Cherokee

Cherokee, North American tribe, of the Iroquoian linguistic family and
the Southeast culture area. The Cherokee played an important role in
colonial America and in United States history; they remain one of the
largest tribes in the United States.

Archaeological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Cherokee
migrated in prehistoric times from present-day Texas or northern
Mexico to the Great Lakes area. Wars with the Iroquois tribes of the
New York area and the Delaware tribes pushed them southeast to the
Allegheny and Appalachian mountain regions in modern North and South Carolina,
Tennessee, and northern Georgia and Alabama. There the Spanish explorer
Hernando de Soto encountered them in 1540. In 1715 smallpox reduced their
population to about 11,000.

Language Word Samples

O'siyo = Hello
do hi yi = Peace
Wadv or Wado = Thank You
WaYa = Wolf

Language Phrase Samples

Donadagohvi = Till next we meet
a-ya ga-li-Eliga = I am happy

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