The First Cherokee Christmas

 December 3

Discover the history of the first Christmas celebration in the Cherokee Nation in this perennial exhibit at the Cherokee National History Museum in downtown Tahlequah. The exhibit, inspired by a small gathering in 1805, includes an interpretation of a Christmas tree and decorations in the Moravian Christian tradition introduced by missionaries more than two centuries ago. It also includes a uniquely Cherokee portrayal of a Moravian Nativity scene. This exhibit will run from Dec. 3 through Jan. 4, 2025. Admission to this museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For more information, email info@visitcherokee.com, call 877-779-6977 or go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

Photo ID Event

 December 5

Cherokee Nation Tribal Registration will be set up from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sapulpa High School to create photo IDs for Cherokee citizens. Citizens who wish to come should bring an up-to-date driver’s license or other government photo ID. Cherokee Vote, along with other Cherokee Nation programs and services, will also be in attendance. To ensure timely processing, citizens should arrive no later than 30 minutes before the end of the event.

Learn more here.

Lunch ‘n Learn

 December 5

Cherokee Nation Commerce Services is hosting a Lunch ‘n Learn about the Remember the Removal Bike Ride from noon to 1 p.m. at The Innovation Hub in downtown Tahlequah. Will Chavez, assistant editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, shares the story of the Remember the Removal Bike Ride, a youth leadership program commemorating the Cherokee Trail of Tears. First launched in 1984, the program involves a three-week, nearly 1,000-mile memorial ride through seven states. Attend in-person or online for free.

Learn more and register here.

Christmas on the Square

 December 6

Stop by this special holiday event in historic downtown Tahlequah from 4 to 6 p.m. and enjoy a variety of festive activities that will take place on the grounds of the Cherokee National History Museum. Take family photos with Santa Claus and enjoy free refreshments. Inside the Cherokee National History Museum, check out a make-and-take area, where you can create a fun Christmas ornament to hang on your tree. There also will be a holiday exhibit, “The First Cherokee Christmas,” that features fun family activities. The exhibit will run from Dec. 3 through Jan. 4, 2025.

For more information, email info@visitcherokee.com, call 877-779-6977 or go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

Speakers Luncheon

 December 12

All fluent Cherokee speakers are invited to a free monthly luncheon held from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. every second Thursday of the month and hosted by the Cherokee Nation Language Department at the Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah. Gather for fellowship, a free lunch and door prizes.

For more information, please call 918-207-4901 or email language@cherokee.org.

Photo ID Event

 December 12

Cherokee Nation Tribal Registration will be set up from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. at the Cherokee casino in West Siloam Springs to create photo IDs for Cherokee citizens. Citizens who wish to come should bring an up-to-date driver’s license or other government photo ID. Cherokee Vote, along with other Cherokee Nation programs and services, will also be in attendance. To ensure timely processing, citizens should arrive no later than 30 minutes before the end of the event.

Learn more here.

Photo ID Event

 December 13

Need a Cherokee Nation photo ID? Cherokee Nation Tribal Registration will be set up from noon to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, Ark., to create photo IDs for Cherokee citizens. Citizens who wish to come should bring an up-to-date driver’s license or other government photo ID. Cherokee Vote, along with other Cherokee Nation programs and services, will also be in attendance. To ensure timely processing, citizens should arrive no later than 30 minutes before the end of the event.

Learn more here.

Commit to Quit

 December 16

Cherokee Nation Public Health is launching a free and virtual seven-week tobacco and vaping cessation course. Classes will be held every Monday at noon and 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. This course is open to everyone, Native and non-Native, who is 18 years or older and ready to commit to being tobacco free.

For scheduling or to learn more about the course, contact Public Health Program Coordinator Mandy Russell at miranda-russell@cherokee.org or 918-506-7274.

Christmas Social

 December 17

The Council of the Cherokee Nation will be hosting a Christmas Social and Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Council chambers at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. Lunch will be provided, along with door prizes.

