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diff --git a/24788-0.txt b/24788-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebf24a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/24788-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5653 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, by James Mooney + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees + Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the + Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1885-1886, + Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891, pages 301-398 + +Author: James Mooney + +Release Date: March 9, 2008 [EBook #24788] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SACRED FORMULAS *** + + + + +Produced by William Flis, Carlo Traverso and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at +http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + + + + +Transcriber’s Note: + +[n], [i], [u], [w], [U] indicate raised (superscript) letters. + + + + +SACRED FORMULAS OF THE CHEROKEES. + +BY + +JAMES MOONEY. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + Introduction 307 + + How the formulas were obtained. 310 + + The A‘yû[n]inĭ (Swimmer) manuscript 310 + + The Gatigwanastĭ (Belt) manuscript 312 + + The Gahunĭ manuscript 313 + + The Inâlĭ (Black Fox) manuscript 314 + + Other manuscripts 316 + + The Kanâhe´ta Ani-Tsa´lagĭ Etĭ or Ancient Cherokee Formulas + 317 + + Character of the formulas--the Cherokee religion 318 + + Myth of the origin of disease and medicine 319 + + Theory of disease--animals, ghosts, witches 322 + + Selected list of plants used 324 + + Medical practice--theory of + resemblances--fasting--tabu--seclusion--women 328 + + Illustration of the gaktû[n]ta or tabu 331 + + Neglect of sanitary regulations 332 + + The sweat bath--bleeding--rubbing--bathing 338 + + Opposition of shamans to white physicians 336 + + Medicine dances 337 + + Description of symptoms 337 + + The ugista´‘tĭ or pay of the shaman 337 + + Ceremonies for gathering plants and preparing medicine 339 + + The Cherokee gods and their abiding places 340 + + Color symbolism 342 + + Importance attached to names 343 + + Language of the formulas 343 + + Specimen formulas 344 + + Medicine. 345 + + To treat the crippler (rheumatism)--from Gahuni 345 + + Second formula for the crippler--from Gahuni 349 + + Song and prescription for snake bites--from Gahuni 351 + + When something is causing something to eat them--Gahuni 353 + + Second formula for the same disease--A‘wanita 355 + + For moving pains in the teeth (neuralgia?)--Gatigwanasti 356 + + Song and prayer for the great chill--A‘yû[n]ini 359 + + To make children jump down (child birth)--A‘yû[n]ini 363 + + Second formula for child birth--Takwatihi 364 + + Song and prayer for the black yellowness + (biliousness)--A‘yû[n]ini 365 + + To treat for ordeal diseases (witchcraft)--A‘yû[n]ini 366 + + Hunting 369 + + Concerning hunting--A‘yû[n]ini 369 + + For hunting birds--A‘yû[n]ini 371 + + To shoot dwellers in the wilderness--A‘wanita 372 + + Bear song--A‘yû[n]ini 373 + + For catching large fish--A‘yû[n]ini 374 + + Love 375 + + Concerning living humanity--Gatigwanasti 376 + + For going to water--Gatigwanasti 378 + + Yû[n]wehi song for painting--Gatigwanasti 379 + + Song and prayer to fix the affections--A‘yû[n]ini 380 + + To separate lovers--A‘yû[n]ini 381 + + Song and prayer to fix the affections--Gatigwanasti 382 + + Miscellaneous 384 + + To shorten a night goer on this side--A‘yû[n]ini 384 + + To find lost articles--Gatigwanasti 386 + + To frighten away a storm--A‘yû[n]ini 387 + + To help warriors--A´wanita 388 + + To destroy life (ceremony with beads)--A‘yû[n]ini 391 + + To take to water for the ball play--A‘yû[n]ini 395 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Pl. XXIV. Portrait of A‘yû[n]ini (Swimmer) 306 + XXV. Facsimile of A‘yû[n]ini manuscript--Formula for + Dalâni Û[n]nagei 310 + XXVI. Facsimile of Gatigwanasti manuscript--Yû[n]wĕhĭ + formula 312 + XXVII. Facsimile of Gahuni manuscript--Formula for + Didû[n]lĕskĭ 314 + + +[Illustration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXIV + +A‘YU[N]INI (SWIMMER).] + + + + +SACRED FORMULAS OF THE CHEROKEES. + +By James Mooney. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The sacred formulas here given are selected from a collection of about +six hundred, obtained on the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina in +1887 and 1888, and covering every subject pertaining to the daily life +and thought of the Indian, including medicine, love, hunting, fishing, +war, self-protection, destruction of enemies, witchcraft, the crops, +the council, the ball play, etc., and, in fact, embodying almost +the whole of the ancient religion of the Cherokees. The original +manuscripts, now in the possession of the Bureau of Ethnology, +were written by the shamans of the tribe, for their own use, in +the Cherokee characters invented by Sikwâ´ya (Sequoyah) in 1821, +and were obtained, with the explanations, either from the writers +themselves or from their surviving relatives. + +Some of these manuscripts are known to be at least thirty years +old, and many are probably older. The medical formulas of all kinds +constitute perhaps one-half of the whole number, while the love charms +come next in number, closely followed by the songs and prayers used in +hunting and fishing. The great number of love charms will doubtless be +a surprise to those who have been educated in the old theory that the +Indian is insensible to the attractions of woman. The comparatively +small number of war formulas is explained by the fact that the last +war in which the Cherokees, as a tribe, were engaged on their own +account, closed with the Revolutionary period, so that these things +were well nigh forgotten before the invention of the alphabet, a +generation later. The Cherokees who engaged in the Creek war and the +late American civil war fought in the interests of the whites, and +their leaders were subordinated to white officers, hence there was not +the same opportunity for the exercise of shamanistic rites that there +would have been had Indians alone been concerned. The prayers for +hunting, fishing, and the ball play being in more constant demand, +have been better preserved. + +These formulas had been handed down orally from a remote antiquity +until the early part of the present century, when the invention of +the Cherokee syllabary enabled the priests of the tribe to put them +into writing. The same invention made it possible for their rivals, +the missionaries, to give to the Indians the Bible in their own +language, so that the opposing forces of Christianity and shamanism +alike profited by the genius of Sikwâya. The pressure of the new +civilization was too strong to be withstood, however, and though +the prophets of the old religion still have much influence with the +people, they are daily losing ground and will soon be without honor in +their own country. + +Such an exposition of the aboriginal religion could be obtained from +no other tribe in North America, for the simple reason that no other +tribe has an alphabet of its own in which to record its sacred lore. +It is true that the Crees and Micmacs of Canada and the Tukuth of +Alaska have so-called alphabets or ideographic systems invented for +their use by the missionaries, while, before the Spanish conquest, +the Mayas of Central America were accustomed to note down their hero +legends and priestly ceremonials in hieroglyphs graven upon the walls +of their temples or painted upon tablets made of the leaves of the +maguey. But it seems never to have occurred to the northern tribes +that an alphabet coming from a missionary source could be used for any +other purpose than the transcription of bibles and catechisms, while +the sacred books of the Mayas, with a few exceptions, have long since +met destruction at the hands of fanaticism, and the modern copies +which have come down to the present day are written out from imperfect +memory by Indians who had been educated under Spanish influences in +the language, alphabet and ideas of the conquerors, and who, as is +proved by an examination of the contents of the books themselves, +drew from European sources a great part of their material. Moreover, +the Maya tablets were so far hieratic as to be understood only +by the priests and those who had received a special training in +this direction, and they seem therefore to have been entirely +unintelligible to the common people. + +The Cherokee alphabet, on the contrary, is the invention or adaptation +of one of the tribe, who, although he borrowed most of the Roman +letters, in addition to the forty or more characters of his own +devising, knew nothing of their proper use or value, but reversed them +or altered their forms to suit his purpose, and gave them a name and +value determined by himself. This alphabet was at once adopted by the +tribe for all purposes for which writing can be used, including the +recording of their shamanistic prayers and ritualistic ceremonies. The +formulas here given, as well as those of the entire collection, were +written out by the shamans themselves--men who adhere to the ancient +religion and speak only their native language--in order that their +sacred knowledge might be preserved in a systematic manner for their +mutual benefit. The language, the conception, and the execution +are all genuinely Indian, and hardly a dozen lines of the hundreds +of formulas show a trace of the influence of the white man or +his religion. The formulas contained in these manuscripts are not +disjointed fragments of a system long since extinct, but are the +revelation of a living faith which still has its priests and devoted +adherents, and it is only necessary to witness a ceremonial ball +play, with its fasting, its going to water, and its mystic bead +manipulation, to understand how strong is the hold which the old faith +yet has upon the minds even of the younger generation. The numerous +archaic and figurative expressions used require the interpretation +of the priests, but, as before stated, the alphabet in which they are +written is that in daily use among the common people. + +In all tribes that still retain something of their ancient +organization we find this sacred knowledge committed to the keeping of +various secret societies, each of which has its peculiar ritual with +regular initiation and degrees of advancement. From this analogy +we may reasonably conclude that such was formerly the case with the +Cherokees also, but by the breaking down of old customs consequent +upon their long contact with the whites and the voluntary adoption +of a civilized form of government in 1827, all traces of such society +organization have long since disappeared, and at present each priest +or shaman is isolated and independent, sometimes confining himself +to a particular specialty, such as love or medicine, or even the +treatment of two or three diseases, in other cases broadening his +field of operations to include the whole range of mystic knowledge. + +It frequently happens, however, that priests form personal friendships +and thus are led to divulge their secrets to each other for their +mutual advantage. Thus when one shaman meets another who he thinks can +probably give him some valuable information, he says to him, “Let us +sit down together.” This is understood by the other to mean, “Let us +tell each other our secrets.” Should it seem probable that the seeker +after knowledge can give as much as he receives, an agreement is +generally arrived at, the two retire to some convenient spot secure +from observation, and the first party begins by reciting one of his +formulas with the explanations. The other then reciprocates with +one of his own, unless it appears that the bargain is apt to prove a +losing one, in which case the conference comes to an abrupt ending. + +It is sometimes possible to obtain a formula by the payment of a coat, +a quantity of cloth, or a sum of money. Like the Celtic Druids of old, +the candidate for the priesthood in former times found it necessary to +cultivate a long memory, as no formula was repeated more than once for +his benefit. It was considered that one who failed to remember after +the first hearing was not worthy to be accounted a shaman. This task, +however, was not so difficult as might appear on first thought, when +once the learner understood the theory involved, as the formulas are +all constructed on regular principles, with constant repetition of +the same set of words. The obvious effect of such a regulation was +to increase the respect in which this sacred knowledge was held by +restricting it to the possession of a chosen few. + +Although the written formulas can be read without difficulty by any +Cherokee educated in his own language, the shamans take good care that +their sacred writings shall not fall into the hands of the laity or +of their rivals in occult practices, and in performing the ceremonies +the words used are uttered in such a low tone of voice as to be +unintelligible even to the one for whose benefit the formula is +repeated. Such being the case, it is in order to explain how the +formulas collected were obtained. + + +HOW THE FORMULAS WERE OBTAINED. + +On first visiting the reservation in the summer of 1887, I devoted +considerable time to collecting plants used by the Cherokees for food +or medicinal purposes, learning at the same time their Indian names +and the particular uses to which each was applied and the mode of +preparation. It soon became evident that the application of the +medicine was not the whole, and in fact was rather the subordinate, +part of the treatment, which was always accompanied by certain +ceremonies and “words.” From the workers employed at the time no +definite idea could be obtained as to the character of these words. +One young woman, indeed, who had some knowledge of the subject, +volunteered to write the words which she used in her prescriptions, +but failed to do so, owing chiefly to the opposition of the half-breed +shamans, from whom she had obtained her information. + + +THE SWIMMER MANUSCRIPT. + +Some time afterward an acquaintance was formed with a man named +A‘yû[n]´inĭ or “Swimmer,” who proved to be so intelligent that I +spent several days with him, procuring information in regard to myths +and old customs. He told a number of stories in very good style, and +finally related the Origin of the Bear[1]. The bears were formerly a +part of the Cherokee tribe who decided to leave their kindred and go +into the forest. Their friends followed them and endeavored to induce +them to return, but the Ani-Tsâ´kahĭ, as they were called, were +determined to go. Just before parting from their relatives at the +edge of the forest, they turned to them and said, “It is better for +you that we should go; but we will teach you songs, and some day when +you are in want of food come out to the woods and sing these songs +and we shall appear and give you meat.” Their friends, after learning +several songs from them, started back to their homes, and after +proceeding a short distance, turned around to take one last look, but +saw only a number of bears disappearing in the depths of the forest. +The songs which they learned are still sung by the hunter to attract +the bears. + +[Footnote 1: To appear later with the collection of Cherokee myths.] + +[Illustration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXV + +FACSIMILE OF GAHUNI MANUSCRIPT. + +Formula for Didù[n]lĕckĭ. (Page 349.)] + +When Swimmer had finished the story he was asked if he knew these +songs. He replied that he did, but on being requested to sing one +he made some excuse and was silent. After some further efforts the +interpreter said it would be useless to press the matter then as there +were several other Indians present, but that to-morrow we should have +him alone with us and could then make another attempt. + +The next day Swimmer was told that if he persisted in his refusal it +would be necessary to employ some one else, as it was unfair in him to +furnish incomplete information when he was paid to tell all he knew. +He replied that he was willing to tell anything in regard to stories +and customs, but that these songs were a part of his secret knowledge +and commanded a high price from the hunters, who sometimes paid as +much as $5 for a single song, “because you can’t kill any bears or +deer unless you sing them.” + +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 endeavored +by various means to persuade him to stop talking, or failing in this, +to damage his reputation by throwing out hints as to his honesty or +accuracy of statement. Among other objections which they advanced +was one which, however incomprehensible to a white man, was perfectly +intelligible to an Indian, viz: That when he had told everything this +information would be taken to Washington and locked up there, and thus +they would be deprived of the knowledge. This objection was one of +the most difficult to overcome, as there was no line of argument with +which to oppose it. + +These reports worried Swimmer, who was extremely sensitive in regard +to his reputation, and he became restive under the insinuations of +his rivals. Finally on coming to work one day he produced a book from +under his ragged coat as he entered the house, and said proudly: +“Look at that and now see if I don’t know something.” It was a small +day-book of about 240 pages, procured originally from a white man, and +was about half filled with writing in the Cherokee characters. A brief +examination disclosed the fact that it contained just those matters +that had proved so difficult to procure. Here were prayers, songs, +and prescriptions for the cure of all kinds of diseases--for chills, +rheumatism, frostbites, wounds, bad dreams, and witchery; love charms, +to gain the affections of a woman or to cause her to hate a detested +rival; fishing charms, hunting charms--including the songs without +which none could ever hope to kill any game; prayers to make the corn +grow, to frighten away storms, and to drive off witches; prayers for +long life, for safety among strangers, for acquiring influence in +council and success in the ball play. There were prayers to the Long +Man, the Ancient White, the Great Whirlwind, the Yellow Rattlesnake, +and to a hundred other gods of the Cherokee pantheon. It was in fact +an Indian ritual and pharmacopoeia. + +After recovering in a measure from the astonishment produced by this +discovery I inquired whether other shamans had such books. “Yes,” +said Swimmer, “we all have them.” Here then was a clew to follow up. A +bargain was made by which he was to have another blank book into which +to copy the formulas, after which the original was bought. It is now +deposited in the library of the Bureau of Ethnology. The remainder of +the time until the return was occupied in getting an understanding of +the contents of the book. + + +THE GATIGWANASTI MANUSCRIPT. + +Further inquiry elicited the names of several others who might be +supposed to have such papers. Before leaving a visit was paid to one +of these, a young man named Wilnoti, whose father, Gatigwanasti, had +been during his lifetime a prominent shaman, regarded as a man of +superior intelligence. Wilnoti, who is a professing Christian, said +that his father had had such papers, and after some explanation from +the chief he consented to show them. He produced a box containing a +lot of miscellaneous papers, testaments, and hymnbooks, all in the +Cherokee alphabet. Among them was his father’s chief treasure, a +manuscript book containing 122 pages of foolscap size, completely +filled with formulas of the same kind as those contained in Swimmer’s +book. There were also a large number of loose sheets, making in all +nearly 200 foolscap pages of sacred formulas. + +On offering to buy the papers, he replied that he wanted to keep them +in order to learn and practice these things himself--thus showing +how thin was the veneer of Christianity, in his case at least. On +representing to him that in a few years the new conditions would +render such knowledge valueless with the younger generation, and that +even if he retained the papers he would need some one else to explain +them to him, he again refused, saying that they might fall into +the hands of Swimmer, who, he was determined, should never see his +father’s papers. Thus the negotiations came to an end for the time. + +[Illustration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXVI + +FACSIMILE OF SWIMMER MANUSCRIPT. + +Formula for Dalàni Ù[n]nagei (Page 364.)] + +On returning to the reservation in July, 1888, another effort was made +to