Generations of Cherokee leaders built strong communities not only through government services and infrastructure, but through investments that bring people together. Parks, trails and community spaces are more than amenities; they are investments in wellness, culture, connection and quality of life.

That belief guided the Cherokee Nation’s creation of the new Wilma P. Mankiller Cherokee Capitol Park in Tahlequah, which officially opened this week as a nearly 15-acre public space dedicated to families and community.

The park honors the enduring legacy of the late Principal Chief Mankiller, whose leadership transformed the Cherokee Nation through her vision and investments in housing, clean water, education, economic development and grassroots community organization.

Chief Mankiller believed deeply in the power of local communities. She understood that when people have safe spaces to gather, exercise and celebrate culture, we are healthier and stronger. This park reflects those same values.

The transformation of this Tahlequah property itself tells an important story. What was once an EPA-designated brownfield industrial site has been reclaimed and reimagined into a vibrant public destination for Cherokee families and our non-Cherokee neighbors.

The park now includes walking trails, playgrounds, an amphitheater, sports courts, pet spaces, traditional stickball features, picnic areas, an heirloom garden, and spaces designed specifically for gatherings and cultural events. It is a place where our elders can walk safely, our children can play freely and families can create memories together.

This project is part of a much larger Cherokee Nation strategy focused on public health and wellness. Cherokee Nation established the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act in 2021, dedicating resources to the kinds of programs that will improve quality of life for Cherokee citizens. Along with Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, we have increased access to personal and community wellness. We’ve made historic investments in behavioral health services, elder nutrition, food security, language preservation, environmental stewardship and recreational opportunities because we understand wellness is holistic.

Good public health is not achieved simply inside hospitals and clinics. It is also built through outdoor spaces where our kids can be active and where cultural connections are forged.

Our Public Health and Wellness Partners grant program has helped support community-based groups that focus on nutrition, youth activities, animal welfare, recreation and overall well-being. These partnerships are based in a universal truth: lasting health outcomes are created when governments and communities work together in the spirit of Gadugi.

The Wilma P. Mankiller Cherokee Capitol Park embodies that spirit perfectly.

It was inspired, initially, by a vision from my daughter, Jasmine Hoskin, who believed the land could become something meaningful for Cherokee youth and for future generations. That idea was then shaped with support from Deputy Chief Warner, the Council of the Cherokee Nation, Secretary of Natural Resources Christina Justice, and members of the Wilma Mankiller family, including her husband, Charlie Soap, and daughter, Felicia Olaya.

The park will just keep getting better as we add amenities and complete future phases. Thanks to our First Lady, January Hoskin, the already accessible playground will soon get more equipment for children with disabilities. We just made a “Call for Art” to add a statue of former ChiefMankiller. In the years ahead, we will design and build natural trails on the site.

Long after the ribbon cutting, families will gather under its pavilion, children will play on the grass and Cherokee culture will thrive in the communal space. That impact is exactly the kind of community-centered legacy Chief Mankiller spent her life building. And it is exactly the kind of future the Cherokee Nation will continue investing in for generations to come.

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