"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - CNYC Performed In New York City

***"The Cherokee National Youth Choir rehearses on Herald Square before performing in the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City."***

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee National Youth Choir had the unique opportunity to take part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, performing in Cherokee in front of millions of viewers and spectators.

“The Cherokee Nation is so proud of these young Cherokees,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “It was very exciting to watch them on live television during the parade. These young people are great ambassadors for the Cherokee Nation.”

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual event hosted by Macy’s Department Store. It is estimated that each year more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade every year. Throughout its inception the parade has been well-known for the balloons and floats that line the streets of New York City during the event. The parade also features live music and performances from some of the nation’s most talented groups and individuals.

“We had so much fun,” said Corey Still, a member of the choir. “It was definitely a new experience and one that I will never forget.”

Choir Director Mary Kay Henderson says that being in the parade was an incredible experience that cannot be described.

“We had so much fun on this trip,” said Henderson. “We did a taping at Fox Studios and ate at the Hard Rock Café. It was great for the kids to just experience a different sort of environment than what they are used to.”

During their trip, the youth choir took the opportunity to share Cherokee cultural to the Hewitt School For Girls by teaching them to sing Amazing Grace in Cherokee. The group also took a sight-seeing tour.

The Cherokee National Youth Choir performs traditional Cherokee songs in the Cherokee language. The Cherokee National Youth Choir came into existence from the vision of Principal Chief Chad Smith, who saw it as a way to keep children involved in the Cherokee language and culture. They function as an important symbol to the world, demonstrating that Cherokee language and culture continues to thrive in modern society.

Since being founded in 2000, the group has recorded five CDs, including Voices of the Creator’s Children, featuring two-time Grammy® Award winner Rita Coolidge, which garnered two Native American Music Awards nominations and a win for “Best Gospel Christian Recording” in 2002. Their second CD, Building One Fire won the award again in 2003. Jesus Is Born Today, their third release, was nominated in this same category in 2005, and also received a nomination for “Best Religious Recording” at The Indian Summer Music Awards. Their fourth CD, Cherokee Sunday Morning, released in 2005, received the “Best Native Gospel” award at the 2005 International Cherokee Film Festival. Their fifth CD, Comfort and Joy, arrived just in time for the 2006 holiday season.

The Youth Choir acts as ambassadors for the Cherokee Nation, their beautiful voices showing the strength of the Cherokee Nation and its culture more than 160 years after the Cherokees’ forced removal from its eastern homelands. The goal of the choir is to increase awareness of Cherokee culture both within the Cherokee Nation as well as among the dominant culture.

Through the success of the group, interest in the Cherokee language has been rekindled among young people throughout the Cherokee Nation. Several area schools now use the CDs as learning tools, and other schools are interested in developing curriculum to teach Cherokee language and music. Principal Chief Smith and Deputy Principal Chief Joe Grayson, Jr. have pledged to make preserving language and culture a priority at the Cherokee Nation, and the success of the Cherokee National Youth Choir has helped spark a cultural renaissance among the Cherokee people.

“I would just like to thank all of the students and sponsors for their hard work and dedication,” said Kathy Sierra, choir coordinator. “They always pull through and make the choir a success in all that they do.”