Keetoowah Cherokee religion, origin as a people, centered around townsite of Kituwah

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Chief George Wickliffe of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (UKB) joined Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to meet with leaders of Duke Energy Carolinas on Wednesday, February 17 in Cherokee, North Carolina. The meeting was to discuss the proposed Hyatt Creek Tie Station, a power substation planned to be built at Kituwah, the Mothertown of the Cherokee people.

Just across the Tuckaseegee River from the property the Eastern Band owns, where the ceremonial mound is located, the proposed site is part of the original town which is the mothertown and where the Creator first gave the religious fire and instructions to the Cherokee people. The small portion of Kituwah that is owned by the Eastern Band is on the National Historic Register, and would be adversely affected by the tie station. The United Keetoowah Band claims the entire area of Kituwah to be a Traditional Cultural Property, and recognizes it is still used for religious purposes today.

“It is like the Vatican to the Catholic, or the Garden of Eden to the Christian,” said UKB Chief George Wickliffe.

During the meeting, the Duke Energy leaders acknowledged they had not approached the project with due diligence in regards to the federally recognized Cherokee tribes, and assured the UKB and the Eastern Band that they would maintain an open line of communication with both tribes, effective immediately.

Chief Wickliffe issued a statement earlier reciting not only the ancient history of the site, but its continued religious importance to traditional Keetoowah Cherokee people.

“Keetoowah Cherokee religion, and origin as a people, are centered around the townsite of Kituwah,” the statement read.

The UKB’s Council recently passed a resolution to support the Eastern Band, and as a federally recognized tribal government, expects to continue working adamantly in resolving the issue for the benefit of all people involved and affected.

“We are taught as Keetoowah Cherokee people to be kind and humane. We realize the tie station is necessary, but not right there,” said Wickliffe.

Several options were discussed to relocate the tie station, and Chief Wickliffe feels satisfied that a resolution to the situation will be forthcoming.