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Chad “Corntassel” Smith and Hastings Shade File for Principal and Deputy Chief.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Chad Smith and Hasting Shade formally filed today for the position of Principal Chief and Deputy Principal Chief. Smith said, “We have a dynamic and culturally based team. That team includes my wife Bobbie Gail Smith, a full blood bilingual Cherokee from Stilwell who was a former Miss Cherokee, Hastings Shade, a full blood bilingual Cherokee and his wife Loretta Shade who is 7/16 degree bilingual Cherokee teacher from Hulbert who has taught in many rural Cherokee schools.”

Chad Smith is a Cherokee attorney, sovereignty advocate, historian and recognized Cherokee constitutional law expert who has been chosen as a delegate to the Cherokee Nation Constitutional Convention. Smith taught Cherokee history and Indian law at Dartmouth College, Northeastern State University and Rogers University. He has published numerous articles and books on Cherokee history and law, appeared in National Geographic, PBS “How the West was Lost”; LIFETIME and New Attitudes.” As a lawyer he has defended Cherokee sovereignty and Indian rights in tribal, state and federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court. He has brought cases including hunting and fishing rights; protection of Indian children, tribal territorial sovereignty, and Indian school rights. He presently has pending a federal civil rights case to confirm the status of the Cherokee Nation Courthouse as Indian country. He has written the laws for the Cherokee Nation and organized the District Court of the Cherokee Nation.

In addition to Smith’s law degree he has a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor Degree in Education. Smith designed a Masters degree program for tribal management. He is 1/2 Cherokee and his Cherokee name is Corntassel. Smith participates in traditional cultural activities. Smith’s great grand father, Redbird Smith, was a Cherokee advocate who resisted dissolution of the Cherokee government in 1906, and was jailed for refusing to take an allotment. Redbird Smith reestablished the traditional Cherokee religion.

Smith says, “The conflict and controversy of the Cherokee nation today is that the government has failed to abide by a law that is so sacred it is unwritten and that is to put the people first. It has become a self-serving institution. We will turn that around and make the Cherokee Nation serve the people.” - Smith has been a lawyer in the Cherokee Nation controversies advocating adhering to constitutional principles. Presently Smith represents Pat Ragsdale and Paula Holder.

Hastings Shade has served the Cherokee Nation for more than 28 years as an administrator, manager, teacher, instructor, skilled craftsman, traditional artisan, and volunteer. Widely recognized for his work in cultural preservation, he was designated a “Living Treasure” in 1991 by Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller and the Cherokee Nation for his knowledge and skill in Cherokee language and culture.

During the past three years, Mr. Shade has worked with other volunteers to establish and run Youth Elder camps in which elders spend a weekend camping with children and teaching Cherokee practices, skills,language, music and sports. Hastings has authored several books of Cherokee stories and lore, taught Cherokee, and lectured on Cherokee culture to more than 36,000 youth. Shade, has years of experience in tribal community development and administration of housing programs during his past employment with the Cherokee Nation and the CN Housing Authority.

Shade resigned his position as Cherokee language teacher at the Sequoyah High School on January 1, 1999 to run full time for Deputy Chief. Hastings attended Northeastern State University for two years majoring in Industrial Technology and with an Elementary Education/Indian Studies Minor. He earned his Institute of Cherokee Literacy Cherokee Nation Certificate.

Hastings is a highly respected elder who is well known throughout Cherokee Nation for his thoughtful and kind efforts on behalf of others. Smith said, “Hastings has the native diplomacy necessary to bring the opposing factions of the Council together and concentrate on the work at hand.”