Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians continue to honor and cultivate traditions that have guided their culture for thousands of years. The Qualla Boundary is a small fragment of the Cherokee's extensive historical homeland, and many Cherokee traditions influenced the development of the larger Southern Appalachian culture. From this area there is a long-range view of the Ravensfork Valley of the Oconaluftee River, where archaeological and ethno historical evidence indicates a human presence of nearly 12,000 years. In the Big Cove Community below, early members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians farmed next to immigrant settlers into the 1870s, when the area became part of the larger Qualla Boundary. In Cherokee, traditional crafts, ancient stories, and the history of this vibrant and resilient people continue through places such as the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, the Qualla Arts and Crafts Co-op, and the Oconaluftee Indian Village.