Signs of Cherokee Culture

Based on extensive fieldwork in the community of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in western North Carolina, this book uses a semiotic approach to investigate the historic and contemporary role of the Sequoyan syllabary--the written system for representing the sounds of the Cherokee language--in Eastern Cherokee life.

The Cherokee syllabary was invented in the 1820s by the respected Cherokee Sequoyah. The syllabary quickly replaced alternative writing systems for Cherokee and was reportedly in widespread use by the mid-nineteenth century. After that, literacy in Cherokee declined, except in specialized religious contexts. But as Bender shows, recent interest in cultural revitalization among the Cherokees has increased the use of the syllabary in education, publications, and even signage.

Bender also explores the role played by the syllabary within the ever more important context of tourism. (The Eastern Cherokee Band hosts millions of visitors each year in the Great Smoky Mountains.) English is the predominant language used in the Cherokee community, but Bender shows how the syllabary is used in special and subtle ways that help to shape a shared cultural and linguistic identity among the Cherokees. Signs of Cherokee Culture thus makes an important contribution to the ethnographic literature on culturally specific literacies.

Signs of Cherokee Culture: Sequoyah's Syllabary in Eastern Cherokee Life
Margaret Bender teaches linguistic and cultural anthropology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
"Signs of Cherokee Culture" illustrates the tenacity of the Cherokee to keep their culture and identity, defines the role and significance of the Sequoya syllabary, and adds an important volume on Native American literacy to the anthropologic literature. (James A. Bird, Cultural Resources Manager, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Margaret Bender has shown an interest and a willingness to become involved in our Cherokee culture with a particular emphasis on the language. The results of her studies are informative and enlightening to the Cherokee Language Project. (Jean L. Bushyhead, Project Manager, Cherokee Language Project)
This is a fascinating study that makes a major contribution to the anthropology of literacy. (Raymond J. DeMallie, Indiana University, Bloomington)