Welcome to the Homepage for the Central Texas Cherokee Township (CTCT), a community of Cherokees dedicated to Cherokee history, language, culture, heritage, tradition and fellowship.

We endeavor to bring news from the nation to our members as well as meetings, fellowship and friendship. We offer occassional gatherings, information exchanges and a chance to meet fellow citizens of the nation. You are welcome to join if you are Cherokee, a family member of a Cherokee or interested in Native American culture and heritage.

Central Texas Cherokee Township is an at-large community that serves Cherokee citizens and their family members who live outside the nation's traditional service area in Oklahoma. We provide cultural presentations on Cheroke history, art, culture, and agriculture.

Announcements:

Learn to make Cherokee Tear Beads this July

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An example of a commercial corn bead necklace courtesy of Native Pueblo.

Cherokee legend says the Creator saw the sorrow of the Cherokee as the soldiers drove them from their homes to resettle in Oklahoma. He raised a cornstalk where their tears fell to remind them of the people they lost, of the Creator's grace, and the strength of his people.

Join us at the Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm to learn more about the history and legends behind tear corn and make your own necklace to take home with you.

Upcoming Events

Date Time Event
July 27, 2024 1:30-3:30pm

Trail of tears Cherokee bead necklace lessons at the Asian American Resource Center
8401 Cameron Road, Room 8

August 10, 2024 10am-noon Hominy Making Demonstration at Red Salmon Arts, 2000 Thrasher Lane.

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News:

CTCT joins Red Salmon Arts to show how hominy is made

CTCT members make pots at workshop
A plate of hominy created by nixtamaization. (image courtesy of Glain23 on Wikimedia)

Learn how to get the most nutrition out of your corn harvest with the traditional technique of nixtamaization. This ancient process dissolves the hard outer kernel coating and adds calcium, making it easily digestible. The process was developed in Mesoamerica and is practiced by numerous corn growing cultures, including the Cherokee. The process produces hominy which can be added whole to soups like pozole, ground into grits / cornmeal, or ground fine into masa for tortillas and tamales. Help create food sovereignty and security in our community by learning and passing on this important cultural knowledge.

The process lasts overnight, participants will see the start of a batch of hominy and learn about the various ways that is can be achieved. When that batch is ready to rest, a previous prepared batch in the second day stage will be washed and strained to finish the process. Depending on size participants will be able to sample and take home the prepared hominy or if the equipment is available hominy can be ground into masa. The CTCT will acquire a few pounds of whole corn so, depending on size, participants will be able to take some for home processing. The event runs from 10am until noon on August 10 at Red Salmon Arts, 2000 Thrasher Lane.

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