June 14th Thursday

My first impression of the environment in Cherokee is great, I feel like they are all very friendly and family-oriented. Which I grew up being very family oriented, so I can relate to them. They have a lot for respect for their elders, I think that is amazing and it should be like that everywhere. Everyone seems to be very open to having people come and learn about their culture. I like how even after the Americans taking their land from them, they still are welcoming to them. The environment seems to be all about giving each other support in the community.

I think it is very interesting about this culture's history that after everything they have been through they are still willing to be peaceful with Americans. Even after the Americans took their land from them and killed many from the Cherokee tribe, they still want peace. They are very proud of their culture and still try to keep it alive with their own Native Americans. I feel after all they have been through they would have a harder time trusting the American's, but they still did trust them again even after all that happened. Some may not be able to trust them as much as others, but I still find that amazing that some can trust them.

There are values that are like my own culture for example, being very family oriented is very huge in my culture. Most Hispanic culture is full of family functions all the time and like to get together often and keep in touch. We also respect our elders just as much as the Native Americans do, we look up to them and want to learn from them. I love hearing my grandma’s stories of the past and her telling me her wise advice. In my culture family comes first and for example if a family member is suffering or is in need we are always there to try and help that family member out. It is very important for all of us to communicate with each other and be there to support one to another. Hispanics are also huge believers in using herbal medicine and I grew up around that as a child when I use to live in Mexico. My mom would use some herbal medicine for certain things as we were growing up. I remember my mom giving us a garlic drink to help with a sore throat since we were always sick. It tasted awful, but it did help our immune system become stronger.

This culture heritage is integrated into the children in the community by starting the kids out young and being in the plays. They are learning about their own culture while acting out this play. They are part of the community trying to show how their culture is and the history of it. I think it is very important for kids to learn as they are growing up about their culture. In a way the culture won't die out if they keep teaching the children about the culture. The children seem to be very well involve in many things in this community. For example, there was a young adult working at the Cherokee Museum.

The other influences for these children are their elders which everyone looks up to them in this community. They learn from them and hear the history of their culture from them as well as the parents. Some common threads in this community to my community is that it is a small town and people worry for each other and are there to help support you if you need anything. That is one nice thing about living in a small community because people will care for each other just like the Native Americans care for each other and are there to support each other when they need it.