Sept of the Seven Clans

The Sept of the Seven Clans is a caern opened in 1889 at Big Cove Hollow by the Uktena, when the Eastern Band of the Cherokee incorporated under a charter in North Carolina, in the land known as the Qualla Boundary.^[1]

An offshoot of the Sept of the Seven Clans is the Sept of the Glass Hand.

History[]

In 1889, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians incorporated under a charter from the state of North Carolina and occupied a tract of land in the Smoky Mountains known s the Qualla Boundary. One of the first priorities for the Uktena who accompanied these Cherokee was the opening of a caern in the new lands. This, the Sept of the Seven Tribes has the distinction of being the oldest existing caern in the southeastern Appalachians.

Since the emergence as a separate nation, distinct from the Oklahoma Cherokees, the fortunes of the Eastern Cherokee have reflected the split between conservatives and progressives. The formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park brought jobs and money to the reservation along with other programs sponsored by the Indian New Deal, the brainchild of President Roosevelt's Indian commissioner, John Collier. Education and medical care became available to residents of the reservation, and the temptation to adopt modern ways seriously endangered efforts to preserve tribal culture.

Currently, the Uktena in the region are concerned primarily with ensuring that their Kinfolk remain strong and that the tribal traditions are preserved. Another concern is the small colony of wolves, whose existence is the sept's best-kept secret. These wolves, under the care of a trusted Kinfolk, help keep the lupus strain strong among the members of the sept.

Sept Members[]

• Stands-His-Ground, Uktena, Wolf Clan, Sept Leader
• Smiling Moondaughter, Uktena Theruge, Wild Potato/Bear Clan, Master of Rites
• Jacob Watches-the-Sunrise, Uktena Ahroun, Blue/Panther Clan, Warder
• Moonskin, Uktena Metis, Bird Clan, Keeper of the Land
• Sings-to-the-Waters, Uktena Galliard, Deer Clan, Master of the Challenge
• Bridgemaker, Uktena Theurge, Paint Clan, Gatekeeper
• Ayita Stormcrow, Uktena Philodox, Long Hair/Wind Clan, Master of Secrets

References[]