Museum of the Cherokee People

Books on the Boundary: 'The Art Thieves' by Andrea L. Rogers (Cherokee Nation)
2025-06-18 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Kentucky/Monticello) | Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719, United States
From the author of the Walter Award-winning ‘Man Made Monsters’ comes a YA novel that conjures our futures in startling life—the ones that we are headed towards, and the ones we can still work towards. It’s the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire … but people get by. But it’s about to get a whole lot worse. When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future—and telling her what is to come—she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice.

Andrea L. Rogers is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but currently lives in Arkansas. She graduated with an MFA from the Institute for American Indian Arts. Her literary horror and speculative fiction stories have been published in Waxwing, Yellow Medicine Review, The Santa Fe Literary Review, Transmotion, The Massachusetts Review and River Styx. Capstone published her children’s book ‘Mary and the Trail of Tears’ which was included on the best books of 2020 by both NPR and American Indians in Children’s Literature. Her essay “My Oklahoma History” appeared in ‘You Too? 25 Voices Share Their #METoo Stories’ from Inkyard Press. Her short story “The Ballad of Maggie Wilson” is included in ‘Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids,’ a MG short story Anthology from Heartdrum, an imprint of Harper Collins, released on February 9, 2021. Her picture book called ‘When We Gather,’ for HeartDrum was released May 7, 2024. It is a story about community and wild onion dinners.

Books on the Boundary is Museum of the Cherokee People’s book club dedicated to highlighting today’s best Native fiction, nonfiction, and more. Meetings are held in person in the Museum Store. Books on the Boundary is free of charge and open to all; registration is not required.

Opening at 10:30am
2025-06-12 08:30 - 10:30
MotCP will open at 10:30am after a morning staff meeting.

Cherokee History & Stories Workshop Series
2025-06-01 15:00 - 16:30, 2025-05-04 15:00 - 16:30, 2025-04-06 15:00 - 16:30, 2025-03-02 15:00 - 16:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Kathi Littlejohn, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been telling Cherokee stories for more than 40 years at events, festivals, and schools. She has been leading Cherokee history tours for five years to historically and culturally significant places in Western North Carolina. She has produced four CDs of Cherokee stories: ‘Cherokee Legends,’ Volume I, II, and III and ‘Cherokee Stories of the Supernatural,’ available at select gift shops. She also completed a series of YouTube videos named “Cherokee History and Stories, “What Happened Here?”

Opening Reception - ᏗᏓᏂᏏᏍᎩ ᎦᏓᏆᏟ Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop
2025-05-29 17:00 - 19:00
Celebrate the opening of ᏗᏓᏂᏏᏍᎩ ᎦᏓᏆᏟ Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop at the Museum of the Cherokee People. Students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) will exhibit works they handcrafted throughout the winter during this intensive three-month workshop.
From 11am-4pm, shop for ceramic art and much more at an art market on the Museum lawn, with current and former Didanisisgi Gadagwatli students among the participating vendors.

At 5pm, get a first look at the works on view and mingle with the artists at the official Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop at the Museum of the Cherokee People opening reception.

Both the art market and opening reception are free with Museum admission. General admission to Museum of the Cherokee People is always free for enrolled members of federally-recognized Tribes and Museum members.

ᏓᏂᏏᏍᎩ ᎦᏓᏆᏟ Didanisisgi Gadagwatli Mud Dauber Pottery Art Market
2025-05-29 11:00 - 16:00
From 11am-4pm, shop for ceramic art and much more at an art market on the Museum lawn, with current and former students of the Didanisisgi Gadagwatli Mud Dauber Community Workshop at Museum of the Cherokee People among the participating vendors.

At 5pm, get a first look at the works on view and mingle with the artists at the official Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop at the Museum of the Cherokee People opening reception.

Admission to the art market and opening reception are free with a Museum ticket. General admission to Museum of the Cherokee People is always free for enrolled members of federally-recognized Tribes and Museum members.

Big Y Genealogy Workshop
2025-05-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Big Y Community Building
Join Museum of the Cherokee People Genealogist Robin Swayney (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) to learn about how to begin tracing your family’s personal history.

In a workshop crafted especially for the Big Y community, Robin will share techniques and tools for starting your own genealogical research.

This workshop is exclusively intended for members of Cherokee’s Big Y community—stay tuned for more workshops coming to your community!

To learn more about genealogy offerings at Museum of the Cherokee People, click here.

