Cherokee SouthWest Township, Bear Canyon Senior Center, 4645 Pitt St NE, Albuquerque, NM (2026)

The Cherokee SouthWest Township (CSWT) is a non-political and non-profit Cherokee community founded in New Mexico in 1999 in response to the desire of Cherokee Nation citizens and their family members to explore their Cherokee heritage, to nurture their Cherokee roots, to learn more about Cherokee history and traditions, to keep abreast of Cherokee news and to participate more fully as citizens of

the Cherokee Nation. All of this in a spirit of good Cherokee fellowship. As indicated in this image -- "the fire still burns." Members live outside the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation and bands. They are located mainly in New Mexico and the surrounding southwestern states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and West Texas. However, CSWT has Cherokee members scattered in other states from North Carolina to Oregon. CSWT is a community of Cherokees, registered and unregistered, family and friends, dedicated to Cherokee history, culture, heritage, tradition and fellowship. The CSWT seeks to maintain a minimum of sixty percent (60 %) of its members as registered Cherokee Nation citizens. Those not Cherokee Nation citizens may join. The CSWT was the first satellite community chartered under the Cherokee Nation Community Association (CNCA) established by the Cherokee Nation Council in March 2008. These satellite communities provide a means for diasporic Cherokees living outside the historic boundary of the Cherokee Nation to expand and strengthen their ties to the Cherokee Nation and to deepen their understanding of Cherokee history, language, cultural traditions, civic activities and fellowship.

Address

Bear Canyon Senior Center, 4645 Pitt St NE
Albuquerque, NM
87111

General information

Mailing Address: Cherokee SouthWest Township P.O. Box 14184 Albuquerque, NM 87191-4184 Regular Monthly Meetings and Potluck Meal Regular meetings, are held the second Saturday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Members bring favorite dishes to share and we have a potluck meal. We can affirm that Cherokees like to cook and like to eat. There is a long tradition of various types of foods that we can draw on, from Cherokees, from other Native Americans and from favorite family recipes. The meeting starts with a prayer circle. Thanks are given. Friends are remembered who may be sick or suffering. Special announcements are made. The community then breaks bread together in congenial fellowship and enjoys all the good Cherokee foods. After eating, there is a program of general interest which may be put on by members or by guest speakers. We visit old friends and meet new people. We get caught up on family and community information from local Cherokees and from the Cherokee Nation. We discuss and exchange views on a wide variety of topics. There is a drawing for door prizes at each meeting. Generally there may be between four to eight door prizes which are donated by CSWT members. We have a custom that those who win door prizes at one meeting might want to donate a door prize from home at a subsequent meeting. The value of a door prize should not exceed about ten dollars. We have a Christmas Party each December. A fun and meaningful gift exchange takes place. Second Saturday of each month 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Bear Canyon Senior Citizen Center 4645 Pitt Street NE Albuquerque, New Mexico

Telephone

(505) 463-2581

Website

http://www.cherokeesouthwesttownship.org/

Products

CSWT newsletter, The Cherokee Compass, tsalagi uyukdv kanohesgi, is published monthly. It has drawn lots of praise for its content and for its layout and presentation. It seeks to provide interesting and informational articles on Cherokee news, history, culture, traditions, family stories and other matters of general interest. Each issue generally runs between 14 to 18 pages in length and can includes:
Information on the current month and what it signifies in Cherokee culture;
Cherokee words and phrases, tsalagi dikaneisdi;
Cherokee herbology, suli ugidahli;
Food talk, alsdayhdi digosisohdi;
Humor, uwotlvdi;
Family and traditional stories, uweti uninohetlvnv (old stories that were told);
News from the Cherokee Nation and other Native American Tribes;
Musings and poetry;
Information on Cherokee history, arts, crafts, traditions and others;
Council Corner;
Members' doings.
NOTE: Members receive the Cherokee Compass. You may subscribe to the newsletter without being a CSWT member, upon payment in the amount of annual dues. If you would like a complimentary copy of a newsletter please contact Darl Patrick at [email protected]

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