Resolution passes for entities to refer to Cherokees by enrollment, affiliation

TAHLEQUAH - During a Jan. 27 culture committee meeting, legislators unanimously passed a resolution to request museums, media and other entities refer to living Cherokee artists by their tribal enrollment and/or affiliation.

The resolution came to pass when at-large Tribal Councilor Julia Coates said she was approached by Cherokee Nation artist America Meredith, publishing editor of “First American Art” magazine, about the distinction she adopted as a policy in her magazine.

“With many Cherokee people as there are today, we are still outnumbered by non-Cherokees who claim our identity,” Meredith said. “More than 200 non-recognized organizations claim to be Cherokee tribes and that number continues to grow. As a writer and editor, I try to be as accurate as possible with wording. ‘First American Art’ magazine adopted a policy of never listing a living person as only being ‘Cherokee’ and instead always listing their specific tribe or a shortened version, or ‘Cherokee descent,’ for people with documented ancestry; ‘self-identified Cherokee descent,’ for people who have no proven ancestry who make the claim; or simply not listing any claims of tribal affiliation.”

Learn more here.