get possession of the Gatigwanasti manuscripts and any others of +the same kind which could be procured. By this time the Indians had +had several months to talk over the matter, and the idea had gradually +dawned upon them that instead of taking their knowledge away from them +and locking it up in a box, the intention was to preserve it to the +world and pay them for it at the same time. In addition the writer +took every opportunity to impress upon them the fact that he was +acquainted with the secret knowledge of other tribes and perhaps could +give them as much as they gave. It was now much easier to approach +them, and on again visiting Wilnoti, in company with the interpreter, +who explained the matter fully to him, he finally consented to lend +the papers for a time, with the same condition that neither Swimmer +nor anyone else but the chief and interpreter should see them, but +he still refused to sell them. However, this allowed the use of +the papers, and after repeated efforts during a period of several +weeks, the matter ended in the purchase of the papers outright, +with unreserved permission to show them for copying or explanation +to anybody who might be selected. Wilnoti was not of a mercenary +disposition, and after the first negotiations the chief difficulty was +to overcome his objection to parting with his father’s handwriting, +but it was an essential point to get the originals, and he was allowed +to copy some of the more important formulas, as he found it utterly +out of the question to copy the whole. + +These papers of Gatigwanasti are the most valuable of the whole, and +amount to fully one-half the entire collection, about fifty pages +consisting of love charms. The formulas are beautifully written +in bold Cherokee characters, and the directions and headings are +generally explicit, bearing out the universal testimony that he was a +man of unusual intelligence and ability, characteristics inherited by +his son, who, although a young man and speaking no English, is one of +the most progressive and thoroughly reliable men of the band. + + +THE GAHUNI MANUSCRIPT. + +The next book procured was obtained from a woman named Ayâsta, “The +Spoiler,” and had been written by her husband, Gahuni, who died about +30 years ago. The matter was not difficult to arrange, as she had +already been employed on several occasions, so that she understood the +purpose of the work, besides which her son had been regularly engaged +to copy and classify the manuscripts already procured. The book +was claimed as common property by Ayâsta and her three sons, and +negotiations had to be carried on with each one, although in this +instance the cash amount involved was only half a dollar, in addition +to another book into which to copy some family records and personal +memoranda. The book contains only eight formulas, but these are of +a character altogether unique, the directions especially throwing +a curious light on Indian beliefs. There had been several other +formulas of the class called Y´û´[n]wĕhĭ, to cause hatred between +man and wife, but these had been torn out and destroyed by Ayâsta on +the advice of an old shaman, in order that her sons might never learn +them. In referring to the matter she spoke in a whisper, and it was +evident enough that she had full faith in the deadly power of these +spells. + +In addition to the formulas the book contains about twenty pages of +Scripture extracts in the same handwriting, for Gahuni, like several +others of their shamans, combined the professions of Indian conjurer +and Methodist preacher. After his death the book fell into the hands +of the younger members of the family, who filled it with miscellaneous +writings and scribblings. Among other things there are about seventy +pages of what was intended to be a Cherokee-English pronouncing +dictionary, probably written by the youngest son, already mentioned, +who has attended school, and who served for some time as copyist on +the formulas. This curious Indian production, of which only a few +columns are filled out, consists of a list of simple English words +and phrases, written in ordinary English script, followed by Cherokee +characters intended to give the approximate pronunciation, together +with the corresponding word in the Cherokee language and characters. +As the language lacks a number of sounds which are of frequent +occurrence in English, the attempts to indicate the pronunciation +sometimes give amusing results. Thus we find: _Fox_ (English +script); _kwâgisĭ´_ (Cherokee characters); _tsú‘lû´_ (Cherokee +characters). As the Cherokee language lacks the labial _f_ and has no +compound sound equivalent to our _x_, _kwâgisĭ´_ is as near as the +Cherokee speaker can come to pronouncing our word _fox_. In the same +way “bet” becomes _wĕtĭ_, and “sheep” is _síkwĭ_, while “if he has +no dog” appears in the disguise of _ikwĭ hâsĭ nâ dâ´ga_. + + +THE INÂLI MANUSCRIPT. + +In the course of further inquiries in regard to the whereabouts of +other manuscripts of this kind we heard a great deal about Inâ´lĭ, +or “Black Fox,” who had died a few years before at an advanced age, +and who was universally admitted to have been one of their most able +men and the most prominent literary character among them, for from +what has been said it must be sufficiently evident that the Cherokees +have their native literature and literary men. Like those already +mentioned, he was a full-blood Cherokee, speaking no English, and in +the course of a long lifetime he had filled almost every position of +honor among his people, including those of councilor, keeper of the +townhouse records, Sunday-school leader, conjurer, officer in the +Confederate service, and Methodist preacher, at last dying, as he was +born, in the ancient faith of his forefathers. + +[Illustration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXVII + +FACSIMILE OF GATIGWANASTI MANUSCRIPT. + +Yugwilû´ formula. (Page 375.)] + +On inquiring of his daughter she stated that her father had left a +great many papers, most of which were still in her possession, and +on receiving from the interpreter an explanation of our purpose she +readily gave permission to examine and make selections from them on +condition that the matter should be kept secret from outsiders. A day +was appointed for visiting her, and on arriving we found her living in +a comfortable log house, built by Inâlĭ himself, with her children +and an ancient female relative, a decrepit old woman with snow-white +hair and vacant countenance. This was the oldest woman of the tribe, +and though now so feeble and childish, she had been a veritable savage +in her young days, having carried a scalp in the scalp dance in the +Creek war 75 years before. + +Having placed chairs for us in the shade Inâlĭ’s daughter brought +out a small box filled with papers of various kinds, both Cherokee and +English. The work of examining these was a tedious business, as each +paper had to be opened out and enough of it read to get the general +drift of the contents, after which the several classes were arranged +in separate piles. While in the midst of this work she brought out +another box nearly as large as a small trunk, and on setting it down +there was revealed to the astonished gaze such a mass of material as +it had not seemed possible could exist in the entire tribe. + +In addition to papers of the sort already mentioned there were a +number of letters in English from various officials and religious +organizations, and addressed to “Enola,” to “Rev. Black Fox,” and to +“Black Fox, Esq,” with a large number of war letters written to him +by Cherokees who had enlisted in the Confederate service. These latter +are all written in the Cherokee characters, in the usual gossipy style +common among friends, and several of them contain important historic +material in regard to the movements of the two armies in East +Tennessee. Among other things was found his certificate as a Methodist +preacher, dated in 1848. “Know all men by these presents that Black +Fox (Cherokee) is hereby authorized to exercise his Gifts and Graces +as a local preacher in M.E. Church South.”. + +There was found a manuscript book in Inâlĭ’s handwriting containing +the records of the old council of Wolftown, of which he had been +secretary for several years down to the beginning of the war. This +also contains some valuable materials. + +There were also a number of miscellaneous books, papers, and pictures, +together with various trinkets and a number of conjuring stones. + +In fact the box was a regular curiosity shop, and it was with a +feeling akin, to despair that we viewed the piles of manuscript which +had to be waded through and classified. There was a day’s hard work +ahead, and it was already past noon; but the woman was not done yet, +and after rummaging about inside the house for a while longer she +appeared with another armful of papers, which she emptied on top of +the others. This was the last straw; and finding it impossible to +examine in detail such a mass of material we contented ourselves +with picking out the sacred formulas and the two manuscript books +containing the town-house records and scriptural quotations and +departed. + +The daughter of Black Fox agreed to fetch down the other papers in +a few days for further examination at our leisure; and she kept her +promise, bringing with her at the same time a number of additional +formulas which she had not been able to obtain before. A large number +of letters and other papers were selected from the miscellaneous lot, +and these, with the others obtained from her, are now deposited also +with the Bureau of Ethnology. Among other things found at this house +were several beads of the old shell wampum, of whose use the Cherokees +have now lost even the recollection. She knew only that they were +very old and different from the common beads, but she prized them as +talismans, and firmly refused to part with them. + + +OTHER MANUSCRIPTS. + +Subsequently a few formulas were obtained from an old shaman named +Tsiskwa or “Bird,” but they were so carelessly written as to be almost +worthless, and the old man who wrote them, being then on his dying +bed, was unable to give much help in the matter. However, as he was +anxious to tell what he knew an attempt was made to take down some +formulas from his dictation. A few more were obtained in this way but +the results were not satisfactory and the experiment was abandoned. +About the same time A‘wani´ta or “Young Deer,” one of their best herb +doctors, was engaged to collect the various plants used in medicine +and describe their uses. While thus employed he wrote in a book +furnished him for the purpose a number of formulas used by him in his +practice, giving at the same time a verbal explanation of the theory +and ceremonies. Among these was one for protection in battle, which +had been used by himself and a number of other Cherokees in the +late war. Another doctor named Takwati´hĭ or “Catawba Killer,” was +afterward employed on the same work and furnished some additional +formulas which he had had his son write down from his dictation, +he himself being unable to write. His knowledge was limited to the +practice of a few specialties, but in regard to these his information +was detailed and accurate. There was one for bleeding with the +cupping horn. All these formulas obtained from Tsiskwa, A´wanita, and +Takwtihi are now in possession of the Bureau. + + +THE KANÂHETA ANI-TSALAGI ETI. + +Among the papers thus obtained was a large number which for various +reasons it was found difficult to handle or file for preservation. +Many of them had been written so long ago that the ink had almost +faded from the paper; others were written with lead pencil, so that in +handling them the characters soon became blurred and almost illegible; +a great many were written on scraps of paper of all shapes and sizes; +and others again were full of omissions and doublets, due to the +carelessness of the writer, while many consisted simply of the prayer, +with nothing in the nature of a heading or prescription to show its +purpose. + +Under the circumstances it was deemed expedient to have a number of +these formulas copied in more enduring form. For this purpose it +was decided to engage the services of Ayâsta’s youngest son, an +intelligent young man about nineteen years of age, who had attended +school long enough to obtain a fair acquaintance with English in +addition to his intimate knowledge of Cherokee. He was also gifted +with a ready comprehension, and from his mother and uncle Tsiskwa had +acquired some familiarity with many of the archaic expressions used in +the sacred formulas. He was commonly known as “Will West,” but signed +himself W.W. Long, Long being the translation of his father’s name, +Gûnahi´ta. After being instructed as to how the work should be done +with reference to paragraphing, heading, etc., he was furnished a +blank book of two hundred pages into which to copy such formulas as it +seemed desirable to duplicate. He readily grasped the idea and in the +course of about a month, working always under the writer’s personal +supervision, succeeded in completely filling the book according to +the plan outlined. In addition to the duplicate formulas he wrote +down a number of dance and drinking songs, obtained originally from +A‘yû[n]´inĭ, with about thirty miscellaneous formulas obtained from +various sources. The book thus prepared is modeled on the plan of +an ordinary book, with headings, table of contents, and even with an +illuminated title page devised by the aid of the interpreter according +to the regular Cherokee idiomatic form, and is altogether a unique +specimen of Indian literary art. It contains in all two hundred and +fifty-eight formulas and songs, which of course are native aboriginal +productions, although the mechanical arrangement was performed under +the direction of a white man. This book also, under its Cherokee +title, _Kanâhe´ta Ani-Tsa´lagĭ E´tĭ_ or “Ancient Cherokee +Formulas,” is now in the library of the Bureau. + +There is still a considerable quantity of such manuscript in the hands +of one or two shamans with whom there was no chance for negotiating, +but an effort will be made to obtain possession of these on some +future visit, should opportunity present. Those now in the Bureau +library comprised by far the greater portion of the whole quantity +held by the Indians, and as only a small portion of this was copied by +the owners it can not be duplicated by any future collector. + + +CHARACTER OF THE FORMULAS--THE CHEROKEE RELIGION. + +It is impossible to overestimate the ethnologic importance of the +materials thus obtained. They are invaluable as the genuine production +of the Indian mind, setting forth in the clearest light the state of +the aboriginal religion before its contamination by contact with the +whites. To the psychologist and the student of myths they are equally +precious. In regard to their linguistic value we may quote the +language of Brinton, speaking of the sacred books of the Mayas, +already referred to: + + Another value they have,... and it is one which will be + properly appreciated by any student of languages. They are, + by common consent of all competent authorities, the genuine + productions of native minds, cast in the idiomatic forms of + the native tongue by those born to its use. No matter how + fluent a foreigner becomes in a language not his own, he can + never use it as does one who has been familiar with it from + childhood. This general maxim is tenfold true when we apply + it to a European learning an American language. The flow of + thought, as exhibited in these two linguistic families, is + in such different directions that no amount of practice can + render one equally accurate in both. Hence the importance of + studying a tongue as it is employed by natives; and hence the + very high estimate I place on these “Books of Chilan Balam” as + linguistic material--an estimate much increased by the great + rarity of independent compositions in their own tongues by + members of the native races of this continent.[2] + +[Footnote 2: Brinton, D.G.: The books of Chilan Balam 10, +Philadelphia, n.d., (1882).] + +The same author, in speaking of the internal evidences of authenticity +contained in the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Kichés, uses the +following words, which apply equally well to these Cherokee formulas: + + To one familiar with native American myths, this one bears + undeniable marks of its aboriginal origin. Its frequent + puerilities and inanities, its generally low and coarse range + of thought and expression, its occasional loftiness of both, + its strange metaphors and the prominence of strictly heathen + names and potencies, bring it into unmistakable relationship + to the true native myth.[3] + +[Footnote 3: Brinton, D.G.: Names of the Gods in the Kiché Myths, in +Proc. Am. Philos. Soc., Philadelphia, 1881, vol. 19, p. 613.] + +These formulas furnish a complete refutation of the assertion so +frequently made by ignorant and prejudiced writers that the Indian had +no religion excepting what they are pleased to call the meaning less +mummeries of the medicine man. This is the very reverse of the truth. +The Indian is essentially religious and contemplative, and it might +almost be said that every act of his life is regulated and determined +by his religious belief. It matters not that some may call this +superstition. The difference is only relative. The religion of +to-day has developed from the cruder superstitions of yesterday, and +Christianity itself is but an outgrowth and enlargement of the beliefs +and ceremonies which have been preserved by the Indian in their more +ancient form. When we are willing to admit that the Indian has a +religion which he holds sacred, even though it be different from +our own, we can then admire the consistency of the theory, the +particularity of the ceremonial and the beauty of the expression. +So far from being a jumble of crudities, there is a wonderful +completeness about the whole system which is not surpassed even by the +ceremonial religions of the East. It is evident from a study of these +formulas that the Cherokee Indian was a polytheist and that the spirit +world was to him only a shadowy counterpart of this. All his prayers +were for temporal and tangible blessings--for health, for long life, +for success in the chase, in fishing, in war and in love, for good +crops, for protection and for revenge. He had no Great Spirit, no +happy hunting ground, no heaven, no hell, and consequently death had +for him no terrors and he awaited the inevitable end with no anxiety +as to the future. He was careful not to violate the rights of his +tribesman or to do injury to his feelings, but there is nothing to +show that he had any idea whatever of what is called morality in the +abstract. + +As the medical formulas are first in number and importance it may be +well, for the better understanding of the theory involved, to give the +Cherokee account of + + +THE ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND MEDICINE. + +In the old days quadrupeds, birds, fishes, and insects could all talk, +and they and the human race lived together in peace and friendship. +But as time went on the people increased so rapidly that their +settlements spread over the whole earth and the poor animals found +themselves beginning to be cramped for room. This was bad enough, +but to add to their misfortunes man invented bows, knives, blowguns, +spears, and hooks, and began to slaughter the larger animals, birds +and fishes for the sake of their flesh or their skins, while the +smaller creatures, such as the frogs and worms, were crushed and +trodden upon without mercy, out of pure carelessness or contempt. In +this state of affairs the animals resolved to consult upon measures +for their common safety. + +The bears were the first to meet in council in their townhouse in +Kuwa´hĭ, the “Mulberry Place,”[4] and the old White Bear chief +presided. After each in turn had made complaint against the way in +which man killed their friends, devoured their flesh and used their +skins for his own adornment, it was unanimously decided to begin war +at once against the human race. Some one asked what weapons man used +to accomplish their destruction. “Bows and arrows, of course,” cried +all the bears in chorus. “And what are they made of?” was the next +question. “The bow of wood and the string of our own entrails,” +replied one of the bears. It was then proposed that they make a bow +and some arrows and see if they could not turn man’s weapons against +himself. So one bear got a nice