Museum of the Cherokee People

Books on the Boundary: Firekeeper's Daughter
2026-04-15 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Kentucky/Monticello)
This event is free and all are welcome. Registration is not required.
With four starred reviews, Angeline Boulley’s debut novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community.
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.
Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.
Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.
Now, as the deceptions–and deaths–keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.

Sculpt Your Own Water Beetle with Karen Sixkiller (Cherokee Nation)
2026-04-23 15:00 - 17:00
Many of our oldest Cherokee stories feature small, humble creatures who accomplish the most important things! Learn a little more about the Grandmother Spider bringing fire and Water Beetle creating earth stories while we celebrate spiders and insects by learning how to sculpt your own.
All supplies provided. Space is limited. Registration is open to all aged 8 and up.
To Register:
Registration opens at 3pm EST Friday, April 10. Space is limited, and advance registration is required via online form.
A link will be posted to the Museum’s social media accounts and on motcp.org/community-learning.
Workshops fill quickly: if you are unable to complete the online registration form, the workshop is full. To be added to the waitlist, email dakota.brown@motcp.org with subject line “Waitlist: Beetle Workshop.” We encourage interested folks to set an alarm/reminder to sign up!

Artist Talk with Karen Sixkiller (Cherokee Nation)
2026-04-24 16:30 - 17:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Karen Sixkiller (Cherokee Nation) explores the aspects of magical realism and symbolism that combine her larger-than-life water beetle with the faceted geometric “mud” he perches on. Follow the technical journey of Karen Sixkiller’s simple clay maquette through the process of becoming a large bronze piece of public art.

Karen Sixkiller is a contemporary sculptor residing on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. Sixkiller creates sculptures using metal, ceramic, glass beads, leather/suede and fabric. As a Cherokee Nation citizen much of her work is informed by Native American understandings or stories. Cherokee Nation has purchased many of Karen Sixkiller’s ceramic and mixed media sculptural pieces for display in official buildings. She has permanent public art installations in Tahlequah OK, Olympia and Port Angeles WA, and now Asheville NC; as well as several temporary installations in Coeur d’Alene ID, Olympia WA and Lake Oswego OR. Her work has been featured at multiple Indigenous and non-Indigenous art shows.

Cherokee History & Stories
2026-05-04 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-06-01 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-06 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-08-03 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-09-07 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-10-05 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-11-02 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-12-07 17:00 - 18:00

Cherokee Language Workshop with Ogadudala
2026-05-04 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-06 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-11 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-13 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-18 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-20 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-25 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-27 17:00 - 18:00 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Every Monday and Wednesday in the month of May, come practice your Cherokee with Ogadudala, with Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP) graduates Dreyton Long, Madison Hye Long, Elvia Walkingstick, and Meshay Long and Dadiwonisi graduate Jack Cooper.No registration is required, and language workshops at MotCP are free of charge.

Big Cove to Boarding Schools: Educational Journeys of the Nick-Swayney-Bird Family
2026-05-07 16:30 - 18:00 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
David Armenti will share genealogical research about 11 ancestors from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian community, who attended either Hampton Institute’s “Indian School” (Virginia) or Carlisle Indian Industrial School (Pennsylvania). Nearly all of these individuals had multi-racial ancestry, which impacted their experiences and unique perspectives. Some ran away multiple times or endured unhealthy conditions at these off-reservation boarding schools, all saw their cultural identities evolve and took diverse paths after their time at Hampton or Carlisle. Presentation will include research supported by collections from the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center Collections, NARA, Hampton University Archives, Museum of the Cherokee People, and Ancestry.com.
David Armenti (EBCI) is the Vice President of Education & Engagement at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, where he has worked since 2013. David is a Baltimore City native, who received his B.A. in American History and American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree from Loyola University Maryland. Before joining MCHC, he served as a research archivist for the Maryland State Archives’ Legacy of Slavery Project. He specializes in using primary source collections to guide inquiry based learning on topics including African American history, Indigenous history, and the Revolutionary War era.
Image: Studio portrait of Bessie Nick, Chiltoski Nick, Minnie Nick, and Hattie Woodfin. C. 1897, Cumberland County Historical Society.

Opening Reception - Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop at the Museum of the Cherokee People
2026-06-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719, United States
McCoy developed her pottery workshop three years ago when she noticed a decline in practicing ceramic artists in the Cherokee community. Compelled to do her part in ensuring that there are future generations of Cherokee potters, she developed a three-month intensive workshop that invites aspiring potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other federally recognized tribes to learn all facets of Cherokee ceramics.

Museum Closed
2026-06-10

Museum Opening Late
2026-07-08 10:30 - 17:00
MotCP opens at 10:30am follow its quarterly all-staff meeting.

Listen, Lunch, & Learn: Cherokees in the American Revolution
2026-07-08 12:00 - 17:00 | https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8AOUkV2YSGWbPeD22FrMZg#/registration
On July 8 at 12pm, join First America podcast host Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation) and leading Native scholars for Museum of the Cherokee People’s virtual panel discussion Listen, Lunch & Learn: Cherokees in the American Revolution, moderated by Brandon Dillard (Cherokee Nation) of Monticello. This event is free and open to all via Zoom.
This summer, as our country celebrates the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, First America tells the true story of our country’s founding and how our current political moment is 250 years in the making.
Featured Panelists:

Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation), host, First America
Maggie Blackhawk (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe), New York University professor of law
Brandon Dillard (Cherokee Nation), Director of Historic Interpretation and Audience Engagement at Monticello
C. Joseph Genetin-Pilawa, Associate Professor of History, George Mason University

Click here to register.

The Way We See the World: Annual Indigenous Pop Culture Celebration
2026-08-07 17:30 - 20:30 | Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, 777 Casino Dr, Cherokee, NC, 28719, United States
Since 2022, MotCP’s annual The Way We event highlights Native pop culture and showcases timely perspectives for Cherokee people, primarily by Cherokee people. These community-centered events put Native self-representation in the spotlight and uplift creative work that explores identity through artistic expressions in film, music, visual art, and more.
Now in its fifth year, The Way We See the World is a free, community-centered event spotlighting Indigenous self-representation in the current media and cultural landscape. Presented by Museum of the Cherokee People, the Tribal museum of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, The Way We See the World offers a platform for Native artists who challenge stereotypes and share stories with heart, humor, and bold vision.
Event Schedule
5-6pm: VIP Reception
5:30pm: Doors Open, Art Market Opens
6pm: Welcome
6:15pm: Film Screenings
8pm: Comedian & Musician Zebadiah Nofire (Cherokee Nation)
How To Get Here:
The Way We See the World is in the Council Fire Ballroom of the Cherokee Hotel tower of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, NC above Selu Garden Cafe.
Free parking is available at the Cherokee Hotel self-park garage (749 Paint Town Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719).
Click Here for Video Directions to Council Fire Ballroom
Reserve Your Free Tickets

Books on the Boundary
2026-08-19 17:00 - 19:00 | Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719, United States
Museum of the Cherokee People’s reading circle continues its journey through the literary world of Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) literary world with our first double feature. This time, we’ll see how her stories and themes build from one book to the next by diving into both Warrior Girl Unearthed and Sisters in the Wind.

Whether you read one or both books, you’re welcome to join the conversation. We’re looking forward to another engaging discussion and seeing everyone there. Happy reading!
