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The Keetoowahs are the traditonal people, the keepers of the language and heritage. They came west 20 years before the Trail of Tears, trading their land in North Carolina for new land the US gave them. Later the "civilized" tribes came and "white-manned" the Keetoowahs out of their land and other Federal entitlements. Learn more about the Keetoowahs at http://unitedkeetoowahband.org/History.htm http://www.keetoowahcherokee.org/

Tribe snubs prof Cherokee band says Churchill's claim of membership a fraud By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News May 18, 2005 Ward Churchill's claim of membership in the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is fraudulent, according to a scathing statement released by the tribal office. The statement, issued May 9 in the name of the tribal leader, Chief George Wickliffe, and posted on its Web site Tuesday, does not mince words: "The United Keetoowah Band would like to make it clear that Mr. Churchill IS NOT a member of the Keetoowah Band and was only given an honorary 'associate...

The Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians said Wednesday that University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill is an associate member of the tribe but not a full member, which requires a person to have at least one-fourth Cherokee blood. "He was trying to get recognized as an Indian. He could not prove he was an Indian (Cherokee) at all," said Ernestine Berry, who was on the tribe's enrollment committee and served on the tribal council for four years. Churchill, who resigned as chairman of CU's ethnic studies department on Monday, has been condemned for comparing victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks...