CCO Conference of Community Leaders 2024 Report
In June, the CNCV had five attendees who went to the annual two-day Cherokee Nation Community and Cultural Outreach (CCO) Conference of Community Leaders, held at the Tulsa Hard Rock Casino. This year’s theme was “ᎦᏚᎩ Gadugi: Working Together for the Common Good.” It was a record-breaking year with 86 community organizations represented and 240 attendees. CNCV Associate Board Member, Odell Landers, was proud and humbled to be chosen to represent the CNCV at this year’s Conference. He remarked that this was not like most conferences - this one was filled with friendliness!! Everyone we met was so genuinely warm, helpful, and friendly.
There were many cultural and capacity building concurrent sessions, like Noel Grayson on stone tools, Danny McCarter on Cherokee weaponry, and Ryan Mackey on our sacred community values. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. spoke a couple times and remarked that we are a strong and growing nation at 460,000 citizens, who can all help defend sovereignty, support their communities, practice ᎦᏚᎩ gadugi, and preserve our cultural ways. Some exciting new initiatives include the Gadugi Corps volunteer efforts, a new hospital being built, and upcoming Wellness grants (more information still coming). We also heard from Cherokee Nation Deputy Secretary of State Canaan Duncan, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, and keynote speaker Alison Anthony, the President and CEO of the Tulsa area United Way. Each speaker inspired and informed us. Our community members got to visit with our Sister City, Marble City Activity Organization. We planned future activities to engage our groups including virtual visits, cultural sharing, and storytelling. They also invited any of our community to come volunteer in Marble City any day!
One day at the Conference, National Treasures had tables lining the halls showing their crafts, including Barbara Adair (Baskets), Betty Frogg (Baskets/Twining), Lisa Rutherford (Pottery/Textiles), Jane Osti (Pottery), Tommy Wildcat (Flutes/Blow Guns), Michael Dart (Baskets), Vivian Cottrell (Baskets), Rachel Dew (Baskets), Lena Stick (Baskets), Cathy Abercrombie (Textiles - Loom Weaving), Vyrl Keeter (Flint Knapping).
The Conference ended with an Awards Celebration, in which the CNCV was honored with two Community Impact Awards thanks in large part to the quality, dedication, and strength of our community. These honor everyone in our community who comes together and works to help one another in the spirit of ᎦᏚᎩ gadugi. The future is so bright, with many new and exciting opportunities on the horizon for our ᏍᎦᏚᎩ sgadugi (community)!
Community Impact Awards received:
Mary Mead Volunteerism Award – given for exceptional work in inspiring and organizing volunteerism. ᏩᏙ wado (thank you) to all our amazing volunteers! And we always need more help! Email cncv.communications@gmail.com to let us know you’re interested! Come be part of the team (and get a beautiful red CNCV gadugi volunteer apron)!
Gadugi Sister Community Award – recognizes our strong and active relationship with Marble City, including taking care of the historic John Rollin Ridge family cemetery plot, collaborating on a cookbook (coming out soon!), and visiting together over the years.
After the Conference concluded, at-large citizens were taken on two days of touring important sites on the Reservation. These included:
The newly opened Woody Hair Community Center in Kenwood with Dawnie Squirrel, which had a wellness space with exercise equipment, large basketball court, large kitchen for community gatherings, and the Cherokee language throughout the building
Saline Courthouse in Rose, which had a display recognizing spiritual leader Crosslin Smith ᏥᎨᏒ tsigesv, who recently passed, and had a freshwater spring which supplied water for the courthouse and was a food storage area before widespread refrigerators
Watt Christie Cemetery in Wauhilau with Betty Frogg, which is home to Ned Christie’s grave. Christie was a metalworker, gunsmith, and elected member of the Cherokee Nation senate executive council. In May 1887, he was erroneously accused of killing Deputy Marshal Dan Maples. Christie could not get a fair trial though the whole community knew of his innocence. He hid “out in the open” for years. Finally in 1892, the US Marshal raided his cabin and murdered him. Christie was exonerated after his death due to a witness who feared speaking out. US history often paints Christie as a famous outlaw. However, Cherokees know him as a patriot and advocate for Cherokee sovereignty.
