Socioculture - Research Paper Example

During the “Trail of Tears” towards the end of the 1830s, many Native American Cherokees were forced to shift from their homes to Oklahoma; nearly 20% of their total population did not survive this migration. This coupled with the onset of diseases and the rise of colonization ensured that the number of Cherokees dwindled and today, only a fraction of their population remains. Although, with the recent modernization and modern policy implementations, their population has spread to many different areas of America from eastern America, which is where they had concentrated themselves as a result of the “Trail of Tears”.

The southwestern part of America is one of the most fascinating places, geographically, of Cherokee settlement. This area is agriculturally intensive and houses Cherokees in small settlements which are characteristic of the area’s overall culture. Native Cherokee Indians from the Northwestern Coast were famous for making totem poles and other handicrafts. Many of the tribesmen and tribeswomen belonging to this area were employed in boat making, wood carving, lumbering and other similar activities.

Initially, the Native Cherokee Indians held a lot of power and status in America. This was because, as a group they had the largest land holdings. But the status of the Native Cherokee Indians deteriorated once the white men set foot on their land and slowly started taking over; first they took their land and eventually the power that came with its possession. The negative effects of the white people taking over and assuming the power position have not faded from the face of the Cherokee nation; there still remains in their reservations a high level of unemployment and resultant poverty.

Progress towards development is being made; however, the past of the Cherokee people will always have an imprint on their prospective future (Ballas, n.d). The Cherokees have very strong and vibrant religious beliefs and practices and related