Contemporary Native American youth discover their history by following the Cherokee Nation Trail of Tears, finding traces of their ancestors along the way. They travel the length of the trail from Tennessee to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Along the way, they find pride in how all the new nations have emerged.
Chelly is a young deaf girl who is intent on changing what is happening in Native American communities. She gathers many children along the way on her new journey to Washington, D.C., where they all protest the plight of Native Americans.