“Of the estimated 16,000 Cherokees forced to make the journey, commonly referred to as the Trail of Tears, an estimated 4,000 died due to exposure, starvation, and disease.” ”

cherokee.org

By late afternoon, as plates were cleared and photo sessions wrapped up, people lingered in clusters, exchanging heartfelt goodbyes. It felt like the start of a year of connection—one built on stories, songs, and the simple act of gathering together.

ESTES PARK - As a senior reporter covering Gilpin County, I provide my readers with regular coverage of government meetings, political issues, local events, and breaking news from the area.

Today, however, I will diverge from that pattern, sharing some personal history and connecting it with local news from Estes Park, in the hopes that you find this story interesting, helpful, and uplifting.

I am a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. What that means is that some of my ancestors can be traced as belonging to the Cherokee people, having survived the Trail of Tears brought on by the Indian Removal Act in the 1830s. 

“Starting in the summer of 1838, Cherokees were rounded up and forced from their homes in Georgia, Tennessee, and other southeastern states to the tribe’s current capital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, as part of the federal Indian Removal Act.

“Of the estimated 16,000 Cherokees forced to make the journey, commonly referred to as the Trail of Tears, an estimated 4,000 died due to exposure, starvation, and disease.” 

The Cherokee were one of the Five Civilized Tribes that were forcibly relocated out of the Southeast and eventually granted land allotments in Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). Their names were recorded on the Dawes Roll, part of the Dawes Act of 1887. 

It was on that roll that my grandmother found her grandmother’s name. 

I remember the day when Nanny (my maternal grandmother, Martha Ann Hill) called me into her office to show me a copy of the records that traced her lineage to the survivors of the Trail of Tears.

It was a hot, sunny day in southern Oklahoma, and the car dealership we owned, known as Hill Country, was air-conditioned—a welcome respite from my adventures outside. 

Nanny sat me down next to her and flipped through several folders on her desk full of papers until she found the one she was looking for. 

She felt great pride in pointing out our ancestors' names...tiny cursive scrawls penned into a long list, recognizable to her and immensely important, though so small. I was about 7 or 8 years old and had begun learning cursive.

She explained the Trail of Tears and how the fortunate few had made it, and how those who did were deeply saddened by the loss of their loved ones along the way.

I remember thinking about their names, wondering what they looked like, how they dressed, and how they cried together on a long walk they did not want to take.

Nanny made it a point to show me the name of a little girl—her grandmother's name—only three years old. She and her parents had experienced the horrific events of the 19th century. When times are hard, I think of that little girl’s blood running in my veins. 

My grandmother had bestowed upon me a profound reverence, a sense of awe, mystery, and immense appreciation for what they survived, ultimately leading to us, here and now, living and breathing.

Nanny told me she had gone to great efforts to produce, restore, and trace our family lineage, and after doing so, had applied for my mother and me to get our “cards.” I looked at her with pride and respect, excited to take my place in the story.  

The “card” is commonly called a CDIB card, or “certificate of degree of Indian blood,” and means that the holder is a legitimate member of a Native American Nation.

Nanny put great emphasis on the importance and necessity of having a card to reap any educational benefits, to be part of my tribe, and to know where I came from. 

“Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 450,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s reservation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma.” 

With many Cherokee people spread throughout the United States, it is clear that events are needed to bring them together. This brings us to the focus of this article: the recent Cherokee At-Large Event, held in Estes Park.

More than 7,000 people attended the At-Large Cherokee event, held in a huge event hall known as the Estes Park Events Complex, located on Rooftop Way on Sunday, July 20, 2025.

Help is needed to organize and run these events, and as a result, an avenue to help called the Gadugi Corps was created by the current Cherokee government, with Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. at the helm. 

The Principal Chief and Deputy Principal Chief are elected by the popular vote of Cherokee Nation citizens and may serve up to two consecutive four-year terms. Hoskins is in the second year of his second term, and recently celebrated the first anniversary of the Gadugi Corps.

“Since launching the Gadugi Corps volunteer program, the grassroots initiative has empowered Cherokee Nation citizens across the reservation and beyond to act in their communities and help give back to the tribe. Derived from the Cherokee value system, the word ‘Gadugi’ emphasizes unity and working together.”

So, I signed up to volunteer and became a member of the Gadugi Corps. Nanny would be proud.

And what was even better? There was an option to take candid photos of the event, of my people, for my people. Then, I asked permission and was encouraged to share coverage of the event in The Mountain-Ear.

You know what they say about two birds, one stone. A more germane description might be—two birds, a squirrel, a rabbit, and one blowgun dart.

Inside the convention hall in Estes Park last Sunday, the Colorado Cherokee Circle marked its 15th year with a gathering that felt more like a family reunion than a formal event.

By early afternoon, everyone had their plates filled with fry bread, salad, beans, crisp pieces of fried hog, and a cookie for dessert. People sat shoulder to shoulder at round tables in the hall, talking and socializing as they ate. 

Vendors lined the walls selling T‑shirts, flutes, and arts and crafts, while others offered guidance on navigating social services. Curtains divided off the area where Cherokee Nation photo IDs were being processed and created on-site.

One of the most powerful moments came when Ella Mounce, this year’s Miss Cherokee, stood before the crowd and sang “Amazing Grace” in Cherokee. The room grew quiet as her sweet voice carried through the hall, a magical moment of timeless connection for all present.

Later, a blowgun demonstration drew everyone’s attention. Tommy Wildcat, a Cherokee National Treasure known for his cultural teachings and flute performances, guided the session, explaining how river cane blowguns were once used for hunting small game.

Laughter echoed through the room as children and adults took turns trying to hit the targets, cutouts resembling a squirrel and a rabbit.

The keynote speakers brought history and a call to action. Dr. Julia Coates, an at‑large councilor who helped start the Colorado gatherings in 2010, spoke about the Act of Union of 1839, the resilience of the Cherokee people, and the ongoing importance of education. She reminded everyone that unity is not a single achievement but an ongoing process.

Alongside her, Johnny Jack Kidwell, another at-large councilor and a retired U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant commander, encouraged attendees to stay involved in Cherokee Nation elections and utilize resources such as scholarships, job programs, and the Warrior Database for veterans. 

“Please be one of those citizens next year when we’re here,” he urged, calling for the power of participation.

Melissa Payne, Cherokee Nation Community Liaison, focused on education and understanding regarding the Cherokee Freedmen, speaking about inclusion, healing, and the Freedmen's traveling exhibit.

Part of Melissa Payne’s talk touched on a difficult chapter in Cherokee history: the period when some Cherokee citizens owned enslaved African people.

In the 1800s, before and after removal to Indian Territory, a minority of wealthy Cherokee families adopted aspects of Southern plantation culture, including slavery.

Historical records show that these Cherokee slaveholders often used enslaved labor on farms and in households. After the Civil War, the Treaty of 1866 required the Cherokee Nation to free those enslaved individuals and grant them full Cherokee citizenship, creating what are now known as Cherokee Freedmen.

Payne explained that this history is not widely taught, but facing it is essential to honoring those descendants and building a stronger, more inclusive Nation today.

At one point, I had the chance to meet Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. in person. He was warm and affable, taking time to greet everyone and listen closely to what people wanted to share.

I felt proud as I showed him the feather earrings I had crafted, and he smiled as he admired them, making the moment feel personal and special.

The afternoon closed with Robert Lewis, a master storyteller, who wove traditional Cherokee stories with humor and wisdom, drawing laughter and reflection in equal measure. His tales reminded everyone of the importance of listening, sharing, and preserving culture.

By late afternoon, as plates were cleared and photo sessions wrapped up, people lingered in clusters, exchanging heartfelt goodbyes. It felt like the start of a year of connection—one built on stories, songs, and the simple act of gathering together.

Now, I would like to teach you a little bit of the Cherokee language. The Cherokees have one of the coolest ways of saying hello out of any language...seriously! 

“Hello” is spelled “Osiyo,” and is pronounced “Oh-SEE-yo.” But Osiyo means more than just hello to Cherokees. It communicates a deeper spirit of welcoming and hospitality that has been a hallmark of the Cherokee people for centuries.

It makes me think of how much it resembles the urban American greeting “Yo!” which only adds to its cool-ness. 

Another useful word to know is “friend,” spelled “ginali,” pronounced with a soft G. 

And “thank you” translates to the English phonetic spelling of “Wa do,” pronounced “wah-DOE.” Sadly, today, there are only an estimated 2,000 first speakers of the Cherokee language left worldwide. 

Osiyo ginali, wado for reading! 

Source of the historic facts quoted in this article may be found at https://cherokee.org/.

To learn more about the history of the Cherokee language and to hear it from a native speaker, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makhwucGDhI. If you are seriously interested in learning the Cherokee language, visit https://language.cherokee.org/cherokee-language-classes/online-cherokee-classes/. 

If you believe you have Cherokee heritage, the Cherokee Nation can help you trace your lineage and apply for citizenship at https://www.cherokee.org/all-services/tribal-registration/genealogy-information/. 

At-large events are also scheduled this year in Oregon, Texas, Arizona, and California. They are a great way to connect Cherokee Nation citizens who reside beyond the borders of the Cherokee reservation in Oklahoma. For more information on these events and future Colorado events, please visit https://cherokeesatlarge.org/. 

Wado, ginali!