The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney (learn to read activity book TXT) 📕
He was told that the only object in asking about the songs was to put them on record and preserve them, so that when he and the half dozen old men of the tribe were dead the world might be aware how much the Cherokees had known. This appeal to his professional pride proved effectual, and when he was told that a great many similar songs had been sent to Washington by medicine men of other tribes, he promptly declared that he knew as much as any of them, and that he would give all the information in his possession, so that others might be able to judge for themselves who knew most. The only conditions he made were that these secret matters should be heard by no one else but the interpreter, and should not be discussed when other Indians were present.
As soon as the other shamans learned what was going on they endeav
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O Ancient White, * * * Accept the clotted blood (?)
O Ancient White, put me in the successful hunting trail. Hang the mangled things upon me. Let me come along the successful trail with them doubled up (under my belt). It (the road) is clothed with the mangled things.
O Ancient White, O Kanati, support me continually, that I may never become blue. Listen!
Explanation.This formula, from A‘yûninĭ’s manuscript, is recited by the bird-hunter in the morning while standing over the fire at his hunting camp before starting out for the day’s hunt. A‘yûninĭ stated that seven blowgun arrows are first prepared, including a small one only a “hand-length” (awâ´hilû) long. On rising in the morning the hunter, standing over the fire, addresses it as the “Ancient White.” rubbing his hands together while repeating the prayer. He then sets out for the hunting ground, where he expects to spend the day, and on reaching it he shoots away the short arrow at random, without attempting to trace its flight. There is of course some significance attached to this action and perhaps an accompanying prayer, but no further information upon this point was obtainable. Having shot away the magic arrow, the hunter utters a peculiar hissing sound, intended to call up the birds, and then goes to work with his remaining arrows. On all hunting expeditions it is the regular practice, religiously enforced, to abstain from food until sunset.
A favorite method with the bird-hunter during the summer season is to climb a gum tree, which is much frequented by the smaller birds on account of its berries, where, taking up a convenient position amid the branches with his noiseless blowgun and arrows, he deliberately shoots down one bird after another until his shafts are exhausted, when he climbs down, draws out the arrows from the bodies of the birds killed, and climbs up again to repeat the operation. As the light darts used make no sound, the birds seldom take the alarm, and are too busily engaged with the berries to notice their comrades dropping to the ground from time to time, and pay but slight attention even to the movements of the hunter.
The prayer is addressed to the Ancient White (the Fire), the spirit most frequently invoked by the hunter, who, as before stated, rubs his hands together over the fire while repeating the words. The expressions used are obscure when taken alone, but are full of meaning when explained in the light of the hunting customs. The “clotted blood” refers to the bloodstained leaves upon which the fallen game has lain. The expression occurs constantly in the hunting formulas. The hunter gathers up these bloody leaves and casts them upon the fire, in order to draw omens for the morrow from the manner in which they burn. A part of the tongue, or some other portion of the animal, is usually cast upon the coals also for the same purpose. This subject will be treated at length in a future account of the hunting ceremonies.
"Let it be buried in your stomach" refers also to the offering made the fire. By the red hickories are meant the strings of hickory bark which the bird hunter twists about his waist for a belt. The dead birds are carried by inserting their heads under this belt. Red is, of course, symbolic of his success. “The mangled things” (unigwalû´ngĭ) are the wounded birds. Kana´tĭ is here used to designate the fire, on account of its connection with the hunting ceremonies.
INAGĔ´HĬ AYÂSTInYĬ.Usĭnuli´yu Selagwû´tsĭ Gigage´ĭ getsû´nneliga tsûdandâgi´hĭ aye‘li´yu, usĭnuli´yu. Yû!
Translation. TO SHOOT DWELLERS IN THE WILDERNESS.Instantly the Red Selagwû´tsĭ strike you in the very center of your soul—instantly. Yû!
Explanation.This short formula, obtained from ‘wani´ta, is recited by the hunter while taking aim. The bowstring is let go—or, rather, the trigger is pulled—at the final Yû! He was unable to explain the meaning of the word selagwû´tsĭ further than that it referred to the bullet. Later investigation, however, revealed the fact that this is the Cherokee name of a reed of the genus Erianthus, and the inference follows that the stalk of the plant was formerly used for arrow shafts. Red implies that the arrow is always successful in reaching the mark aimed at, and in this instance may refer also to its being bloody when withdrawn from the body of the animal. Inagĕ´hĭ, “dwellers in the wilderness,” is the generic term for game, including birds, but A‘wani´ta has another formula intended especially for deer.
(Y´NA TĬ´KANÂGI´TA.)He+! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
Tsistuyi´ nehandu´yanû, Tsistuyi´ nehandu´yanû—Yoho´+!
He+! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
Kuwâhi´ nehandu´yanû´, Kuwâhi´ nehandu´yanû—Yoho´+!
He+! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
Uyâ‘ye´ nehandu´yanû´, Uya´ye´ nehahdu´yanû´—Yoho´+!
He+! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
Gâtekwâ´(hĭ) nehandu´yanû´, Gâtekwâ´(hĭ) nehandu´yanû´—Yoho´+!
