"The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the Cherokee's historic territory. As a trust, the land is technically not a \"reservation\" per se, as the land was not \"reserved\" by the federal government; it was purchased by the tribe in the 1870's and subsequently placed under federal protection."@en . . .