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Will West Long

1869 – 1947

Mask maker of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Carver
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About Will West Long

Lived 1869 – 1947 (aged 77–78). Will West Long was an American carver.

Will West Long (c. 1869–1947; née Wili Westi) was a Cherokee mask maker, translator, and Cherokee cultural historian. He was part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi). Long was one of the people responsible for carrying on the legacy of Cherokee cultural traditions into the 20th-century, including traditional Cherokee dance. Long was instrumental in establishing the Cherokee Fall Festival (or Cherokee Indian Fair).

Early life and education Wili Westi was born in c. 1869 in Big Cove, North Carolina.

Career For 10 years he lived and worked in New England, including in the towns and cities of Conway, Amherst, North Amherst, and Boston. His nephew, Walker Calhoun (1918–2012) was a Cherokee medicine man, musician, dancer, and teacher.

Death and legacy At the time of his death, Long was translating and interpreting a series of books with anthropologist Frank G. Speck, and writing a Cherokee dictionary with George Myers Stephens. and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. The Will West Long manuscript papers are kept at the Gilcrease Museum. Many of Long's original writings are in the Frank Speck Cherokee Collection at the American Philosophical Society.

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Important facts

Born
1869, Big Cove
Birth century
Occupation
Carver
Education
Hampton University, Duke University
Also known as
William West Long

People in Will West Long's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Will West Long's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Will West Long?

mask maker of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (c. 1869–1947)

When was Will West Long born?

Will West Long was born in 1869 in Big Cove.

When did Will West Long die?

Will West Long died on 14 March 1947 in Swain County, North Carolina.

What was Will West Long's occupation?

Will West Long was a carver.

What nationality was Will West Long?

Will West Long was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Will West Long

· Wikidata: Q110290631

· DBpedia: Will West Long

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Will West Long. https://biography.guide/will-west-long/

MLA: "Will West Long." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/will-west-long/.

Chicago: "Will West Long." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/will-west-long/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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