Meet Native America: Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

"In the interview series Meet Native America, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian invites tribal leaders, cultural figures, and other interesting and accomplished Native individuals to introduce themselves and say a little about their lives and work. Together, their responses illustrate the diversity of the indigenous communities of the Western Hemisphere, as well as their shared concerns, and offer insights beyond what’s in the news to the ideas and experiences of Native peoples today." 
-Dennis Zotigh, NMAI 

Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Image Courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian's Blog.

"Where is the Eastern Band located? Where was your nation originally from?
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians lives in western North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains. Our lands today were the heart of the Cherokee Nation at the time of European contact. At that time our tribe controlled parts of what are now eight states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. "

To read the full interview, click here.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee's website.