The very interesting sight of you at birth is the general attributes that made you belong to your parents. This sought-after glimpse is very remarkable that it will define you from other strangers. In a big picture, this sense of belongingness passes by mindlessly without special care until the time when your social life is wide open… The look in the mirror resembles you differently from your friends. You start to wonder why your facial features are not like any ordinary white American. Given the best education until reaching the greetings of adulthood, you have a clear understanding that you emerged from Cherokee ancestry, a native-American genealogy. The struggle starts.

A Glimpse of Cherokee Ancestry:

America has Indian village inhabitants living indigenously in the southeast mountains in the past. They harmoniously blend with the ways of the forests and achieved balance with its unseen spiritually perceived forces. In the course of time, their lifestyle has been changed by the progress of the nearby white neighbors, group of Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws have to migrate voluntarily to Mississippi.

Resettling started in 1700, where five (5) native tribes relocated on reservations because of cultural conflict with the whites. Indian resettlement, historically mandated by the 1830 Act of Congress, Treaty of New Eschota, started as voluntary escape until it turned into forced execution through federal policies. A vast territory in Louisiana has been assigned to the Indians who have conflicting cultures with the whites and so that they can continue their autonomous traditions.

The five Indian Tribes relocated in Eastern Oklahoma are the following:

Cherokees
Creek
Choctaws
Chickasaws
Seminoles

In historical context, Cherokee genealogy comprised a resentful journey of strife, became a very debatable subject of scholars about demography and related issues. The phrase "trail of tears" is all about the Cherokees' excruciating plight to promise land, where they comprise one of the biggest remaining Native American clan today. The modern Cherokees can only share the torments of the ancestry through historical readings.

Tracing the Lineage:

Tracing your Cherokee Genealogy will not be over by just looking at history. There are proofs that will determine that you are truly one, based on your documentations from surname, family tree to actual merging with your clan who can elaborate relevant background information. Finding out about your roots may give a different kind of relief and understanding of your existence. Here are the valuable means and references in tracing your genealogy:

Documents - civil records like properties, birth certificates, marriage licenses, deeds, wills

Contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics in writing to obtain pertinent information and decrees of family members. The state started compiling records since 1890 only, which means that older records are not available.

Libraries - for research purposes, history of native genealogies will give clearer understanding on what to look for when tracing your ancestry

Institutions that archives genealogy information
National Archives, Washington DC has older files since 1790, with a comprehensive website concerning genealogy researches: URL: http://www.nara.gov
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Online references are varied and may contain substantial information to help you on your next moves on Cherokee genealogy research. Be aware that public information must not be too costly to obtain. Reputable sources and government agencies must be the priority in procuring facts instead of making haste in paying at once for very commercial accommodations of common websites.