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Cherokee Cultural Weekend
September 12 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Cherokee Cultural Weekend
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
September 12 & 13
Tribal citizens from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma will present cultural programs, September 12-13, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Cherokee War of 1776.
In conjunction with the “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation” exhibition, join us for traditional Cherokee dance, crafts and storytelling programs, blowgun demonstrations, 18th-century living history and scholarly lectures.
Gallery tours throughout the weekend will focus on the historical importance of the Cherokee leader Dragging Canoe (Tsiyu Gansini), whose resistance against the United States lasted nearly 20 years.
Tribal citizens from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation will present cultural programs, September 12-13, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Cherokee War of 1776.
In conjunction with the “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation” exhibition, join us for traditional Cherokee dance, crafts and storytelling programs, blowgun demonstrations, 18th-century living history and scholarly lectures.
Gallery tours throughout the weekend will focus on the historical importance of the Cherokee leader Dragging Canoe (Tsiyu Gansini), whose resistance against the United States lasted nearly 20 years.
Cultural Living History
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.
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. |
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.
Event is included in admission. Admission is free for James City County, York County and City of Williamsburg Residents as well as W&M Student with current student ID