piece of locust wood and another +sacrificed himself for the good of the rest in order to furnish a +piece of his entrails for the string. But when everything was ready +and the first bear stepped up to make the trial it was found that +in letting the arrow fly after drawing back the bow, his long claws +caught the string and spoiled the shot. This was annoying, but another +suggested that he could overcome the difficulty by cutting his claws, +which was accordingly done, and on a second trial it was found that +the arrow went straight to the mark. But here the chief, the old White +Bear, interposed and said that it was necessary that they should have +long claws in order to be able to climb trees. “One of us has already +died to furnish the bowstring, and if we now cut off our claws we +shall all have to starve together. It is better to trust to the teeth +and claws which nature has given us, for it is evident that man’s +weapons were not intended for us.” + +[Footnote 4: One of the High peaks of the Smoky Mountains, on the +Tennessee line, near Clingman’s Dome.] + +No one could suggest any better plan, so the old chief dismissed the +council and the bears dispersed to their forest haunts without having +concerted any means for preventing the increase of the human race. Had +the result of the council been otherwise, we should now be at war with +the bears, but as it is the hunter does not even ask the bear’s pardon +when he kills one. + +The deer next held a council under their chief, the Little Deer, and +after some deliberation resolved to inflict rheumatism upon every +hunter who should kill one of their number, unless he took care to ask +their pardon for the offense. They sent notice of their decision to +the nearest settlement of Indians and told them at the same time how +to make propitiation when necessity forced them to kill one of the +deer tribe. Now, whenever the hunter brings down a deer, the Little +Deer, who is swift as the wind and can not be wounded, runs quickly up +to the spot and bending over the blood stains asks the spirit of the +deer if it has heard the prayer of the hunter for pardon. If the reply +be “Yes” all is well and the Little Deer goes on his way, but if the +reply be in the negative he follows on the trail of the hunter, guided +by the drops of blood on the ground, until he arrives at the cabin in +the settlement, when the Little Deer enters invisibly and strikes +the neglectful hunter with rheumatism, so that he is rendered on the +instant a helpless cripple. No hunter who has regard for his health +ever fails to ask pardon of the deer for killing it, although some +who have not learned the proper formula may attempt to turn aside the +Little Deer from his pursuit by building a fire behind them in the +trail. + +Next came the fishes and reptiles, who had their own grievances +against humanity. They held a joint council and determined to make +their victims dream of snakes twining about them in slimy folds and +blowing their fetid breath in their faces, or to make them dream of +eating raw or decaying fish, so that they would lose appetite, sicken, +and die. Thus it is that snake and fish dreams are accounted for. + +Finally the birds, insects, and smaller animals came together for a +like purpose, and the Grubworm presided over the deliberations. It was +decided that each in turn should express an opinion and then vote on +the question as to whether or not man should be deemed guilty. +Seven votes were to be sufficient to condemn him. One after another +denounced man’s cruelty and injustice toward the other animals and +voted in favor of his death. The Frog (walâ´sĭ) spoke first and +said: “We must do something to check the increase of the race or +people will become so numerous that we shall be crowded from off the +earth. See how man has kicked me about because I’m ugly, as he says, +until my back is covered with sores;” and here he showed the spots +on his skin. Next came the Bird (tsi´skwa; no particular species is +indicated), who condemned man because “he burns my feet off,” alluding +to the way in which the hunter barbecues birds by impaling them on a +stick set over the fire, so that their feathers and tender feet are +singed and burned. Others followed in the same strain. The Ground +Squirrel alone ventured to say a word in behalf of man, who seldom +hurt him because he was so small; but this so enraged the others that +they fell upon the Ground Squirrel and tore him with their teeth and +claws, and the stripes remain on his back to this day. + +The assembly then began to devise and name various diseases, one after +another, and had not their invention finally failed them not one of +the human race would have been able to survive. The Grubworm in his +place of honor hailed each new malady with delight, until at last they +had reached the end of the list, when some one suggested that it be +arranged so that menstruation should sometimes prove fatal to woman. +On this he rose up in his place and cried: “Wata´[n] Thanks! I’m glad +some of them will die, for they are getting so thick that they tread +on me.” He fairly shook with joy at the thought, so that he fell over +backward and could not get on his feet again, but had to wriggle off +on his back, as the Grubworm has done ever since. + +When the plants, who were friendly to man, heard what had been done by +the animals, they determined to defeat their evil designs. Each tree, +shrub, and herb, down, even to the grasses and mosses, agreed to +furnish a remedy for some one of the diseases named, and each said: “I +shall appear to help man when he calls upon me in his need.” Thus did +medicine originate, and the plants, every one of which has its use if +we only knew it, furnish the antidote to counteract the evil wrought +by the revengeful animals. When the doctor is in doubt what treatment +to apply for the relief of a patient, the spirit of the plant suggests +to him the proper remedy. + + +THEORY OF DISEASE--ANIMALS, GHOSTS, WITCHES. + +Such is the belief upon which their medical practice is based, and +whatever we may think of the theory it must be admitted that the +practice is consistent in all its details with the views set forth +in the myth. Like most primitive people the Cherokees believe that +disease and death are not natural, but are due to the evil influence +of animal spirits, ghosts, or witches. Haywood, writing in 1823, +states on the authority of two intelligent residents of the Cherokee +nation: + + In ancient times the Cherokees had no conception of anyone + dying a natural death. They universally ascribed the death of + those who perished by disease to the intervention or agency of + evil spirits and witches and conjurers who had connection with + the Shina (Anisgi´na) or evil spirits.... A person dying by + disease and charging his death to have been procured by means + of witchcraft or spirits, by any other person, consigns that + person to inevitable death. They profess to believe that their + conjurations have no effect upon white men.[5] + +[Footnote 5: Haywood, John: Natural and Aboriginal History of East +Tennessee, 267-8, Nashville, 1823.] + +On the authority of one of the same informants, he also mentions +the veneration which “their physicians have for the numbers four and +seven, who say that after man was placed upon the earth four and seven +nights were instituted for the cure of diseases in the human body and +the seventh night as the limit for female impurity.”[6] + +[Footnote 6: Ibid., p. 281.] + +Viewed from a scientific standpoint, their theory and diagnosis +are entirely wrong, and consequently we can hardly expect their +therapeutic system to be correct. As the learned Doctor Berendt +states, after an exhaustive study of the medical books of the Mayas, +the scientific value of their remedies is “next to nothing.” It must +be admitted that many of the plants used in their medical practice +possess real curative properties, but it is equally true that many +others held in as high estimation are inert. It seems probable that in +the beginning the various herbs and other plants were regarded as so +many fetiches and were selected from some fancied connection with the +disease animal, according to the idea known to modern folklorists as +the doctrine of signatures. Thus at the present day the doctor puts +into the decoction intended as a vermifuge some of the red fleshy +stalks of the common purslane or chickweed (Portulaca oleracea), +because these stalks somewhat resemble worms and consequently must +have some occult influence over worms. Here the chickweed is a fetich +precisely as is the flint arrow head which is put into the same +decoction, in order that in the same mysterious manner its sharp +cutting qualities may be communicated to the liquid and enable it +to cut the worms into pieces. In like manner, biliousness is called +by the Cherokees dalâ´nĭ or “yellow,” because the most apparent +symptom of the disease is the vomiting by the patient of the yellow +bile, and hence the doctor selects for the decoction four different +herbs, each of which is also called dalânĭ, because of the color of +the root, stalk, or flower. The same idea is carried out in the tabu +which generally accompanies the treatment. Thus a scrofulous patient +must abstain from eating the meat of a turkey, because the fleshy +dewlap which depends from its throat somewhat resembles an inflamed +scrofulous eruption. On killing a deer the hunter always makes an +incision in the hind quarter and removes the hamstring, because this +tendon, when severed, draws up into the flesh; ergo, any one who +should unfortunately partake of the hamstring would find his limbs +draw up in the same manner. + +There can be no doubt that in course of time a haphazard use of +plants would naturally lead to the discovery that certain herbs are +efficacious in certain combinations of symptoms. These plants would +thus come into more frequent use and finally would obtain general +recognition in the Indian materia medica. By such a process of +evolution an empiric system of medicine has grown up among the +Cherokees, by which they are able to treat some classes of ailments +with some degree of success, although without any intelligent idea +of the process involved. It must be remembered that our own medical +system has its remote origin in the same mythic conception of disease, +and that within two hundred years judicial courts have condemned +women to be burned to death for producing sickness by spells and +incantations, while even at the present day our faith-cure professors +reap their richest harvest among people commonly supposed to belong +to the intelligent classes. In the treatment of wounds the Cherokee +doctors exhibit a considerable degree of skill, but as far as any +internal ailment is concerned the average farmer’s wife is worth all +the doctors in the whole tribe. + +The faith of the patient has much to do with his recovery, for the +Indian has the same implicit confidence in the shaman that a child has +in a more intelligent physician. The ceremonies and prayers are well +calculated to inspire this feeling, and the effect thus produced +upon the mind of the sick man undoubtedly reacts favorably upon his +physical organization. + +The following list of twenty plants used in Cherokee practice will +give a better idea of the extent of their medical knowledge than +could be conveyed by a lengthy dissertation. The names are given +in the order in which they occur in the botanic notebook filled on +the reservation, excluding names of food plants and species not +identified, so that no attempt has been made to select in accordance +with a preconceived theory. Following the name of each plant are +given its uses as described by the Indian doctors, together with its +properties as set forth in the United States Dispensatory, one of the +leading pharmacopoeias in use in this country.[7] For the benefit +of those not versed in medical phraseology it may be stated that +aperient, cathartic, and deobstruent are terms applied to medicines +intended to open or purge the bowels, a diuretic has the property of +exciting the flow of urine, a diaphoretic excites perspiration, and +a demulcent protects or soothes irritated tissues, while hæmoptysis +denotes a peculiar variety of blood-spitting and aphthous is an +adjective applied to ulcerations in the mouth. + +[Footnote 7: Wood, T.B., and Bache, F.: Dispensatory of the United +States of America, 14th ed., Philadelphia, 1877.] + + +SELECTED LIST OF PLANTS USED. + +1. UNASTE´TSTIYÛ=“very small root”--Aristolochia +serpentaria--Virginia or black snakeroot: Decoction of root blown upon +patient for fever and feverish headache, and drunk for coughs; root +chewed and spit upon wound to cure snake bites; bruised root placed +in hollow tooth for toothache, and held against nose made sore by +constant blowing in colds. Dispensatory: “A stimulant tonic, acting +also as a diaphoretic or diuretic, according to the mode of its +application; * * * also been highly recommended in intermittent +fevers, and though itself generally inadequate to the cure often +proves serviceable as an adjunct to Peruvian bark or sulphate of +quinia.” Also used for typhous diseases, in dyspepsia, as a gargle +for sore throat, as a mild stimulant in typhoid fevers, and to promote +eruptions. The genus derives its scientific name from its supposed +efficacy in promoting menstrual discharge, and some species have +acquired the “reputation of antidotes for the bites of serpents.” + +2. UNISTIL´Û[n]ISTÎ[8]=“they stick on”--Cynoglossum +Morrisoni--Beggar lice: Decoction of root or top drunk for kidney +troubles; bruised root used with bear oil as an ointment for cancer; +forgetful persons drink a decoction of this plant, and probably also +of other similar bur plants, from an idea that the sticking qualities +of the burs will thus be imparted to the memory. From a similar +connection of ideas the root is also used in the preparation of love +charms. Dispensatory: Not named. C. officinale “has been used as +a demulcent and sedative in coughs, catarrh, spitting of blood, +dysentery, and diarrhea, and has been also applied externally in +burns, ulcers, scrofulous tumors and goiter.” + +[Footnote 8: The Cherokee plant names here given are generic names, +which are the names commonly used. In many cases the same name is +applied to several species and it is only when it is necessary to +distinguish between them that the Indians use what might be called +specific names. Even then the descriptive term used serves to +distinguish only the particular plants under discussion and the +introduction of another variety bearing the same generic name would +necessitate a new classification of species on a different basis, +while hardly any two individuals would classify the species by the +same characteristics.] + +3. Û[n]NAGÉI=“black”--Cassia Marilandica--Wild senna: Root bruised +and moistened with water for poulticing sores; decoction drunk for +fever and for a disease also called û[n]nage´i, or “black” (same +name as plant), in which the hands and eye sockets are said to turn +black; also for a disease described as similar to û[n]nagei, but more +dangerous, in which the eye sockets become black, while black spots +appear on the arms, legs, and over the ribs on one side of the body, +accompanied by partial paralysis, and resulting in death should the +black spots appear also on the other side. Dispensatory: Described as +“an efficient and safe cathartic, * * * most conveniently given in the +form of infusion.” + +4. KÂSD´ÚTA=“simulating ashes,” so called on account of the +appearance of the leaves--Gnaphalium decurrens--Life everlasting: +Decoction drunk for colds; also used in the sweat bath for various +diseases and considered one of their most valuable medical plants. +Dispensatory: Not named. Decoctions of two other species of this genus +are mentioned as used by country people for chest and bowel diseases, +and for hemorrhages, bruises, ulcers, etc., although “probably +possessing little medicinal virtue.” + +5. ALTSA´STI=“a wreath for the head”--Vicia Caroliniana--Vetch: +Decoction drunk for dyspepsia and pains in the back, and rubbed on +stomach for cramp; also rubbed on ball-players after scratching, to +render their muscles tough, and used in the same way after scratching +in the disease referred to under û[n]nagei, in which one side becomes +black in spots, with partial paralysis; also used in same manner in +decoction with Kâsduta for rheumatism; considered one of their most +valuable medicinal herbs. Dispensatory: Not named. + +6. DISTAI´YǏ=“they (the roots) are tough”--Tephrosia +Virginiana--Catgut, Turkey Pea, Goat’s Rue, or Devil’s Shoestrings: +Decoction drunk for lassitude. Women wash their hair in decoction of +its roots to prevent its breaking or falling out, because these roots +are very tough and hard to break; from the same idea ball-players +rub the decoction on their limbs after scratching, to toughen them. +Dispensatory: Described as a cathartic with roots tonic and aperient. + +7. U´GA-ATASGI´SKǏ=“the pus oozes out”--Euphorbia +hypericifolia--Milkweed: Juice rubbed on for skin eruptions, +especially on children’s heads; also used as a purgative; decoction +drunk for gonorrhoea and similar diseases in both sexes, and held in +high estimation for this purpose; juice used as an ointment for sores +and for sore nipples, and in connection with other herbs for cancer. +Dispensatory: The juice of all of the genus has the property of +“powerfully irritating the skin when applied to it,” while nearly all +are powerful emetics and cathartics. This species “has been highly +commended as a remedy in dysentery after due depletion, diarrhea, +menorrhagia, and leucorrhea.” + +8. GÛ´NǏGWALǏ´SKǏ=“It becomes discolored when +bruised”--Scutellaria lateriflora--Skullcap. The name refers to +the red juice which comes out of the stalk when bruised or chewed. +A decoction of the four varieties of Gûnigwalĭ´skĭ--S. lateriflora, +S. pilosa, Hypericum corymbosum, and Stylosanthes elatior--is drunk to +promote menstruation, and the same decoction is also drunk and used +as a wash to counteract the ill effects of eating food prepared by a +woman in the menstrual condition, or when such a woman by chance comes +into a sick room or a house under the tabu; also drunk for diarrhea +and used with other herbs in decoction for breast pains. Dispensatory: +This plant “produces no very obvious effects,” but some doctors regard +it as possessed of nervine, antispasmodic and tonic properties. None +of the other three species are named. + +9. K´GA SKÛ´[n]TAGǏ=“crow shin”--Adiantum pedatum--Maidenhair +Fern: Used either in decoction or poultice for rheumatism and chills, +generally in connection with some other fern. The doctors explain +that the fronds of the different varieties of fern are curled up +in the young plant, but unroll and straighten out as it grows, and +consequently a decoction of ferns causes the contracted muscles of +the rheumatic patient to unbend and straighten out in like manner. It +is also used in decoction for fever. Dispensatory: The leaves “have +been supposed to be useful in chronic catarrh and other pectoral +affections.” + +10. ANDA´NKALAGI´SKǏ=“it removes things from the gums”--Geranium +maculatum--Wild Alum, Cranesbill: Used in decoction with Yânû +Unihye´stĭ (Vitis cordifolia) to wash the mouths of children in +thrush; also used alone for the same purpose by blowing the chewed +fiber into the mouth. Dispensatory: “One of our best indigenous +astringents. * * * Diarrhea, chronic dysentery, cholora infantum +in the latter stages, and the various hemorrhages are the forms of +disease in which it is most commonly used.” Also valuable as “an +application to indolent ulcers, an injection in gleet and leucorrhea, +a gargle in relaxation of the uvula and aphthous ulcerations of the +throat.” The other plant sometimes used with it is not mentioned. + +11. Û´[n]LĚ UKǏ´LTǏ=“the locust frequents it”--Gillenia +trifoliata--Indian Physic. Two doctors state that it is good as a tea +for bowel complaints, with fever and yellow vomit; but another says +that it is poisonous and that no decoction is ever drunk, but that the +beaten root is a good poultice for swellings. Dispensatory: “Gillenia +is a mild and efficient emetic, and like most substances belonging to +the same class occasionally acts upon the bowels. In very small doses +it has been thought to be tonic.” + +12. SKWA´LǏ=Hepatica acutiloba--Liverwort, Heartleaf: Used for +coughs either in tea or by chewing root. Those who dream of snakes +drink a decoction of this herb and I´natû Ga´n‘ka=“snake tongue” +(Camptosorus rhizophyllus or Walking Fern) to produce vomiting, after +which the dreams do not return. The traders buy large quantities of +liverwort from the Cherokees, who may thus have learned to esteem it +more highly than they otherwise would. The appearance of the other +plant, Camptosorus rhizophyllus, has evidently determined its Cherokee +name and the use to which it is applied. Dispensatory: “Liverwort is a +very mild demulcent tonic and astringent, supposed by some to possess +diuretic and deobstruent virtues. It was formerly used in Europe +in various complaints, especially chronic hepatic affections, but +has fallen into entire neglect. In this country, some years since, +it acquired considerable reputation, which, however, it has not +maintained as a remedy in hæmoptysis and chronic coughs.” The other +plant is not named. + +13. DA´YEWÛ=“it sews itself up,” because the leaves are said to grow +together again when torn--Cacalia atriplicifolia--Tassel Flower: Held +in great repute as a poultice for cuts, bruises, and cancer, to draw +out the blood or poisonous matter. The bruised leaf is bound over the +spot and frequently removed. The dry powdered leaf was formerly used +to sprinkle over food like salt. Dispensatory: Not named. + +14. A´TALǏ KÛLǏ´=“it climbs the mountain.”