Immersive Cherokee Language with David Jumper (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
2025-04-09 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-04-02 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-03-31 17:00, 2025-03-26 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-03-24 17:00, 2025-03-19 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-03-17 17:00, 2025-03-12 17:00 - 18:30 and 3 more dates | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Led by David Jumper (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), this new biweekly series is an intensive (not excelled, or advanced level) workshop that empowers participants to use language as much as possible during class through call and response, partner and group work, and questions and answers.

Topics will include everyday activities that apply to everyone, and a general outline for class will be provided. All ages and “levels” of learners are welcome, and registration is not required.

Biweekly, 5pm-6:30pm:
Week 1: March 3 & 5
Week 2: March 10 & 12
Week 3: March 17 & 19
Week 4: March 24 & 26
Week 5: March 31 & April 2
Week 6: April 7 & 9

Meet the instructor:

ᏏᏲ! ᏕᏫᏗ ᏗᎳᏔᏕᎩ ᏓᏆᏙᎠ. ᏅᎩᏍᎪᏦ ᎢᏯᏆᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᏃᎴ ᏩᏲᎯ ᏛᎩᎶᏒ. ᎠᏤ ᎩᏚᏩ ᏗᏙᎴᏆᏍᏗ ᏓᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰ ᏃᎴ ᏔᎵᏁ ᎠᏂᏯᎠ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏕᎦᏕᏲᎲᏍᎪ. ᎭᏅ ᏣᏆᎴᏅᎲ ᎦᎶᏂ ᎧᎸ 2010 ᏥᎨᏒ. ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎤᏂᏴᏍᏗ ᏓᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᎩᎳ ᎠᎬᏱ ᏣᏆᎴᏅᎲ.

ᏴᏫᏯ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᏆᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᏃᎴ ᏗᏇᏲᏗ ᏗᎩᎸᏉᏗ. ᏂᎪᎯᎸ basketball ᎤᎾᏁᏦᏗᏍᏊ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎠᎩᏰᎸᎰ. ᎣᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᎾᏁᏦᎥᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᏧᏴᏨ ᎦᏯᎴᎾ “ᎠᏣ ᏚᎾᎳᏏᏕᎾ”! ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏓᏆᏚᎵᏍᎪ! ᎢᎬᏌ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᏥᎩ! ᏣᎳᎩ ᎯᏥᏬᏂᏍᎨᏍᏗ!

ᎩᎳ ᎠᎬᏱ ᏣᏆᎴᏅᎲ ᏗᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎤᏂᏴᏍᏗ ᏥᏓᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎸ. ᎤᏙᏓᏋᏓ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏃᎴ ᏧᏙᏓᏋᏓ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᏥᎨᏒ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏯᏂ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᏧᎾᏟᏃᎮᎸ ᎠᏆᏛᎦᏅ. ᏍᎩᏛ ᎤᎡᎸᏗ ᏴᏫᏯ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎤᎪᏗᏓ ᏣᏆᏙᎴᏋ. ᎠᏎᏃ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩ ᎨᏍᏗ ᏧᏐᏯ ᏱᏄᎾᏛᏁᎴ. ᎯᎠᏃ ᎣᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏐ ᏂᎦᏓ ᏱᎦᏚᎵ ᎢᎦᏙᎴᏆᏍᏗ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ, ᎠᏛᏓᏍᏙᏗ ᏃᎴ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ. ᎣᏍᏓ ᎨᎰ ᎢᏥᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏥᎪᎵᏰᏗ ᏱᏥᏏᎾ ᎠᏎᏃ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ, ᏐᎢ ᏕᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ, ᎢᎦᏛᏓᏍᏙᏗ ᏃᎴ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᏧᏙᏓᏋᏓ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ!

Hello! My name is David Jumper. I’m 43 years old and I come from the Wolftown community. I work at The Atse Kituwah Academy, and I teach second grade Cherokee language arts. I started there in August 2010. When I first started, I worked in the 2-year-old classroom.

I love learning and teaching the Cherokee language. I always like watching basketball games. The North Carolina Tarheels are the best! I want all Cherokees to learn the Cherokee language! It belongs to only us! Everyone speak Cherokee!

My first few years working at the Academy I was placed in classrooms with at least 2 fluent speakers where I could hear them converse with each other in the language. This is where I excelled the most in my language journey. Although not everyone is as fortunate as I have been. I feel that this is the best way to learn, listening and practicing speaking. Reading and writing are good ways to memorize language but our language, just as any other language, must be heard and spoken as much as possible EVERY DAY!

