Osiyo!

If you’ve ever heard of “Indian time” but weren’t sure what that means, it’s a reference to a worldview held by many Cherokees that things happen at the time that is meant to be. Along with the celebration of five years of “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” came some big changes. We updated several things, including our look and our website. It was time.

The original OsiyoTV script logo received a makeover to incorporate a more modern look but with a traditional twist. The “O” is now a stylized four directions symbol, something with a deeper meaning in Cherokee understanding. We added a vibrant color scheme to our branding, in keeping with our lively culture and ever-evolving people.

Nowhere will that be more evident than on our new website, http://hvk.b52.myftpupload.com, launched a few months ago.

You can now find every episode, feature, almanac and language lesson from OsiyoTV’s previous and current seasons just by clicking the “Watch” menu. You can meet our host, Jennifer Loren, as well as our team, and learn about the people behind the cameras and storytelling. Over the holidays, we introduced Shop OsiyoTV, an online store with show-related merchandise. (P.S. Buy the socks; they’re fab!)

One of our most popular features on the website is also the newest. We added a timeline of Cherokee history, something we hope is useful to everyone who wants to know more about where we came from and what drives us to the future. You can find that under the “Explore History” menu. It’s great for students, teachers and history buffs, alike.

The interactive timeline allows you to scroll through the events that have shaped the Cherokee Nation. Beginning with oral history and other resources about our lives prior to European invasions, the timeline rolls its way to more modern events such as our forced removals from our original homelands, the U.S. Civil War and Oklahoma statehood — all watershed moments in our history. It also covers smaller, lesser-known events that nevertheless had their own impact on the Cherokee people.

As you venture through our historical timeline and our 200+ OsiyoTV segments, one thing you’ll notice is Cherokees don’t sit still and we are not a static culture. Reinventing ourselves, rebuilding our nation time after time as it became necessary, and embracing important new ideas are almost second nature.

Here at “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” we can definitely relate. There is still so much in our past and in our future that we want to share with you.

Donadagohvi.