Agalisiga “THE Chuj” Mackey
Agalisiga “The Chuj” Mackey is a Cherokee singer/songwriter who grew up in the small traditional Cherokee community of Kenwood, OK. Mackey melds a classic country and blues sound drawn from Jimmy Rodgers and R.L. Burnside with his deep baritone voice honed from his upbringing in singing Cherokee ceremonial songs. In a short time, the 21-year-old father of two has grown from covering vintage tunes down at the creek to performing on big stages around the Midwest while cultivating a growing audience among country western fans and Native Americans alike. Audiences are universally intrigued to hear the Cherokee language sung in this mode and captivated by Mackey’s authentic folksy presence on stage. Outside of his music, he is a language and culture educator at the Cherokee Immersion Charter School, where he teaches children from Pre-K to 8th grade both ceremonial songs and contemporary Cherokee music.