EBCI Tribal Council

07/17/2026

07/14/2026

EBCI Tribal Council Representatives joined Principal Chief Michell Hicks on Capitol Hill this week to advocate on issues important to the Cherokee Community. Pictured L-R are Tsisquohi Councilman Boyd Owle, Congressman Chuck Fleishmann (R-TN), Principal Chief Michell Hicks, and Wayohi Councilman Bo Crowe. Congressman Fleishmann has advocated for several years for a bill to return TVA Lands in Monroe Co., TN to be held in trust with the EBCI.

As the EBCI continues to advocate for the return of culturally and historically significant sites to the Tribe, our leadership continues to build and maintain relationships to this end.

Tribal Council would like to thank Councilmembers Crowe and Owle for their willingness to join the The Principal Chief in DC for the week.

06/16/2026

Delegations from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, sat in fellowship on the afternoon of June 15th, 2026. Both groups were in Memphis, TN; to attend the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid-Year Conference.

Chief Ben of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, gave the invocation acknowledging that Memphis is located in historically Choctaw domain.

Council Members Venita Wolfe (Kolanvyi) and Boyd Owle (Tsisquohi) were in attendance at NCAI Mid-Year to speak on a resolution of support for the TVA Lands in Trust Bill/Administrative Transfer Process that would return land in Monroe County, TN to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by placing it in trust with the Bureau of Indians Affairs.

EBCI Tribal Council would like to thank Councilmembers Wolfe and Owle for their willingness to travel and advocate on behalf of the tribe.

Pictured L-R: Tasha Willis (MBCI), Tosh Welch (EBCI), Chenice Ben (MBCI), Council Person Venita K. Wolfe (EBCI), Chief Cyrus Ben (MBCI), Council Person Boyd Owle (EBCI), Ms. Jenn Baker (Pipestem Law), Rebecca Steve (MBCI)

06/11/2026

A panel entitled “The Role of Women as Government Leaders” was held at the National NAIWA (North American Indian Women’s Association) Conference, hosted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, June 9. The panel included Kolanvyi (Big Cove) Rep. Venita Wolfe, left; Aniwodihi (Painttown) Rep. Shannon Swimmer, second from left; Kolanvyi Rep. Lavita Hill, third from right; and Elawodi (Yellowhill) Rep. Shennelle Feather, second from right. They are shown with EBCI Beloved Woman Carmaleta Monteith, third from left; and Lucille Wolfe, NAIWA Cherokee Chapter president, right. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)

The One Feather recorded the entire panel discussion. It is posted on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXtqZJz68FY

06/10/2026

The "Shelter In Place" order for all Tribal Buildings and Programs has been lifted.

05/23/2026

On the week of May 18th, 2026, Representatives of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians provided open testimony in Tulsa, OK to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The TVA testimony was specifically centered around EBCI efforts to have TVA property in Eastern Tennessee returned to the EBCI and to be held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Shown below at this event (L-R) are: Wayohi Tribal Council Representative Mike Parker; Dr. Beau Carroll, Interim Director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office for EBCI; and Tsisquohi Tribal Council Representative Boyd Owle.

EBCI Tribal Council continues to advocate on a national level to secure our cultural and historically significant sites. EBCI Tribal Council wants to thank Council Representatives Parker and Owle for their willingness to travel to argue the case on behalf of the EBCI. In addition, EBCI was delighted to have Dr. Beau Carroll provide his expert testimony on issues directly involving tribal historical preservation Issues at the Monroe County, TN site. This property includes the sites of Tanasi, Toqua, and Chota; as well as the Sequoyah Birthplace Musuem.