No.^^sr' ^^^' EASTERN CHEROKEE GROUPS — KUPFERER 311 



Protestant Ethic. Those, however, who deviate from some of the 

 norms of the Protestant Ethic do not do so in the direction of the 

 Conservative ideal. Their departures are a function of the degree 

 to which they are committed to the "old middle class" ideals (cf. 

 p. 300). 



The existence of the two values systems is evidence of accultura- 

 tion. The presence of variation among the adherents of the Prot- 

 estant Ethic suggests that, in addition to cultural change, other 

 changes have taken place. I believe that, in order to understand the 

 dynamics of change and the heterogeniety among this latter group of 

 Cherokee, an additional approach- — social stratification- — ^is required. 



SUMMARY: A MODIFICATION OF THE THOMAS 

 CONTINUUM 



This study has examined the complexities of cultural and social 

 diversity among the Eastern Cherokee. The preceding chapters 

 have presented evidence of extensive variations in health practices, 

 educational attitudes and behavior, and adherence to dominant 

 value systems. As we have seen, the differences between the Con- 

 servative and the non-Conservative Cherokee are due to accultura- 

 tion. Furthermore, I have suggested that differences among the 

 non-Conservatives are due to an internal differentiation; social class 

 behavior. Therefore, it is incumbent upon me to modify the Thomas 

 construct by postulating a model which takes into accoimt both 

 acculturation and social stratification. 



SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PROCESSES IN THE FORMATION 

 OF CHEROKEE DIFFERENTIATION 



The presence in Cherokee of people who are obviously dissimilar 

 forces the recognition that differentiation has taken place. The 

 problem now is to order these groups in the way which seems most 

 plausible in the face of the facts at our disposal. 



ACCULTURATION 



The first piece of evidence with which we must reckon is that there 

 are Conservative Indians. To be sure, they are far from the aboriginal 

 Cherokee. In this regard, Gulick (1960, pp. 148-149) postulates a 

 core of adapted and diffused traits which the Conservatives have 

 incorporated into their own system and regard as Indian. Most of 

 the people are functionally literate, either in their own language or in 

 English. But it is the Conservatives that most of our criteria readily 

 identify. They stand apart from all the others through their use of 

 Indian doctors, and by their continued adherence to the Harmony 



