5/29 Tahlequah, OK - Cherokee Heritage Center

I spent today at the nearby Cherokee Heritage Center.  There is a museum displaying information ont the Cherokee Trail of Tears, but I could not take photos inside. 

I did, however, take photos of this sign (front and back).

 

There was a reconstructed Cherokee village next to the museum, and a tour is included with the admission fee.  Note that the buildings come in pairs--one round and one square, both owned by the same matriarch of a family.

This is the inside of a round, winter house.  It has no windows, only one door and a smoke hole in the ceiling, but the mud walls kept  in the heat in the winter.  Most work is done outside, do the lack of light does not matter much.  A fire is kept burning in the center so the mud walls absorb heat for the night.  The benches around the wall are for sleeping.  The young man in the photo is our guide.

The summer house is square and has open ends so air can circulate.

This is a covered weaving area next to a summer home.

This is the inside of the central winter council house.

 

The outfit in the background is made of turkey feathers and is worn by the tribal chief.  Not a good photo, I know, but it was very dark inside, and I had to use a flash.

And this is the matching summer council house.

 

There was a flint-knapping demonstration and one on pottery making, but somehow I missed taking photos of those!