--Aralia +quinquefolia--Ginseng or “Sang:” Decoction of root drunk for headache, +cramps, etc., and for female troubles; chewed root blown on spot for +pains in the side. The Cherokees sell large quantities of sang to +the traders for 50 cents per pound, nearly equivalent there to two +days’ wages, a fact which has doubtless increased their idea of its +importance. Dispensatory: “The extraordinary medical virtues formerly +ascribed to ginseng had no other existence than in the imagination of +the Chinese. It is little more than a demulcent, and in this country +is not employed as a medicine.” The Chinese name, ginseng, is said to +refer to the fancied resemblance of the root to a human figure, while +in the Cherokee formulas it is addressed as the “great man” or “little +man,” and this resemblance no doubt has much to do with the estimation +in which it is held by both peoples. + +15. Û´TSATǏ UWADSǏSKA=“fish scales,” from shape of +leaves--Thalictrum anemonoides--Meadow Rue: Decoction of root drunk +for diarrhea with vomiting. Dispensatory: Not named. + +16. K´KWĚ ULASU´LA=“partridge moccasin”--Cypripedium +parviflorum--Lady-slipper: Decoction of root used for worms in +children. In the liquid are placed some stalks of the common chickweed +or purslane (Cerastium vulgatum) which, from the appearance of its +red fleshy stalks, is supposed to have some connection with worms. +Dispensatory: Described as “a gentle nervous stimulant” useful in +diseases in which the nerves are especially affected. The other herb +is not named. + +17. A´HAWǏ´ AKĂ´TĂ´=“deer eye,” from the appearance of the +flower--Rudbeckia fulgida--Cone Flower: Decoction of root drunk for +flux and for some private diseases; also used as a wash for snake +bites and swellings caused by (mythic) tsgâya or worms; also dropped +into weak or inflamed eyes. This last is probably from the supposed +connection between the eye and the flower resembling the eye. +Dispensatory: Not named. + +18. UTǏSTUGǏ´=Polygonatum multiflorum latifolium--Solomon’s +Seal: Root heated and bruised and applied as a poultice to remove an +ulcerating swelling called tu´stĭ´, resembling a boil or carbuncle. +Dispensatory: “This species acts like P. uniflorum, which is said +to be emetic. In former times it was used externally in bruises, +especially those about the eyes, in tumors, wounds, and cutaneous +eruptions and was highly esteemed as a cosmetic. At present it is +not employed, though recommended by Hermann as a good remedy in gout +and rheumatism.” This species in decoction has been found to produce +“nausea, a cathartic effect and either diaphoresis or diuresis,” and +is useful “as an internal remedy in piles, and externally in the +form of decoction, in the affection of the skin resulting from the +poisonous exhalations of certain plants.” + +19. ĂMĂDITA‘TÌ=“water dipper,” because water can be sucked up +through its hollow stalk--Eupatorium purpureum--Queen of the +Meadow, Gravel Root: Root used in decoction with a somewhat similar +plant called Ămăditá´tĭ û´tanu, or “large water dipper” (not +identified) for difficult urination. Dispensatory: “Said to operate +as a diuretic. Its vulgar name of gravel root indicates the popular +estimation of its virtues.” The genus is described as tonic, +diaphoretic, and in large doses emetic and aperient. + +20. YÂNA UTSĚSTA=“the bear lies on it”--Aspidium +acrostichoides--Shield Fern: Root decoction drunk to produce vomiting, +and also used to rub on the skin, after scratching, for rheumatism--in +both cases some other plant is added to the decoction; the +warm decoction is also held in the mouth to relieve toothache. +Dispensatory: Not named. + +The results obtained from a careful study of this list may be +summarized as follows: Of the twenty plants described as used by the +Cherokees, seven (Nos. 2, 4, 5, 13, 15, 17, and 20) are not noticed +in the Dispensatory even in the list of plants sometimes used although +regarded as not officinal. It is possible that one or two of these +seven plants have medical properties, but this can hardly be true of +a larger number unless we are disposed to believe that the Indians are +better informed in this regard than the best educated white physicians +in the country. Two of these seven plants, however (Nos. 2 and 4), +belong to genera which seem to have some of the properties ascribed +by the Indians to the species. Five others of the list (Nos. 8, 9, +11, 14, and 16) are used for entirely wrong purposes, taking the +Dispensatory as authority, and three of these are evidently used on +account of some fancied connection between the plant and the disease, +according to the doctrine of signatures. Three of the remainder (Nos. +1, 3, and 6) may be classed as uncertain in their properties, that is, +while the plants themselves seem to possess some medical value, the +Indian mode of application is so far at variance with recognized +methods, or their own statements are so vague and conflicting, that +it is doubtful whether any good can result from the use of the herbs. +Thus the Unaste´tstiyû, or Virginia Snakeroot, is stated by the +Dispensatory to have several uses, and among other things is said to +have been highly recommended in intermittent fevers, although alone +it is “generally inadequate to the cure.” Though not expressly stated, +the natural inference is that it must be applied internally, but the +Cherokee doctor, while he also uses it for fever, takes the decoction +in his mouth and blows it over the head and shoulders of the patient. +Another of these, the Distai´yĭ, or Turkey Pea, is described in the +Dispensatory as having roots tonic and aperient. The Cherokees drink +a decoction of the roots for a feeling of weakness and languor, from +which it might be supposed that they understood the tonic properties +of the plant had not the same decoction been used by the women as a +hair wash, and by the ball players to bathe their limbs, under the +impression that the toughness of the roots would thus be communicated +to the hair or muscles. From this fact and from the name of the plant, +which means at once hard, tough, or strong, it is quite probable that +its roots are believed to give strength to the patient solely because +they themselves are so strong and not because they have been proved +to be really efficacious. The remaining five plants have generally +pronounced medicinal qualities, and are used by the Cherokees for +the very purposes for which, according to the Dispensatory, they are +best adapted; so that we must admit that so much of their practice +is correct, however false the reasoning by which they have arrived at +this result. + + +MEDICAL PRACTICE. + +Taking the Dispensatory as the standard, and assuming that this list +is a fair epitome of what the Cherokees know concerning the medical +properties of plants, we find that five plants, or 25 per cent of +the whole number, are correctly used; twelve, or 60 per cent, are +presumably either worthless or incorrectly used, and three plants, or +15 per cent, are so used that it is difficult to say whether they are +of any benefit or not. Granting that two of these three produce good +results as used by the Indians, we should have 35 per cent, or about +one-third of the whole, as the proportion actually possessing medical +virtues, while the remaining two-thirds are inert, if not positively +injurious. It is not probable that a larger number of examples would +change the proportion to any appreciable extent. A number of herbs +used in connection with these principal plants may probably be set +down as worthless, inasmuch as they are not named in the Dispensatory. + +The results here arrived at will doubtless be a surprise to those +persons who hold that an Indian must necessarily be a good doctor, +and that the medicine man or conjurer, with his theories of ghosts, +witches, and revengeful animals, knows more about the properties +of plants and the cure of disease than does the trained botanist +or physician who has devoted a lifetime of study to the patient +investigation of his specialty, with all the accumulated information +contained in the works of his predecessors to build upon, and with +all the light thrown upon his pathway by the discoveries of modern +science. It is absurd to suppose that the savage, a child in +intellect, has reached a higher development in any branch of science +than has been attained by the civilized man, the product of long ages +of intellectual growth. It would be as unreasonable to suppose that +the Indian could be entirely ignorant of the medicinal properties +of plants, living as he did in the open air in close communion with +nature; but neither in accuracy nor extent can his knowledge be +compared for a moment with that of the trained student working upon +scientific principles. + +Cherokee medicine is an empiric development of the fetich idea. For +a disease caused by the rabbit the antidote must be a plant called +“rabbit’s food,” “rabbit’s ear,” or “rabbit’s tail;” for snake dreams +the plant used is “snake’s tooth;” for worms a plant resembling a worm +in appearance, and for inflamed eyes a flower having the appearance +and name of “deer’s eye.” A yellow root must be good when the patient +vomits yellow bile, and a black one when dark circles come about his +eyes, and in each case the disease and the plant alike are named from +the color. A decoction of burs must be a cure for forgetfulness, for +there is nothing else that will stick like a bur; and a decoction of +the wiry roots of the “devil’s shoestrings” must be an efficacious +wash to toughen the ballplayer’s muscles, for they are almost strong +enough to stop the plowshare in the furrow. It must be evident that +under such a system the failures must far outnumber the cures, yet it +is not so long since half our own medical practice was based upon the +same idea of correspondences, for the mediæval physicians taught that +_similia similibus curantur_, and have we not all heard that “the hair +of the dog will cure the bite?” + +Their ignorance of the true medical principles involved is shown by +the regulations prescribed for the patient. With the exception of the +fasting, no sanitary precautions are taken to aid in the recovery of +the sick man or to contribute to his comfort. Even the fasting is as +much religious as sanative, for in most cases where it is prescribed +the doctor also must abstain from food until sunset, just as in the +Catholic church both priest and communicants remain fasting from +midnight until after the celebration of the divine mysteries. As the +Indian cuisine is extremely limited, no delicate or appetizing dishes +are prepared for the patient, who partakes of the same heavy, sodden +cornmeal dumplings and bean bread which form his principal food in +health. In most cases certain kinds of food are prohibited, such as +squirrel meat, fish, turkey, etc.; but the reason is not that such +food is considered deleterious to health, as we understand it, but +because of some fanciful connection with the disease spirit. Thus if +squirrels have caused the illness the patient must not eat squirrel +meat. If the disease be rheumatism, he must not eat the leg of any +animal, because the limbs are generally the seat of this malady. Lye, +salt, and hot food are always forbidden when there is any prohibition +at all; but here again, in nine cases out of ten, the regulation, +instead of being beneficial, serves only to add to his discomfort. +Lye enters into almost all the food preparations of the Cherokees, the +alkaline potash taking the place of salt, which is seldom used among +them, having been introduced by the whites. Their bean and chestnut +bread, cornmeal dumplings, hominy, and gruel are all boiled in a pot, +all contain lye, and are all, excepting the last, served up hot from +the fire. When cold their bread is about as hard and tasteless as a +lump of yesterday’s dough, and to condemn a sick man to a diet of such +dyspeptic food, eaten cold without even a pinch of salt to give it a +relish, would seem to be sufficient to kill him without any further +aid from the doctor. The salt or lye so strictly prohibited is really +a tonic and appetizer, and in many diseases acts with curative effect. +So much for the health regimen. + +In serious cases the patient is secluded and no strangers are allowed +to enter the house. On first thought this would appear to be a genuine +sanitary precaution for the purpose of securing rest and quiet to the +sick man. Such, however, is not the case. The necessity for quiet has +probably never occurred to the Cherokee doctor, and this regulation is +intended simply to prevent any direct or indirect contact with a woman +in a pregnant or menstrual condition. Among all primitive nations, +including the ancient Hebrews, we find an elaborate code of rules +in regard to the conduct and treatment of women on arriving at the +age of puberty, during pregnancy and the menstrual periods, and at +childbirth. Among the Cherokees the presence of a woman under any of +these conditions, or even the presence of any one who has come from +a house where such a woman resides, is considered to neutralize all +the effects of the doctor’s treatment. For this reason all women, +excepting those of the household, are excluded. A man is forbidden to +enter, because he may have had intercourse with a tabued woman, or may +have come in contact with her in some other way; and children also +are shut out, because they may have come from a cabin where dwells a +woman subject to exclusion. What is supposed to be the effect of the +presence of a menstrual woman in the family of the patient is not +clear; but judging from analogous customs in other tribes and from +rules still enforced among the Cherokees, notwithstanding their long +contact with the whites, it seems probable that in former times the +patient was removed to a smaller house or temporary bark lodge built +for his accommodation whenever the tabu as to women was prescribed +by the doctor. Some of the old men assert that in former times sick +persons were removed to the public townhouse, where they remained +under the care of the doctors until they either recovered or died. +A curious instance of this prohibition is given in the second +Didû[n]lĕ´skĭ (rheumatism) formula from the Gahuni manuscript (see +page 350), where the patient is required to abstain from touching a +squirrel, a dog, a cat, a mountain trout, or a woman, and must also +have a chair appropriated to his use alone during the four days that +he is under treatment. + +In cases of the children’s disease known as Gû[n]wani´gista´ĭ (see +formulas) it is forbidden to carry the child outdoors, but this is not +to procure rest for the little one, or to guard against exposure to +cold air, but because the birds send this disease, and should a bird +chance to be flying by overhead at the moment the napping of its wings +would _fan the disease back_ into the body of the patient. + + +ILLUSTRATION OF THE TABU. + +On a second visit to the reservation the writer once had a practical +illustration of the gaktû´[n]ta or tabu, which may be of interest as +showing how little sanitary ideas have to do with these precautions. +Having received several urgent invitations from Tsiskwa (Bird), an old +shaman of considerable repute, who was anxious to talk, but confined +to his bed by sickness, it was determined to visit him at his house, +several miles distant. On arriving we found another doctor named +Sû´[n]kĭ (The Mink) in charge of the patient and were told that he +had just that morning begun a four days’ gaktû´[n]ta which, among +other provisions, excluded all visitors. It was of no use to argue +that we had come by the express request of Tsiskwa. The laws of the +gaktû´[n]ta were as immutable as those of the Medes and Persians, +and neither doctor nor patient could hope for favorable results from +the treatment unless the regulations were enforced to the letter. +But although we might not enter the house, there was no reason why we +should not talk to the old man, so seats were placed for us outside +the door, while Tsiskwa lay stretched out on the bed just inside and +The Mink perched himself on the fence a few yards distant to keep an +eye on the proceedings. As there was a possibility that a white man +might unconsciously affect the operation of the Indian medicine, +the writer deemed it advisable to keep out of sight altogether, and +accordingly took up a position just around the corner of the house, +but within easy hearing distance, while the interpreter sat facing +the doorway within a few feet of the sick man inside. Then began an +animated conversation, Tsiskwa inquiring, through the interpreter, +as to the purpose of the Government in gathering such information, +wanting to know how we had succeeded with other shamans and asking +various questions in regard to other tribes and their customs. The +replies were given in the same manner, an attempt being also made +to draw him out as to the extent of his own knowledge. Thus we +talked until the old man grew weary, but throughout the whole of +this singular interview neither party saw the other, nor was the +gaktû´[n]ta violated by entering the house. From this example it +must be sufficiently evident that the tabu as to visitors is not a +hygienic precaution for securing greater quiet to the patient, or to +prevent the spread of contagion, but that it is simply a religious +observance of the tribe, exactly parallel to many of the regulations +among the ancient Jews, as laid down in the book of Leviticus. + + +NEGLECT OF SANITARY REGULATIONS. + +No rules are ever formulated as to fresh air or exercise, for the +sufficient reason that the door of the Cherokee log cabin is always +open, excepting at night and on the coldest days in winter, while +the Indian is seldom in the house during his waking hours unless when +necessity compels him. As most of their cabins are still built in the +old Indian style, without windows, the open door furnishes the only +means by which light is admitted to the interior, although when closed +the fire on the hearth helps to make amends for the deficiency. On the +other hand, no precautions are taken to guard against cold, dampness, +or sudden drafts. During the greater part of the year whole families +sleep outside upon the ground, rolled up in an old blanket. The +Cherokee is careless of exposure and utterly indifferent to the +simplest rules of hygiene. He will walk all day in a pouring rain +clad only in a thin shirt and a pair of pants. He goes barefoot and +frequently bareheaded nearly the entire year, and even on a frosty +morning in late November, when the streams are of almost icy coldness, +men and women will deliberately ford the river where the water is +waist deep in preference to going a few hundred yards to a foot-log. +At their dances in the open air men, women, and children, with bare +feet and thinly clad, dance upon the damp ground from darkness until +daylight, sometimes enveloped in a thick mountain fog which makes +even the neighboring treetops invisible, while the mothers have their +infants laid away under the bushes with only a shawl between them and +the cold ground. In their ball plays also each young man, before going +into the game, is subjected to an ordeal of dancing, bleeding, and +cold plunge baths, without food or sleep, which must unquestionably +waste his physical energy. + +In the old days when the