Qualla Boundary encompasses untouched mountains, rivers, and forests and is located next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This land, called the Qualla Boundary, is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and kept in trust by the federal government. Instead, in the 1800’s, the tribal members purchased 57,000 acres of property. Cherokee people do not live on a reservation, which is land given to a native American tribe by the federal government. The Qualla Boundary is the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Take a Journey to the Home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Qualla Boundary – The Original Home of the Cherokee