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3 Cherokee tribes hold tri-council meeting today at Red Clay

Ammons Rattler, left, and Rick Bird play a drum and sing during a dance demonstration in August 2014 at the Cherokee Heritage Festival at Red Clay State Park in Cleveland, Tenn. Today, the park will host a tri-council meeting of the Cherokee that will bring the three federally recognized tribes together at Red Clay for the first time.
Ammons Rattler, left, and Rick Bird play a drum and sing during a dance demonstration in August 2014 at the Cherokee Heritage Festival at Red Clay State Park in Cleveland, Tenn. Today, the park will host a tri-council meeting of the Cherokee that will bring the three federally recognized tribes together at Red Clay for the first time. Ammons Rattler, left, and Rick Bird play a drum and sing during a dance demonstration in August 2014 at the Cherokee Heritage Festival at Red Clay State Park in Cleveland, Tenn. Today, the park will host a tri-council meeting of the Cherokee that will bring the three federally recognized tribes together at Red Clay for the first time.

By Ben Benton 5 min read

If you go

All events will take place at Red Clay State Historic Park in southern Bradley County.A flag-raising ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. today, followed by the Tri-Council Meeting of the three federally recognized tribes of the Cherokee at 10 a.m. beside the Council House on park grounds. The meeting is open to the public.Visitors can join a park regional interpreter and park naturalist for programs on birds of prey at 1 and 3 p.m. and Cherokee herbal and medicinal plants at 2, 3 and 4 p.m., as well as other activities.The Tri-Council Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with traditional music, dance, food, crafts, exhibits and games. There is a $5 suggested donation per vehicle entering the festival.

Divided by war, treaties and the Trail of Tears, the three federally recognized tribes of the Cherokee will come together today at Red Clay State Historic Park for the first time since the Removal.

Red Clay, 12 miles south of Cleveland, Tenn., was the last seat of Cherokee government before its removal more than 175 years ago.

This morning, the three tribes will open the day’s activities with a ceremonial raising of the three tribal flags, followed by a tri-council meeting on the site of the original Council House. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are the hosting tribe for this year’s meeting.

“The last time we met in Red Clay we were discussing the Indian Removal Act policy of the United States,” said Joe Byrd, speaker and former chief of the Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation. “Now we’re coming back to discuss our common ground, and we’re going to embrace the spirit and commonality that we have today.