In cherokee communities, the people would seat themselves according to their clans. In each community, there would usually be a council of seven women, one from each of the seven clans. Barbara duncan is a folklorist and author who recently retired after 23 years with the museum of the cherokee indian here in cherokee. She says cherokee culture had much more respect for individual choice. For example, there was no shame if a warrior decided not to fight he didn't believe in. The genicidal trail of tears of the late 18 thirties, the government's removal of the tribe to oklahoma territory, took the lives of some four tho and che