Cherokee Nation Pins and Buttons
Description: The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the large historic Cherokee territory in the Southeast, which extended into eastern Tennessee, western South Carolina, northern Georgia and Alabama. The tribe purchased this land in the 1870s, and it was subsequently placed under federal protective trust; it is not a reservation created by the government. Individuals can buy, own, and sell the land, provided they are enrolled members of the Tribe of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Their headquarters is located in Cherokee, North Carolina.
Description: The seven pointed star in the center of the Great Seal of the Cherokee Nation represents the seven clans of the Cherokee: Bird, Wild Potato, Deer, Long Hair, Paint, Blue and Wolf. The leaves and acorns around the star symbolize the sacred fire of the Cherokee which has been kept burning since before the days when white men came to America. The words around the seal include the Cherokee words that translate to "Cherokee Nation" and the date of the signing of the first Cherokee Constitution.
