In western North Carolina, in a fog-ribboned valley among the peaks of the Smoky Mountains, 16,000 Cherokee reside within the Qualla Boundary. It was better, they determined, to live with only part of the land than to die in the struggle for it all. Instead of continuing to wage war on one another, they decided to create a boundary and divide the grounds. On the fourth day, their leaders met in secret on the land to which they both laid claim. For three days and three nights, they fought without ceasing, until both sides feared they might perish. Passed down through generations, the tale describes a violent clash between the two tribes deep in the southern Piedmont. It’s tourists.Īn ancient story tells of a battle over hunting grounds that took place between the Cherokee and the Catawba centuries ago. Only this time, what they are battling over isn’t water or captives or trade routes. As accusations fly and politicians take sides, two tribes that warred for centuries find themselves at odds once again. But there is a problem: The land the Catawba have settled upon for their casino-land they assert belonged to their ancestors-is also claimed by the Cherokee. Now South Carolina’s Catawba tribe wants to do the same. In North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians found a way to take care of their people: In 1997, they opened a casino on their lands.