Cherokee was the lord of the whole country +from the Savannah to the Ohio, well fed and warmly clad and leading +an active life in the open air, he was able to maintain a condition of +robust health notwithstanding the incorrectness of his medical ideas +and his general disregard of sanitary regulations. But with the advent +of the white man and the destruction of the game all this was changed. +The East Cherokee of to-day is a dejected being; poorly fed, and worse +clothed, rarely tasting meat, cut off from the old free life, and +with no incentive to a better, and constantly bowed down by a sense of +helpless degradation in the presence of his conqueror. Considering all +the circumstances, it may seem a matter of surprise that any of them +are still in existence. As a matter of fact, the best information that +could be obtained in the absence of any official statistics indicated +a slow but steady decrease during the last five years. Only the +constitutional vigor, inherited from their warrior ancestors, has +enabled them to sustain the shock of the changed conditions of the +last half century. The uniform good health of the children in the +training school shows that the case is not hopeless, however, and that +under favorable conditions, with a proper food supply and a regular +mode of living, the Cherokee can hold his own with the white man. + + +THE SWEAT BATH--BLEEDING--RUBBING--BATHING. + +In addition to their herb treatment the Cherokees frequently resort +to sweat baths, bleeding, rubbing, and cold baths in the running +stream, to say nothing of the beads and other conjuring paraphernalia +generally used in connection with the ceremony. The sweat bath was in +common use among almost all the tribes north of Mexico excepting the +central and eastern Eskimo, and was considered the great cure-all in +sickness and invigorant in health. Among many tribes it appears to +have been regarded as a ceremonial observance, but the Cherokees seem +to have looked upon it simply as a medical application, while the +ceremonial part was confined to the use of the plunge bath. The person +wishing to make trial of the virtues of the sweat bath entered the +â´sĭ, a small earth-covered log house only high enough to allow +of sitting down. After divesting himself of his clothing, some large +bowlders, previously heated in a fire, were placed near him, and over +them was poured a decoction of the beaten roots of the wild parsnip. +The door was closed so that no air could enter from the outside, and +the patient sat in the sweltering steam until he was in a profuse +perspiration and nearly choked by the pungent fumes of the decoction. +In accordance with general Indian practice it may be that he plunged +into the river before resuming his clothing; but in modern times +this part of the operation is omitted and the patient is drenched +with cold water instead. Since the âsĭ has gone out of general use +the sweating takes place in the ordinary dwelling, the steam being +confined under a blanket wrapped around the patient. During the +prevalence of the smallpox epidemic among the Cherokees at the close +of the late war the sweat bath was universally called into requisition +to stay the progress of the disease, and as the result about three +hundred of the band died, while many of the survivors will carry +the marks of the visitation to the grave. The sweat bath, with the +accompanying cold water application, being regarded as the great +panacea, seems to have been resorted to by the Indians in all parts of +the country whenever visited by smallpox--originally introduced by the +whites--and in consequence of this mistaken treatment they have died, +in the language of an old writer, “like rotten sheep” and at times +whole tribes have been almost swept away. Many of the Cherokees tried +to ward off the disease by eating the flesh of the buzzard, which +they believe to enjoy entire immunity from sickness, owing to its foul +smell, which keeps the disease spirits at a distance. + +Bleeding is resorted to in a number of cases, especially in rheumatism +and in preparing for the ball play. There are two methods of +performing the operation, bleeding proper and scratching, the latter +being preparatory to rubbing on the medicine, which is thus brought +into more direct contact with the blood. The bleeding is performed +with a small cupping horn, to which suction is applied in the ordinary +manner, after scarification with a flint or piece of broken glass. In +the blood thus drawn out the shaman claims sometimes to find a minute +pebble, a sharpened stick or something of the kind, which he asserts +to be the cause of the trouble and to have been conveyed into the +body of the patient through the evil spells of an enemy. He frequently +pretends to suck out such an object by the application of the lips +alone, without any scarification whatever. Scratching is a painful +process and is performed with a brier, a flint arrowhead, a +rattlesnake’s tooth, or even with a piece of glass, according to the +nature of the ailment, while in preparing the young men for the ball +play the shaman uses an instrument somewhat resembling a comb, having +seven teeth made from the sharpened splinters of the leg bone of +a turkey. The scratching is usually done according to a particular +pattern, the regular method for the ball play being to draw the +scratcher four times down the upper part of each arm, thus making +twenty-eight scratches each about 6 inches in length, repeating the +operation on each arm below the elbow and on each leg above and below +the knee. Finally, the instrument is drawn across the breast from the +two shoulders so as to form a cross; another curving stroke is made +to connect the two upper ends of the cross, and the same pattern is +repeated on the back, so that the body is thus gashed in nearly three +hundred places. Although very painful for a while, as may well +be supposed, the scratches do not penetrate deep enough to result +seriously, excepting in some cases where erysipelas sets in. While +the blood is still flowing freely the medicine, which in this case +is intended to toughen, the muscles of the player, is rubbed into the +wounds after which the sufferer plunges into the stream and washes +off the blood. In order that the blood may flow the longer without +clotting it is frequently scraped off with a small switch as it flows. +In rheumatism and other local diseases the scratching is confined to +the part affected. The instrument used is selected in accordance with +the mythologic theory, excepting in the case of the piece of glass, +which is merely a modern makeshift for the flint arrowhead. + +Rubbing, used commonly for pains and swellings of the abdomen, is a +very simple operation performed with the tip of the finger or the palm +of the hand, and can not be dignified with the name of massage. In +one of the Gahuni formulas for treating snake bites (page 351) the +operator is told to rub in a direction contrary to that in which the +snake coils itself, because “this is just the same as uncoiling it.” +Blowing upon the part affected, as well as upon the head, hands, +and other parts of the body, is also an important feature of the +ceremonial performance. In one of the formulas it is specified that +the doctor must blow first upon the right hand of the patient, then +upon the left foot, then upon the left hand, and finally upon the +right foot, thus making an imaginary cross. + +Bathing in the running stream, or “going to water,” as it is called, +is one of their most frequent medico-religious ceremonies, and is +performed on a great variety of occasions, such as at each new +moon, before eating the new food at the green corn dance, before the +medicine dance and other ceremonial dances before and after the ball +play, in connection with the prayers for long life, to counteract the +effects of bad dreams or the evil spells of an enemy, and as a part of +the regular treatment in various diseases. The details of the ceremony +are very elaborate and vary according to the purpose for which it is +performed, but in all cases both shaman and client are fasting from +the previous evening, the ceremony being generally performed just at +daybreak. The bather usually dips completely under the water four or +seven times, but in some cases it is sufficient to pour the water from +the hand upon the head and breast. In the ball play the ball sticks +are dipped into the water at the same time. While the bather is in the +water the shaman is going through with his part of the performance +on the bank and draws omens from the motion of the beads between his +thumb and finger, or of the fishes in the water. Although the old +customs are fast dying out this ceremony is never neglected at the +ball play, and is also strictly observed by many families on occasion +of eating the new corn, at each new moon, and on other special +occasions, even when it is necessary to break the ice in the stream +for the purpose, and to the neglect of this rite the older people +attribute many of the evils which have come upon the tribe in later +days. The latter part of autumn is deemed the most suitable season of +the year for this ceremony, as the leaves which then cover the surface +of the stream are supposed to impart their medicinal virtues to the +water. + + +SHAMANS AND WHITE PHYSICIANS. + +Of late years, especially since the establishment of schools among +them, the Cherokees are gradually beginning to lose confidence in +the abilities of their own doctors and are becoming more disposed +to accept treatment from white physicians. The shamans are naturally +jealous of this infringement upon their authority and endeavor to +prevent the spread of the heresy by asserting the convenient doctrine +that the white man’s medicine is inevitably fatal to an Indian unless +eradicated from the system by a continuous course of treatment for +four years under the hands of a skillful shaman. The officers of the +training school established by the Government a few years ago met with +considerable difficulty on this account for some time, as the parents +insisted on removing the children at the first appearance of illness +in order that they might be treated by the shamans, until convinced by +experience that the children received better attention at the school +than could possibly be had in their own homes. In one instance, where +a woman was attacked by a pulmonary complaint akin to consumption, her +husband, a man of rather more than the usual amount of intelligence, +was persuaded to call in the services of a competent white physician, +who diagnosed the case and left a prescription. On a second visit, a +few days later, he found that the family, dreading the consequences of +this departure from old customs, had employed a shaman, who asserted +that the trouble was caused by a sharpened stick which some enemy +had caused to be imbedded in the woman’s side. He accordingly began a +series of conjurations for the removal of the stick, while the white +physician and his medicine were disregarded, and in due time the woman +died. Two children soon followed her to the grave, from the contagion +or the inherited seeds of the same disease, but here also the +sharpened sticks were held responsible, and, notwithstanding the three +deaths under such treatment, the husband and father, who was at one +time a preacher, still has faith in the assertions of the shaman. The +appointment of a competent physician to look after the health of the +Indians would go far to eradicate these false ideas and prevent +much sickness and suffering; but, as the Government has made no such +provision, the Indians, both on and off the reservation, excepting the +children in the home school, are entirely without medical care. + + +MEDICINE DANCES. + +The Cherokees have a dance known as the Medicine Dance, which is +generally performed in connection with other dances when a number of +people assemble for a night of enjoyment. It possesses no features +of special interest and differs in no essential respect from a dozen +other of the lesser dances. Besides this, however, there was another, +known as the Medicine Boiling Dance, which, for importance and solemn +ceremonial, was second only to the great Green Corn Dance. It has +now been discontinued on the reservation for about twenty years. It +took place in the fall, probably preceding the Green Corn Dance, and +continued four days. The principal ceremony in connection with it was +the drinking of a strong decoction of various herbs, which acted as +a violent emetic and purgative. The usual fasting and going to water +accompanied the dancing and medicine-drinking. + + +DESCRIPTION OF SYMPTOMS. + +It is exceedingly difficult to obtain from the doctors any accurate +statement of the nature of a malady, owing to the fact that their +description of the symptoms is always of the vaguest character, while +in general the name given to the disease by the shaman expresses only +his opinion as to the occult cause of the trouble. Thus they have +definite names for rheumatism, toothache, boils, and a few other +ailments of like positive character, but beyond this their description +of symptoms generally resolves itself into a statement that the +patient has bad dreams, looks black around the eyes, or feels tired, +while the disease is assigned such names as “when they dream of +snakes,” “when they dream of fish,” “when ghosts trouble them,” “when +something is making something else eat them,” or “when the food is +changed,” i.e., when a witch causes it to sprout and grow in the body +of the patient or transforms it into a lizard, frog, or sharpened +stick. + + +THE PAY OF THE SHAMAN. + +The consideration which the doctor receives for his services is called +ugista´‘tĭ, a word of doubtful etymology, but probably derived from +the verb tsĭ´giû, “I take” or “I eat.” In former times this was +generally a deer-skin or a pair of moccasins, but is now a certain +quantity of cloth, a garment, or a handkerchief. The shamans disclaim +the idea that the ugistâ´‘tĭ is pay, in our sense of the word, but +assert that it is one of the agencies in the removal and banishment +of the disease spirit. Their explanation is somewhat obscure, but +the cloth seems to be intended either as an offering to the disease +spirit, as a ransom to procure the release of his intended victim, or +as a covering to protect the hand of a shaman while engaged in pulling +the disease from the body of the patient. The first theory, which +includes also the idea of vicarious atonement, is common to many +primitive peoples. Whichever may be the true explanation, the evil +influence of the disease is believed to enter into the cloth, which +must therefore be sold or given away by the doctor, as otherwise +it will cause his death when the pile thus accumulating reaches the +height of his head. No evil results seem to follow its transfer from +the shaman to a third party. The doctor can not bestow anything thus +received upon a member of his own family unless that individual gives +him something in return. If the consideration thus received, however, +be anything eatable, the doctor may partake along with the rest of the +family. As a general rule the doctor makes no charge for his services, +and the consideration is regarded as a free-will offering. This remark +applies only to the medical practice, as the shaman always demands +and receives a fixed remuneration for performing love charms, hunting +ceremonials, and other conjurations of a miscellaneous character. +Moreover, whenever the beads are used the patient must furnish a +certain quantity of new cloth upon which to place them, and at the +close of the ceremony the doctor rolls up the cloth, beads and all, +and takes them away with him. The cloth thus received by the doctor +for working with the beads must not be used by him, but must be sold. +In one instance a doctor kept a handkerchief which he received for his +services, but instead sold a better one of his own. Additional cloth +is thus given each time the ceremony is repeated, each time a second +four days’ course of treatment is begun, and as often as the doctor +sees fit to change his method of procedure. Thus, when he begins +to treat a sick man for a disease caused by rabbits, he expects to +receive a certain ugista´‘tĭ; but, should he decide after a time +that the terrapin or the red bird is responsible for the trouble, he +adopts a different course of treatment, for which another ugista´‘tĭ +is necessary. Should the sickness not yield readily to his efforts, it +is because the disease animal requires a greater ugista´‘tĭ, and the +quantity of cloth must be doubled, so that on the whole the doctrine +is a very convenient one for the shaman. In many of the formulas +explicit directions are given as to the pay which the shaman is +to receive for performing the ceremony. In one of the Gatigwanasti +formulas, after specifying the amount of cloth to be paid, the writer +of it makes the additional proviso that it must be “pretty good cloth, +too,” asserting as a clincher that “this is what the old folks said a +long time ago.” + +The ugista´‘tĭ can not be paid by either one of a married couple to +the other, and, as it is considered a necessary accompaniment of the +application, it follows that a shaman can not treat his own wife in +sickness, and vice versa. Neither can the husband or wife of the sick +person send for the doctor, but the call must come from some one +of the blood relatives of the patient. In one instance within the +writer’s knowledge a woman complained that her husband was very sick +and needed a doctor’s attention, but his relatives were taking no +steps in the matter and it was not permissible for her to do so. + + +CEREMONIES FOR GATHERING PLANTS AND PREPARING MEDICINE. + +There are a number of ceremonies and regulations observed in +connection with the gathering of the herbs, roots, and barks, which +can not be given in detail within the limits of this paper. In +searching for his medicinal plants the shaman goes provided with a +number of white and red beads, and approaches the plant from a certain +direction, going round it from right to left one or four times, +reciting certain prayers the while. He then pulls up the plant by the +roots and drops one of the beads into the hole and covers it up with +the loose earth. In one of the formulas for hunting ginseng the hunter +addresses the mountain as the “Great Man” and assures it that he comes +only to take a small piece of flesh (the ginseng) from its side, so +that it seems probable that the bead is intended as a compensation to +the earth for the plant thus torn from her bosom. In some cases the +doctor must pass by the first three plants met until he comes to the +fourth, which he takes and may then return for the others. The bark +is always taken from the east side of the tree, and when the root or +branch is used it must also be one which runs out toward the east, the +reason given being that these have imbibed more medical potency from +the rays of the sun. + +When the roots, herbs, and barks which enter into the prescription +have been thus gathered the doctor ties them up into a convenient +package, which he takes to a running stream and casts into the water +with appropriate prayers. Should the package float, as it generally +does, he accepts the fact as an omen that his treatment will be +successful. On the other hand, should it sink, he concludes that some +part of the preceding ceremony has been improperly carried out and +at once sets about procuring a new package, going over the whole +performance from the beginning. Herb-gathering by moonlight, so +important a feature in European folk medicine, seems to be no part +of Cherokee ceremonial. There are fixed regulations in regard to +the preparing of the decoction, the care of the medicine during +the continuance of the treatment, and the disposal of what remains +after the treatment is at an end. In the arrangement of details the +shaman frequently employs the services of a lay assistant. In these +degenerate days a number of upstart pretenders to the healing art have +arisen in the tribe and endeavor to impose upon the ignorance of their +fellows by posing as doctors, although knowing next to nothing of the +prayers and ceremonies, without which there can be no virtue in the +application. These impostors are sternly frowned down and regarded +with the utmost contempt by the real professors, both men and women, +who have been initiated into the sacred mysteries and proudly look +upon themselves as conservators of the ancient ritual of the past. + + +THE CHEROKEE GODS AND THEIR ABIDING PLACES. + +After what has been said