Cherokees Are From The Middle East According to Groundbreaking DNA Finding, Experts Claim

The history of the Cherokee people is one of complexity, stretching back over 10,000 years in the Southeastern United States. Known for their agricultural innovations and deep connection to the land, the Cherokee built a powerful society that shaped the region.

Yet, as their story passed through the hands of explorers, settlers, and academics, it became entangled in myths and misunderstandings that blurred the line between fact and fiction. What really happened to this ancient nation? And how did their legacy become such a tangled web of theories and claims?

The Rise and Power of the Cherokee Nation

The Cherokee Nation, with its roots tracing back over 10,000 years in the Southeastern United States, was a formidable force in North America. They controlled a vast expanse of territory, covering approximately 140,000 square miles, and had a population of more than 36,000 people. These numbers speak to their power, but their cultural and agricultural advancements set them apart as well. The Cherokees were pioneers in cultivating crops like corn, beans, and squash, collectively known as “the three sisters.” These crops played a vital role in their sustenance and demonstrated their agricultural sophistication.

Cherokee towns were well-organized and often centered around a “townhouse,” which was sometimes constructed on ceremonial earthen mounds that grew with each successive re-building for rituals. This structure not only served as a hub for governance and social life but also symbolized their connection to the land and their customs. They were skilled in a variety of crafts, weaving baskets and making pottery, and relied on deer, bear, and elk for meat and clothing​.

Myths, Misinterpretations, and Colonial Conflicts

One of the most pervasive myths surrounding the Cherokee comes from James Adair, a trader and historian who lived among various Native American tribes for over 40 years in the 18th century.

In his book The History of the American Indians (1775), Adair proposed a controversial theory: he believed that the Cherokees and other Southeastern tribes were descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. This idea, based on supposed linguistic and cultural similarities, fascinated European audiences and fed into the period’s millennial religious fervor. According to Adair, Cherokee practices—such as their division into tribes and purification rituals—bore striking resemblances to ancient Jewish customs, which led him to his hypothesis​.

However, this theory wasn’t just an intellectual curiosity. It was later misused during the American Revolution. Some settlers took Adair’s observations and twisted them into a narrative that claimed Native Americans had killed the “civilized Jews” who had built the mounds across North America. This false belief fueled violence, as preachers called on their congregations to “slaughter the savages” who, they said, were guilty of these imagined atrocities.

Despite its shaky foundation, the myth persisted well into the 19th century and even influenced how Native American lands and people were treated by colonizers and settlers.

Rewriting History: Academic Fraud and Controversies

The history of the Cherokee people has not only been shaped by their own resilience but also by significant academic and political manipulations, particularly in North Carolina.

In 1976, the North Carolina government directed historians and archaeologists to conclude that the Cherokee had been in the state for at least 1,000 years. This directive led to the “North Carolina History Project,” which saw large-scale re-labeling of archaeological sites. All Native American sites in the western third of the state were reclassified as “Cherokee” or “Proto-Cherokee,” regardless of the evidence suggesting other cultural affiliations.

This rebranding erased the presence of other groups, such as the Creek Indians, who had once dominated the region. Their place names were similarly attributed to the Cherokee under the guise of being “ancient Cherokee words,” whose meanings were said to be lost. This large-scale academic revisionism resulted in two generations of archaeologists citing each other’s work, perpetuating these misconceptions.

Further controversies arose when the newly reclassified Cherokee were retroactively credited with building the mounds scattered across the Southeast, despite no historical or archaeological evidence supporting this. Until the late 20th century, Cherokee leaders themselves had denied constructing the mounds. However, a new generation, influenced by the rebranded history, accepted these claims as fact​.

DNA and the Cherokee Identity

Recent DNA studies of the Cherokee people have revealed surprising results that challenge traditional narratives. DNA testing conducted by DNA Consultants on the Cherokees living in North Carolina uncovered a significant presence of Middle Eastern, North African, and even European genetic markers. These findings indicate that many self-identified full-blooded Cherokees carry DNA that more closely resembles populations from the Mediterranean and Middle East, such as the Berbers, native Egyptians, Hebrews, and Mesopotamians. This is quite different from the typical DNA profiles of Native Americans in other parts of North America.

One study found that 81.8% of Cherokee lineages were linked to Mesopotamian and Old European DNA, while only 7.4% were associated with the expected haplogroups commonly found in Native Americans. Some researchers have interpreted this as evidence that the Cherokee may have intermarried with or descended from Middle Eastern populations long before European contact, leading to these unusual genetic patterns.

This discovery has sparked considerable debate. While some suggest that these DNA markers indicate deep historical connections between the Cherokee and ancient Middle Eastern groups, others argue that the Middle Eastern DNA could have been introduced more recently, possibly during the colonial era through intermarriage with European or Sephardic Jewish settlers.

The complexities of Cherokee identity are further complicated by the tribe’s historical involvement in the slave trade, which may have contributed to the introduction of African and European genetic markers into the population​. Additionally, some researchers caution that the genetic variations could result from more recent population movements rather than ancient migrations.

Language, Cultural Mixture, and Legacy

The Cherokee language, known as “Tsalagi,” is part of the Iroquoian language family, and it stands as a cornerstone of the tribe’s identity. Interestingly, despite being geographically separated from other Iroquoian-speaking tribes for thousands of years, Cherokee retains structural similarities with languages spoken by the Iroquois in the Great Lakes region. This linguistic connection suggests that the Cherokee people may have migrated from the north to the Southeastern United States approximately 3,000 years ago.

The development of the Cherokee syllabary by Sequoyah in the early 19th century revolutionized the tribe’s literacy and cultural preservation. Prior to this, Cherokee was strictly an oral language, but the syllabary allowed the Cherokee people to develop a rich written tradition, including the publication of the first Native American newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix.

Culturally, the Cherokee have always been deeply influenced by their interactions with other Native tribes, such as the Shawnee and the Creeks. These exchanges, both peaceful and conflictual, led to the blending of languages, customs, and even kinship systems. The Cherokee language, for example, absorbed terms from neighboring tribes, adding layers of cultural mixture into their linguistic identity. This process reflects the Cherokee’s adaptability and openness to external influences​.

As the Cherokee continue to revitalize their language through immersion schools and modern technologies, their linguistic and cultural legacy remains a vibrant testament to their resilience. Efforts like the New Kituwah Academy aim to ensure that younger generations not only learn the language but also carry forward the traditions embedded within it​.

Cherokee Heritage: A Story of Survival and Adaptation

The story of the Cherokee is one of resilience, adaptation, and survival, shaped by both their internal strength and external influences. From their complex social structures and the cultivation of staple crops like corn, beans, and squash, to their encounters with European settlers and the myths that have distorted their history, the Cherokee have navigated through numerous challenges while maintaining a strong cultural identity. Despite the forced removal and the revisionist history that has clouded their true story, the Cherokee have continually adapted and thrived.

DNA research has added new layers to the Cherokee identity, revealing genetic markers that connect them to Middle Eastern and North African populations, challenging previous understandings of their ancestry. Language, too, remains a vital part of Cherokee life, with ongoing revitalization efforts ensuring the survival of their mother tongue and preserving the unique cultural elements embedded within it.

As the Cherokee continue to confront modern challenges, their cultural resilience, linguistic richness, and historical significance stand as enduring symbols of a nation that has shaped the Southeastern United States in ways still being uncovered today.