Chota

Chota carries the solemn, peace-making energy of a designated sanctuary where violence was forbidden and all peoples could seek refuge. The site emanates a quality of sacred neutrality and justice that transcends ordinary human conflict, reflecting the Cherokee principle of harmony as the highest spiritual law. Despite its physical submersion, the spiritual current of Chota continues to radiate from the location, and visitors to the memorial report feeling a profound sense of peace and resolution. The energy here teaches conflict transformation and the possibility of creating spaces where higher consciousness governs human interaction.

Chota (also Chote) was the principal town and peace capital of the Overhill Cherokee in eastern Tennessee during the 18th century, located on the Little Tennessee River. The town served as a major ceremonial and political centre, featuring a large council house where important decisions affecting the Cherokee Nation were made. Chota was designated a City of Refuge where no blood could be shed, making it one of the most sacred Cherokee sites. The town was burned by American forces in 1780 during the Revolutionary War. The site was inundated by the Tellico Dam reservoir in 1979, though a memorial now marks the approximate location above the waterline. Archaeological excavations before flooding revealed the townhouse foundation, burials, and artifacts spanning Cherokee occupation.