in elucidation of the theories involved in +the medical formulas, the most important and numerous of the series, +but little remains to be added in regard to the others, beyond what +is contained in the explanation accompanying each one. A few points, +however, may be briefly noted. + +The religion of the Cherokees, like that of most of our North American +tribes, is zootheism or animal worship, with the survival of that +earlier stage designated by Powell as hecastotheism, or the worship +of all things tangible, and the beginnings of a higher system in +which the elements and the great powers of nature are deified. Their +pantheon includes gods in the heaven above, on the earth beneath, and +in the waters under the earth, but of these the animal gods constitute +by far the most numerous class, although the elemental gods are +more important. Among the animal gods insects and fishes occupy a +subordinate place, while quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles are invoked +almost constantly. The uktena (a mythic great horned serpent), the +rattlesnake, and the terrapin, the various species of hawk, and the +rabbit, the squirrel, and the dog are the principal animal gods. The +importance of the god bears no relation to the size of the animal, +and in fact the larger animals are but seldom invoked. The spider also +occupies a prominent place in the love and life-destroying formulas, +his duty being to entangle the soul of his victim in the meshes of his +web or to pluck it from the body of the doomed man and drag it way to +the black coffin in the Darkening Land. + +Among what may be classed as elemental gods the principal are fire, +water, and the sun, all of which are addressed under figurative +names. The sun is called Une´‘lanû´hĭ, “the apportioner,” just as our +word moon means originally “the measurer.” Indians and Aryans alike, +having noticed how these great luminaries divide and measure day and +night, summer and winter, with never-varying regularity, have given to +each a name which should indicate these characteristics, thus showing +how the human mind constantly moves on along the same channels. +Missionaries have naturally, but incorrectly, assumed this apportioner +of all things to be the suppositional “Great Spirit” of the Cherokees, +and hence the word is used in the Bible translation as synonymous +with God. In ordinary conversation and in the lesser myths +the sun is called Nû´[n]tâ. The sun is invoked chiefly by the +ball-player, while the hunter prays to the fire; but every important +ceremony--whether connected with medicine, love, hunting, or the ball +play--contains a prayer to the “Long Person,” the formulistic name for +water, or, more strictly speaking, for the river. The wind, the storm, +the cloud, and the frost are also invoked in different formulas. + +But few inanimate gods are included in the category, the principal +being the Stone, to which the shaman prays while endeavoring to find a +lost article by means of a swinging pebble suspended by a string; the +Flint, invoked when the shaman is about to scarify the patient with +a flint arrow-head before rubbing on the medicine; and the Mountain, +which is addressed in one or two of the formulas thus far translated. +Plant gods do not appear prominently, the chief one seeming to be the +ginseng, addressed in the formulas as the “Great Man” or “Little Man,” +although its proper Cherokee name signifies the “Mountain Climber.” + +A number of personal deities are also invoked, the principal being +the Red Man. He is one of the greatest of the gods, being repeatedly +called upon in formulas of all kinds, and is hardly subordinate to the +Fire, the Water, or the Sun. His identity is as yet uncertain, but he +seems to be intimately connected with the Thunder family. In a curious +marginal note in one of the Gahuni formulas (page 350), it is stated +that when the patient is a woman the doctor must pray to the Red +Man, but when treating a man he must pray to the Red Woman, so that +this personage seems to have dual sex characteristics. Another god +invoked in the hunting songs is Tsu´l’kalû´, or “Slanting Eyes” +(see Cherokee Myths), a giant hunter who lives in one of the great +mountains of the Blue Ridge and owns all the game. Others are the +Little Men, probably the two Thunder boys; the Little People, the +fairies who live in the rock cliffs; and even the De´tsata, a +diminutive sprite who holds the place of our Puck. One unwritten +formula, which could not be obtained correctly by dictation, was +addressed to the “Red-Headed Woman, whose hair hangs down to the +ground.” + +The personage invoked is always selected in accordance with the theory +of the formula and the duty to be performed. Thus, when a sickness is +caused by a fish, the Fish-hawk, the Heron, or some other fish-eating +bird is implored to come and seize the intruder and destroy it, so +that the patient may find relief. When the trouble is caused by a +worm or an insect, some insectivorous bird is called in for the same +purpose. When a flock of redbirds is pecking at the vitals of the sick +man the Sparrow-hawk is brought down to scatter them, and when the +rabbit, the great mischief-maker, is the evil genius, he is driven +out by the Rabbit-hawk. Sometimes after the intruder has been thus +expelled “a small portion still remains,” in the words of the formula, +and accordingly the Whirlwind is called down from the treetops to +carry the remnant to the uplands and there scatter it so that it shall +never reappear. The hunter prays to the fire, from which he draws his +omens; to the reed, from which he makes his arrows; to Tsu´l’kalû, +the great lord of the game, and finally addresses in songs the very +animals which he intends to kill. The lover prays to the Spider to +hold fast the affections of his beloved one in the meshes of his web, +or to the Moon, which looks down upon him in the dance. The warrior +prays to the Red War-club, and the man about to set out on a dangerous +expedition prays to the Cloud to envelop him and conceal him from his +enemies. + +Each spirit of good or evil has its distinct and appropriate place +of residence. The Rabbit is declared to live in the broomsage on the +hillside, the Fish dwells in a bend of the river under the pendant +hemlock branches, the Terrapin lives in the great pond in the West, +and the Whirlwind abides in the leafy treetops. Each disease animal, +when driven away from his prey by some more powerful animal, endeavors +to find shelter in his accustomed haunt. It must be stated here +that the animals of the formulas are not the ordinary, everyday +animals, but their great progenitors, who live in the upper world +(galû´[n]lati) above the arch of the firmament. + + +COLOR SYMBOLISM. + +Color symbolism plays an important part in the shamanistic system +of the Cherokees, no less than in that of other tribes. Each one of +the cardinal points has its corresponding color and each color its +symbolic meaning, so that each spirit invoked corresponds in color +and local habitation with the characteristics imputed to him, and is +connected with other spirits of the same name, but of other colors, +living in other parts of the upper world and differing widely in their +characteristics. Thus the Red Man, living in the east, is the spirit +of power, triumph, and success, but the Black Man, in the West, is +the spirit of death. The shaman therefore invokes the Red Man to +the assistance of his client and consigns his enemy to the fatal +influences of the Black Man. + +The symbolic color system of the Cherokees, which will be explained +more fully in connection with the formulas, is as follows: + + East red success; triumph. + North blue defeat; trouble. + West black death. + South white peace; happiness. + Above? brown unascertained, but propitious. + ------ yellow about the same as blue. + +There is a great diversity in the color systems of the various tribes, +both as to the location and significance of the colors, but for +obvious reasons black was generally taken as the symbol of death; +while white and red signified, respectively, peace and war. It is +somewhat remarkable that red was the emblem of power and triumph +among the ancient Oriental nations no less than among the modern +Cherokees.[9] + +[Footnote 9: For more in regard to color symbolism, see Mallery’s +Pictographs of the North American Indians in Fourth Report of the +Bureau of Ethnology, pp. 53-37, Washington, 1886; Gatschet’s Creek +Migration Legend, vol. 3, pp. 31-41, St. Louis, 1888; Brinton’s Kiche +Myths in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 19, +pp. 646-647, Philadelphia, 1882.] + + +IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO NAMES. + +In many of the formulas, especially those relating to love and to +life-destroying, the shaman mentions the name and clan of his client, +of the intended victim, or of the girl whose affections it is desired +to win. The Indian regards his name, not as a mere label, but as a +distinct part of his personality, just as much as are his eyes or +his teeth, and believes that injury will result as surely from the +malicious handling of his name as from a wound inflicted on any part +of his physical organism. This belief was found among the various +tribes from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and has occasioned a number +of curious regulations in regard to the concealment and change of +names. It may be on this account that both Powhatan and Pocahontas are +known in history under assumed appellations, their true names having +been concealed from the whites until the pseudonyms were too firmly +established to be supplanted. Should his prayers have no apparent +effect when treating a patient for some serious illness, the shaman +sometimes concludes that the name is affected, and accordingly goes +to water, with appropriate ceremonies, and christens the patient with +a new name, by which he is henceforth to be known. He then begins +afresh, repeating the formulas with the new name selected for the +patient, in the confident hope that his efforts will be crowned with +success. + + +LANGUAGE OF THE FORMULAS. + +A few words remain to be said in regard to the language of the +formulas. They are full of archaic and figurative expressions, many of +which are unintelligible to the common people, and some of which even +the shamans themselves are now unable to explain. These archaic forms, +like the old words used by our poets, lend a peculiar beauty which can +hardly be rendered in a translation. They frequently throw light on +the dialectic evolution of the language, as many words found now only +in the nearly extinct Lower Cherokee dialect occur in formulas which +in other respects are written in the Middle or Upper dialect. The +R sound, the chief distinguishing characteristic of the old Lower +dialect, of course does not occur, as there are no means of indicating +it in the Cherokee syllabary. Those who are accustomed to look to the +Bible for all beauty in sacred expression will be surprised to find +that these formulas abound in the loftiest nights of poetic imagery. +This is especially true of the prayers used to win the love of a woman +or to destroy the life of an enemy, in which we find such expressions +as--“Now your soul fades away--your spirit shall grow less and +dwindle away, never to reappear;” “Let her be completely veiled in +loneliness--O Black Spider, may you hold her soul in your web, so that +it may never get through the meshes;” and the final declaration of the +lover, “Your soul has come into the very center of my soul, never to +turn away.” + +In the translation it has been found advisable to retain as technical +terms a few words which could not well be rendered literally, such +as ada´wĕhĭ and ugistā´‘tĭ. These words will be found explained +in the proper place. Transliterations of the Cherokee text of the +formulas are given, but it must be distinctly understood that the +translations are intended only as free renderings of the spirit of +the originals, exact translations with grammatic and glossarial notes +being deferred until a more extended study of the language has been +made, when it is hoped to present with more exactness of detail the +whole body of the formulas, of which the specimens here given are but +a small portion. + +The facsimile formulas are copies from the manuscripts now in +possession of the Bureau of Ethnology, and the portraits are from +photographs taken by the author in the field. + + +SPECIMEN FORMULAS. + +NOTE ON THE ORTHOGRAPHY AND TRANSLATION. + +In the Cherokee text both _d_ and _g_ have a medial sound, +approximating the sounds of _t_ and _k_ respectively. The other +letters are pronounced in regular accordance with the alphabet of +the Bureau of Ethnology. The language abounds in nasal and aspirate +sounds, the most difficult of the latter being the aspirate _‘l_, +which to one familiar only with English sounds like _tl_. + +A few words whose meaning could not be satisfactorily ascertained have +been distinctively indicated in the Cherokee text by means of italics. +In the translation the corresponding expression has been queried, or +the space left entirely blank. On examining the text the student can +not fail to be struck by the great number of verbs ending in _iga_. +This is a peculiar form hardly ever used excepting in these formulas, +where almost every paragraph contains one or more such verbs. It +implies that the subject has just come and is now performing the +action, and that he came for that purpose. In addition to this, many +of these verbs may be either assertive or imperative (expressing +entreaty), according to the accent. Thus _hatû´[n]gani´ga_ means +“you have just come and are listening and it is for that purpose you +came.” By slightly accenting the final syllable it becomes “come at +once to listen.” It will thus be seen that the great majority of the +formulas are declarative rather than petitional in form--laudatory +rhapsodies instead of prayers, in the ordinary sense of the word. + + +MEDICINE. + +DIDÛ[n]LĚ´SKĬ ADANÛ[n]´WÂTĬ KANÂHĚ´SKĬ. + +Sgĕ! Ha-Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Gi´‘lĭ Gigage´ĭ, +hanâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga usĭnuli´yu. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, +gahu´stĭ tsan´ultĭ nige´sû[n]na. Ha-diskwûlti´yû +tĭ´nanugagĭ´, ase´gwû nige´sû[n]na tsagista´‘tĭ +adû[n]ni´ga. Ulsg´eta hû[n]hihyû´[n]stani´ga. +Ha-usdig´iyu-gwû ha-e´lawastû´[n] iytû´[n]ta +dûhilâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-Uhû[n]tsâ´yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ Gi´‘lĭ Sa‘ka´nĭ, +hanâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga usĭnuli´yu. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, +gahu´stĭ tsanu´ltĭ nige´sû[n]na. Diskwûlti´yû ti´nanugai´, +ase´gwû nige´sû[n]na tsagista´‘tĭ adû[n]ni´ga. Ulsge´ta +hû[n]hihyû[n]stani´ga. Ha-usdigi´yu-gwû ha-e´lawastû´[n] +iyû´ta dûhitâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! (Ha)-Usûhi´(-yĭ) tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Gi‘l´ĭ Gû[n]nage´ĭ, +hanâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga usĭnuli´yû. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, +gahu´sti tsanu´ltĭ nige´sû´[n]na. Diskwûlti´yû tinanugagĭ´, +ase´gwû nige´sû[n]na tsagista´‘tĭ adû[n]ni´ga. Ulsg´eta +hû[n]hihyû[n]stani´ga. Ha-usdigi´yu-gwû ha-e´lawastû´[n] +iyû´[n]ta dûhitâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Wa´hală´ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Gi´‘lĭ Tsûne´ga, hanâ´gwa +hatû´[n]gani´ga usĭnuli´yu. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, gahu´stĭ +tsanu´ltĭ nige´sû[n]na. Diskwûlti´yû ti´nanugagĭ´, +ase´gwû nige´sû[n]na tsagista´‘tĭ adû[n]ni´ga. Ha-ulsge´ta +hû[n]hihyû´[n]stani´ga. Ha-usdigi´yu-gwû e´lawastû´[n] +iyû´[n]ta dûhitâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Wa´hală tsûl‘dâ´histĭ Tû´ksĭ Tsûne´ga, hanâ´gwa +hatû´[n]gani´ga usĭnuli´yu. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, +gahu´stĭ tsanu´ltĭ nige´sû[n]na. Ha-kâ´lû _gayûske´ta_ +tsatû[n]´neli´ga. Utsĭna´wa nu´tatănû´[n]ta. + +(Degâsisisgû´[n]ĭ.)--Tûksĭ uhya´ska gûnsta‘tĭ´ na´skĭ +igahi´ta gunstâ´ĭ hĭ´skĭ iyuntale´gĭ tsûntûngi´ya. +Û[n]skwû´ta kĭlû´ atsâ´tastĭ sâ´gwa iyûtsâ´tastĭ, +nû´‘kĭ igû´[n]kta‘tĭ, naski-gwû´ diû[n]lĕ´nĭskâhĭ´ +igû[n]yi´yĭ tsale´nihû. Nû´‘kine û[n]skwû´ta kĭlû´ +nû´‘kĭ iyatsâ´tastĭ. Uhyaskâ´hi-‘nû ade´la degû‘la´ĭ +tă´lĭ unine´ga-gwû´ nû´[n]wâti-‘nû´ higûnehâ´ĭ +uhyaskâ´hĭ usdi´a-gwû. Une´lagi-‘nû sâĭ´ agadâ´ĭ +agadi´dĭ û´[n]ti-gwû´ yĭkĭ´ âsi´yu-gwû na´ski-‘nû +aganû[n]li´eskâ´ĭ da´gûnstanehû´[n]ĭ ŭ‘taâ´ta. +Hiă‘-nû´ nû´[n]wâtĭ: Yâ´na-Unatsĕsdâ´gĭ tsana´sehâ´ĭ +sâ´i-‘nû Kâ´ga-Asgû´[n]tagĕ tsana´sehâ´ĭ, sâi-‘nû´ +_Egû´[n]li_-gwû, sâi-nû´ (U)wa´sgilĭ tsĭgĭ´ +Egû´[n]lĭ Usdi´a tsĭgĭ´, nû[n]yâ´hi-‘nû tsuyĕ‘dâ´ĭ +Yâ´na-Utsĕsdâgĭ naskiyû´ tsĭgĭ´, usdi´-gwû tsĭgĭ´. +Egû´[n]lĭ (u)wa´sgilĭ tsĭgĭ´; sâ´ĭ Wâ´tige Unas(te´)tsa +tsĭgĭ´, sâ´i-‘nû Û´[n]age Tsunaste´tsa, Niga´ta unaste´tsa +gesâ´ĭ. + +Sunale´-gwû ale´ndĭ adanû´[n]wâtĭ; tă´line e´ladĭ +tsitkala´ĭ; tsâ´ine u´lsaladĭ´‘satû´; nû´‘kine igû´ +ts´kalâ´ĭ. Yeli´gwû´ igesâ´ĭ. Nû´lstâiyanû´na gesâ´ĭ +akanû[n]wi´skĭ, nasgwû´ nulstaiyanû´na. + + +_Translation._ + +FORMULA FOR TREATING THE CRIPPLER (RHEUMATISM). + +Listen! Ha! In the Sun Land you repose, O Red Dog, O now you have +swiftly drawn near to hearken. O great ada´wĕhĭ[10], you never +fail in anything. O, appear and draw near running, for your prey never +escapes. You are now come to remove the intruder. Ha! You have settled +a very small part of it far off there at the end of the earth. + +Listen! Ha! In the Frigid Land you repose, O Blue Dog. O now you have +swiftly drawn near to hearken, O great ada´wĕhĭ, you never fail +in anything. O, appear and draw near running, for your prey never +escapes. You are now come to remove the intruder. Ha! You have settled +a very small part of it far off there at the end of the earth. + +Listen! Ha! In the darkening land you repose, O Black Dog. O, now you +have swiftly drawn near to hearken. O great ada´wĕhĭ, you never +fail in anything. O, appear and draw near running, for your prey never +escapes. You are now come to remove the intruder. Ha! You have settled +a very small part of it far off there at the end of the earth. + +Listen! On Wa´hală you repose. O White Dog. Oh, now you have +swiftly drawn near to hearken. O great ada´wĕhĭ, you never fail +in anything. Oh, appear and draw near running, for your prey never +escapes. You are now come to remove the intruder. Ha! You have settled +a very small part of it far off there at the end of the earth. + +Listen! On Wa´hală, you repose, O White Terrapin. O, now you have +swiftly drawn near to hearken. O great ada´wĕhĭ, you never fail in +anything. Ha! It is for you to loosen its hold on the bone. Belief is +accomplished. + +(Prescription.)