The United Keetoowah Band (UKB) is not only a sovereign and independent
federally recognized tribe, it was the ONLY federally recognized Cherokee tribe
in Oklahoma until the 1970's, when the new Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma (CNO)
was formed (not to be confused with the old Cherokee Nation which existed until
1907). Even today only the UKB is organized under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare
Act (an extension to Oklahoma tribes of the Indian Reorganization Act) and thus
remains the ONLY Cherokee tribe in Oklahoma to fully meet all requirements for
recognition. The UKB has a real tribal roll while the CNO has a membership
list.
The reference to the Keetoowahs as a corporation is an intentional attempt by
those who unsuccessfully tried to force merge the UKB into the CNO to give the
impression that the UKB is less than a full-fledged tribe. The Keetoowahs are
nearly two-thirds fullbloods who still use their language. The CNO is 80% to
90% (depending on whose figures you use) less than one-quarter blood. Only a
tiny fraction of the CNO speak Cherokee.