"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokee Nation History Comes Alive During Tours

Catherine Foreman Gray, an interpretive guide with Cherokee Nation’s Cultural Tourism Department, pauses to answer questions on the grounds of the historic Cherokee Nation Capitol Building, which currently houses the tribe’s court system. Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism will offer free walking tours of the Capitol Square area as well as paid bus tours of Cherokee historic sites during this year’s Cherokee National Holiday held in Tahlequah over the Labor Day weekend.

Tahlequah, OK - The Cherokee National Holiday Is A Celebration Of The Signing Of The Cherokee Nation Constitution Of 1839 That Recognizes The Reformation Of The Cherokee Nation In Indian Territory

Much has happened in the past 170 years and today the annual Cherokee National Holiday brings thousands of family, friends and visitors together from around the world to the Cherokee Nation Capitol of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to celebrate Cherokee heritage and spirit over the Labor Day weekend, which will run September 4 – 7, 2009.

And this year history will come alive as the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism department presents never-before-offered holiday public bus and walking tours of the Cherokee Nation. Guests will experience close-up views of Cherokee life and times from the recently renovated Cherokee National Supreme Court Building museum to Oklahoma’s only remaining Civil War era antebellum home. The bus tours are $35 per person while the walking tours are free. Tickets are limited and can be purchased at http://www.CherokeeTourismOK.com or by calling 877-779-6977.

“This will be a first for guests to have the opportunity to participate in guided tours of our historical and cultural sites during the Cherokee National Holiday,” says David Stewart, CEO of Cherokee Nation Entertainment, which manages the Cherokee Nation’s Cultural Tourism Department.

The four-hour bus tours will begin at 9 am and 1 pm on Thursday, September 3 and Friday, September 4 and includes a complimentary traditional Cherokee lunch. These tours will feature highlights from the Cherokee History Tour, which is one of four all-new tours launched in January 2009 and includes the Cherokee Old Settler Tour, Civil War History Tour and Will Rogers History Tour.

On Saturday, September 5 walking tours will be offered every half-hour beginning and ending in at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism booth on Capitol Square. Tour groups will visit the Cherokee National Capitol, the Cherokee National Supreme Court Building and the Cherokee National Jail.

“The tours, coupled with other activities throughout the weekend, will provide a well-rounded Cherokee Nation experience for participants,” adds Stewart.

This year’s theme is elohi nusdidanv degadelaquasgesdi (Cherokee for: Learn From All That I Observe), which reflects the Cherokee Nation’s long held belief in education as a means to uplift individuals and their communities.

The festival covers many areas of Tahlequah, showcasing historical points of interest including Northeastern State University’s Seminary Hall, which was once the Cherokee Female Seminary and is a standing icon on the campus today. Nearby is the original Cherokee Female Seminary site that was the first institution of higher learning for women west of the Mississippi River. There’s also the Cherokee National Capitol building erected decades before Oklahoma statehood and today serves as the backdrop for the Principal Chief’s State of the Nation address delivered each Cherokee National Holiday.

The celebration also includes a parade, powwow, fireworks, music, food, children’s activities, cultural arts and crafts, an art show, songs performed in Cherokee language, native games competitions, softball tournaments, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. A traditional foods cook-off will allow visitors the chance to sample delicious Cherokee fare.

For information about the Cherokee National Holiday, call 918-453-5536 or visit http://holiday.cherokee.org. To purchase tour tickets, call 877-779-6977 or visit http://www.CherokeeTourismOK.com.