Stilwell Depot in Stilwell, which is a 1915 historic train depot that is now a museum and home to the Chamber of Commerce and hosts many meetings, including the Adair County Historical and Genealogical Association that provided a tour to our group. The Depot replaced a wooden depot due to citizens demanding modernization. It operated for 55 continuous years, including supplying raw materials and food supplies during WWI. Passenger service was discontinued in 1969.
End of the Trail of Tears, next to Stilwell Cemetery. We drove by this location. From September 1838 to March 1839, over 3500 arrived at this dispersal depot known as Mrs. Weber’s plantation where they registered and supplies were distributed.
Starr Springs in Stilwell, where the Starr family (Old Settlers) settled. This area saw conflicts between the Treaty Party and Ross Party. In 1911, the city of Stilwell leased the springs for residential drinking water. An early estimate said that the springs provided 500,000 gallons of fresh water daily. The availability of this fresh water aided the growth and development of business and industry in Stilwell. There is still spring-fed clean drinking water today at the pump house along with lots of fresh watercress!
Brushy Community Building, which had so many great resources for community members including many learning materials with the Cherokee language like a map the United States and a skeletal diagram.
Sequoyah’s Cabin in Sallisaw. Sequoyah was known as a scholar and statesmen with leadership motivated by a love for his people. He famously provided the greatest cultural and educational gift to the Cherokees: his syllabary. The syllabary took 12 years to create and originally had 86 syllables, later isolated to 85. He endured ridicule, was charged with witchcraft with his daughter Ayoka, and stood trial before the town chief George Lowery (his cousin). He was able to prove that the written language was a scientific advancement, not witchcraft, and the syllabary was quickly adopted directly contributing to the rise of the Cherokee Nation. Within 1 year, in 1812, 90% of Cherokees had literacy, which was unheard of at the time and still today. Chief Bill John Baker once said that Sequoyah “advanced the Cherokee Nation and our rich culture; reshaped the future of Cherokees and all Native people, not just seven generations but infinite generations.”
At the Cabin, we played chunkey and marbles - and plan to bring these games to meetings!
Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex and Veterans’ Center in Tahlequah, where we learned about some of the important recognitions and services the Tribe provides to our Warriors. Odell Landers was given a moving and surprise “Welcome Home” ceremony.
Special note to Veterans, please ensure you are registered as a Warrior on the Gadugi Portal. You can also apply for a Medal of Patriotism honor, or do so posthumously for loved ones. You can also purchase a brick to be placed at the Memorial to honor warriors (those who receive the Medal of Patriotism are given a brick at no cost). CNCV Chair Sabrina McKinney and family applied for a posthumous Medal in late 2023 for her grandfather. This June, she was able to find his brick (with direction from a helpful Veterans’ Center staff member). This is an important honor that all Cherokee Warriors should receive. Please reach out if we can assist you with this in any way!
Cherokee National Research Center in Tahlequah, which opened in December 2021 and provides no-cost genealogical research though only about 2% of inquiries result in an ancestor on the Final Dawes Rolls. Inside also holds a 5000 square foot vault that holds our precious collection of historical and cultural artifacts. It features waterless fire suppression, temperature and humidity control, and can withstand tornados. The organization of the artifacts also provides better access to collections for artists, scholars, and the community. To view, please make an appointment. This is the result of a state of emergency enlisted to save our archives that were held in the basement of the previous Heritage Center, which did not have the protections available to maintain the collection safely. The last item, and most prized possession, put into the vault was the 1838 Cherokee Land Patent, printed on vellum, which provided title to millions of acres in Indian Territory as partial fulfillment of the Treaty of New Echota.
Seminary Hall at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah with a tour by NSU Director of Center for Tribal Studies, Joe Byrd. Very shortly after Removal, Cherokees set to work creating government and education for our people. Park Hill was the original site of the Female Seminary, built only 12 years after Removal and the first public institution of higher learning for women west of the Mississippi River. This highlights how much Cherokees value education and equality. The original Hall burned in 1887 (three famous columns still stand at the site of the Heritage Center, which is currently closed for redesigning). The Female Seminary Hall was quickly resurrected at the (now) NSU site in 1889 using bricks from the original site.
CCO Office for a game of stickball, beading, and a Q&A session with Ryan Mackey
It was a fulfilling and meaningful trip for all involved, filled with community building and leaving us continually proud to be Cherokee!
— Sabrina McKinney, Odell Landers, Nancy Wolford-Landers, Jackie Robbins, Paul David Terry
