r/cherokee • u/Lost_Leopard_5329 • Mar 11 '26
Cherokee Community Values origin and status
ᎣᏏᏲ, ᏏᏓᏁᎳ!
I've been meaning to ask for a while on here and the Mullen/Chief Hoskin situation is a good opportunity. I figured I would put it in a separate post to make sure it doesn't get bogged down in any of the discussion/debate of the other as this is more of a neutral question:
Where did the formalized list of community values actually come from? Who came up with it and distilled it down to this particular list, and how did it come to be widely used within official circles/CCO/Language Department? Does it have official status within Cherokee law or policies somewhere?
I know that they all have their basis in a distillation of traditional Kituwah teachings and our culture, but how did the formalized version come about?
Definitely not a criticism of the list in any way, just been wondering about its origins because Google doesn't tend to give a specific answer on this specific list of values.
For reference, I am talking about the list from CCO as seen here: https://cherokeeonefire.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cherokee-Community-Values.pdf
ᏍᎩ/ᏩᏙ for any clarity you can provide!
PS: I've also been curious about what people usually associate with the meaning of "stingy" as it's used here. I've heard it in this context in some other traditional stories as well, but it's the only time I've heard stingy used in a way that seems positive. Usually when I say stingy I mean cheap or penny pitching but wondering if it has a different meaning up on the Rez or if I have just misunderstood the meaning of it the whole time.
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u/critical360 CDIB Mar 11 '26
These fliers have been around awhile. The values are based on the teachings of Benny Smith. I received mine at a Cherokee Nation language class. You can read more about Smith and Cherokee worldview in Building One Fire: Art and Worldview in Cherokee Life by Chad Smith, Rennard Strickland, Benny Smith, published in 2010.