The Land:
Understanding Why the Land is Important to the Cherokee Nation

Abstract Most of us have learnt about the Trail of Tears as an event in American history, but not many of us have ever explored why the removal of the Indians to the West was more than an issue of mere land ownership. Here, the meaning and importance of land to the original Cherokee Nation of the Southeastern United States is investigated. American land was seen as a way for white settlers to profit, but the Cherokee held the land within their hearts. Their removal meant much more to them than just the loss of a material world. Historical events, documentations by the Cherokee, and maps showing the loss of Cherokee land work together to give a true Cherokee
He flew all around the earth and low near the ground, so by the time he reached Cherokee country he was very tired. As a result, his wings began to hit the ground, causing there to be valleys and mountains exactly where his wings struck the earth. The rest of the animals seen this, and because of the fear that the Great Buzzard would make the entire world like this, ask him to come back. The Cherokee country still remains full of mountains to this day because of the buzzard. Mooney goes on to tell about how the animals finally came down after the earth was dry. Due to the fact that it was still dark, they got the sun and set it on track so that it would go east to west everyday. Men and women came after the animals and plants. There was only a brother and sister, during the beginning, and the brother struck his sister with a fish and told her to multiply, and she began to have children over time (Mooney). This Cherokee myth tells us how the Cherokee believed the world was made, including their own country. In order to fully comprehend the difficulty of the Cherokee people after the removal, one must understand their origin. The Cherokee people thought that their original area was created especially for them, formed by nature and prepared by nature, thus explaining the significance of the land to the tribe. The Cherokee creation myth ties the Cherokee to their land, not based upon the mere thought of owning land,