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Our Tribal Council

Our Chief

Mary Louise Worthy

Our Vice Chief

Dexter Yellow Hawk Sharp

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Kimberly Night Bird Lance

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Mark Two Blades Williams

Scott Red Otter Gephart

Gene News Carrier Durham

Tommy War Dog Sanders

Tribal Council meetings are usually held the last Saturday of the month (check Calendar) at 10:00 A.M. in the White Sage Longhouse, except June, July, September, November, and December. According to our By-Laws and Constitution, the Chief and Tribal Council Chairperson may call for another council meeting other than those designated.

Our By-Laws

The By-laws were written when the PAIA was first chartered on April 24, 1984.

Our Constitution

The PAIALECNSC Constitution details the rules governing the tribe.

Tommy War Dog

Sanders

Our Elders' Council

"Keeping the traditions alive and being active role models are what make the Elders the backbone of our tribe. Tribal Elders are what we, as tribal members, are all trying to accomplish with our own lives. From one generation to the next, the Tribal Elders will always be the connecting link." - First Chief Howard White Bull Norris

In 2002 Chief Howard White Bull Norris initiated the Elders' Council. The Elders' Council is the advisory committee to the entire tribe. These Elders have the knowledge and the experience to give counsel and advice to the Chief, Vice Chief, and the tribal council members on matters of tradition and culture.

Harold Lone Wolf Norwood,

First Elders' Council Chairman

Patsy Dancing Wolf Durham,

Chairwoman of the Elders' Council

Lillian Basket Weaver Bryant,

Founding Member of the

Elders' Council

Jim Black Bear Howell

Gene News Carrier Durham

In Memoriam We Remember...

First Chief Howard White Bull Norris

Dolores Morning Star Parker

Eddy Two Hearts Worthy

James Blue Turtle Vinson

Patricia Rosebud Clement

Martha Sun Flower Howell

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Johnnie Red Wolf Blank

Linda Fire Ant Woman Hanley

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Effie Woman Who Speaks Her Mind
Arrowood Altman​, Founding Member
of the Elders Council

Action Commities

Mark Two Blades is the War Chief of the Red Shirt Warrior Society.

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The Red Shirt Warriors (RSW) are tasked with the job of safety of our Chief, women, and children. We are responsible for upkeep and expansion of the buildings and grounds. We are the work force of the tribe.

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Requirements for becoming a Red Shirt Warrior:

 

  • Male members 14 yrs. or older can become a Red Shirt Warrior by asking to join.

  • A member will become his sponsor. The sponsor will have him fill out an application.

  • When the application is returned to the sponsor, it will be given to the War Chief.

  • The applicant must be present at the next Red Shirt Warrior Society meeting.

  • The War Chief will read the application aloud to the other members and introduce the applicant.

Red Shirt Warrior Society

 

Women of the Spirit (WOS)

Women of the Spirit is a vibrant community of women. Shannon Laughingdeer Long is the Chairwoman. 

Our Mission: We recognize that tribal women are the backbone of the tribe, weaving our ideas, community, and culture by empowering one another in every way. We help our Elders and teach our young. We support our men and honor our ancestors.

We do this by:

  • Giving of our time and talents to help our at our pow wow;

  • Practice and teach ceremonial etiquette;

  • Work on regalia;

  • Gain knowledge through books and Elders about our history and our traditions;

  • Maintain the tribal flower bed and plants;

  • Help our Elders in everyway;

  • We inspire our young Cherokees by passing these down to them through teaching them our traditions, history and craftwork in order to preserve our culture for the next generation;

  • We support our men by helping on tribal work days.

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Young Cherokees

Kimberly Night Bird Lance and Jimmy Snake Killer Nicholson are the Chairpeople of the Young Cherokees.

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Our Mission Statement is:

  • To gather our young for the betterment of the tribe;

  • To learn and preserve our history and our culture; and

  • To honor our ancestors.

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Young Cherokees are tribal members under the age of 35.

Teaching Clan

Victoria Yellow Rose Norris has stepped aside as the Chairwoman of the Teaching Clan. Another chairperson is needed.

 

The Teaching Clan presents classes and events that teach tribal members and the community the history and culture of the Cherokee People and other Native People.

  • Chief Howard White Bull Kids' Days: program initiated by Chief Norris in 2009 to teach students the history and culture of the Cherokee People and other Native People in an interactive arena.

  • Strong Beaver Kids' Camp: coordinated by Jesse Medicine Bird Liggett to teach our youngest tribal members about their traditions and cultures.

  • Community Program: to teach and share the Cherokee history and culture in college and museum settings. 

Basketful of Knowledge Museum

Our First Chief envisioned our tribe having the only Cherokee Museum run by Cherokees in South Carolina; he also envisioned a traveling museum named “Basketful of Knowledge.” Victoria Yellow Rose Norris will work to combine this vision into reality, The PAIA Basketful of Knowledge Museum. Along with the help of other tribal members, specifically Barbara Raven Sanders, this museum will tell the Cherokee story in this state and beyond. Our present museum located in the tribal house contains much Cherokee history and artifacts, many old and recent crafts, regalia, tools and weapons, and photos of our ancestors. We will build upon this foundation to include an exhibit of our Elders telling their stories; more information about our past and current craftspeople; our 100-year history as the PAIALECNSC; and including a tribute to our First Chief who worked incessantly to make us recognized by the State of South Carolina as a tribe. 

Craft Store

The P.A.I.A Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation of S.C. has a very unique craft store. We have Tribal Members who are Native Artists and they make original pieces for sale at our Pow Wow and our numerous kids' days. The majority of our crafts come from our members, and that enables us to reduce outside vendors to increase our inventory. We are extremely proud of our store as we continue to grow. I am Beckie Morning Sun Sharp who is the craft store manager; Kimberly Night Bird Lance is my assistant.

Pow Wow

Scott Red Otter Gephart is the Chairman of the Pow Wow Committee starting with the 12th Annual Pow Wow.  . 

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This committee organizes the upcoming pow wow:

  • Specifies date (last Saturday in September);

  • Advertising and signs;

  • Contacts and schedules Drum, MC, Arena Director, Food & Craft Vendors, and other entertainers, and portable toilets & trash pickup;

  • Sets up reservations at Hotel;

  • Organizes other committees for certain duties;

  • Gets volunteers to help;

  • Sends out invitations; and

  • Makes pow wow schedule. 

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