Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation honored more than a dozen Cherokee speakers for their efforts to preserve the Cherokee language, during the regular January CN Tribal Council meeting held on Monday night.

Pictured are Rosa Carter, Ed Fields, & Chief Chad Smith

The Cherokee Nation's Principal Chief, Chad Smith, was on hand to present the language proficiency awards at the Monday night council meeting. Awards were presented to Ed Fields, who works at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center and Rosa Carter, an employee at Redbird Smith Health Clinic in Sallisaw. Fields and Carter were only two of 14 Cherokee Nation employees honored for their mastery of the Cherokee language.

"We've started a program that will encourage and reward employees who speak, read or write Cherokee", said Principal Chief Chad Smith. "We place value on our language when we reward the people who speak it."

The Cherokee Nation tested employees and rated their language skills. Those honored Monday night for their proficiency were: Carol Sixkiller, Registration; Dennis Sixkiller, Office Services; Sharon Adair, Jay Clinic; Mary Peters, Health; Anna Huckaby, Cultural Resource Center; Joanna Fields, Cultural Resources Center; Ed Fields, Cultural Resource Center; Marilyn Cochran, Cultural Resources Center; Ella Christie, Cultural Resource Center; Wanda Girty, Cultural Resource Center; Rosa Carter, Redbird Smith Health Clinic; George Byrd, Redbird Smith Health Clinic; Rufus King, Jay Clinic.

The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council also amended the comprehensive budget and passed resolutions authorizing grant applications that could benefit Cherokee Nation's Credit and Finance group, Environmental Services group and the Judicial branch.

Ralph Keen, Jr., co-chair of the Cherokee Nation Constitutional Convention Commission, said in his report that he expected a reply from the Bureau of Indian Affairs on a proposed Constitutional amendment within the next few weeks.

"We're optimistic that we will get a positive reply", Keen said.