Cherokee Cultural Weekend – September 12 & 13 at American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Cherokee Cultural Weekend Saturday, September 12 & Sunday, September 13 • American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Tribal citizens from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation will present cultural programs, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Cherokee War of 1776. Come for traditional Cherokee dance, crafts and storytelling programs, blowgun demonstrations, 18th-century living history and scholarly lectures. Keep scrolling for the full two day schedule!
Schedule at a glance
Saturday, Sept. 12
Cherokee Cultural Weekend – Saturday Approximate Time Location Description All Day Special Exhibition Gallery Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation
The VA250 Signature Exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence highlights Virginia’s leading role in the American Revolution and invites visitors to embark on a journey to uncover the civic stories and accomplishments of Virginia’s founders.11 a.m. Zadarlik-Sogoloff Theater “We Will Hold Our Lands”
Cherokee Nation citizen Brandon Dillard will present “We Will Hold Our Lands: Cherokee Independence and the American Revolution,” an overview of the 18th-century conflict in Cherokee Country.12 p.m. TowneBank Pavilion Storytelling
Come hear traditional Cherokee tales.1 p.m. Drill Field Cherokee Dance Demonstrations
Eastern Band Cherokee Dancers share the rich cultural heritage of their nation through dance demonstrations.1:30 p.m. Museum Galleries Guided Tour
Learn about the historical importance of the Cherokee leader Dragging Canoe (Tsiyu Gansini), whose resistance against the United States lasted nearly 20 years.2 p.m. TowneBank Pavilion Storytelling
Come hear traditional Cherokee tales.3 p.m. Drill Field Cherokee Dance Demonstrations
Eastern Band Cherokee Dancers share the rich cultural heritage of their nation through dance demonstrations.
Sunday, Sept. 13
Cherokee Cultural Weekend – Sunday Approximate Time Location Description All Day Special Exhibition Gallery Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation
The VA250 Signature Exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence highlights Virginia’s leading role in the American Revolution and invites visitors to embark on a journey to uncover the civic stories and accomplishments of Virginia’s founders.11 a.m. Zadarlik-Sogoloff Theater “My Thoughts and Heart are for War”
Join Travis Henline, curator of Indigenous History & Culture for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, as he examines the causes and consequences of the first war of the newly formed United States against an Indigenous nation.12 p.m. TowneBank Pavilion Storytelling
Come hear traditional Cherokee tales.1 p.m. Drill Field Cherokee Dance Demonstrations
Eastern Band Cherokee Dancers share the rich cultural heritage of their nation through dance demonstrations.1:30 p.m. Museum Galleries Guided Tour
Learn about the historical importance of the Cherokee leader Dragging Canoe (Tsiyu Gansini), whose resistance against the United States lasted nearly 20 years.2 p.m. TowneBank Pavilion Storytelling
Come hear traditional Cherokee tales.3 p.m. Drill Field Cherokee Dance Demonstrations
Eastern Band Cherokee Dancers share the rich cultural heritage of their nation through dance demonstrations.
Cultural Living History
From left to right: John Standingdeer, Jr., Matt Tooni and Kody Grant (Photo by Nina Wilder/Virginia Humanities)
John Standingdeer, Jr. presents 18th-century Cherokee living history as an elder and Cultural Ambassador for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Kody Grant (Pueblo of Isleta and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) is a tribal liaison for the University of Virginia and a cultural educator focusing on the lifeways and culture of historic Cherokee people. He helps connect people with modern American Indian communities and explores how their relationships with the United States have shaped their present-day experiences.
Matt Tooni, a citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will offer traditional Cherokee storytelling and demonstrate finger-weaving crafts. He teaches the Cherokee language at the New Kituwah Academy.
Lectures
Saturday, September 12 • “We Will Hold Our Lands”
Cherokee Nation citizen Brandon Dillard will present “We Will Hold Our Lands: Cherokee Independence and the American Revolution,” an overview of the 18th-century conflict in Cherokee Country. Dillard will encourage reflection on the Cherokee-American War and discuss “Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution,” an exhibit on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People.
Brandon Dillard, director of Historic Interpretation and Audience Engagement at Monticello, focuses on the practice and technique of public history, especially on the interpretation of slavery and Indigenous histories and perspectives.
An interdisciplinary scholar with degrees in philosophy and anthropology, Dillard is a Royster Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is pursuing a doctorate in American Studies.
Sunday September 13 • “My Thoughts and My Heart are for War”
Travis Henline, curator of Indigenous History & Culture for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, will present “My Thoughts and My Heart are for War: The Cherokee War of 1776,” examining the causes and consequences of the first war of the newly formed United States against an Indigenous nation.
MORE INFO
Ticket Adult Senior Youth
(ages 6 -12)Child
(age 5 & under)Daily General Admission – Jamestown Settlement $21 $19 $11 Free
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation offers free admission to residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg, including William & Mary students, with proof of residency. Free admission for local residents.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation offers free admission to those receiving food assistance (SNAP Benefits) through a partnership with Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums. The offer is valid for individuals and families through SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) and includes up to four visitors per EBT card. Learn more about Museums for All
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