United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians facts for kids
Flag of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
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Seal of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
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| Total population | |
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| 14,300 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Oklahoma) |
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| Languages | |
| English, Cherokee | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (Southern Baptist), Kituwah, Four Mothers Society |
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| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Cherokee tribes |
The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ or Anigiduwagi Aniyvwiya) is a Native American tribe. They are officially recognized by the United States government. Their main office is in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Most members of the United Keetoowah Band (UKB) are descendants of the "Old Settlers." These were Cherokee people who moved from the southeastern United States to what is now Arkansas and Oklahoma around 1817. This move happened before the United States government forced many other Cherokee people to move in the late 1830s. This forced move is known as the Trail of Tears.
Even though the UKB was not directly involved in the Trail of Tears, many of its members have family who made that difficult journey. Many UKB members follow traditional ways and are also Baptists.
Contents
How the Tribe is Governed
Today, the United Keetoowah Band has more than 14,300 members. About 13,300 of them live in Oklahoma. The tribe has a leader called the Chief, who is currently Joe Bunch.
The Assistant Chief is Jeff Wacoche. Joyce Fourkiller-Hawk is the tribal Secretary, and Sonja Ummerteskee Gourd is the Treasurer. These leaders serve for four years. The tribal council members are elected for two-year terms. Their elections happen at the same time as national elections in the United States.
How the Tribe Makes Money
The tribe runs several businesses to help its members and community. They own Keetoowah Construction in Tahlequah. They also have the Keetoowah Cherokee Treatment Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The tribe has an arts and crafts gallery where members can show and sell their artwork.
They also own and run the Keetoowah Cherokee Casino in Tahlequah. It has over 500 gaming machines. The UKB also creates its own special vehicle tags for its members. The tribe's businesses bring in about $267 million each year. They also host a yearly homecoming festival during the first weekend of October.
Where the Name "Keetoowah" Comes From
The word "Keetoowah" (Kituwa) comes from the name of an old Cherokee mother town. It was also a place with an ancient earthwork mound in the original Cherokee homeland. The Cherokee people also consider Kituwa to be their first name. The UKB's original land claims included parts of Alabama, the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. As the Cherokee moved west, the UKB's traditional lands also included Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
A Look at History
The UKB members are mainly descendants of the "Old Settlers." These were Cherokee people who moved to what is now Arkansas and Oklahoma around 1817. They were already settled there before the United States government forced most other Cherokee people to move. This forced move from the Southeast to Indian Territory happened in 1838 and is known as the Trail of Tears.
By the 1880s, the US government pressured all Cherokee people to become more like American society. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Cherokee children were sent to Indian boarding schools. They were far from home and were expected to speak only English. They were often not allowed to speak their own languages. They were also expected to become Christians instead of practicing their native spiritual beliefs.
The US government also took control of Cherokee and other Native American governments and public places. This happened through laws like the 1898 Curtis Act and the Dawes Act. These laws broke up the tribes' shared lands. They gave small plots of land to individual families. The idea was to make them farm like European-Americans.
Official Recognition by the Government
In 1906, the US government officially ended the government of the Cherokee Nation. This happened despite many members not wanting it. Only the office of the Principal Chief remained.
Before World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's government wanted to help Native American tribes become stronger. They encouraged tribes to restart their governments. Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934. Oklahoma passed its own law, the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act (OIWA), in 1936. These laws were part of the "Indian New Deal." They helped tribes reorganize their governments.
The UKB wrote and approved their own constitution and rules on October 3, 1950. The tribe was officially recognized by the federal government in 1950 under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act.
The Cherokee Language
The UKB has worked hard to keep the Cherokee language alive and teach it. In 2018, only 101 people in the UKB were fluent speakers. Most of these speakers were older people. In 2019, the three main Cherokee tribes said the language was in danger of disappearing. They asked for more programs to help bring it back.
UKB Membership
The United Keetoowah Band requires members to have at least one-quarter Cherokee blood. All members must show that their Cherokee family history can be traced back to someone on the Dawes Rolls or the UKB Base Roll of 1949.
In the past, the UKB sometimes made people honorary or associate members. This was to thank them for helping the tribe. Former President Bill Clinton is an example of an associate member. However, the tribe no longer does this. This is because some people tried to claim benefits by saying they had distant Cherokee or UKB family.
Legal Matters
Gaming Casinos
In recent times, many tribes have opened casinos on their lands. These casinos help tribes earn money for their communities.
The State of Oklahoma has sued the UKB in court. They say that some of the UKB's casinos are not on lands that are officially held in trust by the federal government for the tribe. The lawsuit is still ongoing.
Land Claims
The UKB has also sued the United States government. They want a share of money from a law that paid the Cherokee Nation and two other tribes for land claims. This law set aside a small part of the money for other tribes who also had claims. The UKB filed a lawsuit.
In June 2004, the UKB asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to officially hold 76 acres of land in trust for the tribe. This land includes several community centers and a sacred dance ground. In May 2011, the BIA finally agreed to hold this land in trust for the UKB. This means the tribe will no longer be without its own official land.
Famous UKB Members
- Robert J. Conley (born 1940), a historian and writer.
- Mel Cornshucker (born 1952), an artist who works with ceramics.
- David Cornsilk, a legal activist and family history expert.
- Cecil Dick (1915–1992), a painter and muralist.
- Franklin Gritts (1914–1996), a painter and teacher.
- Archie Sam (1914–1986), a traditional leader and historian.
- Virginia Stroud (born 1951), an artist and former Miss Indian America.
Education
In April 2019, the tribe officially recognized Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma as its own tribal college.
