The capital of the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is the place to begin learning about the Cherokee people. You'll want to visit the Cherokee Heritage Center, a complex that contains the Cherokee National Museum, where multimedia exhibits are used to portray Cherokee history.
Also at the center is Adams Corner Rural Village, a faithful re-creation of a late-1800s Cherokee village, where you can watch crafts demonstrations.
Tsa-La-Gi Ancient Village is another reconstruction, this time of a Cherokee settlement from the 1600s. Tahlequah was the end point of the Trail of Tears, so it's an appropriate setting for the Trail of Tears exhibit, a moving portrayal of the events the Cherokee encountered after their forced removal from the eastern U.S.
The Cherokee National Holiday coincides with Labor Day each year and includes sporting and cultural events, a parade and more.
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