Travel NC With Kids

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee - Learn About Native American Life

José Demonstrating Shooting a Blow Gun at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

Marilyn Demonstrating Making Pottery at Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee © Katrena

The Oconaluftee Indian Village is located at 218 Drama Road in Cherokee and is adjacent to the Unto These Hills outdoor drama. The village is set up to replicate an Indian town in 1750 with areas featuring a guided tour, self-guided tour, theatrical production, educational sessions, and a walking trail. My family visited the village in August 2019.

Karen Demonstrating Finger Weaving at Indian Village © Katrena

Kim Demonstrating Bead Work in Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

Wood Carving at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

Wood Carving Demonstration in Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

Kayla Demonstrating Basket Weaving in Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

Kevin George Making Arrowheads at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

A guided tour offers participants the opportunity to see local artisans demonstrating skills that have been handed down for generations. Visitors can learn about finger weaving, beading, pottery, wood carving, basket weaving, and weaponry. Guides describe the process used to create each type of art and the supplies for creating finished products years ago compared to today.

Self-Guided Tour at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

Chipper Shares Memories of Cherokee Life at Indian Village © Katrena

Older Cherokee Home at Indian Village © Katrena

Rachel Educates Group Inside Council House at Oconaluftee © Katrena

Part of the tour is self-guided where visitors can learn about the housing, transportation, counsel house, trading, and more. Several local people are available in these areas to answer questions, and an educational session was offered inside the counsel house. Many of the changes over the years were a method of self-preservation. For example, Americans often automatically burned down the older style of Cherokee houses, so they began making their houses to more closely resemble the houses of American settlers. A self-guided nature trail highlights and names local plants.

Guide at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

This village is staffed by many people who grew up in Cherokee. Some have lived in the area all their lives while others moved away only to return to this beautiful mountainous region that celebrates Native Americans. As we traveled from one exhibit to the next, the guide would describe techniques used for each special type of skilled work, mentioning how the supplies have changed over the years. Some of the guides begin working at the village at a young age and go on to learn skills in acting and local artistry.

Seven Cherokee Tribes at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

One of the best parts of this village experience is being given the opportunity to ask questions. Each person working at the village had an interesting story! Most of them learned their artistic skills from an older relative.

Learn About Trading History of Cherokee Indigenous People in NC © Katrena

I particularly liked how many of the people in the village spoke of their personal histories when asked. One mentioned that her mother had been chosen to be the Beloved Woman, a great and rare honor in this culture. She spoke of how the Cherokee particularly value women within their culture.

Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee NC © Katrena

One artisan at the village has appeared on billboards and many advertisements for Cherokee while one demonstrator mentioned that his grandfather had been a chief. Another mentioned living in a house similar to the one on display when she lived with her grandparents many years ago.

Learn About Cherokee Life in 1700s and See Local Artisans at Indian Village © Katrena

A young staff member mentioned how her grandmother had been punished for practicing her culture and how she hesitated to teach the Cherokee language to her descendants for fear they might suffer as she had many years ago. She also mentioned that her grandfather met former President Obama when petitioning for the Cherokee people to be allowed to harvest certain plants only located in the Great Smokey Mountains National Forest.

War Demonstration at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

War Reenactment at Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

Combat Scene in Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee © Katrena

Visitors also have the opportunity to see actors, many from the Unto These Hills theatrical show, demonstrating either a fight scene or a prayerful dance giving thanks to the Creator. The show is alternated every other day. Visitors sit in covered areas named for the seven tribes featured in the area. We had the opportunity to see the fight scene on the day we visited.

Taylor and Other Cherokee Actors Use Red and Black War Paint at Indian Village © Katrena

Actors from Unto These Hills at Oconaluftee Indian Village © Katrena

Visitors learn about the different paint colors used for battle and also Cherokee beliefs related to the afterlife. We were given the opportunity to speak with the actors after the demonstration with photo opportunities.

Square Grounds and Dance Demonstration at Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

The vast majority of the Cherokee people have adopted a modern lifestyle, but they are also proud of their heritage and seek to preserve some of that past and to educate others about the truths of their culture. Some aspects of authentic traditional Cherokee life, such as traditional medicine techniques and healers, remain protected from outside interference to this day. Unfortunately, many people have a very limited view of Native Americans that has been built around inaccuracies portrayed in movies and the media. This village provides an opportunity to learn more about a culture that was often left out or misrepresented in history lessons years ago and in modern times.

Fighting to Protect Cherokee Way of Life © Katrena

Cherokee natives in North Carolina fought hard to maintain their land and their way of life. Much came at a great price to indigenous people who lived in North Carolina and in other states. One only need to delve into the history of the Trail of Tears to get a glimpse of that agony. One can feel some of the stark reality of that pain before arriving to the village as you might see a glimpse of a graveyard near a picnic/park area immediately before the box office and parking area for Unto These Hills. Yet memories live on in those who now enjoy modern conveniences while preserving age-old talents. Oconaluftee Indian Village celebrates the innovations of those determined to carve out a life despite the hardships placed upon them.

Beautiful Bead Work at Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee © Katrena

A gift shop is located in the Oconaluftee Indian Village where visitors have the opportunity to purchase goods made by many of the local artisans who were demonstrating their craft. Some of these items include a card naming the artist, and we recognized several of the names as those people we met on the tour. Local artisans also sell their handcrafted goods at Qualla Creations across the street from the museum in Cherokee.

