.

Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Museum

You can find a lot of fascinating information about Cherokee crafts at our very own Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Museum. This summer and fall we are hosting a Cherokee Heritage series among several upcoming events at the Meadowlark.

The first is on August 6 when we launch the series with Appalachian treasure, Davy Arch. Davy is a world-famous Cherokee tribal historian and award-winning craftsman of traditional Cherokee crafts, specifically masks and baskets—and beloved spokesman for the eastern Cherokee tribe.

A second event is on September 24 when iconic Cherokee artist Mary Bottchenbaugh will lead a workshop teaching participant how to make their own pair of traditional Cherokee leather moccasins. Enjoy a great day of learning and fellowship and leave with your own pair of hand-crafted moccasins –that YOU made! All materials including brain tanned deer hides, sinew thread, awls, and needles are included in price. A BBQ dinner and music with Mike Ogletree and friends will top off both events. Visit our website here for more details about these and other events.

Learn more about the arts and crafts of the Cherokee Nation in the Smoky Mountains on this episode of the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast. Host (and owner of the Meadowlark Motel), Joseph McElroy, talks with current owner of Medicine Man Crafts, Ed Sharpe about how he continues to highlight and champion these important traditions.