Museum Closed - Winter Hours
2025-03-03, 2025-02-24, 2025-02-17 | Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719, United States
Through winter, Museum of the Cherokee People and the Museum Store will be closed on Mondays. MotCP’s administrative offices remain open.

CANCELLED: Beginner Cherokee Language Series with Landon French (EBCI)
2025-02-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Beginning January 13, educator Landon French (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) will lead biweekly Cherokee language lessons for beginners at Museum of the Cherokee People. This offering is free of charge and open to all. Participants are encouraged to attend each session, but drop-ins are welcome.
Meet the instructor:
ᏏᏲ,
ᎦᎸᏥ ᏓᏆᏙᎠ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎬᏗ ᏃᎴ ᎴᏂᏓᎾ ᎦᎸᏥ ᏳᏁᎦ ᎬᏗ. ᎡᎳᏬᏗ ᎨᎯ. ᎠᏤ ᎩᏚᏩ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᏓᎩᎷᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰ ᏃᎴ ᎠᎬᏱ ᎠᏂᏯᎠ ᏕᎦᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩ. ᏚᏳᎪᏛᎢ ᏃᎴ ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩᎩ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᏗ ᏥᏍᏆᏛ.
Siyo,
My Cherokee name is Galvtsi and english name is Landon French. I live in Yellowhill. I work at New Kituwah Academy and I am the first grade teacher. I am also a graduate of Right Path and Kituwah Ways.
Schedule:
Week 1: January 13 & 15, 5pm-6:30pm
Week 2: January 20 & 22, 5pm-6:30pm
Week 3: January 27 & 29, 5pm-6:30pm
Week 4: February 3 & 5, 5pm-6:30pm
Week 5: February 10 & 12, 5pm-6:30pm
Week 6: February 17 & 19, 5pm-6:30pm

Museum & Store Closed
2025-02-19 09:00 - 2025-02-20 10:30
The Museum & Store will reopen on Thursday, February 20 at 10:30am.

Beginning Cherokee Language Series with Landon French (EBCI)
2025-02-17 17:00 - 18:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing

Finger Weaving Fridays
2025-02-14 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-02-14 08:00 - 17:00 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
Beginning February 14, Nola will offer instruction in the traditional Cherokee art form of finger weaving from 2pm-4:30pm on Fridays through the end of the month. Bring your own yarn, or choose materials from the Museum’s selection. Beginner and experienced finger weavers are invited to learn and practice their craft in community. This is a free offering open exclusively to enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other federally recognized Tribes.

'The Truth According to Ember' Book Discussion and Live Virtual Q&A with Author Danica Nava (Chickasaw Nation)
2025-02-12 17:30 - 19:00
From Danica Nava (Chickasaw Nation), the first traditionally published Native romance author, ‘The Truth According to Ember’ is a fresh, USA Today-bestselling rom-com that will get you in the Valentine’s spirit.

Books on the Boundary meets in the Museum Store on Wednesday, February 12 at 5:30pm to discuss the novel and enjoy a live, virtual Q&A with author Danica Nava (Chickasaw Nation).

Ember Lee Cardinal has not always been a liar—well, not for anything that counted at least. But her job search is not going well and when her resumé is rejected for the thirty-seventh time, she takes matters into her own hands. She gets “creative” listing her qualifications and answers the ethnicity question on applications with a lie—a half-lie, technically. No one wanted Native American Ember, but white Ember has just landed her dream accounting job on Park Avenue (Oklahoma City, that is).

Accountant Ember thrives in corporate life—and her love life seems to be looking up too: Danuwoa Colson, the IT guy and fellow Native who caught her eye on her first day, seems to actually be interested in her too. Despite her unease over the no-dating policy at work, they start to see each other secretly, which somehow makes it even hotter? But when they’re caught in a compromising position on a work trip, a scheming colleague blackmails Ember, threatening to expose their relationship. As the manipulation continues to grow, so do Ember’s lies. She must make the hard decision to either stay silent or finally tell the truth, which could cost her everything.

Danica Nava is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and works as an Executive Assistant in the tech industry. She has her MBA from USC Marshall School of Business. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and daughter. The Truth According to Ember is her debut novel. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @danica_nava.

The Truth According to Ember is available to purchase in the Museum Store.

Beginner Cherokee Language Series with Landon French (EBCI)
2025-02-12 17:00 - 18:30 | Museum of the Cherokee People – Education Wing
