Cherokee Indians (2024)

Children

Cherokee children liked to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. Women taught Cherokee girls all of the home and gardening skills. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play. But they did have dolls, toys, and games to play, such as one game where kids tried to throw a dart through a moving hoop. Lacrosse was a popular sport among Cherokee teenagers.

Clothing and Appearance

Cherokee men wore breechcloths and leggings. Cherokee women wore wraparound skirts made out of woven fiber or deerskin. They all wore moccasins on their feet. Men decorated their faces and bodies extensively with tribal tattoo art and also painted themselves bright colors in times of war. Cherokee women didn't paint or tattoo themselves.

Food

The Cherokee were farming people. Cherokee women did most of the farming, harvesting crops of corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. Cherokee men did most of the hunting, shooting deer, bear, wild turkeys, and small game. They also fished in the rivers and along the coast. Cherokee dishes included cornbread, soups, and stews cooked on stone hearths.

Home

The Cherokee tribes settled in a large area that included the Carolinas , the Virginias , Kentucky , Tennessee , and Georgia and Alabama . The Cherokee Indians lived in villages. They built circular homes made of river cane, sticks, and plaster. They covered the roofs with thatch and left a small hole in the center to let the smoke out. The Cherokees also built larger seven-sided buildings for ceremonial purposes.

Weapons and Tools

The men made tools and weapons. Hunters used blowguns for small game and birds. The blowguns were three to eight feet long. Fishermen generally used spears and fishing poles. In war they fought with a tomahawk or spear.