Located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, three hours west of Charlotte, and an hour and a half southeast of Gatlinburg, Cherokee, North Carolina is a hub for tourism and an area rooted deep in Cherokee history that goes back thousands of years.

Anglers set up folding chairs at the foot of the pristine Cherokee fishing spots stocked with trout by sunrise.Tours begin at Oconaluftee Village, a historic representation of a traditional Cherokee village where tourists learn the deep rooted history of the Cherokee tribe.

As spectators and dancers approach the Powwow fairgrounds, the intense drumming only grows louder. The busy event features rows of tents selling handmade Cherokee goods, a line of food trucks with various Cherokee delicacies and the main attraction, a large field filled with dancers sporting colorful outfits, ordained with personal ornaments.

What is unknown to most at this celebration of culture is the part that is in jeopardy.
Throughout most of their history, Cherokees spoke their native language. After a written version of the language was created in 1821 by the Cherokee scholar Sequoyah, most Cherokees adopted that as well.

“From what I understand, we have about 150 fluent speakers left,” John John Grant, a cultural specialist at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian said.

By the time the written language was created, much of the original Cherokee lands had vastly shrunk due to treaties with the United States and the large number of white settlers moving westward.

Despite the Cherokees' development of a constitution and a newspaper, the hopes to legitimize their government in the eyes of the United States were lost after the passing of The Indian Removal Act marking the beginning of the Trail of Tears.

The Cherokee people kept speaking and writing their language in the 20th century, but it began to fade, replaced by English. In an effort to assimilate Native Americans into western culture boarding schools were created, and speaking and writing in Cherokee were prohibited. Over time, the language began to fade away.

“English was the foreign thing,” said Bo Lossiah, the curriculum & instruction supervisor of the Kituwah Preservation Program, speaking on how the language was different 100 years ago.

The late afternoon sun was replaced by dark storm clouds above the Powwow, delaying the event. This didn’t bother anyone for very long, and as soon as the rain stopped and smokey mist began to rise off the surrounding mountains, the Powwow continued. Jingle, Traditional, Grass, and Fancy Dancing styles all carried on as they had for centuries.

The dancers moved rhythmically while the drummers provided the pulse. The Powwow paused again around 9:30 pm for roughly 23 minutes. Everyone at the Powwow stood in place, gazing at the sky admiring the fireworks as they exploded over the fairgrounds.

Located a mile from the celebration sits the Kituwah Preservation and Education Program’s Adult Cherokee Education Center. It is here where the Cherokee language continues to thrive through fluent speakers and others who are attempting to learn.

Lossiah says today, children in Cherokee schools learn in Cherokee as well as English, but there are not enough fluent speakers to go around, and most fluent speakers today are above the age of 60. While educating children is important, he says we must educate adults as well in order to have enough teachers in the future.

It is Thursday, August 3, and the education center is full of the rich sounds of the Cherokee language. Fluent speakers happily greet each other and converse freely at the Cherokee Speakers Gathering. Participants connect with each other and line up to get a plate of mashed potatoes, turkey and green beans.

“That event is more social, and learners are encouraged to attend and participate in demonstrations, discussions, and readings. Also, we eat,” said Lossiah.

After the meal, the real work began, in a room full of fluent Cherokee speakers, a list of English words are written on a board. It was up to these speakers to translate each one into Cherokee. One by one, the words are described and debated in Cherokee and English, until a verdict had been reached. The word is then enshrined into the language.

"I'll guide you, and I'll collect enough fluent speakers so you can learn," Lossiah said.

Down the long hallway of the adult education center each room is filled with adult students passionately practicing words and phrases through various activities.

“Not everyone can be accepted into the adult education program, because so much time is needed to learn the language, the school must provide funding to the students,” said Tohisgi Climbingbear, a second-year Cherokee teacher.

Climbingbear says that they receive many applicants and are unable to accept them all. But they are growing, he says, and since the program has opened, they have received more applicants each year.

“The future, it looks bright,” said Climbingbear.