Tobacco Cessation Course

 April 2

Ready to live a tobacco-free life? Cherokee Nation is offering a free seven-week tobacco cessation course at Redbird Smith Health Center in Sallisaw. Classes will be every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in the health center’s community room. You do not have to be Native American to enroll, but you must be 18 years or older. Contact Cherokee Nation Public Health Educator Isaac Barnoskie at 918-772-8379 or isaac-barnoskie@cherokee.org to sign up or for more information.

History Class

 April 2

Cherokee Nation’s History & Preservation Officer Catherine Foreman Gray will be teaching a history class every Tuesday in April from 6 to 8 p.m. at the First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., in Oklahoma City. This history course, titled “Cherokee Nation: A History of Resilience,” is free and open to the public. Registration is required, though, at https://visitcherokeenation.com/history-classes. Participants will be presented with a certificate of completion at the end of the class.

Workshop Wednesday

 April 3

A Small Business Development Power Hour: Stop by the Cherokee Nation Commerce Innovation Hub every Wednesday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. for free small business workshops. This will be a weekly discussion of all things small business and entrepreneurship, and will include guest speakers, business development discussions, networking and more. The Cherokee Nation Commerce Innovation Hub is located on the second floor of the Cort Mall, 215 S. Muskogee Ave., in downtown Tahlequah. Learn more at https://bit.ly/CherokeeHub or email InnovationHub@cherokee.org.

Trail of Tears Art Show Awards Reception

 April 5

Celebrate award-winning art and exceptional Native artists at the 53rd annual Trail of Tears Art Show awards reception. The reception, which is free and open to the public, kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Gallery at Cherokee Springs Plaza in Tahlequah. Don’t miss your chance to view and purchase the best selection of artwork from the show. This show will be open to the public from April 6 to May 11. Go to trailoftearsartshow.com to learn more.

At-Large Meeting

 April 6

Cherokee Nation is hosting an at-large meeting for Cherokee citizens living in or near Oklahoma City. Be sure to join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom at Rose State College, 1910 Hudiburg Drive, in Midwest City, for this exciting meeting with cultural presentations and demonstrations. Visit with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and at-large councilors Julia Coates and Johnny Kidwell. Lunch will be provided. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Registration will stop accepting applications for photo IDs 30 minutes before the end of the event. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, call 918-207-4963.

Yoga on the Lawn

 April 13

Cherokee Nation citizen Jessica Lewandowski will be leading a yoga class from 11 a.m. to noon on the lawn of the Cherokee Nation Capitol Square, located just outside of the Cherokee National History Museum in Tahlequah. Participants will be following along with the instructor and will need to bring their own mat. This class is limited to 25 people and is free, but participants must reserve a spot ahead of time. To do so, please visit shop.visitcherokeenation.com.

Traditional Native Games

 April 13

Cherokee Nation will kick off its 2024 annual Traditional Native Games competition at the Cherokee Nation’s One Fire Field in Tahlequah. Competitions will include horseshoes, marbles and blowgun which will start at 10 a.m., with the stickball shootout at 11 a.m. and cornstalk shoot, hatchet-throwing and chunkey at noon. Registration will be held 30 minutes before each of the games. Competitors in the hatchet throw, stickball shootout, and cornstalk shoot must bring their own sporting materials for the games. For more information, go to thecherokeeholiday.com/community-games.

Cultural Class

 April 13

Stop by the Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Tahlequah from 10 a.m. to noon to learn one of the earliest forms of Cherokee textiles, finger weaving. This class costs $15 and is limited to 25 people. For more information or to sign up for this class, call 918-453-5728 or email artscenter@cherokee.org. Learn more on Facebook.

Tobacco Cessation Course

 April 17

Ready to live a tobacco-free life? Cherokee Nation is offering a free tobacco cessation course that will be taught virtually over seven weeks. There will be classes at noon and at 5:30 p.m. You do not have to be Native American to enroll, but you must be 18 years or older. To sign up, contact Cherokee Nation Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Miranda Russell at miranda-russell@cherokee.org or visit this website.

At-Large Meetings

 April 19-21

Cherokee Nation is hosting three at-large meetings for Cherokee citizens living in California, with stops in Bakersfield, Fresno and Suisun City. Visit with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and at-large councilors Julia Coates and Johnny Kidwell and enjoy cultural presentations. Lunch will be provided. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Registration will stop accepting applications for photo IDs 30 minutes before the end of the event. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, call 918-207-4963.

