JOINT COUNCIL OF  

THE CHEROKEE NATION

 AND

 THE EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS

Resolution 1# 00-08

A RESOLUTION OPPOSING FABRICATED CHEROKEE "TRIBES" AND "INDIAN'S"

WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians since time immemorial have exercised the sovereign rights of self-government on behalf of the Cherokee people; and

WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are federally recognized Indian Nations with a historic and continual government to government relationship with the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Council unites the Legislative Branches of government of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, representing approximately 294,000 Cherokee people throughout the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, the two Cherokee Tribal governments share a common history prior to forced removal in 1838, and then separate histories to the present, yet our common language, culture, and traditions have made the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians distinct and unique Native people from other Indian Tribes and other people, as was declared by the Joint Council in Resolution No. 3-92, adopted on Augusl II, 1992 in Cherokee, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation has been aware of a growing number of non-Indian groups claiming to be Cherokee tribes or bands and that these groups have been organizing and attempting to gain federal recognition, this problem being acknowledged by the Joint Council in Resolution No. 008, adopted on October 3, 1988 in Cherokee, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, the Department of the Interior through the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Branch of Acknowledgment and Research maintains the responsibility for addressing specific applications for federal recognition and The Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians fully support the federal recognition process; and

WHEREAS, the history of the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is well documented and no other tribes or bands of Cherokee Indians exist aside from those already federally recognized, which includes the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation in Joint Council assembled in Resolution No. 4-96, adopted on October 4, 1996 have previously expressed opposition to the "state recognition" process by the State of Georgia or other states in the United States who may seek to recognize a group of 'Cherokee' that do not already have federal recognition;

WHEREAS, public funding by pseudo-Cherokee Tribes is of epidemic proportions and often involves membership fees; misleading presentations to school children and interference in a multitude of government functions including child welfare cases; and

WHEREAS, the sovereignty and reputation of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as well as members the general public continue to be in jeopardy due to the acts of individuals who organize and administer fabricated Cherokee tribes; and

WHEREAS, untold millions of federal dollars that are appropriated for the benefit of tribal people are being diverted from their intended purpose, including money distributed by federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Native Americans, the Department of Labor, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Joint Council of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians do hereby support the federal recognition process of the Department of the Interior as administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Acknowledgment and Research, and endorse the criteria used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as appropriate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians denounce the state or federal recognition of any further 'Cherokee' tribes or bands, aside from the those already federally recognized, and commit to exposing and assisting state and federal authorities in eradicating any group which attempts or claims to operate as a government of the Cherokee people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no public funding from any federal or state government should be expended on behalf of non-federally recognized 'Cherokee' tribes or bands or the individual members thereof; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians shall call for a full accounting of all federal monies given to state recognized, unrecognized or 501(c)(3) charitable organizations that claim any Cherokee affiliation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the federal and state governments should stringently apply a federal definition of "Indian" that includes only citizens of federally recognized Indian tribes, to prevent non-Indians from selling membership in 'Cherokee' tribes for the purpose of exploiting the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no 501(c)(3) organization, state recognized or unrecognized groups shall be acknowledged as Cherokee,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any individual who is not a member of a federally recognized Cherokee tribe, in academia or otherwise, is hereby discouraged from claiming to speak as a Cherokee, or on behalf of Cherokee citizens, or using claims of Cherokee heritage to advance his or her career or credentials.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall be the policy of the Joint Council of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the Councils of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians at the Joint Council Meeting held in Catoosa, Oklahoma on April 9, 2008, having joint council members present, constituting a quorum, by the vote of ___yea; ____nay; abstaining.

Meredith A. Frailey

Speaker

Council of the Cherokee Nation

ATTEST

Mike Parker

Chairman of the Tribal Council

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Approved and signed by the Principal Chiefs this 9th day of April, 2008.

Chadwick Smith

Principal Chief

Cherokee Nation

Michell Hicks

Principal Chief

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

http://taskforce.cherokee.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=y%2bJcRrV4oDc%3d&tabid=106&mid=2118 [PDF Document]