Ûlĕ-‘nû´ asĕhĭ´ tadeya´statakûhĭ´ gû´nnage astû´tsĭkĭ´.
Translation. BEAR SONG.He! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
In Rabbit Place you were conceived (repeat)—Yoho´+!
He! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
In Mulberry Place you were conceived (repeat)—Yoho´+!
He! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
In Uyâ´‘yĕ you were conceived (repeat)—Yoho´+!
He! Hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´, hayuya´haniwă´.
In the Great Swamp (?) you were conceived (repeat)—Yoho´+!
And now surely we and the good black things, the best of all, shall see each other.
Explanation.This song, obtained from A‘yû´ninĭ in connection with the story of the Origin of the Bear, as already mentioned, is sung by the bear hunter, in order to attract the bears, while on his way from the camp to the place where he expects to hunt during the day. It is one of those taught the Cherokees by the Ani-Tsâ´kahĭ before they lost their human shape and were transformed into bears. The melody is simple and plaintive.
The song consists of four verses followed by a short recitation. Each verse begins with a loud prolonged He+! and ends with Yoho´+! uttered in the same manner. Hayuya´haniwă´ has no meaning. Tsistu´yĭ, Kuwâ´hĭ, Uyâ´‘yĕ, and Gâte´kwâhĭ are four mountains, in each of which the bears have a townhouse and hold a dance before going into their dens for the winter. The first three named are high peaks in the Smoky Mountains, on the Tennessee line, in the neighborhood of Clingman’s Dome and Mount Guyot. The fourth is southeast of Franklin, North Carolina, toward the South Carolina line, and may be identical with Fodderstack Mountain. In Kuwahi dwells the great bear chief and doctor, in whose magic bath the wounded bears are restored to health. They are said to originate or be conceived in the mountains named, because these are their headquarters. The “good black things” referred to in the recitation are the bears.
HIĂ´ ATSÛ‘TI´YĬ TSUN´TANÛ.Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa hitsatû´ngani´ga hitsiga´tugĭ´. Titsila´wisû´nhĭ uwâgi´‘lĭ tege´tsûts‘gû´‘lawĭstĭ´. Tsuli´stana´lû ûlĕ´ waktûĭ, agi´stĭ une´ka itsû´nyatanilû´ĭstani´ga. Gûnwatu´hwĭtû´ nûnnâ´hĭ degûndâltsi´dâhe´stĭ. uWâ´hisâ´nahĭ tigiwatsi´la. Tutsegû´‘lawistĭ´tege´stĭ. Ûntalĭ´ degû´nwatanûhĭ, uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Tsuwatsi´la dadâl‘tsi´ga. A‘yû A‘yû´ninĭ tigwadâ´ita. Yû!
Translation. THIS IS FOR CATCHING LARGE FISH.Listen! Now you settlements have drawn near to hearken. Where you have gathered in the foam you are moving about as one. You Blue Cat and the others, I have come to offer you freely the white food. Let the paths from every direction recognize each other. Our spittle shall be in agreement. Let them (your and my spittle) be together as we go about. They (the fish) have become a prey and there shall be no loneliness. Your spittle has become agreeable. I am called Swimmer. Yû!
Explanation.This formula, from A‘yûninĭ´s’ book, is for the purpose of catching large fish. According to his instructions, the fisherman must first chew a small piece of Yugwilû´ (Venus’ Flytrap—Dionæa muscipula) and spit it upon the bait and also upon the hook. Then, standing facing the stream, he recites the formula and puts the bait upon the hook. He will be able to pull out a fish at once, or if the fish are not about at the moment they will come in a very short time.
The Yugwilû´ is put upon the bait from the idea that it will enable the hook to attract and hold the fish as the plant itself seizes and holds insects in its cup. The root is much prized by the Cherokees for this purpose, and those in the West, where the plant is not found, frequently send requests for it to their friends in Carolina.
The prayer is addressed directly to the fish, who are represented as living in settlements. The same expression as has already been mentioned is sometimes used by the doctors in speaking of the tsgâ´ya or worms which are supposed to cause sickness by getting under the skin of the patient. The Blue Cat (Amiurus, genus) is addressed as the principal fish and the bait is spoken of as the “white food,” an expression used also of the viands prepared at the feast of the green corn dance, to indicate their wholesome character. “Let the paths from every direction recognize each other,” means let the fishes, which are supposed to have regular trails through the water, assemble together at the place where the speaker takes his station, as friends recognizing each other at a distance approach to greet each other, uWâhisâ´nahĭ tigiwatsi´la, rendered “our spittle shall be in agreement,” is a peculiar archaic expression that can not be literally translated. It implies that there shall be such close sympathy between the fisher and the fish that their spittle shall be as the spittle of one individual. As before stated, the spittle is believed to exert an important influence upon the whole physical and mental being. The expression “your spittle has become agreeable” is explained by A‘yûninĭ as an assertion or wish that the fish may prove palatable, while the words rendered “there shall be no loneliness” imply that there shall be an abundant catch.
LOVE. (YÛnWĔ´HĬ UGÛ´nWA‘LĬ I.)Ku! Sgĕ! Alahi´yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Higĕ´‘ya tsûl‘di´yĭ, hatû´ngani´ga. Elahi´yĭ iyû´nta ditsûl‘da´histĭ, Higĕ´‘ya Tsûne´ga. Tsisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Tsâduhi´yĭ. Nâ´gwa-skĭn´ĭ usĭnuli´yu hûnskwane´‘lûngû´ tsisga´ya agine´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Nâ´gwa nû´nnâ, une´ga hûnskwanûnneli´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Nâ´gwa skwade´tastani´ga. Sa‘ka´ni u´tatĭ nige´sûnna. Nûnnâ une´ga skiksa´‘ûntaneli´ga. Elaye´‘lĭ iyû´nta skwalewistă´‘tani´ga E´latĭ gesû´n tsĭtage´stĭ. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Agwâ´duhi´yu. Kûltsâ´te une´ga skiga´‘tani´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna, gûnkwatsâti´tege´stĭ. Tsi-sa‘ka´ni agwă´tatĭ nige´sûnna. Usĭnuli´yu hûnskwane´‘lûngû´.
Ha-nâ´gwûlĕ Elahi´yĭ iyû´ntă dûhiyane´‘lûngû´ a‘gĕ´‘ya sa‘ka´ni. Nâ´gwa nûnnâ´hĭ sa‘ka´ni hûntane´‘laneli´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ-gwû u´danû dudusa´gĭ tanela´sĭ. Nûnnâ´hĭ sa‘ka´ni tade´tâstani´ga. Nâgwûlĕ´ hûnhiyatsâ´ûntaniga. E´latĭ gesû´n tû´l‘taniga. Dedu´laskû´n-gwû igû´nwa‘lawĭ´stĭ uhi´sa‘ti´yĭ widaye´la‘ni´ga. Dedulaskû´n-gwû igû´nwa‘lawĭ´stĭ uhi´sa‘ti´yĭ nitû´nneli´ga.
Ha-sâgwahi´yu itsilasta´lagĭ + + uwă´sahi´yu, etsane´‘laneli´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Agwâ´duhĭ. A´yû agwadantâ´gĭ aye‘li´yu d’ka´‘lani´lĭ duda´ntâ, uktahû´nstĭ nige´sûnna. Yû´nwĭ tsu´tsatûn widudante´‘tĭ nige´sûnna, nitû´nneli´ga. Sâ´gwahĭ itsilasta´lagĭ, etsane´‘laneli´ga kûlkwâ´gi-nasĭ´ igûlstû´‘lĭ gegane´‘lanû´n.
Anisga´ya anewadi´sûn unihisa‘ti´yĭ. Tsu´nada´neilti´yĭ. Dĭ´la-gwû degû´nwănatsegû´‘lawi´sdidegû´. Ayâ´ise´ta-gwû u´danû. Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. Utse´tsti-gwû degû´nwănatsegû´‘lawis´didegû´. Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. Ka´ga-gwû degû´nwănatsegû´‘awisdidegû´. Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. Da´l‘ka-gwû degû´nwănatsegû´‘lawisdidegû´.
Kûlkwâ´gĭ igûlsta´lagĭ unihisa‘ti´yu. Ige´ski-gwû nige´sûnna. Ayâ´ise´ta-gwû u´danû degû´nwănatsûn‘ti-degû´. K’si-gwû degû´nwănatsûn‘ti-degû´. A´yagâgû´ tsisga´ya agine´ga ûngwane´‘lanû´hĭ + + Nûndâgû´nyĭ iti´tsa ditsidâ´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. Agwâduhi´yu. Tsi-sa‘ka´nĭ agwă´tatĭ nige´sûnna. Kûltsâ´te une´ga ûnni´tagâgû´ gûkwatsâ´nti-degû´. Agisă´‘tĭ nige´sûnna. A´yû agwadantâ´gĭ aye‘li´yu gûlasi´ga tsûda´ntâ, uktahû´nstĭ nige´sûnna. A´yû tsĭ´gĭ tsûda´nta 0 0. Sgĕ!
Translation. CONCERNING LIVING HUMANITY (LOVE).Kû! Listen! In Alahi´yĭ you repose, O Terrible Woman, O you have drawn near to hearken. There in Elahiyĭ you are at rest, O White Woman. No one is ever lonely when with you. You are most beautiful. Instantly and at once you have rendered me a white man. No one is ever lonely when with me. Now you have made the path white for me. It shall never be dreary. Now you have put me into it. It shall never become blue. You have brought down to me from above the white road. There in mid-earth (mid-surface) you have placed me. I shall stand erect upon the earth. No one is ever lonely when with me. I am very handsome. You have put me into the white house. I shall be in it as it moves about and no one with me shall ever be lonely. Verily, I shall never become blue. Instantly you have caused it to be so with me.
And now there in Elahiyĭ you have rendered the woman blue. Now you have made the path blue for her. Let her
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