--Lay a terrapin shell upon (the spot) and keep it +there while the five kinds (of spirits) listen. On finishing, then +blow once. Repeat four times, beginning each time from the start. On +finishing the fourth time, then blow four times. Have two white beads +lying in the shell, together with a little of the medicine. Don’t +interfere with it, but have a good deal boiling in another vessel--a +bowl will do very well--and rub it on warm while treating by applying +the hands. And this is the medicine: What is called Yâ´na-Utsĕ´sta +(“bear’s bed,” the Aspidium acrostichoides or Christmas fern); and the +other is called Kâ´ga-Asgû´[n]tagĭ (“crow’s shin,” the Adianthum +pedatum or Maidenhair fern); and the other is the common Egû´[n]lĭ +(another fern); and the other is the Little Soft (-leaved) +Egû´[n]lĭ (Osmunda Cinnamonea or cinnamon fern), which grows in the +rocks and resembles Yâna-Utsĕ´sta and is a small and soft (-leaved) +Egû´[n]lĭ. Another has brown roots and another has black roots. The +roots of all should be (used). + +Begin doctoring early in the morning; let the second (application) be +while the sun is still near the horizon; the third when it has risen +to a considerable height (10 a.m.); the fourth when it is above at +noon. This is sufficient. (The doctor) must not eat, and the patient +also must be fasting. + +[Footnote 10: _Ada´wĕhĭ_ is a word used to designate one supposed +to have supernatural powers, and is applied alike to human beings +and to the spirits invoked in the formulas. Some of the mythic heroes +famous for their magic deeds are spoken of as _ada´wĕhĭ_ (plural +_anida´wĕhĭ_ or _anida´we_), but in its application to mortals +the term is used only of the very greatest shamans. None of those +now belonging to the band are considered worthy of being thus called, +although the term was sometimes applied to one, Usawĭ, who died some +years ago. In speaking of himself as an ada´wĕhĭ, as occurs in some +of the formulas, the shaman arrogates to himself the same powers that +belong to the gods. Our nearest equivalent is the word magician, but +this falls far short of the idea conveyed by the Cherokee word. In +the bible translation the word is used as the equivalent of angel or +spirit.] + + +_Explanation._ + +As this formula is taken from the manuscript of Gahuni, who died +nearly thirty years ago, no definite statement of the theory of the +disease, or its treatment, can be given, beyond what is contained in +the formula itself, which, fortunately, is particularly explicit; +most doctors contenting themselves with giving only the words of the +prayer, without noting the ceremonies or even the medicine used. There +are various theories as to the cause of each disease, the most common +idea in regard to rheumatism being that it is caused by the spirits of +the slain animals, generally the deer, thirsting for vengeance on the +hunter, as has been already explained in the myth of the origin of +disease and medicine. + +The measuring-worm (Catharis) is also held to cause rheumatism, from +the resemblance of its motions to those of a rheumatic patient, and +the name of the worm _wahhĭlĭ´_ is frequently applied also to the +disease. + +There are formulas to propitiate the slain animals, but these are a +part of the hunting code and can only be noticed here, although it may +be mentioned in passing that the hunter, when about to return to the +settlement, builds a fire in the path behind him, in order that the +deer chief may not be able to follow him to his home. + +The disease, figuratively called the intruder (ulsgéta), is regarded +as a living being, and the verbs used in speaking of it show that it +is considered to be long, like a snake or fish. It is brought by the +deer chief and put into the body, generally the limbs, of the hunter, +who at once begins to suffer intense pain. It can be driven out only +by some more powerful animal spirit which is the natural enemy of the +deer, usually the dog or the Wolf. These animal gods live up above +beyond the seventh heaven and are the great prototypes of which the +earthly animals are only diminutive copies. They are commonly located +at the four cardinal points, each of which has a peculiar formulistic +name and a special color which applies to everything in the same +connection. Thus the east, north, west, and south are respectively the +Sun Land, the Frigid Land, the Darkening Land, and Wă´hală´, while +their respective mythologic colors are Red, Blue, Black, and White. +Wáhală is said to be a mountain far to the south. The white or red +spirits are generally invoked for peace, health, and other blessings, +the red alone for the success of an undertaking, the blue spirits to +defeat the schemes of an enemy or bring down troubles upon him, and +the black to compass his death. The white and red spirits are regarded +as the most powerful, and one of these two is generally called upon to +accomplish the final result. + +In this case the doctor first invokes the Red Dog in the Sun Land, +calling him a great adáwehi, to whom nothing is impossible and who +never fails to accomplish his purpose. He is addressed as if out of +sight in the distance and is implored to appear running swiftly to the +help of the sick man. Then the supplication changes to an assertion +and the doctor declares that the Red Dog has already arrived to take +the disease and has borne away a small portion of it to the uttermost +ends of the earth. In the second, third, and fourth paragraphs the +Blue Dog of the Frigid Land, the Black Dog of the Darkening Land, and +the White Dog of Wáhală are successively invoked in the same terms +and each bears away a portion of the disease and disposes of it in +the same way. Finally, in the fifth paragraph, the White Terrapin of +Wáhălă is invoked. He bears off the remainder of the disease and +the doctor declares that relief is accomplished. The connection of the +terrapin in this formula is not evident, beyond the fact that he is +regarded as having great influence in disease, and in this case the +beads and a portion of the medicine are kept in a terrapin shell +placed upon the diseased part while the prayer is being recited. + +The formulas generally consist of four paragraphs, corresponding to +four steps in the medical ceremony. In this case there are five, the +last being addressed to the terrapin instead of to a dog. The prayers +are recited in an undertone hardly audible at the distance of a few +feet, with the exception of the frequent _ha_, which seems to be used +as an interjection to attract attention and is always uttered in a +louder tone. The beads--which are here white, symbolic of relief--are +of common use in connection with these formulas, and are held between +the thumb and finger, placed upon a cloth on the ground, or, as in +this case, put into a terrapin shell along with a small portion of the +medicine. According to directions, the shell has no other part in the +ceremony. + +The blowing is also a regular part of the treatment, the doctor either +holding the medicine in his mouth and blowing it upon the patient, or, +as it seems to be the case here, applying the medicine by rubbing, +and blowing his breath upon the spot afterwards. In some formulas the +simple blowing of the breath constitutes the whole application. In +this instance the doctor probably rubs the medicine upon the affected +part while reciting the first paragraph in a whisper, after which he +blows once upon the spot. The other paragraphs are recited in the +same manner, blowing once after each. In this way the whole formula +is repeated four times, with four blows at the end of the final +repetition. The directions imply that the doctor blows only at the end +of the whole formula, but this is not in accord with the regular mode +of procedure and seems to be a mistake. + +The medicine consists of a warm decoction of the roots of four +varieties of fern, rubbed on with the hand. The awkward description +of the species shows how limited is the Indian’s power of botanic +classification. The application is repeated four times during the same +morning, beginning just at daybreak and ending at noon. Four is the +sacred number running through every detail of these formulas, there +being commonly four spirits invoked in four paragraphs, four blowings +with four final blows, four herbs in the decoction, four applications, +and frequently four days’ gaktu[n]´ta or tabu. In this case no tabu +is specified beyond the fact that both doctor and patient must be +fasting. The tabu generally extends to salt or lye, hot food and +women, while in rheumatism some doctors forbid the patient to eat the +foot or leg of any animal, the reason given being that the limbs are +generally the seat of the disease. For a similar reason the patient is +also forbidden to eat or even to touch a squirrel, a buffalo, a cat, +or any animal which “humps” itself. In the same way a scrofulous +patient must not eat turkey, as that bird seems to have a scrofulous +eruption on its head, while ball players must abstain from eating +frogs, because the bones of that animal are brittle and easily broken. + + +HIĂ‘-NÛ´ NASGWÛ´ DIDÛ[n]LĚ´SKǏ ADĂNÛ´[n]WÂTǏ. + + Asga´ya yûkanû´[n]wĭ | Yû! Higĕ´‘ya Gigage´ĭ tsûdante´lûhĭ + _Agĕ´‘ya Giagage´ĭ_ atătĭ´; | gese´ĭ. Ulsge´ta hi´tsanu´y’tani´leĭ´. + agĕ´‘ya-nû yûkanû´[n]wĭ | Ha-Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ Ulsge´ta + _Asga´ya Gigage´ĭ_ atătĭ´. | hi´tsanu´y’tani´leĭ´. + | Ha-Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ nûnta´tsûdălenû´hĭ + | gese´ĭ. Gasgilâ´ gigage´ĭ tsusdi´ga + | tetsadĭ´ilĕ´ detsala´siditĕ-gĕ´ĭ. + | Hanâ´gwa usĭnuli´yu detsaldisi´yûĭ. + +Utsĭ(nă´)wa nu´tatanû´[n]ta. Usû´hita nutanû´na. +Utsĭnă´wa-gwû nigû[n]tisge´stĭ. + +(Degâ´sisisgû´[n]ĭ)--Hiă-gwû´ nigaû´ kanâhe´ta. Nû´‘kiba +nagû´nkw’tisga´ dagû´[n]stiskû´ĭ. Sâ´gwa nû[n]skwû´ta +gûnstû´[n]ĭ agûnstagi´s-kâĭ hû[n]tsatasgâ´ĭ +nû´‘kine-‘nû û[n]skwû´ta nû´‘kĭ nû[n]tsâtasgâ´ĭ. +Hiă-‘nû´ nû´[n]wâtĭ: Egû´[n]lĭ, Yâ´na-‘nû Utsĕsdâ´gĭ, +(U)wa´sgilĭ tsĭgĭ´ Egû´[n]lĭ, tă´lĭ tsinu´dalĕ´ha, +Kâ´ga-‘nû Asgû´[n]tagĕ tsiû[n]nâ´sehâ´ĭ, Da´yĭ-‘nû +Uwâ´yĭ tsiû[n]nâ´sehâ´ĭ. Su´talĭ iyutale´gĭ unaste´tsa +agâ´tĭ, uga´nawû‘nû´ dagûnsta´‘tisgâ´ĭ nû´[n]wâtĭ +asû[n]ga‘la´ĭ. Usû´hĭ adanû´[n]wâtĭ, nu´‘kĭ tsusû´hita +dulsi´nisû´[n] adanû´[n]wâti. Ă‘nawa´gi-‘nû dilasula´gĭ +gesû´[n]ĭ ûlĕ´ tsĭkani´kaga´ĭ gûw’sdi´-gwû utsawa´ta +ă‘nawa´-gwû-nû´. + +Hiă-nû´ gaktû´[n]ta gûlkwâ´gĭ tsusû´hita. +Gû´[n]wădana´datlahistĭ´ nige´sû[n]na--Salâ´lĭ, +gi´‘li-‘nû, wĕ´sa-‘nû, ă´tatsû-nû´, a´mă-‘nû´, +anigĕ´‘ya-nû. Uda‘lĭ´ ya´kanû[n]wi´ya nû´‘kiha tsusû´hita +unădană´lâtsi´-tastĭ nige´sû[n]na. Gasgilâ´gi-‘nû +uwă´su[n]-gwû´ u´skĭladi´stĭ uwă´sû nû´‘kĭ +tsusû´hită´. Disâ´i-‘nû dega´sgilâ û´[n]tsa nû‘nă´ +uwa´‘tĭ yigesûĭ nû´‘kĭ tsusû´hita. + + +_Translation._ + +AND THIS ALSO IS FOR TREATING THE CRIPPLER. + +Yû! O Red Woman, you have caused it. You have put the intruder under +him. Ha! now you have come from the Sun Land. You have brought the +small red seats, with your feet resting upon them. Ha! now they have +swiftly moved away from you. Relief is accomplished. Let it not be for +one night alone. Let the relief come at once. + +(Prescription)--(_corner note at top_.) If treating a man one must say +_Red Woman_, and if treating a woman one must say _Red Man_. + +This is just all of the prayer. Repeat it four times while laying on +the hands. After saying it over once, with the hands on (the body +of the patient), take off the hands and blow once, and at the fourth +repetition blow four times. And this is the medicine. Egû´[n]lĭ +(a species of fern). Yâ´-na-Utsĕ´sta (“bear’s bed,” the +Aspidium acrostichoides or Christmas fern), _two_ varieties of the +soft-(leaved) Egû´[n]lĭ (one, the small variety, is the Cinnamon +fern, Osmunda cinnamonea), and what is called Kâ´ga Asgû´[n]tagĕ +(“crow’s shin,” the Adiantum pedatum or Maidenhair fern) and what is +called Da´yĭ-Uwâ´yĭ (“beaver’s paw”--not identified). Boil the +roots of the six varieties together and apply the hands warm with the +medicine upon them. Doctor in the evening. Doctor four consecutive +nights. (The pay) is cloth and moccasins; or, if one does not have +them, just a little dressed deerskin and some cloth. + +And this is the tabu for seven nights. One must not touch a squirrel, +a dog, a cat, the mountain trout, or women. If one is treating a +married man they (_sic_) must not touch his wife for four nights. And +he must sit on a seat by himself for four nights, and must not sit on +the other seats for four nights. + + +_Explanation._ + +The treatment and medicine in this formula are nearly the same as in +that just given, which is also for rheumatism, both being written +by Gahuni. The prayer differs in several respects from any other +obtained, but as the doctor has been dead for years it is impossible +to give a full explanation of all the points. This is probably the +only formula in the collection in which the spirit invoked is the “Red +Woman,” but, as explained in the corner note at the top, this is only +the form used instead of “Red Man,” when the patient is a man. The Red +Man, who is considered perhaps the most powerful god in the Cherokee +pantheon, is in some way connected with the thunder, and is invoked +in a large number of formulas. The change in the formula, according +to the sex of the patient, brings to mind a belief in Irish folk +medicine, that in applying certain remedies the doctor and patient +must be of opposite sexes. The Red Man lives in the east, in +accordance with the regular mythologic color theory, as already +explained. The seats also are red, and the form of the verb indicates +that the Red Woman is either standing upon them (plural) or sitting +with her feet resting upon the rounds. These seats or chairs are +frequently mentioned in the formulas, and always correspond in color +with the spirit invoked. It is not clear why the Red Woman is held +responsible for the disease, which is generally attributed to the +revengeful efforts of the game, as already explained. In agreement +with the regular form, the disease is said to be put under (not into) +the patient. The assertion that the chairs “have swiftly moved away” +would seem from analogy to mean that the disease has been placed upon +the seats and thus borne away. The verb implies that the seats move +by their own volition. Immediately afterward it is declared that +relief is accomplished. The expression “usû´hita nutanû´na” occurs +frequently in these formulas, and may mean either “let it not be for +one night alone,” or “let it not stay a single night,” according to +the context. + +The directions specify not only the medicine and the treatment, but +also the doctor’s fee. From the form of the verb the tabu, except as +regards the seat to be used by the sick person, seems to apply to +both doctor and patient. It is not evident why the mountain trout +is prohibited, but the dog, squirrel, and cat are tabued, as already +explained, from the fact that these animals frequently assume +positions resembling the cramped attitude common to persons afflicted +by rheumatism. The cat is considered especially uncanny, as coming +from the whites. Seven, as well as four, is a sacred number with the +tribe, being also the number of their gentes. It will be noted that +time is counted by nights instead of by days. + + +HI´ I´NATÛ YUNISKÛ´LTSA ADANÛ´NWÂTǏ. + + 1. _Dûnu´wa_, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa (_song_). + Sgĕ! Ha-Walâ´sĭ-gwû tsû[n]lû´[n]tani´ga. + 2. _Dayuha_, dayuha, dayuha, dayuha dayuha (_song_). + Sgĕ! Ha-_Usugĭ_-gwû tsû[n]-lû[n]´-tani´ga. + +(Degâ´sisisgû´[n]ĭ).--Kanâgi´ta nâyâ´ga hiă´ +dilentisg´û[n]ĭ. Tă´lĭ igû´nkw’ta‘tĭ, ûlĕ´ talinĕ´ +tsutanû´[n]na nasgwû´ tâ´lĭ igû´nkw’ta‘tĭ´. Tsâ´la +aganû´[n]lieskâĭ´ tsâ´la yikani´gû[n]gû´âĭ´ +watsi´la-gwû ganû[n]li´yĕtĭ uniskûl‘tsû´[n]ĭ. Nû´‘kĭ +nagade´stisgâĭ´ aganû[n]li´esgû[n]ĭ. Akskû´nĭ +gadest´a‘tĭ, nûû‘kĭ nagade´ sta hû[n]tsatasgâ´ĭ. +Hiă-‘nû´ i´natû akti´sĭ udestâ´ĭ yigû´n‘ka, naski-‘nû´ +tsagadû´lăgisgâ´ĭ iyu´stĭ gatgû´[n]ĭ. + + +_Translation._ + +THIS IS TO TREAT THEM IF THEY ARE BITTEN BY A SNAKE. + + 1. Dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa, dûnu´wa. + Listen! Ha! It is only a common frog which has passed by and put + it (the intruder) into you. + 2. Dayuha, dayuha, dayuha, dayuha, dayuha. + Listen! Ha! It is only an _Usu´‘gĭ_ which has passed by and + put it into you. + +(Prescription.)--Now this at the beginning is a song. One should say +it twice and also say the second line twice. Rub tobacco (juice) on +the bite for some time, or if there be no tobacco just rub on saliva +once. In rubbing it on, one must go around four times. Go around +toward the left and blow four times in a circle. This is because in +lying down the snake always coils to the right and this is just the +same (_lit._ “means like”) as uncoiling it. + + +_Explanation._ + +This is also from the manuscript book of Gahuni, deceased, so that no +explanation could be obtained from the writer. The formula consists of +a song of two verses, each followed by a short recitation. The whole +is repeated, according to the directions, so as to make four verses +or songs; four, as already stated, being the sacred number running +through most of these formulas. Four blowings and four circuits in the +rubbing are also specified. The words used in the songs are sometimes +composed of unmeaning syllables, but in this case dûnuwa and dayuha +seem to have a meaning, although neither the interpreter nor the +shaman consulted could explain them, which may be because the words +have become altered in the song, as frequently happens. Dûnu´wa +appears to be an old verb, meaning “it has penetrated,” probably +referring to the tooth of the reptile. These medicine songs are always +sung in a low plaintive tone, somewhat resembling a lullaby. Usu´‘gĭ +also is without explanation, but is probably the name of some small +reptile or batrachian. + +As in this case the cause of the trouble is evident, the Indians have +no theory to account for it. It may be remarked, however, that when +one dreams of being bitten, the same treatment and ceremonies must +be used as for the actual bite; otherwise, although perhaps years +afterward, a similar inflammation will appear on the spot indicated +in the dream, and will be followed by the same fatal consequences. The +rattlesnake is regarded as a supernatural being or ada´wehi, whose +favor must be propitiated, and great pains are taken not to offend +him. In consonance with this idea it is never said among the people +that a person has been bitten by a snake, but that he has been +“scratched by a brier.” In the same way, when an eagle has been shot +for a ceremonial dance, it is announced that “a snowbird has been +killed,” the purpose being to deceive the rattlesnake or eagle spirits +which might be listening. + +The assertion that it is “only a common frog” or “only an Usu´‘gĭ” +brings out another characteristic idea of these formulas. Whenever the +ailment is of a serious character, or, according to the Indian theory, +whenever it is due to the influence of some powerful disease spirit +the doctor always endeavors to throw contempt upon the intruder, and +convince it of his own superior power by asserting the sickness to +be the work of some inferior being, just as a white physician might +encourage a patient far gone with consumption by telling him that the +illness was only a slight cold. Sometimes there is a regular scale of +depreciation, the doctor first ascribing the disease to a rabbit or +groundhog or some other weak animal, then in succeeding paragraphs +mentioning other still less important animals and finally declaring it +to be the work of a mouse, a small fish, or some other insignificant +creature. In this instance an ailment caused by the rattlesnake, the +most dreaded of the animal spirits, is ascribed to a frog, one of the +least importance. + +In applying the remedy the song is probably sung while rubbing the +tobacco juice around the wound. Then the short recitation is repeated +and the doctor blows four times in a circle about the spot. The whole +ceremony is repeated four times. The curious directions for uncoiling +the snake have parallels in European folk medicine. + + +GÛ[n]WĂNI´GIST´Ǐ ADANU´[n]WÂTǏ. + +Sgĕ! Ha-tsida´wĕiyu, gahus´tĭ aginúl‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Gû[n]gwădag´anad‘diyû´ tsida´wĕi´yu. Ha-Wăhuhu´-gwû +hitagu´sgastanĕ‘hĕĭ. Ha-nâ´gwa hŭ‘kikahû[n]û´ +ha-dusŭ´‘gahĭ digesû´[n]ĭ, iyû´[n]ta +wû[n]‘kidâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-tsida´wĕi´yu, gahu´stĭ aginu´l‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Gû[n]gwădaga´nad’diyû´ tsida´wĕi´yu. Ha-Uguku´-gwû +hitagu´sgastanĕ´heĭ´ udâhi´yu tag´u´sgastanĕ´hĕĭ´. +Ha-na´gwadi´na hû[n]kikahû[n]nû´. Ha-nânâ´hĭ digesŭ´[n]ĭ +iyû´[n]ta wû[n]‘kidâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-tsida´wĕi´yu, gahu´stĭ aginu´l‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Gû[n]gwădaga´nad’diyû´ tsida´wĕi´yu. Ha-Tsistu-gwû +hitagu´sgastanĕ´he´ĭudâhi´yu tag´usgastanĕ´hĕĭ´. +Ha-nâ´gwadi´na hû´[n]kikahû´[n]nû. Ha-sunû[n]da´sĭ +iyû´[n]ta kane´skawâ´dihĭ digesû´[n]ĭ, +wû[n]‘kidâ´hĭstani´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-tsida´wĕi´yu, gahu´stĭ aginu´l‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Gû[n]gwădaga´nad’di´yû tsida´wĕi´yu. Ha-De´tsata´-gwû +(hi)tagu´sgastanĕ´hĕĭ udâhi´yu tagu´sgastanĕ´hĕĭ. +Ha-nâ´gwadi´na hû[n]kikahû´[n]a. Ha-udâ´tale´ta +digesû´[n]ĭ, iyû´[n]ta wû[n]‘kidâ´hĭstani´ga. + +(Degâ´sisisgû´[n]ĭ)--Hiă´-skĭnĭ´ unsdi´ya +dĭkanû´[n]wâtĭ tsa‘natsa´yihâ´ĭ tsaniska´iha´ĭ; +gû[n]wani´gista´ĭ hi´anûdĭ´sgaĭ´. Ămă´ +dûtsati´stĭsgâ´ĭ nû´‘kĭ tsusû´hita dĭkanû´[n]wâtĭ +Ulsinide´na dakanû´[n]wisgâ´ĭ. Ŭ´[n]tsa iyû´[n]ta +witunini´dastĭ yigesâ´ĭ. + + +_Translation._ + +TO TREAT THEM WHEN SOMETHING IS CAUSING SOMETHING TO EAT THEM. + +Listen! Ha! I am a great ada´wehi, I never fail in anything. I +surpass all others--I am a great ada´wehi. Ha! It is a mere screech +owl that has frightened him. Ha! now I have put it away in the laurel +thickets. There I compel it to remain. + +Listen! Ha! I am a great ada´wehi, I never fail in anything. I +surpass all others--I am a great ada´wehi. Ha! It is a mere hooting +owl that has frightened him. Undoubtedly that has frightened him. Ha! +At once I have put it away in the spruce thickets. Ha! There I compel +it to remain. + +Listen! Ha! I am a great ada´wehi, I never fail in anything. I +surpass all others--I am a great ada´wehi. Ha! It is only a rabbit +that has