• Friday, April 19 — Bakersfield: 4 to 8 p.m. at NOR Veterans Hall, 400 Norris Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308
• Saturday, April 20 — Fresno: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Roeding Regional Park, Eucalyptus Grove Area, 890 W. Belmont, Fresno, CA 93728
• Sunday, April 21 — Suisun City: noon to 4 p.m. at Rush Ranch, 3521 Grizzly Island Road, Suisun City, CA

Watercress Fest

 April 20

The Saline Courthouse Museum will host its first-ever Watercress Fest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Rose, Okla. Enjoy live music from King Cabbage Brass Band and many more great acts. Watercress Fest will feature cultural games, art demonstrations, conservation and ethnobotany tours, a pop-up market, Native food trucks and more. This festival centers around the to Land and Water Presentation, focusing on conservationism and stewardship on the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The summit will include lectures and panels on the topic of environmental awareness, focusing on how they affect Cherokee Nation citizens and the tribe as a whole. Learn more at VisitCherokeeNation.com.

Fire Safety Fair

 April 26

Cherokee Nation Career Services will be hosting a fire safety fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at One Fire Field, west of the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, in Tahlequah. This event will promote safety awareness and show appreciation to area firefighters, law enforcement, EMS professionals and other first responders. Special guest Smokey Bear will be on hand at this year’s safety fair beginning at noon. Come meet Smokey and wish him a happy birthday at this free event that is open to the public. For more information, email sam-bowlin@cherokee.org or call 918-506-9808.

Automating Small Business with AI

 April 30

The Cherokee Nation Commerce Innovation Hub is kicking off a four-part lunch & learn series titled, “Automating Small Business with AI.” Pinnacle Marketing Group will help the group dive into the world of artificial intelligence and explain how it can revolutionize small businesses. Learn how AI can streamline processes, boost efficiency, and drive growth for business. This four-part series will be held April 30, May 2, May 7 and May 9 from noon to 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Cort Mall, 215 S. Muskogee Ave., in downtown Tahlequah. The cost is $40 per person. Register at eventbrite.com.

Weynema Smith: To Live a Cherokee Life

 January 9–May 11, 2024

The “To Live a Cherokee Life” exhibit, which honors and explores the life of Cherokee National Treasure Weynema Smith, is on display at the Saline Courthouse Museum in Rose, Okla. Named a Cherokee National Treasure for Lifeways and Language Preservation in 2022, Weynema has spent a lifetime teaching the Cherokee language and sharing her profound knowledge of Cherokee culture. This new exhibit celebrates her life and mission through the lens of the Cherokee language. “Weynema Smith: To Live a Cherokee Life” includes stories, family photos and various traditional artisan works — including basketry, beadwork and a tear dress — to illustrate her story with special emphasis on the Cherokee language. See the exhibit on display now through May 11. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The Saline Courthouse Museum is located at 55870 S. 490 Road in Rose. For more information, email info@visitcherokee.com, call 877-779-6977 or go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

Bill Rabbit: Variations on a Rainbow

 November 17, 2023–May 12, 2024

Named a Cherokee National Treasure for Painting in 2011, the late Bill Rabbit was renowned for his works depicting Cherokee history and culture. This exhibit looks at such works while exploring art from throughout his career, including Southwest-inspired jewelry, pottery, sculpture, and stone carving. It also examines Rabbit’s experimentation with paint, technique, and color throughout his life. The exhibit includes some 40 works loaned by his daughter — artist and Cherokee National Treasure Traci Rabbit — from her personal collection.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

Cherokee Delegate: An Unalterable Promise

 September 2, 2023–June 1, 2024

Know the history behind Cherokee Nation’s pivotal call to Congress to seat its Delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. The exhibit “Cherokee Delegate: An Unalterable Promise” looks at a story hundreds of years in the making. Visitors will learn about the treaties between the Cherokee Nation and the United States of America – including the 1835 Treaty of New Echota – at the foundation of this right. The exhibit also discusses how this role is unlike past Cherokee diplomatic representatives, and it looks at the appointment of Cherokee Nation Delegate to Congress Kim Teehee.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.