Скачать или смотреть The oldest piece of Cherokee beadwork at our Tribal museum

Meet the oldest piece of Cherokee beadwork in our museum’s collection.

Most historic Cherokee beadwork is held in collections around the world, far from our homelands, but this one-of-a-kind sash is here on the Qualla Boundary and accessible to our community through a purchase made possible through funding from Cherokee Preservation Foundation.

In this deep dive, Director of Collections & Exhibitions Evan Mathis and Director of Education Dakota Brown (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) explain the significance of this piece, created pre-Removal, the historic connection between Cherokee government and ceremony, and why having early examples of this craft is so important for artists in our tribal community.

See this sash for yourself for a limited time: ‘sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ is on view through December 30, 2025.