Cherokee heritage groups

The origins of these groups can sometimes be found in fraudulent tribes formed by those whose ancestors were rejected from the Dawes Rolls due to not being Cherokee. Non-Natives often fraudulently applied seeking allotment of lands. Other groups may consist of non-Natives with a tiny amount of distant Cherokee heritage, but whose ancestors assimilated so thoroughly, and so long ago, that their family no longer has any traces of Cherokee culture, language or ceremonies. In other cases, there are only vague family stories, sometimes told to explain differences in appearance and hide the existence of African-American ancestors. ==Individual recognition==

Some people who are ineligible for tribal citizenship join heritage groups to identify with the Cherokee people. language preservation, or to maintain cultural art forms such as basket weaving. Both the Eastern and Western Cherokee have master teachers in these art forms with large followings. The rise of Social Media has helped connect individuals with interests in genealogy and heritage. ==Tribal recognition==

Heritage groups of all these types have sometimes sought recognition as Cherokee tribes. While heritage groups may base their membership on cultural and genealogical requirements, or on nothing more than a stated belief that one has Cherokee ancestry, tribal recognition is more complex in its adherence to academic, legal, historic, sociological, anthropological and genealogical principles. Some of these groups seek state recognition, and in some cases achieve recognition by the state; however, In the census for the year 2000, there were 729,533 people who self-identified as Cherokee and only about 250,000 people who were enrolled at the time in one of the three Federally Recognized Cherokee Tribes. == Cherokee Satellite Communities ==

• Cherokee Southwest Township (Albuquerque, New Mexico) (CNO-affiliated since 1999.) ==See also==