CHER-O-CREEK
INTRATRIBAL INDIANS, INC.
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
The Tribal Government is made up of an Executive Committee;
Principal Chief, Administrative Chief, and the Tribal Council which
consist of: Clan Chief, Vice Clan Chief, Medicine Man, Beloved Woman
and War Chief. Tribal Council members are elected by the tribal
members from the districts they serve, with the exception of the War
Chief who is elected by general membership. The Medicine Man and the
Beloved Woman are appointed by the Principle Chief.
Under the Tribal Customs, when a male reaches the age of 18 years
the ceremony to “bring him from boyhood to manhood” is performed on
his birthday. There is no formal ceremony to bring a female from
girlhood to womanhood and she can participate in the princess
contest from birth to time of marriage, under the tribal customs.
Each tribal member has a roll number and is issued a membership
card.
Cherokee Government
Even though the Cherokee empire was vast, it had a national
government that was effective and efficient. It was divided into a
peace or civil organization and a war organization. Each main town
maintained its own system of government on the local level patterned
after the national one.
The Chief was head of the nation in both a civil and a religious
capacity. He had two primary men who ruled with him, his Right Hand
Man and a Speaker, both of whom held seats beside him in the Council
House. The Right Hand Man, along with six other men, formed a group
of seven counselors to the chief.
Thus, the main government was composed of nine people. There were,
however, seven honored women who share in the government. Their
duties included deciding whether a war captive would be killed or
adopted into the tribe. Seven was very significant and sacred number
to the Cherokee people. In addition to the seven counselors and
seven women there were seven Cherokee clans, seven mother towns to
serve as clan headquarters, and a seven-sided council house with a
section of seats for representatives from each clan. The Council
house held approximately five hundred people and was off-limits to
all but designated officials.
Clan membership was inherited from one’s mother and retained for
life. Each person had a close relationship with four of the seven
clan: the mother’s clan (of which he was a member), the father’s
clan, the paternal grandfather’s clan, and the maternal
grandfather’s clan. A person was expected to marry into one of the
latter two of these four clans. Marriages took place in the council
house with a priest officiating.
In any single town all of the clans were represented, and all
members of any one clan considered themselves to be brothers and
sisters. Clan membership was indicated by the color of feathers one
wore.
The civil-peace government conducted the religious ceremonies of the
tribe and acted in both a judicial and legislative capacity, holding
court and making laws. Murder and inter-clan murder were both
punishable by death.
Seven Cherokee Clans
BIRD
PAINT
DEER
WOLF
LONG HAIR
WILD POTATO
BLUE
RAYMOND (DICK) HULL, CHIEF
P.O. BOX 717
DOTHAN, AL 36302
