CHEROKEE, N.C. — Clouds swept over Kuwohi’s peaks on a sharp fall day. Nancy Pheasant held students spellbound with the legend of Medicine Lake. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, she serves as an educator at the annual Kuwohi Connection Days.

“The story that I want to share with you today is another reason why we think this mountain is a sacred space for the Cherokee,” Pheasant told the group on Sept. 9, 2025. “This is also known as a place for Bear Council, meaning that the Bear People, or the Bear Clan, once held councils here.”

She stressed its broader importance. “It’s not only a sacred space for the Cherokee, but it’s also a sacred space for the animals as well as the plants that surround us,” Pheasant said.

Pheasant commands attention wherever she speaks for the EBCI. Her words conjure vivid scenes. At a Sept. 16, 2025, event marking the one-year anniversary of Kuwohi’s name restoration, she urged the crowd to pause. “I just want you all to stop, turn around, and look,” she said. “Look where you’re standing. Even though the mountain is covered in clouds this morning, and we can see the mist as it rolls down the mountainside and over the tops of the pine trees and down the rocks, this is a sacred place.”

She pressed the point home. “I just want you guys to take in that connection, not only to the land that we stand on, but to each other. For everyone that is gathered here this morning, we’re here for a reason.”

Beyond storytelling, Pheasant excels as a shell carver, beadworker, basket maker, potter and fashion designer. She launched into pottery in 2023 through a class led by EBCI potter Tara McCoy at the Museum of the Cherokee People’s Community Learning Workshop.

The workshop’s Gadugi Pottery Exhibit showcased student pieces. Covering the opening, a reporter spoke with Pheasant that evening. “I had to switch thinking because it’s an entirely different medium,” she said. “But, for me, it was easy to rely on knowing designs already and being able to recognize and create my own designs into the pottery. But, it’s a whole different world… To me, that was the best part. To be able to take a lump of clay that looked like dirt and create something with it.”

Pheasant brings the same drive to every endeavor. She radiates passion at events, channeling it into efforts that spotlight Cherokee culture for wide audiences. Her work bridges history, art and community ties on ancestral lands like Kuwohi, once called Clingmans Dome before its 2024 name restoration.

Students and attendees alike leave her sessions with fresh insights. Pheasant’s blend of oral tradition and craft keeps Cherokee heritage alive amid modern demands. Her presence at gatherings—from youth programs to anniversary celebrations—highlights her role as a cultural ambassador.

Those who know her describe a generous spirit. She invests deeply in teaching, whether etching shells, weaving baskets or molding clay. Each piece carries layers of meaning, rooted in EBCI stories passed down through generations.

Pheasant’s pottery debut came swiftly after McCoy’s class. Designs familiar from other media adapted smoothly to the new form. Observers note her quick mastery and innovative touch.

At Kuwohi Connection Days, her session fit the event’s goal: forging bonds between youth and their homeland. Organizers praise her contributions. The Sept. 16 anniversary drew locals and visitors to reflect on the mountain’s return to its Cherokee name, Kuwohi.

Pheasant embodies that revival. Through voice and hands, she ensures sacred narratives endure.