"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokees Seeking National Treasures Nominations

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - The Cherokee Nation will once again recognize a Cherokee citizen with exceptional knowledge of Cherokee art forms and cultural practices, and is asking the public for nominations to consider for the Cherokee National Treasure Award.

The Cherokee National Treasure Award was designed to showcase those who are actively involved with the preservation and revival of Cherokee cultural practices that might otherwise be lost from one generation to the next. Nominations are now being sought for Cherokee master craftspeople that are sharing their knowledge in areas such as traditional bow-making, basketry, pottery, wood and stone carving, gig making and flint knapping. This year the categories have expanded to also include Cherokee language, graphic arts, contemporary arts and music. Nominees must be citizens of the Cherokee Nation, and must have lived in and taught their art form within the tribe’s jurisdictional area for at least ten years.

The final selection of the person or persons receiving the designation for 2009 will be made by the National Treasure Committee, with the announcement and recognition to take place over Labor Day weekend at the 57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith during his State of the Nation ceremony and address.

Nomination forms will be available on Cherokee Nation’s Web site, www.cherokee.org, or by calling and requesting them. The deadline to submit a nomination packet is Tuesday, July 31 at 5 p.m. Incomplete nomination packets will be disqualified. Please read the nomination form carefully and provide all requested supplemental information.

For more information on the Cherokee National Treasure Award, please call 918-316-3910 or 918-316-3915.

Download PDF: Nomination Form (60Kb)