During the early part of a child's life, his or her mother was the primary caretaker. Mothers bathed their babies with warm water every day and oiled them with bear fat or passenger-pigeon fat. Mothers would keep their babies close to them, carrying them around on cradle boards.
Cherokee culture viewed children as being related to their mother, but not their father, as he was not seen as being part of the clan, the extended family group. The father could not correct the children if they misbehaved. Instead, everyone in the clan was obligated to correct children's bad behavior, the mother's brother would customarily be the first figure to turn to for the correction.
In the Cherokee culture there are six big festivals held each year. These are First New Moon of Spring, Green Corn Ceremony, Mature Green Corn Ceremony, Great New Moon Festival, Friends Made Ceremony and a sixth festival.
These festivals each had various rituals, such as acts of purification and sacrifices of certain items including corn. They could also include just having fun by dancing and eating. Some festivals were several days long.
Cherokee women controlled property including the home, were the head of their clan and controlled social decisions. They made pottery, baskets, clothes and mats. They also grew and harvested the crops, foraged for nuts and berries, and cooked the food. Clan heritage was traced through the mother, a custom still practiced today.
Cherokee men controlled hunting as well as politics such as diplomatic matters and decisions concerning war. They made dugout canoes, paddles and weapons such as blowguns, spears, arrows and tomahawks, which were small axes. Men also helped the women farm by clearing out the fields.
Despite this segregation, both men and women could make art and music and take part in storytelling. Both could also practice traditional Cherokee medicine.
The Cherokee historically had two chiefs, one chief, called a red chief, led during times of war, and the other one, called a white chief, led during times of peace. Both were elected through a tribal council, which was made of men, though later women could be council members too.
A large council building existed in a village so that everyone could hear what the tribal council had to say. Women could offer advice at a meeting.
In modern times the Cherokee still have both kinds of chiefs. However, the Cherokee people elect them, and they also elect the tribal council.