Learn About Seven Tribes at Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee © Katrena

I particularly enjoyed this experience and my family found it to be educational and engaging. I'll admit that I was worried this might be a very fake experience, but I enjoyed learning about the authentic history of many who were working in the village and also how the Cherokee people are moving toward the future inside and outside the local reservation. Many of the artisans have relatives whom they loved and respected who suffered greatly under forced rules of assimilation yet still managed to instill a great sense of pride of the Cherokee culture in their descendants. The celebration of that pride is quite evident at the Oconaluftee Indian Village.

Learn About Native American Life in Past and Present in Cherokee Indian Village © Katrena

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Friday, August 2, 2019

Unto These Hills Backstage Tour and Drama in Cherokee

Unto These Hills Cast 2019 © Katrena

Unto These Hills is an outdoor drama featuring the history and seemingly insurmountable trials of the Cherokee people in North Carolina. My kids and I found the show last year to be educational, interesting, and memorable. We returned this year to check out the backstage tour and the Oconaluftee Indian Village in addition to the show.

Cherokee NC Outdoor Drama About The Trail of Tears © Katrena

This outdoor drama theater is located in western North Carolina in Cherokee just off Highway 19 at 218 Drama Road. Actors, dancers, and singers from all around the United States audition for an opportunity to participate in this iconic outdoor drama that has been running since June 1, 1950.

Lizzie Hull in Unto These Hills for 45 Years © Katrena

Some actors return year after year, including Lizzie Hull, depicting the Beloved Woman, who returned for her forty-fifth season in 2019.

Outdoor Amphitheater for Unto These Hills in Cherokee NC © Katrena

When we arrived, the weather forecast was questionable and the stage was covered with a tarp. The sand upon which the actors perform can feel very different under the feet of the dancers and actors if it is wet, and some areas of the set can become hazardous.

Seating for Unto These Hills © Katrena

Backstage Tour of Unto These Hills © Katrena

Those who had backstage passes could choose to do the tour either before the show or after the show. We opted for the tour before the show. The backstage tour guides were both actors in the play and offered interesting information that only people who were involved in the show could share. The stage extends onto the sides and one piece has to be manually pushed out for the audience to see several indoor scenes. Special lighting creates several illusions along the backdrop, and we had the opportunity to see where those lights originate and learn a little about the pyrotechnics used during the show.

Big Bertha Cannon in Unto These Hills © Katrena

We were escorted behind the scenes to see props carefully placed in various areas. Our guides spoke of specific education performers received before using firearms during the show's fight scenes and how they discharge the misfires after the show. One of the largest props is a cannon named Big Bertha. My youngest daughter quickly noticed the baby crib tucked away under a shelf.

Learning About Inner Workings of Cherokee Outdoor Drama © Katrena

Years ago, actors in the show had to project with their voices over the natural symphony of the crickets and cicadas. Now a microphone is provided for each speaking part, and we could see how each mic was organized and labeled backstage. In addition to seeing a few actors preparing for the show, we also had the opportunity to see several people involved in technical aspects of the show. Many challenges are associated with outdoor dramas in addition to the weather. For example, lighting has to be constantly tweaked as the show begins in daylight and ends under the stars.

Knife Prop for Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama © Katrena

Several actors play more than one part; dressing rooms are provided on both sides backstage for quick changes. One of our guides mentioned he had to age significantly in about two minutes between scenes, yet actors appear onstage without a hint of the organized chaos that goes on behind the scenes immediately before they emerge from the wings. Housing is provided for the actors on site. Folks who are involved in the show six days each week throughout the summer are certainly dedicated!

Many details of the set and theater might be overlooked, such as the design produced by the various colors of chairs in the audience. The tour guides offered a wealth of information and gave opportunities for us to ask questions. Two of my kids have been in local dramatic plays, so our family has been backstage for several productions. It was interesting to see how this large show compared to the smaller shows in our local theaters.

Many people in addition to the performers are involved in Unto These Hills. Staff members help to ensure that patrons find their seats. General admission is first come, first served and staff members will offer suggestions for seating if asked. As you can see from an earlier photo, the seating area is slanted so that everyone can see the show, even from upper seats.

Unto These Hills offers pre-show entertainment. This year, a group sang and played instruments. One person played a Jew's harp or mouth harp, which has a distinct sound and brought back my own memories of relatives who played that instrument. I tried once and got my tongue stuck in it. That was the end of my desire to play the Jew's harp!

The storm blew over with just a hint of drizzle, so several staff members quickly went to work removing the tarp and raking and pressing down the sand just before the start time. Sometimes shows may be cancelled due to thunderstorms, but we were fortunate as the lights dimmed and the action began.

The show runs approximately two hours, and each scene was well timed and flowed well to the next scene. You can expect to see acting, dancing, singing, and fight scenes in this show. Our nation's history of interacting with those of Cherokee heritage is often quite shameful and disappointing. This show gives an overview of what the Cherokee people endured interspersed with snippets of humor.

Costumes work well with the story, and the play does include several white people who tried to help these Native Americans in addition to ones who did not honor their word and those who tried to swindle many of Cherokee heritage.

The drama does not go into all the ugly details, such as germ warfare in which the government issued blankets contaminated with smallpox to many indigenous people, but quick references were carefully woven into the story line. Unto These Hills has returned to the original script that has been modified to shorten the play from the original two hour and forty-five minute show.

Death is depicted in several scenes. Seeing a snippet of history unfold in a drama can bring history lessons to a different level of understanding while giving one the opportunity to imagine the joys and pains experienced by ordinary people.

This play shows events surrounding the Trail of Tears but also focuses on how the Cherokee people have chosen to stay strong and to continue to shine as a beacon of hope for their culture, just as they have preserved and stoked the embers of an eternal flame that was started in 1838 in Oklahoma.

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Visit Unto These Hills for more information about the drama, pricing information, directions, etc. Additional related stories you may wish to read include: