ANIYUNWIYA
MORE ABOUT THE CHEROKEE PEOPLE:
How do you pronounce the word "Cherokee"? What does it mean?It's pronounced "CHAIR-uh-kee." It comes from a Muskogee word meaning 'speakers of another language.' Cherokee Indians originally called themselves Aniyunwiya, "the principal people," but today they accept the name Cherokee, which is spelled and pronounced Tsalagi in their own language:
Where do the Cherokee Indians live?
The Cherokees are original residents of the American southeast region, particularly Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Most Cherokees were forced to move to Oklahoma in the 1800's along the Trail of Tears. Descendants of the Cherokee Indians who survived this death march still live in Oklahoma today. Some Cherokees escaped the Trail of Tears by hiding in the Appalachian hills or taking shelter with sympathetic white neighbors. The descendants of these people live scattered throughout the original Cherokee Indian homelands.
What was the Cherokee Trail of Tears?
During the 1800's, the US government created an "Indian Territory" in Oklahoma and sent all the eastern Native American tribes to live there. Some tribes willingly agreed to this plan. Other tribes didn't want to go, and the American army forced them. The Cherokee tribe was one of the largest eastern tribes, and they didn't want to leave their homeland. The Cherokees were peaceful allies of the Americans, so they asked the Supreme Court for help. The judges decided the Cherokee Indians could stay in their homes. But the President, Andrew Jackson, sent the army to march the Cherokees to Oklahoma anyway. They weren't prepared for the journey, and it was wintertime.
Thousands of Cherokee Indians died on the Trail of Tears. Many Native Americans from other tribes died too. It was a terrible time in history.
How is the Cherokee Indian nation organized?
There are three federally recognized Cherokee tribes: the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Other Cherokee communities in Alabama, Georgia, and other states are considered unofficial by the US government. The Eastern Cherokee people live on a reservation. Indian reservations are lands that belong to Native
American tribes and are under their control. The Oklahoma Cherokee people live on trust land, though many Cherokees call it a reservation anyway. The Keetowah
Cherokee do not have a land base. Each Cherokee tribe has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, Cherokee Indians are also US citizens and must obey American law.
In the past, each Cherokee band was led by one war chief and one peace chief. Cherokee chiefs were chosen by a tribal council. Cherokee war chiefs were male, but the peace chief could be a woman. Today, Cherokee tribal councils and chiefs can be either gender and are popularly elected, like senators and governors.
What language do the Cherokees speak?
Most Cherokee people speak English today, but 20,000 people also speak the
Cherokee Indian language. Cherokee is a complex language with soft sounds. If you'd like to know a few easy Cherokee words, "osiyo" (pronounced oh-see-yoh) is a friendly greeting, and "wado" (pronounced wah-doh) means 'thank you.'
The Cherokee language has an innovative writing system that was invented by the Cherokee scholar Sequoyah. Sequoyah's writing system is a syllabary. That means one character represents each syllable. (Another language that uses a syllabary today is Japanese.) Here is a chart of the symbols used in the written Cherokee language. Today, many Cherokee people use a modified English alphabet instead of the syllabary Sequoyah invented, because it is easier to type.
How do Cherokee Indian children live?
They do the same things all children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Cherokee children enjoy hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Cherokee kids had more chores and less time to play, just like colonial children. But they did have dolls, toys, and games to play. In one popular game, Cherokee kids tried to throw a dart through a moving hoop. Stickball, a lacrosse-like game, was a popular sport among Cherokee teenagers and adult men. Like many Native Americans, Cherokee mothers traditionally carried babies in cradleboards on their
backs--a custom which many American parents have adopted now.
What were men and women's roles in the Cherokee tribe?
Like their distant cousins the Iroquois, the Cherokee Indians had an even division of power between men and women. Cherokee men were in charge of hunting, war, and diplomacy. Cherokee women were in charge of farming, property, and family. Men made political decisions for the tribe, and women made social decisions for the clans. Chiefs were men, and landowners were women. Both genders took part in storytelling, artwork and music, and traditional medicine.
Today, Cherokee gender role traditions have changed. Cherokee women can be chiefs also... and Cherokee men are sometimes farmers. However, modern Cherokee people still trace clan relationships through their mothers.
What were Cherokee homes like?
The Cherokee Indians lived in settled villages, usually located near a river. Cherokee houses were made of rivercane and plaster, with thatched roofs. These dwellings were about as strong and warm as log cabins. The Cherokees also built larger seven-sided buildings for ceremonial purposes, and each village usually had a ball field with benches for spectators. Many Cherokee villages had palisades (reinforced walls) around them for protection. Today, Cherokee families live in a modern house or apartment building, just like you.
What was Cherokee clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?
Cherokee men wore breechcloths and leggings. Cherokee women wore wraparound skirts and poncho-style blouses made out of woven fiber or deerskin. The Cherokees wore moccasins on their feet. After colonization, Cherokee Indians adapted European costume into a characteristic style, including long braided or beaded jackets, cotton blouses and full skirts decorated with ribbon appliqué, feathered turbans, and the calico tear dress. Here are pictures of Cherokee clothing and photographs of traditional Native American clothing in general.
The Cherokees didn't wear long headdresses like the Sioux. Cherokee men usually shaved their heads except for a single scalplock. Sometimes they would also wear a porcupine roach. Cherokee women always wore their hair long, cutting it only in mourning for a family member. Men decorated their faces and bodies with tribal tattoo art and also painted themselves bright colors in times of war. Unlike some tribes, Cherokee women didn't paint themselves or wear tattoos, but they often wore bead necklaces and copper armbands.
Today, some Cherokee people still wear moccasins or a ribbon shirt, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of a breechcloth... and only wear roaches and feathers on special occasions like a dance.
What was early Cherokee transportation like? Did they paddle canoes?
Yes--the Cherokee Indians used to make long dugout canoes from hollowed-out logs. Over land, the Cherokees used dogs as pack animals. There were no horses in North America until colonists brought them over from Europe. Today, of course, Cherokee people also use cars... and non-native people also use canoes.
What was Cherokee food like in the days before supermarkets?
The Cherokees were farming people. Cherokee women harvested crops of corn, beans, squash, and sunflowers. They also gathered berries, nuts and fruit to eat. Cherokee men hunted deer, wild turkeys, and small game and fished in the rivers. Cherokee dishes included cornbread, soups, and stews cooked on stone hearths. Here is a website with some Cherokee recipes you can try out for yourself!
http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/recipes.htm
What were some Cherokee weapons and tools?
Cherokee hunters used bows and arrows or blowguns to shoot game. Fishermen generally used spears and fishing poles. Warriors fired arrows or fought with a melee weapon like a tomahawk or spear. Other important tools used by the Cherokee Indians included stone adzes (hand axes for woodworking), flint knives for skinning animals, wooden hoes for farming, and pots and baskets for storing corn.
What are Cherokee arts and crafts?
Traditional Cherokee art included pipe carving, rivercane baskets, gourd art, and pottery. After moving to Oklahoma, the Cherokees couldn't get the materials they used to use for traditional crafts, so they concentrated on other crafts like beadwork and textile arts. What other Native Americans did the Cherokee tribe interact with?
The Cherokee Indians traded regularly with other southeastern Native Americans, who especially liked to make trades for high-quality Cherokee pipes and pottery. The Cherokees often fought with their neighbors the Creeks, Chickasaws, and Shawnees, but other times, they were friends and allies of those tribes.
I read that the Cherokee were part of the Five Civilized Tribes. Was that an alliance like the Iroquois Confederacy?
No. Many people guess this, but it isn't true. "The Five Civilized Tribes" was just a name that the white settlers used to refer to the Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, and Cherokee tribes of the Southeast. These five tribes were never part of an alliance together, and they did not call themselves the Civilized Tribes in their own languages. Originally, the white settlers probably called them this because these five tribes were early converts to Christianity. They were also farmers who lived in settled towns under sophisticated government systems, which Europeans and early Americans considered higher civilization achievements than independent bands of hunters who moved from place to place. However, there were dozens of other Native American tribes who also led farming lifestyles, not just these five.
Who are some famous Cherokee Indians?
brilliant man. Although he did not know how to read or write in any other language, he succeeded in inventing a writing system for Cherokee that is still used today. A famous Cherokee Indian from modern times is Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to be Principal Chief of the Cherokee tribe.
What kinds of stories do the Cherokees tell?
There are many traditional Cherokee legends and fairy tales. Story-telling is very important to the Cherokee Indian culture. See below for a Cherokee legend about the origin of strawberries.
FROM: http://www.bigorrin.org/cherokee_kids.htm
“The First Strawberries”
Retold by Barbara Shining Woman Warren
In the beginning of the world, ga lv la di e hi created First Man and First Woman. Together they built a lodge at the edge of a dense forest. They were very happy together; but like all humans do at times, they began to argue.
Finally First Woman became so angry she said she was leaving and never coming back. At that moment First Man really didn't care. First Woman started walking westward down the path through the forest. She never looked back.
As the day grew later, First Man began to worry. At last he started down the same path in search of his wife. The Sun looked down on First Man and took pity on him. The Sun asked First Man if he was still angry with First Woman. First Man said he was not angry any more. The Sun asked if he would like to have First Woman back. Fist Man readily agreed he did.
The Sun found First Woman still walking down the path toward the West. So to entice her to stop, the Sun caused to grow beneath her feet lovely blueberries. The blueberries were large and ripe. First Woman paid no attention but kept walking down the path toward the West.
Further down the path the Sun caused to grow some luscious blackberries. The berries were very black and plump. First Woman looked neither left nor right but kept walking down the path toward the West.
At last the Sun caused to grow a plant that had never grown on the earth before. The plant covered the ground in front of First Woman. Suddenly she became aware of a fragrance she had never known. Stopping she looked down at her feet.
Growing in the path was a plant with shiny green leaves, lovely white flowers with the largest most luscious red berries she had ever seen. First Woman stopped to pick one. Hmmm…she had never tasted anything quite like it! It was so sweet. As First Woman ate the berry, the anger she felt began to fade away. She thought again of her husband and how they had parted in anger. She missed him and wanted to return home.
First Woman began to gather some of the berries. When she had all she could carry, she turned toward the East and started back down the path. Soon she met First Man. Together they shared the berries, and then hand in hand, they walked back to their lodge.
The Cherokee word for strawberry is ani. The rich bottomlands of the old Cherokee country were noted for their abundance of strawberries and other wild fruits. Even today, strawberries are often kept in Cherokee homes. They remind us not to argue and are a symbol of good luck.
The First Fire
In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the Thunders (Ani.Hyun.tikwala.ski) who lived up in Galun.lati, sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the smoke coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was a long time ago.
Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering what to do next; the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened and came back without the fire. The little Screech-owl (Wa.huhu) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely, but while he was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could see well, and his eyes are red to this day. Then the Hooting Owl (U.guku) and the Horned Owl (tskili) went, but by the time they got to the hollow tree the fire was burning so fiercely that the smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white rings about their eyes. They had to come home again without the fire, but with all their rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white rings.
Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksu.hi snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The heat and smoke were too much for him, too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed by good luck to get out again at the same hole, but his
body had been scorched black, and he has ever since had the habit of darting and doubling on his track as if trying to escape from close quarters. He came back, and the great blacksnake, Gulegi, "The Climber," offered to go for fire. He swam over to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does, but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out again he was as black as the Uksu .hi.
Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world was cold, but birds, snakes, and four-footed animals, all had some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture near the burning sycamore, until at last Kanane.ski Amai.yehi (the Water Spider) said she would go. This is not the water spider that looks like a mosquito, but the other one, with black downy hair and red stripes on her body.
She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How could she bring back the fire? "I'll manage that," said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and wove it into a tusti bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and through the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl, and came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.
Some Traditional Double Walled Baskets have the image of the Water Spider woven into the basket bottom (see below.)
More About…Cherokee Basket Designs
The old Cherokee Basket Designs have been lost, except for those that were collected by Lottie Stamper in the early 1900s. She also gave the designs names, however early basket designs did not have names, but different Cherokee Clans wove different designs. It was not uncommon to identify a clan or clan member by the baskets they wove.
These are a few of the old Cherokee Designs, many continue on down into later baskets. There is virtually no limit to how the designs can be arranged or used in the basket. The only limit is the type and size of the basket.
The number of contemporary designs that can be used is virtually unlimited as well. In the Double Woven basket by placing variations of colors and natural cane,
designs can get very abstract as well.
Older basket weavers also varied the cane by cutting the inside spokes once woven and replacing them with different colored spokes to continue on the outside wall of a double woven basket, thus making for even more variations in designs and colors at the weavers disposal .
Chief's Daughter
This design (below)was named Chief's Daughter. This is a very common
design in Cherokee Baskets. Again there is no indication which clan this
design may have come from or which family in the early 1900s would have
supplied or woven it.
This particular design is a variation of the Diamond design with the small
cross in the center.
Diamond Shape
This is a simple diamond shape. Notice mainly a 3
pattern. You can go either over or under where the blue dots are and the
effect of the design will be determined from that, but generally the blue
dotts indicate where the weave stroke has gone over. In a diagonal woven
basket the design will go at about a 45 degree angle, allowing you to repeat
any of the designs.
Double Peace Pipe
Why this would be called a Double Peace Pipe I don't know, except you will
notice they are attached at the handle end. This actually is a combination of
two designs, the small cross in the center and the pipes. This small cross is
also used by the Chief's Daughter design.
Peace Pipe
This design has become known as Peace Pipe. This is a
design which a recent well known basketweaver, Thelma Forrest, in the
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has done baskets in both river cane and
commercial materials.
Arrows
This is called Arrows with a smaller version which is called Lightning, with a zig-zag effect in the basket.
Chief's Heart
This design was called Chief's Heart. The black spot at the top doesn't mean
anything, when I was scanning them another design overlapped, and it is
not part of the design.
OCONALUFTEE INDIAN VILLAGE, Cherokee, NC
As you step into the Oconaluftee Indian Village, you’re transported back to witness the challenges of Cherokee life at a time of rapid cultural change. This year for the first time, visitors will be able to take self-guided tours to explore the authentic working Village with dwellings, residents, and artisans right out of the 1750's. Visitors can experience traditional medicine and interact with villagers as they hull canoes, make pottery and masks, weave baskets and beadwork, and participate in their daily activities.
Pottery
The women who demonstrate Cherokee pottery methods at the Oconaluftee Indian Village are working their expertly trained hands in native clay found under the topsoil along the streams and rivers of the area. In making these pots, the Cherokee people used two methods: the ball method and the coil method.
To make smaller pots, the women use the ball method where the clay is shaped into a ball and then the thumbs are pushed into the center. These pots are given their characteristic shape by using the forefinger to sculpt the outside.
For the larger pots, the craftswomen use the coil method which begins with a flat disc of clay and slowly emerges in the hands as coils are placed on top of one another. After the pot has been formed it is placed in the sun to dry until it is firm enough to work with.
Later, the pot is brought in and carved to an even thickness by using a metal tool or a seashell. A damp cloth is used to wipe away all scrape marks. By rubbing the pot with a bone or a smooth stone, the craftswomen perfect their work by giving the pot its shiny finish. Designs can be applied on the larger pots by using wooden paddles or bones that have the designs already carved into them. By using sticks, seashells, and other items, the women can draw the designs on the smaller pots. Once the designs have been placed on the pots, they are again placed in the sun to dry until they turn a chalk-white.
The pots are now ready to be fired, so a deep pit is dug and a fire built. Each pot will be placed around the edge with the openings toward the fire and left there until the fire goes out. The type of wood the pots are fired with determines their color. Darker colors come from the softwoods that give off more smoke. The lighter colors come from hard woods that have more flame than smoke.
The Cherokee people have never used a potter's wheel or any type of mold in making their pottery. Paint or glaze was rarely used, though the smooth natural luster of each vessel does not lack in aesthetic beauty. The pots you will see at the Oconaluftee Indian Village have been carefully crafted using the ancient traditional methods.
Masks
Cherokee mask makers work with many different types of hard and soft grain woods in making their carvings. Masks are made from soft woods like poplar and buckeye and are used in ceremonial dances.
Unlike tribes to the west, the Cherokee did not use a lot of feathers in their dances, but instead used masks carved to imitate animals or people. Before the introduction
of modern tools, the Cherokee made their masks from tree bark. Holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth would have been carved using a knife made of flint. Animal
fur or a few feathers would have been attached to the bark mask to show which kind of animal was being represented. The Cherokee used dance as a form of prayer to give thanks, to ask for protection, and for a bountiful hunt or harvest. At
the Oconaluftee Indian Village you will see Cherokees making traditional masks using centuries-old techniques handed down from generation to generation.
Beadwork
After walking a short distance down the serene, winding trail, a visitor at the Oconaluftee Indian Village will be greeted by the pleasant nods and smiles of Cherokee women in native clothing, working diligently on their colorful and ancient tradition of beadwork.
There are two types of beadwork the women are demonstrating. The first type, which is used to decorate the clothing of men and women, is called "scroll work." Traditionally, it is sewn down the sides of men's trousers and around the hems of women's skirts. The women work with flax thread, glass beads and stainless steel needles.
The second type, which is used for making belts, headbands, and necklaces, is called "solid" beadwork. Each bead is sewn one at a time onto the
previous bead
which allows the thread to pass through the bead twice. Should the belt break, the double threading ensures a clean break, which can be easily mended.
If the visitor happens to be there when one of the women finishes her beadwork, he or she will witness the next step, where she will sew on two strips of buckskin to serve as a tie. Generally it will take three or four days to make a belt.
Finger Weaving
A distinctly beautiful craft of the Cherokee women is finger weaving. Before the introduction of yarn, the Cherokee people used the inner fibers of Indian hemp and fibers of the mulberry root to make thread for this type of weaving. Dyed by
various native roots and barks, the yarn fibers were woven by the Cherokee women in the single and double weave styles. The single weave is an over-and-under
method that produces plaid and checked designs. A wider variety of designs is achieved by the double weave method, which is done on a loom. With ten to two hundred strands at one time, the women can weave a multitude of colors and patterns. When completed, these long weavings are used for Cherokee clothing as belts or sashes and can be sewn together to serve as blankets or shawls. It takes three to four days to complete a belt, depending upon its length and width.
GOURD DESIGNS
Cherokee Water Bottle -
The Cross was symbolic of the Holy Fire, with the four logs oriented to the four cardinal directions — North, South, East and West. This design would have been used in ceremonies in the Southeast.Crested Woodpeckers -
Pileated (crested) woodpeckers were etched on gorgets and other objects as far back as Mound Culture times. Southeastern tribes admired the Woodpecker's tenacity and boldnessThis design honors my Cherokee grandmother, who loved to watch the "bow moon" on warm summer evenings. She was born in an arc of the White River in Arkansas, near the town of ...
Des Arc
Cherokee Water Spider Design (adapted)
Seven Sacred Directions of the Cherokee
MODERN DESIGN, MIXED TECHNOLOGY
Here’s an illustration (below) that looks like pen and ink but was produced in a darkroom. The artist scratched this image with a hat pin into the emulsion of a piece of 4 x 5 sheet film then made contact prints. The subject matter is three Eastern Band Cherokee objects—one feather, a river reed mat and a wood carving.
CHEROKEE HERBAL REMEDIES
Don’t try these at home! Always have an expert on-hand before you try wild foods or remedies.
Blackberry
One of the herbs known for years for soothing stomach problems is the blackberry. Using a strong tea from the roots is helpful in reducing and soothing swollen tissues and joints. An infusion from the leaves is also used as a tonic for stimulating the entire system. A decoction from the roots, sweetened with sugar or honey, makes a syrup used as an expectorant. It is also healing for sore throats and gums. The leaves can also be chewed fresh to soothe bleeding gums. The Cherokee historically use the tea for curing diarrhea.
Gum (Black Gum)
Cherokee healers use a mild tea made from small pieces of the bark and twigs to relieve chest pains.
This herb is used by Cherokee healers who make a weak decoction of the roots for a diuretic that stimulates kidney function.
Cat Tail (Cattail Reed)
This plant is not a healing agent, but is used as preventative medicine. It is an easily digestible food helpful for recovering from illness, as it is bland. Most all parts of the plant, except for the mature leaves and the seed head, are edible. Due to wide-spread growing areas, it is a reliable food source all across America. The root has a very high starch content, and can be gathered at any time. Preparation is very similar to potatoes, and can be mashed, boiled, or even mixed with other foods. The male plant provides a pollen that is a wonderful source of protein. It can be added as a supplement to other kinds of flour when making breads.
Pull Out a Sticker (Greenbriar)
A decoction of the small roots of this plant is useful as a blood purifier. It is also a mild diuretic. Some healers make a salve from the leaves and bark, mixed with hog lard, and apply to minor sores, scalds and burns. Some Cherokee healers also use the root tea for arthritis.
Mint
Mint teas are a stimulant for the stomach, as an aid in digestion. The crushed and bruised leaves can be used as a cold compress, made into a salve, or added to the bath water, which relieves itching skin. Cherokee healers also use an infusion of the leaves and stems to lower high blood pressure.
Tobacco-like Plant (Mullein)
This is one of the oldest herbs, and some healers recommend inhaling the smoke from smoldering mullein roots and leaves to soothe asthma attacks and chest congestion. The roots can be made into a warm decoction for soaking swollen feet or reducing swelling in joints. It reduces swelling from inflammation and soothes painful, irritated tissue. It is particularly useful to the mucous membranes. A tea can be made from the flowers as a mild sedative.
Qua lo ga (Sumac)
All parts of the common sumac have a medicinal use. Mild decoctions from the bark can be used as a gargle for sore throats, and may be taken as a remedy for
diarrhea. A tea from the leaves and berries reduces fevers. Fresh bruised leaves and ripe berries are made into a poultice which soothes poison ivy. A drink from the ripened or dried berries makes a pleasant beverage which is a good source of
vitamin C.
Yarrow has many uses. The best known use is to stop excessive bleeding. Freshly crushed leaves can be applied to open wounds or cuts, and the properties of the herb will cause the blood to clot. A fresh juice of yarrow, diluted with spring or distilled water, can heal internal bleeding such as stomach and intestinal disorders. The leaves, prepared as a tea, are believed to stimulate intestinal functions and aid in digestion. It also helps the flow of the kidneys, as well as the gallbladder. A decoction made of the leaves and stems acts as an astringent, and is a wonderful wash for all kinds of skin problems such as acne, chapped hands, and other irritations.
Looks Like Coffee, or Kawi Iyusdi (Yellow Dock)
This plant is not only a medicinal herb, but also a food. It is much like spinach, but believe it or not, contains more vitamins and minerals. Because of the long taproot, it gathers nutrients from deep underground. The leaves are a source of iron, and also have laxative properties. Juices from the stems, prepared in a decoction, can be made into an ointment with beeswax and olive oil, and used for itching, minor sores, diaper rash, and other irritations. Cherokee herbalists prescribe a warm wash made from the decoction of crushed roots for a disinfectant. Juice from the root, not prepared in any special way, is said to be a cure for ringworm.
Big Stretch, or Nuyigala dinadanesgi utana (Wild Ginger)
The Cherokee commonly recommend a mild tea of this herb, made from the
rootstock, which is a mild stimulant for the digestive system. It can also help colic, intestinal gas, or the common upset stomach. A strong, hot infusion of the roots can act as an expectorant in eliminating mucus from the lungs. Fresh wild ginger may be substituted for the regular store-bought ginger root as a spice for cooking. What Rabbits Eat, or Jisdu unigisdi (Wild Rose)
The ripe fruit of the Wild Rose is a rich source of Vitamin C, and is a reliable
preventative and cure for the common cold. The tea from the hips is a mild diuretic, and stimulates the bladder and kidneys. When the infusion of the petals is used, it is an ancient remedy for sore throats. Cherokee healers recommend a decoction of the roots for diarrhea.
Willow Bark
The bark of the branches is stripped and dried. A tea is made from the bark that is useful for aches, pains and headaches. This is the original aspirin!
By Bonnie Ramsey
Creating the Sacred Fire
The fire is very sacred to traditional Cherokee. Built at the bottom of a pit below the ground, it burns constantly. The traditional Cherokee believe that soon after the creation of the Cherokee people, the creator left his throne in Heaven to visit earth. He chose four strong, healthy, good and true Cherokee women who believed in the creator with all their hearts. Each were given a name, Red Blue Black and Yellow and a wooden stick that was very straight. They were then told to place one end of the stick on a surface that would not burn and place the other end of the stick in their hands. They were instructed to give the sticks a circular, rotating motion, which would magically cause the material to burn.
When all sticks were burning, they were to go to the center of the cross where, all four would start one single fire. This fire would burn for all time and be the Sacred Fire. The Sacred Fire has been held by the Cherokee since that time. It is kept alive by the Chief, Assistant Chief, Firekeeper and Assistant Firekeepers of the ground.
The Stomp Dance
The Stomp Dance is the traditional religious dance of the Cherokee and is held at a sacred dance site. The sacred fire is built at dawn by the Firekeeper and his
Assistants and is kept burning constantly. Seven arbors are located around the large fire and dance area. Made from large poles with brush for the roof, each arbor is reserved for one each of the seven clans. Seats are placed between the arbors for visitors. Each clan must be represented before the dance can begin.
Women prepare a meal for the day consisting of traditional and modern foods ranging from cornbread, brown beans and chicken to all kinds of pies, cakes and other delicious treats. A-ne-jo-di (stickball) is played in the afternoon.
At sundown, the Chief brings out the traditional pipe and fills it with tobacco. He then lights the pipe with coals from the Sacred Fire and takes seven puffs. The pipe is then passed to the Medicine Man from each clan, beginning with the Aniwaya (Wolf) Clan and each Medicine Man takes seven puffs. The Chief, Medicine Men and elders hold a meeting and then call for the first dance. The first dance is by
invitation, tribal elders, Medicine Men and clan heads.
Today, although some tribal members have chosen to worship through other
at regular Stomp Dances and are members of one of the several grounds in Cherokee Nation. Each ground has its own unique protocol and will vary but the general worship is similar with the same intention.
All the members visit and dance until sunrise. Each individual group has its own schedule for the dances, which is a Holy place to worship God. There are two major ceremonies held at the Redbird Smith Ground. One is to commemorate the birth of Redbird Smith and the other is to show appreciation to the Creator for a bountiful harvest.
Stomp Dance participants include a leaders, assistants and one or more female shell shakers who wear leg rattles made from turtle shells and pebbles. Some wear shakers made from small milk cans. The shakers provide rhythmic accompaniment while dancing around the fire. The dance can not begin without the shell shakers. In the Stomp Dances of southeastern Indian cultures, the woman plays a very important role. The shell shaker is the woman partner of the dance singer or leader. The woman enters the dance behind the lead singer and produces music from the rattling sounds made by shuffling her feet. Legend has it that because of the
natural designs on the turtle shell that look like women dancing, the turtle says "Let women dance".
Cherokee Clan: Anigilohi
The Cherokee society is historically a matrilineal society; meaning clanship is attained through the mother. Prior to Oklahoma statehood, the women were considered the Head of Household, with the home and children belonging to her should she separate from a husband. There are seven clans in Cherokee Society: A-ni-gi-lo-hi (Long Hair), A-ni-sa-ho-ni (Blue), A-ni-wa-ya (Wolf), A-ni-go-te-ge-wi
(Wild Potato), A-ni-a-wi (Deer), A-ni-tsi-s-qua (Bird), A-ni-wo-di (Paint). The knowledge of a person's clan is important for many reasons; historically, and still today among Cherokee traditionalists, it is forbidden to marry within your clan. Clan members are considered brother and sisters. In addition, when seeking spiritual guidance and Indian doctoring, it is necessary to name your clan. Seating at ceremonial stomp dances is by clan, as well.
A-NI-TSI-S-QUA
Members of the Bird Clan were historically known as messengers. The belief that birds are messengers between earth and heaven, or the People and Creator, gave the members of this clan the responsibility of caring for the birds. The subdivisions are Raven, Turtle Dove and Eagle. Our earned Eagle feathers were originally
presented by the members of this clan, as they were the only ones able to collect them. At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Bird arbor is to the left of the Deer arbor.
A-NI-SA-HO-NI
The Blue Clan's subdivisions are Panther, or Wildcat and Bear (which is considered the oldest clan). Historically, this clan produced many people who were able to make special medicines for the children. At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Blue arbor is to the left of the Long Hair arbor.
ANI-GI-LO-HI
The Long Hair Clan, whose subdivisions are Twister, Wind and Strangers, are known to be a very peaceful clan. In the times of the Peace Chief and War Chief government, the Peace Chief would come from this clan. Prisoners of war, orphans of other tribes, and others with no Cherokee tribe were often adopted into this clan, thus the name 'Strangers.' At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Long Hair arbor is on the East side, and also houses the Chiefs and other leaders of the ground.
AN-I-WO-DI
Members of the Paint Clan were historically known as a prominent medicine people. Medicine is often 'painted' on a patient after harvesting, mixing and performing other aspects of the ceremony. At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Paint arbor is to the left of the Bird arbor.
A-NI-A-WI
Members of the Deer Clan were historically known as fast runners and hunters. Even though they hunted game for subsistence, they respected and cared for the animals while they were living amongst them. They were also known as
messengers on an earthly level, delivering messenges from village to village, or person to person. At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Deer arbor is to the left of the Wild Potato arbor.
A-NI-WA-YA
The Wolf has been known throughout time to be the largest clan. During the time of the Peace Chief and War Chief government setting, the War Chief would come from this clan. Wolves are known as protectors. At some Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Wolf arbor is to the left of the Blue arbor.
A-NI-GO-TE-GE-WI
The Wild Potato Clan's subdivision is Blind Savannah . Historically, members of this clan were known to be 'keepers of the land,' and gatherers The wild potato was a
main staple of the older Cherokee life back east (Tsa-la-gi U-we-ti). At some
Cherokee ceremonial grounds, the Wild Potato arbor is to the left of the Wolf arbor.
A-NE-JO-DI (STICKBALL)
Stickball is a very rough game that is not only played by the Cherokee but also many other southeaster Woodland tribes such as Muscogee (Creek), Seminole and others. The game is similar to the modern game of lacross, using ball sticks that are made from hickory. A small ball made from deer hide and hair is tossed into the air by the Medicine Man. The male players use a pair of the sticks and females use their bare hands. In early times, only the men with the greatest athletic ability played the game. The game was often times played to settle disputes, and the conjurer for each team often became as important to the team as the players themselves.
When the ball strikes a wooden fish on the top of a pole approximately 25 feet in height, seven points are scored and two points are awarded each time the ball strikes the pole. In earlier years, a dance would be held before the game. The participants of the game were in the dance, along with 7 women, each woman representing one of the 7 clans. The conjuror placed black beads on a large flat rock, which represented the opposing team. Throughout the dance, the women would step on the black beads.
Today, Stickball is an important part of the day’s activities at ceremonial Stomp Grounds and it is necessary to play before the Stomp Dance can begin. There are
also intertribal teams made up of players from Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Yuchi, Natchez, and other area communities. It is also a recreational sport at other times between community teams.
Cherokee Marbles and Games
Walking through the woods near his home in eastern Oklahoma, Cherokee artisan Hastings Shade collects the materials he uses to make gadayosdi, or stone
“marbles” for a traditional Cherokee game. He picks up small chunks of limestone and sandstone, and cuts a small, sturdy stick. As he walks he strikes one rock against the other, beginning the long process of shaping the limestone into a ball about the size of a billiard ball. Traditionally, these marbles were used in a game played on a large area of smoothed dirt. Teams pitch their marbles—today using commercial billiard balls—to see which can be first to get them into an L-shaped series of holes in the ground.
Back home, Shade spends hours rough-shaping the stone ball with the limestone and sandstone. Then he splits the end of the stick and uses it to hold the ball in place in a rounded depression in a larger stone. Keeping the depression filled with water poured from a terrapin shell, he twirls the stick between his hands. Gradually the ball becomes perfectly smooth and round.
Shade, 64, is a full-blood Cherokee and sixth-generation descendant of Sequoyah Guess, inventor of the written Cherokee alphabet. He is retired deputy principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, and teaches Cherokee language and traditional crafts. Along with marbles, he makes a dice game from disk-shaped pieces of antler dyed with pokeberries and bloodroot, and other games, blowguns, bows and arrows. His wife, Loretta Jean Shade, also Cherokee, creates cornhusk and buffalo grass dolls and teaches traditional cooking. The Shades have also written books on the Cherokee language and culture.
Shawl Dance
WATTLE AND DAUB HOUSES
Wattle and daub houses (also known as asi, the Cherokee word for them) are Native American houses used by southeastern tribes. Wattle and daub houses are made by weaving rivercane, wood, and vines (wattles) into a frame, then daubing or coating the frame with a plaster mixture of clay and sand. The roof was either thatched with grass or shingled with bark.
rivercane frame plastered and thatched
Wattle and daub houses are permanent structures that take a lot of effort to build. Like longhouses, they are good homes for agricultural people who intended to stay in one place, like the Cherokees and Creeks. Making wattle and daub houses
requires a fairly warm climate to dry the plaster.
TRADITIONAL CLOTHING:
The Cherokee Tear Dress
Tear Dress shown worn by Marilyn Lowe sewn by Leuwanna Williams
The traditional dress of the Cherokee women is called the "tear dress". The information on the tear dress is very limited. The style of the dress was probably fashioned after the colonial women's dresses of the day. The dress worn for everyday use was made of cotton calico with dark background and lighter colored figures within the pattern.
The choice of the darker fabric may have been to help hide the soil from everyday wear. Cherokee women also used wool for cold weather, and satin and velvet for dress-up and formal wear. Cherokee women were encouraged by the federal government to produce cotton cloth. They learned to spin and weave very early because the government believed that the Indians needed to be educated and "civilized" in the useful arts.
Today's tear dress usually is made from cotton calico with a bodice that has buttons running from the neck to the waist. The neck has a narrow stand-up collar with a small ruffle. The dress is generally made with a fitted waist line, long or three-quarter length sleeves, a gathered ruffle on the lower edge of the skirt and is usually worn floor length. Contrasting ribbon is often sewn on the back and front of the bodice, the sleeves and just above the ruffle. Sometimes solid colored cotton strips with patterned shape cut-outs are used instead of ribbon. Once completed, the tear dress is one of the most attractive and comfortable dresses of any of the Tribes.
Because of the hardships of the Trail of Tears, 1838-39, often Cherokee women did not have scissors with which to cut material. In lieu of cutting, they tore the
material into square or rectangle pieces that were then sewn by hand. Thus
originated the term for the "tear" dress that reflects a double meaning; "tear" [for the torn cloth; "tear" for the tears shed during the terrible ordeal on "the trail
where they cried." The tear dress has become the traditional dress of Cherokee women and is now worn in remembrance of the Trail of Tears.
Breechcloths & Leggings
The four boys in this picture are all wearing breechcloths. The second boy from the left is also wearing leggings. You can see how they attach to his belt at the hip. A lot of kids get confused by the way breechclouts look when they are being worn. They assume that the breechclout is just a rectangle of cloth hanging from the belt, like a washcloth pinned to a clothesline, and that Native Americans like these boys are naked underneath the cloth. That is false. The cloth winds over the belt, under it, and over it again. If one of the boys lifted his flap, you would see the rest of his breechcloth, which looks a little like underwear.
Breechcloth and belt
A breechcloth is a long rectangular piece of cloth or soft
buckskin. It is worn between the legs and tucked over a belt, so that the flaps fell down in front and behind. Sometimes it is also called a breechclout, loincloth, clout, or just a flap.
In most Native American tribes, men used to wear some form of breechclout. The style was different from tribe to tribe. In a few tribes, women wore fitted breechcloths under their skirts, but not as outerwear. However, in many tribes young girls did wear breechcloths until they became old enough for skirts and dresses.
Leggings sketch
Breechcloths leave the legs bare, so Native American men often wore leggings to protect their legs. Native American leggings are long tube-like pant legs, usually made from buckskin or other soft leather. They are not connected to each other--there is one separate legging for each leg. Both leggings are tied onto the same belt that holds the breechcloth with thongs that attach at the hip.
Legging styles varied from tribe to tribe. Sometimes they were fringed, like the ones in this picture. Sometimes they were painted with colorful patterns or decorated with beadwork or quillwork designs. Many Indian men tied garters (straps, thongs, or bandana-like cloths) around their leggings at the knee to help keep them in place.
Women also wore leggings in many tribes, but their leggings were shorter and were not attached to a belt, simply gartered at the knee.
Apron panel
A breechcloth apron, breechcloth cover or apron panel refers to a decorated piece of leather or cloth that men wore over their breechclout for special occasions. Breechcloth aprons were usually either painted, embroidered, or decorated with beadwork or quillwork to make them attractive. They were especially used with the short or fitted style of breechcloth. Today a breechcloth apron is often worn over traditional outfits that used to include a breechcloth, but no longer do.
Do Native Americans still wear breechcloths with leggings today?
Almost never. In everyday life, Native American men usually wear jeans or other modern pants. Some people do wear traditional leggings as part of their regalia (ceremonial clothes used for dances, weddings, or other festivals.) However, very few Native American men wear a breechcloth anymore for any reason other than a historical movie. Some Native American men still wear the fancy apron panels with their regalia, like the straight dancer at the left (the apron is the red cloth panel with floral designs on it, and it would be covering his breechclout if he was wearing one.) In reality, though, modern Native American men almost always have shorts underneath instead of a breechclout. Only older people in a few tribes, such as the Mexican Kickapoos, still wear breechcloths.
Southeast Region
Sequoyah(a.k.a George Gist)
Born: near Tuskeegee, Tennessee Died: 1843, near Tyler, Texas.
Near the town of Tanasee, and not far from the almost mythical town of Chote lies Taskigi(Tuskeegee), home of Sequoyah. In this peaceful valley setting Wut-teh, the daughter of a Cherokee Chief married Nathaniel Gist, a Virginia fur trader. The warrior Sequoyah was born of this union in 1776.
Probably born handicapped, and thus the name Sequoyah (Sikwo-yi is Cherokee for "pig's foot"), Sequoyah fled Tennessee as a youth because of the encroachment of whites. He initially moved to Georgia, where he acquired skills working with silver. While in the state, a man who purchased one of his works suggested that he sign his work, like the white silversmiths had begun to do. Sequoyah considered the idea and since he did not know how to write he visited Charles Hicks, a wealthy farmer in the area who wrote English. Hicks showed Sequoyah how to spell his name, writing the letters on a piece of paper. Sequoyah began to toy with the idea of a Cherokee writing system that year (1809).
He moved to Willstown, Alabama, and enlisted in the Cherokee Regiment, fighting in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which effectively ended the war against the Creek Redsticks. During the war, he became convinced of the necessity of literacy for his people. He and other Cherokees were unable to write letters home, read military orders, or record events as they occurred.
After the war, he began in earnest to create a writing system. Using a phonetic system, where each sound made in speech was represented by a symbol, he created the "Talking Leaves", 85 letters that make up the Cherokee syllabary (he would later add another symbol, making the total 86). His little girl Ayoka easily learned this method of communication. He demonstrated his syllabary to his cousin, George Lowrey by sending Ayoka outside the house, then asking Lowrey to answer a question. Sequoyah wrote the answer down on a piece of paper, then had Ayoka read the answer to Lowrey. Lowrey encouraged Sequoyah to demonstrate the syllabary in public. A short time later in a Cherokee Court in Chattooga, he read an argument about a boundary line from a sheet of paper. Word spread quickly of Sequoyah's invention. In 1821, 12 years after the original idea, the Cherokee Nation adopted Sequoyah's alphabet as their own. Within months thousands of Cherokee became literate.
The crippled warrior moved west to Arkansas. Mining and selling salt for money he was active in politics. In 1824 the National Council at New Echota (Georgia) struck a silver medal in his honor. Later, publication began on the first Native American newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix in the same town. The painting of Sequoyah was
made in 1828 on a trip to Washington to negotiate terms for removal from
Arkansas to Oklahoma. Leaving the state in 1829, he had lived in Oklahoma for 10 years when Principal Chief John Ross led North Georgia Cherokee on the "Trail of Tears" to the state.
He died in Mexico (now Texas) in 1843 after possibly visiting family in a band of Chickamauga Cherokee who had moved there earlier.
THE CHEROKEE ALPHABETHEROKEE
The Cherokee alphabet is technically not an alphabet, but a syllabary. That means each Cherokee symbol represents a syllable, not just a consonant or a vowel. So using the English alphabet, ama (“water” in Cherokee) is written with three letters: a, m, and a. Using the Cherokee syllabary, the same word is written with only two characters, and (pronounced “a” and “ma.”)
For this reason, Cherokee symbols are usually arranged in chart form, with one column for each Cherokee vowel and one row for each Cherokee consonant: So if you’re looking for the Cherokee symbol for “li,” you go down the chart to the “L” row (fourth from the top) and across to the “I” row (third from the left.) Except for “s” ( ), every Cherokee syllable begins with a consonant and ends with a vowel (some have a “silent I,” but you don’t need to worry about that yet,) so it’s very easy to get the hang of.
Note that in Cherokee, as in English, symbols are written left to right.
Cherokee Tones
Cherokee is a tone language. That means some syllables are pronounced with higher pitch than others. In English, the last syllable of a question is pronounced with high pitch, so you can hear the difference between sentences like “You see a man.” and “You see a man?” In Cherokee, such high and low tones are used in nearly every word, giving the language a lively sound.
Tone is not usually phonemic in Cherokee, but there are a few cases in which changing the tone of a word changes its meaning. One famous example is uhyvdla. When this word is pronounced with a low tone on the v, it means “it’s cold.” When the same word is pronounced with a high tone on the v, it means “Republican.” Cherokee tones are also not marked in either the alphabetic orthography or the syllabary. Cherokee speakers remember them automatically, just as English speakers remember which syllables of a word are stressed. Since there are very few cases where using the wrong tone will change the meaning of a word or sentence, the best strategy for language learners is just to listen to Cherokee speakers and imitate their pronunciation—mistakes will generally just make your accent sound bad.
Cherokee Animal Words:
gitli sogwili yansa ahawi
wahya yonv tlvdatsi tsutla
kvtli dila tsutsayosdi tsisdu saloli
inada atsadi daksi
Native American Medicine Pouch
Many woodland Indians, including the Cherokee and Iroquois,
carried a medicine pouch. These bags were used to hold plants for medicine
and also to hold personal items
that might be a part of a native person’s
spiritual belief. Medicine pouches can actually come in all shapes and sizes
but the pattern below is for the kind you can wear around your neck.
Beaded items for religious purposes are either made personally (medicine
pouch, Pipe bag), or given by relatives, not bought or sold. Beadwork on
such items often reminds the owner of a personal vision or sign or the
meaning of a personal name, it is not only to make them beautiful. However,
making sacred objects beautiful, especially by taking a lot of time and care,
shows honor and respect to the spiritual powers, not only through words and
feelings, but through artistry and work. This reality — the work done as itself
a prayer or vow — underlies and strengthens ceremonial activities.
You need:
Pattern (below)
4' Satin Cord or Plastic Lace
Wooden Barrel Bead
1/8" Hand Hole Punch
Scissors
Instructions:
Print pattern. Staple to leather or foam all around the outside of the outer line. Punch holes using 1/8' hole punch. Cut out.
Cut cord into two 4" pieces and two 20" pieces. Use a 4" piece of cord to tie to a barrel bead to the front of the small piece of the pouch. Lay the small piece of pouch on top of the larger piece of the pouch placing the fringe between the two pieces at the bottom edge and lining up the holes.
Make a knot in one end of each 20" piece. If using satin cord, stiffen ends with white glue. If using plastic lace, cut ends into a point. Start at the bottom front of one side of the pouch and stitch around the side to the top. Make a knot at the back of the top hole. Repeat for
the other side, using the second 20" piece of cord. Tie both cords together at the ends.
Use the remaining 4" cord to make a loop to go around the bead on the back of the flap, threading through the holes.
Cherokee Nation
News Release
(918) 453-5378 FAX (918) 458-6181
Cherokee Nation Director of Communications@cherokee.org
© Cherokee Nation - All Rights Reserved
May 13, 2008
The Cherokee Nation Remembers Mary Golda Ross, the First Woman Engineer
for Lockheed
A love of math and of her cultural heritage led Mary Golda Ross, a Cherokee citizen, to a lifetime of success in aerospace technology as the first woman engineer for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company.
TAHLEQUAH, OK
— A love of math and of her cultural heritage led Mary Golda Ross,
a Cherokee citizen, to a lifetime of success in aerospace technology as the first woman
engineer for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company.
“The accomplishments of Mary Golda Ross epitomize the Cherokee spirit,” said
Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “This exceptional woman was and
will continue to be a great example to each of us. Her ambition and successes
exemplify the importance of education and are evidence of the doors that can be
opened through higher learning.”
A great-great granddaughter of Chief John Ross, Mary took pride in her heritage as
a citizen of the Cherokee nation. She was born in 1908 and graduated from
Northeastern State Teacher’s College when she was 18. Math was her favorite subject
and Ross excelled in this area.
In an interview Ross once said that she “…didn’t mind being the only girl in math
class. Math, chemistry and physics were more fun to study than any other subject.”
Upon graduation she taught school in Oklahoma for nine years. Ross then went on
to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Washington D.C.
When World War II broke out, Mary’s father encouraged her to move to California
and look for work. Her search landed her at Lockheed, where she became an
aerospace pioneer.
According to Lockheed officials, her work was critical to the nation’s Agena space
rocket project. In addition, Ross worked on some of the earliest concepts for a manned
orbital space system and for flyby missions to Venus and Mars.
When asked about her role at Lockheed, Mary stated that she had always wanted
to be one of the women behind the first woman in space, and she was.
The Agena recorded a number of space flight firsts. According to Lockheed
literature, it was an essential step in the Apollo program to land on the moon, a major
endeavor and critical leap for America’s space program.
Mary attributed her successes to the rich heritage of the Cherokee people and the
importance the tribe has emphasized on education.
“I was brought up in the Cherokee tradition of equal education for boys and girls,”
she said.
Mary retired from Lockheed and lived out her life in Los Altos, California. She lived
to be nearly 100 years-old and continued to serve an active role in several organizations
up until her death. Mary always believed math to be important component of life and
encouraged other young people to work toward degrees in the field.
She offered this advice: “To function efficiently in today’s world, you need math.
The world is so technical, if you plan to work in it, a math background will let you go
farther and faster.”
Mary Golda Ross passed from this life on Tuesday, April 29. It is with sadness and
a sense of pride that the Cherokee Nation honors the memory and accomplishments of
Mary Golda Ross.
Former Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma
Mankiller dies
Wilma Mankiller, who died April 6, 2010 at age 64 of pancreatic cancer, was a former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and lived on the land which was allotted to her paternal grandfather, John Mankiller, just after Oklahoma became a state in 1907. Surrounded by the Cherokee Hills and the Cookson Hills, she lived in a historically rich area where a person's worth is not determined by the size of their bank account or portfolio. Her family name "Mankiller" as far as they can determine, is an old military title that was given to the person in charge of protecting the village. As the leader of the Cherokee people she represented the second largest tribe in the United States, the largest being the Dine (Navajo) Tribe. Mankiller was the first female in modern history to lead a major Native American tribe. With an enrolled population of over 140,000, and an annual budget of more than $75 million, and more than 1,200 employees spread over 7,000 square miles, her task may have been equaled to that of a chief executive officer of a major corporation.
Initially, Wilma's candidacy was opposed by those not wishing to be led by a
woman. Her tires were slashed and there were death threats during her campaign. But as Wilma shared her home with her husband, Charlie Soap, and Winterhawk, his son from a previous marriage, things were very different. She had won the respect of the Cherokee Nation, and made an impact on the culture as she focused on her mission - to bring self-sufficiency to her people.
"Prior to my election, " says Mankiller, "young Cherokee girls would never have thought that they might grow up and become chief." Mankiller had been asked by Ross Swimmer, then President of a small bank, who assumed leadership of the Cherokee Nation in 1975. He convinced Mankiller to run as his deputy chief. They won. In 1985, Swimmer resigned as chief to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Cherokee law mandated that the deputy chief assume the duties of the former chief.
In the historic tribal elections of 1987, Mankiller won the post outright and brought unprecedented attention to the tribe as a result. "We are a revitalized tribe," said Mankiller, "After every major upheaval, we have been able to gather together as a people and rebuild a community and a government. Individually and collectively, Cherokee people possess an extraordinary ability to face down adversity and continue moving forward. We are able to do that because our culture, though certainly diminished, has sustained us since time immemorial. This Cherokee culture is a well-kept secret."
Mankiller attributed her understanding of her people's history partially to her own family's forced removal, as part of the government's Indian relocation policy, to California when she was a young girl. Her concern for Native American issues was ignited in 1969 when a group of university students occupied Alcatraz Island in order to attract attention to the issues affecting their tribes. Shortly afterwards, she began working in preschool and adult education programs in the Pit River Tribe of California.
In 1974, she divorced her husband after eleven years of marriage when their views of her role continued to widen. She moved back to her ancestral lands outside of Tahlequah, and immediately began helping her people by procuring grants enabling them to launch critical rural programs. In 1979 she enrolled in the nearby
University of Arkansas, and upon returning home from class was almost killed in a head-on collision in which one of her best friends who had been driving the other car, was killed. After barely avoiding the amputation of her right leg, she endured another seventeen operations. Mankiller said that it was during the long process that she really began reevaluating her life and it proved to be a time of deep spiritual awakening.
Then in 1980, just a year after the accident, she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes varying degrees of weakness in the voluntary muscles of the body. She maintained that it was the realization of how precious life is that spurred her to begin projects for her people, such as the Bell project where members of the community revitalized a whole community themselves.
It was the success of the Bell project that thrust Mankiller into national recognition as an expert in community development. The election to deputy chief did not come until two years later. In 1986, Wilma married long time friend and former director of tribal development, Charlie Soap. Mankiller's love of family and community became a source of strength when again a life threatening illness struck. Recurring kidney problems forced Mankiller to have a kidney transplant, her brother Don Mankiller served as the donor. During her convalescence, she had many long talks with her family, and it was decided that she would run again for Chief in order to complete the many community projects she had begun.
She had shown in her typically exuberant way that not only can Native Americans learn a lot from the whites, but that whites can learn from native people.
understand the value of native wisdom, culture and spirituality. Spirituality is then key to the public and private life of Wilma Mankiller who had indeed become known not only for her community leadership but also for her spiritual presence. A woman rabbi who is the head of a large synagogue in New York commented that Mankiller was a significant spiritual force in the nation.
L.jpg')
Shinny stick with ball
Chris Eyre working with cast while filming at Red Clay. (c) Billy Weeks
Actor Andrew Hair plays a Cherokee leader in episode 3 of We Shall Remain. (c) Billy Weeks.
Samuel Cloud turned 9 years old on the Trail of Tears. Samuel’s Memory is told by his great-great grandson, Michael Rutledge, in his paper Forgiveness in the Age of
Forgetfulness. Michael, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is a law student at Arizona State University.
It is Spring. The leaves are on the trees. I am playing with my friends when white men in uniforms ride up to our home. My mother calls me. I can tell by her voice that something is wrong. Some of the men ride off. My mother tells me to gather my things, but the men don’t allow us time to get anything. They enter our home and begin knocking over pottery and looking into everything. My mother and I are taken by several men to where their horses are and are held there at gun point. The men who rode off return with my father, Elijah. They have taken his rifle and he is walking toward us.
I can feel his anger and frustration. There is nothing he can do. From my mother I feel fear. I am filled with fear, too. What is going on? I was just playing, but now my family and my friends’ families are gathered together and told to walk at the point of a bayonet.
We walk a long ways. My mother does not let me get far from her. My father is walking by the other men, talking in low, angry tones. The soldiers look weary, as though they’d rather be anywhere else but here.
They lead us to a stockade. They herd us into this pen like we are cattle. No one was given time to gather any possessions. The nights are still cold in the mountains and we do not have enough blankets to go around. My mother holds me at night to keep me warm. That is the only time I feel safe. I feel her pull me to her tightly. I feel her warm breath in my hair. I feel her softness as I fall asleep at night.
As the days pass, more and more of our people are herded into the stockade. I see other members of my clan. We children try to play, but the elders around us are anxious and we do not know what to think. I often sit and watch the others around me. I observe the guards. I try not to think about my hunger. I am cold.
Several months have passed and still we are in the stockades. My father looks tired. He talks with the other men, but no one seems to know what to do or what is going to happen. We hear that white men have moved into our homes and are farming our fields. What will happen to us? We are to march west to join the Western Cherokees. I don’t want to leave these mountains.
My mother, my aunts and uncles take me aside one day. “Your father died last night,” they tell me. My mother and my father’s clan members are crying, but I do not understand what this means. I saw him yesterday. He was sick, but still alive. It doesn’t seem real. Nothing seems real. I don’t know what any of this means. It seems like yesterday, I was playing with my friends.
It is now Fall. It seems like forever since I was clean. The stockade is nothing but mud. In the morning it is stiff with frost. By mid-afternoon, it is soft and we are all covered in it. The soldiers suddenly tell us we are to follow them. We are led out of the stockade. The guards all have guns and are watching us closely. We walk. My
mother keeps me close to her. I am allowed to walk with my uncle or an aunt, occasionally.
We walk across the frozen earth. Nothing seems right anymore. The cold seeps through my clothes. I wish I had my blanket. I remember last winter I had a
blanket, when I was warm. I don’t feel like I’ll ever be warm again. I remember my father’s smile. It seems like so long ago.
We walked for many days. I don’t know how long it has been since we left our home, but the mountains are behind us. Each day, we start walking a little later. They bury the dead in shallow graves, because the ground is frozen. As we walk past white towns, the whites come out to watch us pass. No words are spoken to them. No words are said to us. Still, I wish they would stop staring. I wish it were them walking in this misery and I were watching them. It is because of them that we are walking. I don’t understand why, but I know that much. They made us leave our homes. They made us walk to this new place we are heading in the middle of winter. I do not like these people. Still, they stare at me as I walk past.
We come to a big river, bigger than I have ever seen before. It is flowing with i
