Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama

Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama
Total population
3,000+
Regions with significant populations
United States United States (Alabama Alabama)
Languages
English, Cherokee

The Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama (CTNEAL) is a state-recognized Native American tribe of about 3,000 members. The tribe is recognized by the State of Alabama, and has a representative on the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission and the Inter-Tribal Council of Alabama. It is one of nine state-recognized tribes.

It is not a federally recognized tribe. The federally recognized Cherokee Nation has disputed the validity of this and other state-recognized tribes claiming Cherokee descent.[1]

Government

CTNEAL has more than 3,000 enrolled members, most living in the state of Alabama and elsewhere.[2]

The tribe elects a Principal Chief, two Vice Chiefs and Tribal Commissioner, as well as representatives to a tribal Council. A Circle of Elders and a Warrior Society also contribute to leadership. Elections are held every three years.[2]

Establishment and name

The tribe was incorporated on December 11, 1980 as the Cherokees of Jackson County. As it grew in membership, it changed its name to the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama to reflect a larger geographic area.[2]

Tribal events

The tribe hosts two American Indian Festivals each year in Grant, Alabama which are open to the public.[2]

Membership criteria

The Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama requires all potential members to have verifiable Cherokee descent. The rolls are open to any person who can document Cherokee ancestry. It does not require a minimum blood quantum.[2]

In addition to verifiable, lineal descent from a Cherokee ancestor(s), CTNEAL also has a residency requirement for membership. CTNEAL requires that potential members meet at least one of three requirements;

Issues

The federally recognized Cherokee Nation opposes recognition of this and 200+ other self-identified "Cherokee" groups, believing them to be fraudulent and without historic basis or true cultural continuity. (They maintain a list of groups which they oppose; most have no type of official recognition from any level of government.)[1]

CTNEAL considers its citizens to be what the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs defines as Category IV Cherokee descendants.[3] As members of a state-recognized tribe, CTNEAL individuals are eligible to participate in organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians. They can identify as Native Americans under the US Indian Arts and Crafts Act when selling crafts or art, but they are not eligible for other federal benefits.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "What is a real Indian Nation? What is a fake tribe?". Cherokee Nation. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "The Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama". State of Alabama Indian Affairs Commission. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  3. ↑