Veterans Christmas Party

 December 20

All veterans are invited to a Christmas party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cherokee Nation Veterans Center, next to the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. Enjoy fellowship, games, food and prizes. Veterans are welcome to bring one guest with them over the age of 18.

For more information, contact 918-772-4166.

Offices Closed

 December 24 & 25

Cherokee Nation’s W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, satellite offices, and health centers will be closed for the Christmas holiday. Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital and emergency department, along with other tribal emergency services, will remain open.

Troy Jackson: Mercy is in the Details

 November 22, 2024 – August 3, 2025

Cherokee National Treasure Troy Jackson is the subject of a new exhibit that dives into his artistic exploration of Cherokee history, culture and identity. Featuring more than two dozen artworks – including several large-scale, conceptual sculptures – the exhibit shares an up-close look at the artist’s perspective and the motivations that inspire his impressive body of work. It will be on display at the Cherokee Nation Anna Mitchell Cultural and Welcome Center beginning Nov. 22.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

Jeff Edwards: The Future Will Be Cherokee

 October 18, 2024 – April 20, 2025

“Jeff Edwards: The Future Will Be Cherokee” merges Cherokee culture with contemporary imagery in the newest exhibition at the Cherokee Cultural Pathway in downtown Tahlequah. The public art display is now open and features 13 large-scale reproductions of some of Edwards’ most recognized works, such as “Sequoyah Warhol” and “Cherokee on the Brain.” Cherokee Nation citizen Jeff Edwards is an award-winning graphic artist who draws inspiration from his life and career. Edwards’ art is featured at many Cherokee Nation sites, including the Durbin Feeling Language Center, where he works alongside Cherokee speakers.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

Harry Oosahwee: Tending the Flame

 September 17, 2024 – January 11, 2025

Harry Oosahwee is a Cherokee National Treasure, award-winning artist and first-language Cherokee speaker. Harry’s versatile art and talent is showcased across many forms of media. A new exhibit looks at his artwork and influences – from watching his mother model native clay to painting under the guidance of Bacone College’s Flatstyle school of art with Dick West to sculpting Cherokee traditional forms out of stone.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

One Land, One Nation: Cherokee Unification After Removal

 July 30, 2024 – March 1, 2025

In early 1839, Cherokee people began arriving in a new land west of the Mississippi River, but they were not alone. After the long, cold journey of Cherokee Removal, they were met by Cherokees who emigrated prior to the Treaty of New Echota (1835) and those who arrived after its ratification. Three groups with different experiences of Cherokee Removal reunited following the diaspora caused by U.S. Indian removal policies. Despite their grievances, Cherokee people created a union that was foundational to the future of the Cherokee Nation. “One Land, One Nation: Cherokee Unification After Removal” explores that pivotal time 185 years ago.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

Cherokee Highflier: The Life and Career of Wauhillau LaHay

 August 13, 2024 – June 28, 2025

A new exhibit, “Cherokee Highflier: The Life and Career of Wauhillau LaHay,” explores the fascinating life and work of Cherokee Nation citizen Wauhillau LaHay. Starting her journalism career as a teenager in Muskogee, LaHay took to the sky as a pilot in 1929 writing about aviation and interviewing its biggest celebrities. Following a successful career in radio and publicity working with some of Hollywood’s greatest legends, LaHay reported on the First Ladies of the White House in the 1960s and 1970s. This exhibit, on display at the Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum, 122 Keetoowah St., in Tahlequah, is on display through June 28, 2025. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.

Ned Christie: The Man From Wauhillau

 June 18, 2024 – November 01, 2025

The Cherokee people know Ned Christie as a patriot who stood up for tribal sovereignty in the last decades before the allotment of Cherokee lands. Since the late 1800s, others – often non-Cherokees – have told stories of a reckless Indian outlaw who murdered a deputy U.S. Marshal and spread fear far and wide. Using recent scholarship, a new exhibit looks at Christie’s life and finds a more nuanced portrait of a man who served his Nation and ultimately met a violent end at the hands of his accusers.

Read more at Visit Cherokee Nation.