Today I met a native American man from the Qualla Boundary, which I never knew existed.

[mahina]

Did you know they were never conquered and are not a part of the United States?

Most amazing conversation that I can recall ever having. What a beautiful man. Super talented, a teacher, an artist, and a gentleman.

[FarPoint]

1. Can you give us more details?

Where exactly is the Qualla Boundary? What was the synopsis of your discussion?

[GeorgeGist]

2. Here you go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualla_Boundary

[liberal N proud]

3. When I searched for the Qualla Boundary, it showed a spot in North Carolina

I can't imagine that land within the US in the Appalacians is not part of the United States.

[mahina]

6. Something like 86 square miles that are not part of the United States.

St. Georges, in Newfoundland, is part of France, French money, stamps, all of it.

It was a surprise to me about the Qualla boundary too.

[Art_from_Ark]

11. I think you're thinking of St. Pierre and Miquelon

which are islands off the coast of Newfoundland that are part of France.

[mahina]

12. You are exactly right! Thank you!

I haven't been there since 1977 and had the name completely wrong. Thank you. Still have some of the money around here somewhere...

[Art_from_Ark]

15. I think it would be kind of cool to visit those islands

I have been interested in them ever since I read about them in a world coin book when I was a kid

[mahina]

18. It was a fun little village, lots of visitors.

The day we went there, there was a Russian cruise ship at dock. The town was bustling. Much more going on than just fishing, for sure, and that was 30 years ago +. Not to say that fishing isn't important, but there was a lot more than that.

I loved Newfoundland.

[Selatius]

4. Qualla Boundary rests upon land formerly belonging to the original Cherokee Nation in NC.

It's a fragment, one of several in North Carolina up in the foothills in the former homeland of the Cherokee. It's not considered a reservation but is legally considered a "land trust" and is under the supervision of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

As you head into Qualla Boundary, a plaque erected by the Dept. of the Interior reads:

The Cherokee domain once extended far beyond the distant mountains, but the white man, with broken treaties and fruitless promises, brought trouble to the Indians and caused their banishment to an Oklahoma reservation. A few escaped capture and fled into the Great Smokies, eventually forming the Eastern Band that now lives on the Qualla Reservation in the valley below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualla_Boundary

[mahina]

13. Interesting, thank you. Is it a reservation, as the plaque states?

[mahina]

5. He gave me a quick 1.5 hour education on traditional pottery, history of the Qualla people,

history of the American Indians in North and South America, taught me about the symbols and meanings in the pottery and design work, about their lives there, what it was like togrow up riding horses or running to get to your friends house, no electricity, no TV, none of it.

A m a z i n g

[Art_from_Ark]

16. Very interesting

Do the Qualla Cherokees still live that kind of lifestyle?

[mahina]

17. Some sure do, he did, don't know about the general population.

[mahina]

7. Posted after midnight last night and headed to bed,

sorry to have missed your question till now. Just got to a computer again.

OK!

[Zanzoobar]

8. I suppose the bottom of Lake Superior has not been conquered.

It doesn't matter, does it? IS there an ROI on containing Appalachia?

[mahina]

9. Guess you'd have to ask the US government.

If you have a time machine handy!

[ellisonz]

10. Maybe they could go back to 1893...

...and pull their Marines out of Honolulu and take Dole, Thurston, and their ilk with them.

[mahina]

14. For real.

Sigh.