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Connecting in-boundary and At Large citizens
Cherokee "Abroad" Program
The Cherokee "Abroad" program brings Cherokees from outside the tribal boundary to the Cherokee Nation for two weeks of classes, cultural activities, and joint community development work with regional Cherokee organizations. Called "abroad" to emphasize the distinct national status of the Cherokee Nation, "expatriate" and local Cherokee Nation citizens have the opportunity to build bridges of understanding and respect as the great national dialogue about our past and the future of our society and government continues. Open to all ages, the wisdom of elders, the energy of youth, and the talent and skills of the middle generations ensure amazing exchanges that all can learn from.
Cherokee Nation History Course
In 2002, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government’s “Honoring Nations” program awarded honors to the Cherokee Nation History Course as an outstanding tribal initiative in promoting tribal sovereignty. Since then, the Course has been attended by 10,000 employees and citizens of the Cherokee Nation. It has been taught across the United States in areas where there are significant concentrations of Cherokee citizens and has been taught dozens of times in communities within the Cherokee Nation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma. Almost 3000 Cherokee Nation employees and commissioners have also completed the course.
Partnerships have been developed with universities, museums, and historical societies in fifteen states to offer this course, and many community organizations have sponsored it as well.
Cherokee Language Learning Platform
Learning our native language helps connect us to our ancestors and culture in a way that many other things don’t. It serves as a continuous reminder of who we are and where we came from.
Over the course of several years, participants from multiple organizations have volunteered time, talent and treasure to create a Cherokee learning platform.
Better yet, the program is FREE.
Everyone involved in the project believes that the Cherokee language is something all Cherokees regardless of geographic location, age or economic situation, are entitled. Today we have an interactive platform, including voice recognition, that covers elementary Cherokee (80 hours).
We are only $2000 short of making the platform live in September!
Our goal is to add intermediate Cherokee over the course of the next year and add advanced Cherokee over the course of three years (160 hours).
Please join us and help make the Cherokee language available to All Cherokees.
#GWYLanguage , #CherokeeLanguage, #CherokeePINS, @Cherokee_Pins
Virtual Classrooms
In conjunction with our partners at Star University, the Cherokee PINS Project is pleased to sponsor two courses in Cherokee Society and Government. "Introduction to Cherokee Society and Government" and "Introduction to Cherokee Language Technology" are offered to all ages residing anywhere in the world. They establish the educational foundation for Cherokees and others to begin working in conjunction with Cherokee community organizations in northeastern Oklahoma.
Participants have the rare opportunity to engage with the "great thinkers" of the Cherokee world -- traditionalists, scholars, tribal leaders, activists, and community members -- in real-time conferences online. They also work on actual grassroots development projects in relation to the Cherokee "Abroad" program. Students may take the courses for transferable credit.
Future Programs
The Cherokee PINS Project plans to expand programs and workshops for At Large and in-boundary community groups. These efforts at civic education for enhanced civic engagement will include topics such as:
(1) Cherokee identity, federal recognition, and fake tribes
(2) understanding the legal basis of Cherokee Nation sovereignty
(3) understanding the Cherokee Nation Constitution (Done!)
(4) understanding the Cherokee Nation budget
(5) educational opportunities for Cherokee Nation citizens
...and more!