1. Social Recognition: Cherokee women held distinct social status and influence. They had a voice in decision-making, had the ability to vote in council elections, and, in certain situations, could even hold leadership roles.
2. Clan System and Matrilineal Society: Cherokee society is built on a clan system that passes on lineage and ancestry by matrilineal line, which signifies that kids inherit their mother's clan. This matrilineal system shows how essential women are to sustaining family and communal identification.
3. Property Rights: Cherokee women have the right to possess and control their property, including houses and belongings, and may dispose of them as they see fit.
4. Participation in Spiritual Activities: In several aspects of religious ceremonies and rituals, Cherokee women frequently took an active role. In healing rituals, for example, women played crucial role as ceremonial practitioners and healers.
5. Recognition in Agriculture and Economics: Cherokee women have traditionally played a significant role in agricultural activities and contributing to the community's economic success. They tended crops, kept animals, and helped create various artisanal goods.
6. Education and Childcare: Cherokee mothers typically oversaw their children's upbringing and education. Traditional stories, values, and skills were transferred from mothers to daughters to sons.
7. Influence on Marriage: In Cherokee society, women had a lot of control over who they would marry. Prior to marriage, women could reject suitors, and divorce were fairly simple.
8. Contribution to Oral History: Cherokee women have made important contributions to the preservation and transmission of oral traditions, history, and the tribe's cultural identity.
9. Leadership and Public Speaking: Some women in Cherokee society gained prominence as public speakers and even occasionally held leadership positions, such as the position of "Beloved Woman."
10. Reverence and Respect: In general, Cherokee men treated women with respect and deference. In public settings, women were seated and given first preference when served.
The Cherokee culture showed a high regard for women, placing a strong emphasis on their opinions and contributions to society. Women were honored and acknowledged as essential parts of the tribe's social, economic, religious, and cultural fabric, both inside their families and within the larger Cherokee community. Although cultural practices may have changed over time, the Cherokee's respect for women is embedded in their history and heritage and is still celebrated today.