In a significant move to honor cultural heritage, the Noquisiyi Mound in Franklin is on the verge of being returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This follows a unanimous decision by the town’s council to transfer ownership of the land.
Historically, the mound was part of a Cherokee mother-town long before the establishment of the United States, holding profound significance for the Cherokee people. Since the 1800s, it has been under the control of either private owners or the town of Franklin itself.
Principal Chief of the EBCI, Michell Hicks, emphasized the importance of this transfer in a Facebook post, stating, “Nikwasi once stood at the center of a living Cherokee community, and today it remains the last visible marker of that town. Bringing it back under Cherokee ownership ensures it will be cared for as it should be, guided by our values and our responsibility to future generations.”
The transfer of the mound is the result of collaborative efforts between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), the Town of Franklin, and the Noquisi Initiative. This initiative, which includes representatives from Franklin, Macon County, the Mainspring Conservation Trust, and the Eastern Band, has held the deed to the mound since 2019.
Elaine Eisenbraun, the executive director of the initiative, remarked on the symbolic closure this decision brings, stating at the Town Council meeting, “There’s the old adage you can’t go home, but I said at the Town Council meeting, you can go home. Not just people can go home but places can go home. It’s time for this mound to go home to its people.”
Discussions about the ownership transfer began in 2012, sparked by an incident where a town employee used herbicide on the sacred site, leading to tensions with the Eastern Band. This event prompted the formation of the Noquisi Initiative in 2019, with the aim of fostering cooperation between Cherokee and non-Cherokee communities and overseeing the mound’s stewardship.
READ MORE HERE: Franklin Town Council Moves Forward To Give Sacred Mound To Nonprofit
With the recent decision by the Town Council on Jan. 5, any existing preservation agreement restrictions and encumbrances tied to the deed will be dismissed in the land transfer, a point that was crucial for all involved, according to Franklin Mayor Stacey Guffey. “I’m so proud of our board,” Guffey commented, “It was an action they took because their hearts were in the right place to do the right thing.”
The final approval for this transfer will require a vote from the tribe’s council, expected to take place in the upcoming months.
