Cherokee Page 

As the Cherokee occupy a prominent place in North America, their name appears in many different forms and different spellings:

• A Prayer
• Welcome
• Beginning of Mother Earth
• Disease and Medicine
  • The Way of the Circle
• Medicine Pouch
• Peace Pipe
• Numbers of the Cherokee
  • Four Realms of Being
  • Seven Directions, Four Seasons, Medicine Wheel
  • Dancing Boys and the Origin of the Seven Stars
  • Cherokee Moons
  • Origin of Dance Songs and Formulas
  • Eight Clans
  • Seven Ceremonies
• Selu and Kanati
• Flute
• Book of Knowledge
  • Trees, Plants and parts of plants
  • Animals, Insects, Reptiles and Fish, and Birds
  • Vegetables
  • Language Lesson
  • Dictionary
• Handcrafted Items
• Cherokee Message Board

Galilahi

---

In another time, the Cherokee Spirit People were in the sky vault. It was getting crowded in the sky-vault, and the Great One decided it was time for spirit beings to become physical beings and spread out of the sky vault. There was a Great Council meeting of all the spirit beings to decide on the plan. The Great One said, "Those of you who choose to be a part of the creation of Mother Earth will also have to protect her. The Cherokee Spirit People have been chosen to be keepers of the secrets and keepers of Mother Earth and all living things that go over into the physical world. They will be given the power Medicine of choice to do this. Other human spirits of tribes will also follow, and they will be given the power Medicine of choice to be keepers as well."

Earth at that time was like a large island floating in a sea and held in place by four Cords of Life. The Great One said, "These 'Cords of Life' will hold Mother Earth suspended as long as everything is held in sacred balance. These spirit beings will include the four-legged ones, the two-legged ones, the many-legged ones, the no-legged ones, and the winged ones. Everything and everyone will live in harmony, interdependent on one another for sustained life and regeneration of life."

It was the first task of the Animal Clan to go down to learn what they could about this new Earth. The little Water Beetle of the Beavers' grandchild went first, fluttering around, but it could not find a place to land. Soon it dropped into the water many times, coming up with muddy feet, and that mud became islands. The Bird Clan said it wanted to go because they could fly for long distances to search for a place to land. The Great Buzzard flew down, but he was so large that he tired quickly, and his large wings kept striking the water and churning up mud that made mountains and valleys until he returned home in the sky vault.

By this time, Earth was dry where the Animal Clan and the Bird Clan stirred the mud from the water as the Sun tracked across. The Fish Clan said they wanted to go down into the water and just stay there, but some wanted to be able to walk on land. What we now call the Crawfish did crawl up on the red clay and he was baked in the hot sun, so that we today call him the Red Crawfish. On the seventh day, some of the Animal Clan, who were hiding in the mud because of the hot sun, came up to take a look. The first of these was the worm, and he was burned so badly that we call him the Red Worm. It was still hot, and they called for the Great One to help.

The Great One came down on the seventh day, hearing the prayers, and brought many beautiful plants and trees to provide the air for the Cherokee to breathe into their lungs and become physical beings. Of course, they were not used to breathing, so they had to rest that first day, but they would work for six days and learn to rest at night when the Sun would rest. The Great one was very proud of the spirit beings for the good work they had done. He asked the Thunder Beings to strike a tree so the fragile physical beings would have heat from the Sacred Fire. From that time on, all the animals, insect, bird, tree, plant, and human clans would give ceremony around the fire and dance for the Sun to celebrate and honor the gift of life on a now-living Mother Earth.

There was a time when two leggeds could converse with the animals and the plants. The two leggeds no longer honored that which they took from the animals. The injustices and suffering of the animals caused them to have a great council. During this council they devised diseases with which to plague the two leggeds. The plants overheard this council meeting and came to the rescue of the two leggeds by providing themselves as medicines.

Remember this and remember this well! There is a purpose for every living thing on Mother Earth, and all things are alive. We should live in harmony as we are all related ... "My calumet is not a carved piece of wood, it is a part of a tree, that is sustained by Mother Earth, and flourishes under Mother Sun."

• When you first arise in the morning, give thanks to the Creator, to the four directions, to Mother Earth, to Father Sky, and to all of our relations, for the life within you and for all life around you
• Remember that all things are connected
• All things have purpose, everything has its place
• Honor others by treating them with kindness and consideration
• If you have more than you need for yourself and your family, consider performing a "giveaway" by distributing your possessions to others who are in need
• You are bound by your word, which cannot be broken except by permission of those who the promise was given to
• Seek harmony and balance in all things
• It is always important to remember where you are in relation to everything else, and to contribute to the Circle in whatever way you can by being a "helper" and protector of life
• Sharing is the best part of receiving
• Practice silence and patience in all things as a reflection of self-control, endurance, dignity, reverence, and inner calm
• Practice modesty in all things, by avoiding boasting and loud behavior that attracts attention to yourself
• Know the things that contribute to your well-being, and those things that lead to your destruction
• Always ask permission, and give something for everything that is received, including giving thanks for, and honoring all living things
• Be aware of what is around you, what is inside of you, and always show respect
• Treat every person from the tiniest child to the oldest elder with respect
• Do not stare at others; drop your eyes as a sign of respect, especially in the presence of Elders, teachers, or other honored persons
• Always give a sign of greeting when passing a friend or stranger
• Never criticize or talk about someone in a harmful, negative way
• Never touch something that belongs to someone else without permission
• Respect the privacy of every person, making sure to never intrude upon someone's quiet moments or personal space
• Never interfere in the affairs of another by asking questions or offering advice
• Never interrupt others
• In another persons home, follow his or her customs rather than your own
• Treat with respect all things held sacred to others whether you understand these things or not
• Treat Earth as your mother; give to her, protect her, honor her; show deep respect for those in the animal world, plant world, and mineral world
• Listen to guidance offered by all of your surroundings; expect this guidance to come in the form of prayer, dreams, quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders, and friends
• Listen with your heart
• Learn from your experiences, and always be open to new ones
• Always remember that a smile is something sacred, to be shared
• Live each day as it comes

The first man and woman were Kanati and Selu. Selu is also known as the Corn mother. They had one son, whose brother was born from the blood of the animals that Kanati killed while providing food for his family. Kanati daily rolled a great stone from in front of a cave which contained animals, such as turkey, bear, and deer. Once an animal came out Kanati would shoot it and then roll the great stone back in place. Selu would provide corn for the meals by producing it from her body. The two boys killed Selu and drug her body across the ground, from which corn began growing. The two boys rolled the great stone from in front of the cave and let all of the animals out at once. Kanati and Selu now live in the west, and the two boys live further in the west. The two boys can be heard as thunder when the storms come from the west.

---

Seven represents the number of cardinal directions, east, north, south, and west, in addition to the center, above, and below. Seven is representative of the number of original tribal clans. An eighth clan was formed after Columbus came.

The legend known as "the dancing boys and the origin of the seven stars" is retold here as it was told by West Long.

There was once seven boys who used to spend all their time dancing. They did nothing but dance around in a circle with their drum. Their parents tried to induce them to stop but they did not obey. They kept on dancing. One time their parents decided to do something about it. They went to force them to stop. As they got near the dancing place they saw the boys rising in the air. And so they rose into the sky dancing, and they are there now. The smallest star is said by some to be the drum, but others think this star is only the smallest of boys.

 Next page 7 Ceremonies

The People's Path