UGA Domestic - CED - Plant Communities of the Cherokee Landscape
This course provides a field study of the ethnoecology of the Cherokee landscape, the region consisting of the eastern Cherokee Homeland, the route westward along the Trail of Tears, and the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Students in the course will closely examine plants in their native habitat, using historic and contemporary Cherokee literature to understand the roles plants and the landscape played in traditional Cherokee life. Students will develop an understanding of the Cherokee relationship with the land, the cultural consequences of Indian Removal, and the ways that the contemporary Cherokee people negotiate their traumatic past for healing.
Program Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The first week of class is spent on campus. Lectures, readings and discussion provide an introduction to Cherokee history, culture, landscape and literature. The next two weeks are spent in the field, traveling from North Carolina to Oklahoma following the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears.
Academic Program
Courses Offered:
LAND 4440/6440 - Plant Communities of the Cherokee Landscape
Program Itinerary
(Wednesday) May 13th UGA Campus, Jackson Street Building
9am - noon Intro to Cherokee Culture and Sacred Places - Dr. Jace Weaver
Establish meal teams and begin recipe planning – provide menu suggestions based on previous successes
(Thursday) May 14th UGA Campus, Jackson Street Building
9am - noon Intro to Cherokee Ethnoecology – Alfie Vick
Meal team menu planning
(Friday) May 15th UGA Campus, Jackson Street Building
9am - noon Showing of the PBS Trail of Tears documentary and discussion
Meal team turn in shopping list; Alfie does initial grocery shopping
BEGIN FIELD TRAVEL
(Saturday) May 16th Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee, NC
7:30am Meet on campus to load the vans
Drive to Smokemont Group Campground, GSMNP, NC,
Morning Arrive at campsite, set up camp
Afternoon Museum of the Cherokee Indian Heritage Days
Evening Discussion
(Sunday) May 17th Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee, NC
Morning Clingman’s Dome
Afternoon Visit Mingo Falls
Evening Discussion
(Monday) May 18th Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee, NC
Morning Great Smoky Mountains National Park botanizing with David Cozzo
Afternoon Oconaluftee Village
Visit Kituwha Mound with Tyler Howe, Tribal Historic Preservation Office
Evening Discussion
(Tuesday) May 19th Vogel State Park, GA
Morning Drive to Nanatahala Outdoor Center for whitewater rafting
Afternoon Drive to Vogel State Park
(Wednesday) May 20th Vogel State Park, GA
Morning Hiking and Botanizing Sosbee Cove
Afternoon Exploring Vogel State Park
Evening Discussion
(Thursday) May 21st Vogel State Park, GA
Morning Hiking and Botanizing Blood Mountain
Afternoon Exploring Vogel State Park
Evening Discussion
(Friday) May 22nd Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN
Morning Drive to New Echota
Afternoon Explore New Echota / Red Clay
Arrive at Fall Creek Falls
(Saturday) May 23rd Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN
Morning River Gorge Hike with Ranger
Afternoon Possible cave exploration
Evening Discussion
(Sunday) May 24th Ferne Clyffe State Park, IL
Morning Tennessee to Illinois
Afternoon Brief stop at Trail of Tears Commemorative Park in Hopkinsville, KY
Brief stop at Mantle Rock?
Arrive at Ferne Clyffe State Park
(Monday) May 25th Ferne Clyffe State Park, IL
Morning Pope County, IL trail of tears segments
Afternoon Campground Church Cemetery?
Evening Discussion
(Tuesday) May 26th Ferne Clyffe State Park, IL
Morning Canoeing?
Evening Discussion
(Wednesday) May 27th Roaring River State Park, MO
All Day Drive to Roaring River State Park
(Thursday) May 28th Cherokee Landing State Park, OK
All Day Cherokee History Tour
Downtown Tahlequah
Cherokee Courthouse and Jail Museum
Ross Cemetery Museum
Cherokee Heritage Center
Murrell Home
Evening Discussion
(Friday) May 29th Cherokee Landing State Park, OK
All Day Glass Mountains State Park, OK
Visit with Tommy Wildcat, Cherokee Nation
(Saturday) May 30th Cherokee Landing State Park, OK
Morning Meet Cherokee Nation Chief Bill John Baker
Afternoon Cherokee Stickball Game
Art studio visits with Bobby Martin, Tony Tiger, Troy Jackson
Visit Spider Art Gallery
Evening Discussion
(Sunday) May 31tst Cherokee Landing State Park, OK to Athens, GA
Accommodations
We stay in state parks, either tent camping or in cabins. Meals are planned and prepared as a group.
Program Costs
See "Cost of Attendance" sheet at the top of this brochure for dollar estimates. Basic cost breakdown for Domestic Field Study includes:
- Program fee for student travel (including accommodations, group excursions, meals, etc.)
- Tuition and fees for academic courses
- Personal spending money estimate:
Speak with a UGA Financial Aid Advisor about how to apply the HOPE scholarship and other financial aid to study abroad expenses.
Eligibility
- Satisfactory academic and disciplinary records, and strong references.
- Enrollment is limited (Likewise, a minimum enrollment count must be met to confirm program).
- Pre-requisite courses, if any, will be enforced.
Admission Process
Admissions are rolling, and only applications marked "complete" by that time will receive a decision. Admission decisions will be sent via the studyaway.uga.edu application portal. Students will have a limited time to accept or decline an admission offer before the spot passes to another candidate. Students who accept the offer of admission must pay a non-refundable $150 deposit to confirm their place in the program and register for courses.
Contact Information
Dr. Alfie Vick, Program Director
Phone: 706-542-0935
Email: ravick@uga.edu
Founders House
Athens, Georgia 30602
