Rooted in the Mountains

08/17/2021

The schedule for Rooted in the Mountains September 23-24 is set! Go to Western Carolina University homepage and search for Rooted in the Mountains. It will take you to the schedule and registration. Our theme this year is Sowing Seeds of Sovereignty: Food and Health. We have a full Slate of great scholars and speakers. Check it out!

10/05/2020

Please view this powerful and important movie.

A feature-length documentary about America’s system of public lands and the fight to protect them. Watch the trailer for 'Public Trust' here: https://www.you...

09/24/2020

Since we will not meet for the two day Symposium as customary this week, please attend our two hour webinar teaser today (Thursday) at noon. Tom Belt, Dr. Jerry Miller, And Tommy Cabe will be talking about water. Big to WCU’s home page and search for Rooted! Hope to see you there!

03/20/2020

We hope to see y’all in September for Rooted so stay safe and enjoy a little down time, maybe a walk by your favorite river or creek.

01/10/2020

Planning is underway for 2020 Rooted! Our committee has decided we will return to the theme of water. Stay tuned in the soon coming weeks for a listing of people and panels.

09/28/2019

We had another annual symposium of great discussion integrating Traditional Knowledge with health and environmental issues. Speakers from the EBCI and scholars from a variety of disciplines came together to talk about ancestral foods, historical ecology, Cherokee concepts of health and environment and discussions of weaving culture in diabetes and heart health care. Thanks to all who came! Stay tuned for next years theme!

09/25/2019

Come to WCU tomorrow and Friday and enjoy field trips regarding Cherokee history and culture and panels discussing a multitude of topics ranging from historic ecology to health. Visit our schedule on the WCU website and search for Rooted in the Mountains!!

09/18/2018

Go to Western Carolina University homepage and search for Rooted in the Mountains. It should take you to the site for the schedule, speakers, and registration. The theme this year is Women’s Health- Heart Health: Rooted in Culture. See you on the 27th of September!!!

05/29/2018

Registration is up for 2018 Rooted symposium. We are so honored and pleased that Katsi (pronounced Gudgi), will be our keynote speaker. She is Mohawk and a tireless advocate for women’s health. Our theme is Heart Health-Women’s Health: Rooted in Culture. More info. to come.

09/30/2017

More amazing speakers at Rooted in the Mountains yesterday. Descriptions of each speaker and their presentation are included in the comments below each photograph. They included:

09/30/2017

Some of our speakers yesterday included Tom Belt, Cherokee Nation Tribal Elder and Cherokee language instructor at WCU; Dr. Brett Riggs, archaeologist and the Sequoyah Distinguished Professor of Cherokee Cherokee studies at WCU; and TJ Holland, cultural resources officer for the EBCI and director of the Junaluska Memorial Cherokee Museum.

All three of them spoke at the Kituwah Mound about the significance of this site as the Cherokee Mother Town, as a peace town and so much more. What they shared was very educational and very inspirational.

09/29/2017

Amazing speakers at Rooted in the Mountains. Descriptions of each speaker and their presentation are included in the comments below each photograph. Our welcome was given by Dr. Mae Claxton, who teaches classes in Southern, Appalachian and Native American literature at WCU. Dr. Claxton has worked on the planning committee for Rooted in the Mountains since it's inception.

The speakers included: