Commitment
We acknowledge with humility and respect that our church stands on the ancestral lands of the ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East), S’atsoyaha (Yuchi), and Miccosukee peoples, who have stewarded this place since time immemorial.
In recognition of this relationship, we commit to honoring the land not only in words but through tangible care—protecting the trees and wildlife that continue to make this place sacred. We pledge to learn from and elevate the histories and presence of the Indigenous nations connected to this land, and to nurture a community of reverence, education, and active guardianship for generations to come.
Tennessee's Native American History
The name “Tennessee” comes from the Native American name of a Cherokee village, “Tanasi.”
"The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail runs east to west across Tennessee, carving a tragic story of the removal of Cherokee Indians from their ancestral homelands.” ( https://www.tn.gov/tourism/news/2022/11/10/seven-attractions-that-tell-the-story-of-native-americans-in-tennessee.html )
For more information, see the University of Tennessee's Southeastern Native American Tribes (Special Collections):
Native American Indian Tribes of Tennessee
According to the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee, five tribes originally inhabited the land now known as Tennessee: Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek (Muscogee), Chickasaw, and Seminole.
"You have only to look at a map of Tennessee to see the lasting influence of Native American peoples in our state. Read the place names aloud and listen to the echoes of the old tongue in Etowah, Sewanee, Chattanooga, Hiwassee, Chickamagua, Nickajack, Tellico, and Tullahoma. Speak the name Tennessee and you’ve uttered a tribute to our first nations’ musical word for where the river bends."
For more information, see https://naiatn.org/about/frequently-asked-questions
Homelands - Native Art
Homelands - Connecting to Mounds through Native Art is hosted by the University of Tennessee's McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture and features contemporary works by Native artists.
"Homelands is co-curated by four Native Nations connected to Knox County: Cherokee Nation, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation."
For more information: https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/exhibitions/homelands/