TRIBAL INFORMATION

ECHOTA CHEROKEE TRIBE OF ALABAMA WOLF CLAN

Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama

P. O. Box 830

Vinemont, AL 35179

(256) 734-7337

The Official

TRIBAL WEBSITES

www.echotacherokeetribe.homestead.com

Echota Tribal Leaders

Principal Chief

Charlotte Hallmark

Tribal Chairman

John Berryhill

Recording Secretary

Belinda Finn

Treasure

Pat Weeks

Membership Secretary

Rhonda Robbins

Tribal Council

Nancy Barron

Bobby Borden

Linda Smith

Charles Scott

CLAN CHIEFS

Deer Clan - Lucky Bates

Bird Clan - Almon Gann

Bear Clan - Ed Elliott

Blue Clan - Millard Shelton

Long Hair Clan - Rick Mosley

Wolf Clan - Wayne Rasco

Smoke Signal

The tribe puts out a newsletter, bi-monthly. If you would like to recieve a years subscription, you can write to the tribal office with an enclosed check or money order for the amount of $15. The address is,

Echota Cherokee Tribe of AL

P. O. Box 830

Vinemont AL 35179

AIAC Scholarships Available

Applications for scholarships are now available from the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission. You may download an application from their website at: www.aiac.state.al.us or by calling them at

800-436-2902 in AL only.

Scholarship Opportunity

LOWES.com/scholarship

Free Health Insurance Program

All Kids the no-fee health insurance program for children under age 19. All Kids will help children who do not have health insurance coverage and who meet income requirements. To qualify a child must: be under age 19; be an AL resident; be a U.S. citizen, not covered under any other health insurance; for more information and applications call 1-888-373-5437. Applications are also available at: County Health Departments, Clinics, Schools, many Dr's offices and hospitals.

Vision Care For Low Income Families

Vision USA Open year-round: More than 40 million low income working people in the United States cannot afford the cost of routine eye care or health insurance that covers it. As income earners, they don't qualify for government aid and private health-care assistance. Now a year round program, VISION USA can help these people by providing basic eye health and vision care services free of charge to the many unisured low-income people and their families who have no other means of obtaining care. If any individual or a family is eligible, they will be matched with a volunteer Dr. of Optometry who will provide a comprehensive eye exam at no charge. The Dr's are donating their services and may be limited in some areas. Eyewear may also be provided at no cost or for a small fee/donation in some states.

Applications: Vision USA, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63141, 1-800-766-4466, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST, Monday - Friday

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ECHOTA CHEROKEE TRIBE OF ALABAMA

For the Cherokee the past has determined what the Tribe is today, and preserving that past and the education of our people is our primary goals.

GOALS OF THE ECHOTA CHEREOKEE TRIBE OF ALABAMA

To encourage and promote socioeconomic development aimed at tribal and individual self-sufficiency.
To support the preservation of traditional Cherokee culture, language, and values.
To imporve education and training opportunities for tribal members.
To seek improved health care for our people with particular emphasis on children and elders.
To encourage our people to deveolop, as individuals, their talents as craftsmen, dancers, artists, musicians, and writers.
To continuously strive to maintain the dignity of the American Indian by always treating others with the utmost respect and courtesy.

HISTORY OF THE TRIBE

The members of the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama are the descendants of the Cherokee people who escaped the infamous "Trail of Tears". Many of our ancestors hid out in the mountainous backswoods and lowlands of the Southeast. Some started on the long walk to the Indian Territory but fled from the group during the March. While others made the long walk and upon reaching the Indian Territory, which today is the state of Oklahoma, simpley walked back home to Alabama. The northeastern part of Alabama has always been home to the Cherokees. However, the Cherokees who were hiding scattered over almost all of the state. Today we have members in almost every county in Alabama and many states in the USA. Because of the mobibily of our people, we even have members in other countries.

Our ancestors hid but at a price to their pride and hertiage. In order to keep their families safe the Cherokee people kept a low profile in the community. As best they could they lived in regions close to each other. Most did not speak the Cherokee language nor teach it to their children for fear the children might use the language and be heard by the wrong people. Many of the children were not told that they were Cherokee also for fear the children would tell the wrong people that they were Cherokee. It was not legal for an American Indian to live in the state of Alabama until 1969 therefore the Cherokee people always lived with the fear the if someone found out their "secret" they could immediately be taken into custody and sent to live in the Indian Territory. Also everything they owned could be taken by the state and sold to others. This was a very scary time to be Cherokee and live in the state of Alabama.

The Cherokee people hiding in Alabama tried their best to assimilate into the white populace. Many of them claimed to be "Black Irish" or "Black Dutch" or "Black German" to explain why their skin was darker than most of the other European descendants. Luckly the census takers did not figure out that there was not a real ethnic group called Black Irish or Black Dutch or Black German the Cherokees ust made up the names to fit in with theEuropeans. During this time period most of the people were farmers and they worked outside in the sun thus many of the people had tanned skin, just not as tanned as the Cherokees. Many Cherokee people remember stories of their family members wearing straw hats and long sleeves in the summer so they would not get any darker than they already were.

In the 1970's a group of descendants of the Alabama Cherokees began gathering together. At these gatherings old stories or legends were told, crafts were demonstrated, and whose who still knew a few words of the Cherokee language shared it with the others. They struggled then as we all struggle today to preserve our history and culture. Everyone brought "covered dishes" to the gatherings and they enjoyed the pleasue of pot-louck dinners and the wonderful fellowship with others who shared the common hertiage bond. Many friendships were developed that are still going on today.

The group decided they wanted to become a more formalized group. At a meeting in Opelika, Alabama on March 16, 1980 the name of the group became "Echota". The group also chose the Phoenix as their symbol. They chose the Phoenix to symbolize that they were rising from the ashes of their ancestors' burned villages and hiding places to reclaim their Cherokee heritage.

To conform to the standards of today's world, corporation papers were filed and we became a legal, legitimate entity. By-Laws were written as well as a Mission Statement. A tribal newsletter, "The Smoke Signals", was started and it has grown from one page to ten pages.

The tribal members entered into a four year struggle to establish an Indian Affairs commission that would represent all the tribes in the state of Alabama. The goal was to "State Reccognition". This became a reality with the passage of the Davis-Strong Act in 1984. In the meantime the members were researching their genealogy, history, traditional dress, dances, games, crafts,and language. A dance team was formed and practiced relentlessly. Progress was slow and not without its trials and tribulations.