frightened him. Undoubtedly that has frightened him. Ha! +Instantly I have put it away on the mountain ridge. Ha! There in the +broom sage I compel it to remain. + +Listen! Ha! I am a great ada´wehi, I never fail in anything. I +surpass all others--I am a great ada´wehi. Ha! It is only a mountain +sprite that has frightened him. Undoubtedly that has frightened him. +Ha! Instantly I have put it away on the bluff. Ha! There I compel it +to remain. + +(Prescription)--Now this is to treat infants if they are affected by +crying and nervous fright. (Then) it is said that something is causing +something to eat them. To treat them one may blow water on them for +four nights. Doctor them just before dark. Be sure not to carry them +about outside the house. + + +_Explanation._ + +The Cherokee name for this disease is Gu[n]wani´gistâĭ´, which +signifies that “something is causing something to eat,” or gnaw the +vitals of the patient. The disease attacks only infants of tender age +and the symptoms are nervousness and troubled sleep, from which the +child wakes suddenly crying as if frightened. The civilized doctor +would regard these as symptoms of the presence of worms, but although +the Cherokee name might seem to indicate the same belief, the real +theory is very different. + +Cherokee mothers sometimes hush crying children, by telling them that +the screech owl is listening out in the woods or that the De´tsata--a +malicious little dwarf who lives in caves in the river bluffs--will +come and get them. This quiets the child for the time and is so far +successful, but the animals, or the De´tsata, take offense at being +spoken of in this way, and visit their displeasure upon the _children +born to the mother afterward_. This they do by sending an animal into +the body of the child to gnaw its vitals. The disease is very common +and there are several specialists who devote their attention to +it, using various formulas and prescriptions. It is also called +ătawi´nĕhĭ, signifying that it is caused by the “dwellers in the +forest,” i.e., the wild game and birds, and some doctors declare that +it is caused by the revengeful comrades of the animals, especially +birds, killed by the father of the child, the animals tracking the +slayer to his home by the blood drops on the leaves. The next formula +will throw more light upon this theory. + +In this formula the doctor, who is certainly not overburdened with +modesty, starts out by asserting that he is a great ada´wehi, who +never fails and who surpasses all others. He then declares that the +disease is caused by a mere screech owl, which he at once banishes +to the laurel thicket. In the succeeding paragraphs he reiterates his +former boasting, but asserts in turn that the trouble is caused by a +mere hooting owl, a rabbit, or even by the De´tsata, whose greatest +exploit is hiding the arrows of the boys, for which the youthful +hunters do not hesitate to rate him soundly. These various +mischief-makers the doctor banishes to their proper haunts, the +hooting owl to the spruce thicket, the rabbit to the broom sage on the +mountain side, and the De´tsata to the bluffs along the river bank. + +Some doctors use herb decoctions, which are blown upon the body of the +child, but in this formula the only remedy prescribed is water, which +must be blown upon the body of the little sufferer just before dark +for four nights. The regular method is to blow once each at the end of +the first, second, and third paragraphs and four times at the end of +the fourth or last. In diseases of this kind, which are not supposed +to be of a local character, the doctor blows first upon the back of +the head, then upon the left shoulder, next upon the right shoulder, +and finally upon the breast, the patient being generally sitting, or +propped up in bed, facing the east. The child must not be taken out +of doors during the four days, because should a bird chance to fly +overhead so that its shadow would fall upon the infant, it would _fan +the disease back_ into the body of the little one. + + +GÛ[n]WANI´GISTÛ´[n]Ǐ DITANÛ[n]WÂTI´YǏ + +Yû! Sgĕ! Usĭnu´lĭ hatû´[n]gani´ga, Giya´giya´ Sa‘ka´nĭ, +ew’satâ´gĭ tsûl‘da´histĭ. Usĭnu´lĭ hatlasi´ga. +Tsis´kwa-gwû´ ulsge´ta uwu´tlani‘lĕĭ´. Usĭnuli´yu +atsahilu´gĭsi´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nu´tatanû´[n]ta. Yû! + +Yû! Sgĕ! Usĭnu´lĭ hatû´[n]gani´ga, Diga´tiskĭ Wâtige´ĭ, +galû´[n]latĭ iyû´[n]ta ditsûl‘dâ´histĭ. Ha-nâ´gwa +usĭnu´lĭ hatlasi´ga. Tsi´skwa-gwû dĭtu´nila´w’itsû´hĭ +higese´ĭ. Usĭnûlĭ kĕ‘tati´gû‘lahi´ga. Utsĭnă´wa +adû[n]ni´ga. Yû! + + +_Translation._ + +TO TREAT GÛ[n]WANI´GISTÛ´[n]Ǐ--(SECOND). + +Yû! Listen! Quickly you have drawn near to hearken, O Blue +Sparrow-Hawk; in the spreading tree tops you are at rest. Quickly you +have come down. The intruder is only a bird which has overshadowed +him. Swiftly you have swooped down upon it. Relief is accomplished. +Yû! + +Yû! Listen! Quickly you have drawn near to hearken, O Brown +Rabbit-Hawk; you are at rest there above. Ha! Swiftly now you have +come down. It is only the birds which have come together for +a council. Quickly you have come and scattered them. Relief is +accomplished. Yû! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, also for Gû[n]wani´gistû´[n]ĭ or Atawinĕ´hĭ, was +obtained from A‘wan´ita (Young Deer), who wrote down only the prayer +and explained the treatment orally. He coincides in the opinion that +this disease in children is caused by the birds, but says that it +originates from the shadow of a bird flying overhead having fallen +upon the pregnant mother. He says further that the disease is easily +recognized in children, but that it sometimes does not develop until +the child has attained maturity, when it is more difficult to discern +the cause of the trouble, although in the latter case dark circles +around the eyes are unfailing symptoms. + +The prayer--like several others from the same source--seems +incomplete, and judging from analogy is evidently incorrect in some +respects, but yet exemplifies the disease theory in a striking manner. +The disease is declared to have been caused by the birds, it being +asserted in the first paragraph that a bird has cast its shadow +upon the sufferer, while in the second it is declared that they +have gathered in council (in his body). This latter is a favorite +expression in these formulas to indicate the great number of the +disease animals. Another expression of frequent occurrence is to +the effect that the disease animals have formed a settlement or +established a townhouse in the patient’s body. The disease animal, +being a bird or birds, must be dislodged by something which preys upon +birds, and accordingly the Blue Sparrow-Hawk from the tree tops and +the Brown Rabbit-Hawk (Diga´tiskĭ--“One who snatches up”), from +above are invoked to drive out the intruders. The former is then said +to have swooped down upon them as a hawk darts upon its prey, while +the latter is declared to have scattered the birds which were +holding a council. This being done, relief is accomplished. Yû! is +a meaningless interjection frequently used to introduce or close +paragraphs or songs. + +The medicine used is a warm decoction of the bark of Kûnstû´tsĭ +(Sassafras--Sassafras officinale), Kanû[n]si´ta (Flowering +Dogwood--Cornus florida), Udâ´lana (Service tree--Amelanchier +Canadensis), and Uni´kwa (Black Gum--Nyssa multiflora), with the +roots of two species (large and small) of Da´yakalĭ´skĭ (Wild +Rose--Rosa lucida). The bark in every case is taken from the east side +of the tree, and the roots selected are also generally, if not always, +those growing toward the east. In this case the roots and barks are +not bruised, but are simply steeped in warm water for four days. The +child is then stripped and bathed all over with the decoction morning +and night for four days, no formula being used during the bathing. It +is then made to hold up its hands in front of its face with the palms +turned out toward the doctor, who takes some of the medicine in his +mouth and repeats the prayer mentally, blowing the medicine upon the +head and hands of the patient at the final _Yû!_ of each paragraph. +It is probable that the prayer originally consisted of four +paragraphs, or else that these two paragraphs were repeated. The child +drinks a little of the medicine at the end of each treatment. + +The use of salt is prohibited during the four days of the treatment, +the word (amă´) being understood to include lye, which enters +largely into Cherokee food preparations. No chicken or other feathered +animal is allowed to enter the house during the same period, for +obvious reasons, and strangers are excluded for reasons already +explained. + + +HIA´ DU´NIYUKWATISGÛ´[n]Í KANA´HÈHÛ. + +Sgĕ! Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Kanani´skĭ +Gigage. Usĭnu´lĭ nû´[n]nâ gi´gage hĭnû[n]ni´ga. +Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, astĭ´ digi´gage usĭnû´lĭ +dehĭkssa´û[n]tani´ga. Ulsge´ta kane´ge kayu´‘ga gesû´[n], +tsgâ´ya-gwû higese´ĭ. Ehĭstĭ´ hituwa´saniy’teĭ´. +Usĭnu´lĭ astĭ´ digi´gage dehada´û[n]tani´ga, adi´na +tsûlstai-yû´‘ti-gwû higese´ĭ. Nâ´gwa gânagi´ta +da´tsatane´lĭ. Utsĭnă´wa nu´tatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. +Yû! + +Hĭgayû´[n]lĭ Tsûne´ga hatû´[n]gani´ga. “A´ya-gâgû´ +gatû´[n]gisge´stĭ tsûngili´sĭ deagwûlstawĭ´stitege´stĭ,” +tsadûnû´hĭ. Na´ski-gâgû´ itsa´wesû´hĭ nâ´gwa usĭnu´lĭ +hatu´[n]gani´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nútatanû´ta nû[n]tû´neli´ga. +Yû! + +Sgĕ! Uhyû[n]tlâ´yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histi Kanani´skĭ +Sa‘ka´nĭ. Usĭnu´lĭ nû´[n]nâ sa‘ka´nĭ hĭnû[n]ni´ga. +Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, astĭ´ (di)sa‘ka´nĭ usĭnu´lĭ +dehĭksa´û[n]tani´ga. Ulsge´ta kane´ge kayu´‘ga gesû´[n], +tsgâ´ya-gwû higese´ĭ. Ehĭstĭ´ hituwa´saniy‘te(ĭ´). +Usĭnu´lĭ astĭ´ disa‘ka´nige dehada´û[n]taniga, adi´na +tsûlstai-yû´‘ti-gwû higese´ĭ. Nâ´gwa tsgâ´ya gûnagi´ta +tsûtûneli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nu´tatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. +Yû! + +Hĭgayû´[n]lĭ Tsûne´ga hatû[n]gani´ga. “A´ya-gâgû´ +gatû´[n]gisge´stĭ tsûngili´sĭ deagwûlstawĭ´stitege´stĭ,” +tsadûnû´hĭ. Nas´kigâgû´ itsawesû´hĭ nâ´gwa usĭnu´lĭ +hatû´[n]gani´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nutatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. +Yû! + +Sgĕ! Usûhi´yĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ Kanani´skĭ Û´[n]nage. +Usĭnu´lĭ nû´[n]nâ û´[n]nage hĭnû[n]ni´ga. +Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, astĭ´ digû´[n]nage usĭnu´lĭ +dehĭksa´û[n]tani´ga. Ulsge´ta kane´ge kayu´‘ga gesû´[n], +tsgâ´ya-gwû higese´ĭ. Ehĭstĭ´ hituwa´saniy‘teĭ´. +Usĭnu´lĭ astĭ´ digû´[n]nage dehada´û[n]tani´ga, adi´na +tsûlstai-yû´‘ti-gwû higese´ĭ. Nâ´gwa tsgâ´ya gûnagi´ta +tsûtûneli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nutatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. Yû! + +Hĭgayû´[n]lĭ Tsûne´ga hatû[n]gani´ga. “A´ya-gâgû´ +gatû´[n]gisge´stĭ tsûngili´sĭ deagwûlstawĭ´stitege´stĭ,” +tsadûnû´hĭ. Na´skigâgû´ itsawesû´hĭ nâ´gwa usĭnu´lĭ +hatû´[n]gani´ga. Utsĭnă´wa nutatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. +Yû! + +Sgĕ! Galû´[n]latĭ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Kanani´skĭ Tsûne´ga. +Usĭnu´lĭ nû´[n]nâ une´ga hĭnû[n]ni´ga. Hida´wĕhi-gâgû´, +astĭ´ tsune´ga usĭnu´lĭ dehĭksa´û[n] tani´ga. Ulsge´ta +kane´ge kayu´‘ga gesû´[n], tsgâ´ya-gwû higese´ĭ. +Ehĭstĭ´ hituwa´săniy’teĭ´. Usĭnu´lĭ astĭ´ tsune´ga +dehada´û[n]tani´ga, adi´na tsûlstai-yû´‘ti-gwû higese´ĭ. +Nâ´gwa tsgâ´ya gûnagi´ta tsûtûneli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa +nu´tatanû´[n]ta, nû[n]tûneli´ga. Yû! + +Hĭgayû´[n]lĭ Tsûne´ga hatû´[n]gani´ga. “A´ya-gâgû´ +gatû´[n]gisge´stĭ tsûngili´sĭ deagwûlstawĭ´stitege´stĭ,” +tsadûnû´hĭ. Naski-gâgû´ itsawesû´hĭ nâ´gwa usĭnu´lĭ +hatû[n]gani´ga. U´tsĭna´wa nutatanû´[n]ta nû[n]tûneli´ga. +Yû! + +(Degasi´sisgû´[n]ĭ)--Hiă´ duniyukwa´tisgû´[n]ĭ +dĭkanû´[n]wâtĭ ătanû´[n]sida´hĭ yĭ´gĭ. Na´skĭ +digû´nstanĕ´‘ti-gwû ûlĕ´ tsĭtsâtû´ yie´lisû. +Nigû[n]´-gwû usû´na [_for_ usûnda´na?] gû´[n]tatĭ +nayâ´ga nû´[n]watĭ unanû´[n]skă‘la´ĭ. Kane´ska dalâ´nige +unaste´tla tsĭ´gĭ. Se´lu dĭgahû‘nû´hĭ tsuni´yahĭstĭ´ +nû´‘kĭ tsusû´hita, kanâhe´na-‘nû naskĭ´ iga´ĭ udanû´stĭ +hi´gĭ nayâ´ga. + + +_Translation._ + +THIS TELLS ABOUT MOVING PAINS IN THE TEETH (NEURALGIA?). + +Listen! In the Sunland you repose, O Red Spider. Quickly you have +brought and laid down the red path. O great ada´wehi, quickly you +have brought down the red threads from above. The intruder in the +tooth has spoken and it is only a worm. The tormentor has wrapped +itself around the root of the tooth. Quickly you have dropped down the +red threads, for it is just what you eat. Now it is for you to pick it +up. The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +O Ancient White, you have drawn near to hearken, for you have said, +“When I shall hear my grandchildren, I shall hold up their heads.” +Because you have said it, now therefore you have drawn near to listen. +The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +Listen! In the Frigid Land you repose, O Blue Spider. Quickly you have +brought and laid down the blue path. O great ada´wehi, quickly you +have brought down the blue threads from above. The intruder in the +tooth has spoken and it is only a worm. The tormentor has wrapped +itself around the root of the tooth. Quickly you have dropped down the +blue threads, for it is just what you eat. Now it is for you to pick +it up. The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +O Ancient White, you have drawn near to hearken, for you have said, +“When I shall hear my grandchildren, I shall hold up their heads.” +Because you have said it, now therefore you have drawn near to listen. +The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +Listen! In the Darkening Land you repose, O Black Spider. Quickly you +have brought and laid down the black path. O great ada´wehi, quickly +you have brought down the black threads from above. The intruder in +the tooth has spoken and it is only a worm. The tormentor has wrapped +itself around the root of the tooth. Quickly you have dropped down the +black threads, for it is just what you eat. Now it is for you to pick +it up. The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +O Ancient White, you have drawn near to hearken, for you have said, +“When I shall hear my grandchildren, I shall hold up their heads.” +Because you have said it, now therefore you have drawn near to listen. +The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +Listen! You repose on high, O White Spider. Quickly you have brought +and laid down the white path. O great ada´wehi, quickly you have +brought down the white threads from above. The intruder in the tooth +has spoken and it is only a worm. The tormentor has wrapped itself +around the root of the tooth. Quickly you have dropped down the white +threads, for it is just what you eat. Now it is for you to pick it up. +The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +O Ancient White, you have drawn near to hearken, for you have said, +“When I shall hear my grandchildren, I shall hold up their heads.” +Because you have said it, now therefore you have drawn near to listen. +The relief has been caused to come. Yû! + +(Prescription)--This is to treat them if there are pains moving about +in the teeth. It is only (necessary) to lay on the hands, or to blow, +if one should prefer. One may use any kind of a tube, but usually they +have the medicine in the mouth. It is the Yellow-rooted Grass (kane´ +ska dalâ´nige unaste´tla; not identified.) One must abstain four +nights from cooked corn (hominy), and kanâhe´na (fermented corn +gruel) is especially forbidden during the same period. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula is taken from the manuscript book of Gatigwanasti, +now dead, and must therefore be explained from general analogy. The +ailment is described as “pains moving about in the teeth”--that is, +affecting several teeth simultaneously--and appears to be neuralgia. +The disease spirit is called “the intruder” and “the tormentor” and +is declared to be a mere worm (tsgâ´ya), which has wrapped itself +around the base of the tooth. This is the regular toothache theory. +The doctor then calls upon the Red Spider of the Sunland to let down +the red threads from above, along the red path, and to take up the +intruder, which is just what the spider eats. The same prayer is +addressed in turn to the Blue Spider in the north, the Black Spider in +the west and the White Spider above (galû[n]´lati). It may be stated +here that all these spirits are supposed to dwell above, but when no +point of the compass is assigned, galû[n]´lati is understood to mean +directly overhead, but far above everything of earth. The dweller in +this overhead galû[n]´lati may be red, white, or brown in color. In +this formula it is white, the ordinary color assigned spirits dwelling +in the south. In another toothache formula the Squirrel is implored +to take the worm and put it between the forking limbs of a tree on the +north side of the mountain. + +Following each supplication to the spider is another addressed to the +Ancient White, the formulistic name for fire. The name refers to its +antiquity and light-giving properties and perhaps also to the fact +that when dead it is covered with a coat of white ashes. In those +formulas in which the hunter draws omens from the live coals it is +frequently addressed as the Ancient Red. + +The directions are not explicit and must be interpreted from analogy. +“Laying on the hands” refers to pressing the thumb against the jaw +over the aching tooth, the hand having been previously warmed over +the fire, this being a common method of treating toothache. The other +method suggested is to blow upon the spot (tooth or outside of jaw?) a +decoction of an herb described rather vaguely as “yellow-rooted grass” +either through a tube or from the mouth of the operator. Igawĭ´, a +toothache specialist, treats this ailment either by pressure with the +warm thumb, or by blowing tobacco smoke from a pipe placed directly +against the tooth. Hominy and fermented corn gruel (kanâhe´na) +are prohibited for the regular term of four nights, or, as we are +accustomed to say, four days, and special emphasis is laid upon the +gruel tabu. + +The prayer to the Spider is probably repeated while the doctor is +warming his hands over the fire, and the following paragraph to the +Ancient White (the Fire) while holding the warm thumb upon the aching +spot. This reverses the usual order, which is to address the fire +while warming the hands. In this connection it must be noted that the +fire used by the doctor is never the ordinary fire on the hearth, but +comes from four burning chips taken from the hearth fire and generally +placed in an earthen vessel by the side of the patient. In some cases +the decoction is heated by putting into it seven live coals taken from +the fire on the hearth. + + +UNAWA STÎ EGWA (ADANÛ[n]WÂTÏ). + + (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) +Sgĕ! Galû´[n]latĭ´ hinehi´ hinehi´yû hinida´we, utsinâ´wa adû[n]niga + 12 12 22 34 33 566--Hayĭ´! + + (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) +Sgĕ! U[n]wadâ´hi hinehi´, hinehi´yû hinida´we, utsinâ´wa adû[n]ni´ga + 12 12 22 34 33 566--Hayĭ´! + + (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) +Sgĕ! Nâtsihi´ hinehi´ hinehi´yû hinida´we utsinâ´wa adû[n]ni´ga + 12 12 22 34 33 566--Hayĭ´! + + (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) +Sgĕ! Amâyi´ hinehi´, hinehi´yû hinida´we utsinâ´wa adû[n]ni´ga + 12 12 22 33 33 566--Hayĭ´! + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]ngani´ga, Agalu´ga Tsûsdi´ga, +hida´wĕhĭ, â´tali tsusdiga´hĭ duda´w‘satû´[n] +ditsûldâ´histĭ. (Hida´wĕhĭ, gahu´stĭ +tsanu´lû[n]hû[n]sgĭ´ nige´sû[n]na.) Ha-nâ´gwa +da´tûlehû[n]gû´. Usdi´gi(yu) utiya´stanû[n]´(hĭ) +(higese´i). (Hû[n])hiyala´gistani´ga igâ´tĭ +usdigâ´hĭ usa´hĭlagĭ´ Igâtu´ltĭ nû[n]nâ´hĭ +wĭte´tsatănû[n]´û[n]sĭ´. A´ne´tsâge´ta _getsatûnĕhĭ_ +nû[n]gûlstani´ga igû[n]´wûlstanita´sti-gwû. Ati´gale´yata +tsûtû´neli´ga. Utsĭnâ´wa [11] nigû[n]tisge´stĭ. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hû[n]hatû´[n]gani´ga, Agalu´ga Hegwahigwû´. +´talĭ tsegwâ´hĭ duda´w‘satû[n] iyû[n]ta ditsûldâ´histĭ. +Agalu´ga He´gwa, hausĭnu´lĭ da´tûlehû[n]gû. +Usdi´giyu utiya´stanû´[n]hĭ. Hiyala´gistani´ga ulsge´ta +igâ´t-egwâ´hĭ) usa´hĭlagĭ´. (Igat-(egwâ´hĭ iyû[n]´ta +nû[n]nâ´hĭ wĭtetsatanû´[n]û[n]sĭ´. A´ne´tsâge´ta +_getsatûne´litise´sti_ igû[n]´wûlstanita´sti-gwû. +Utsĭnâ´wa-gwû nutatanû[n]ta. Nigagĭ´ Yû! + +(Degâsi´sisgû´[n]ĭ)--Unawa´stĭ e´gwa u´nitlû[n]gâ´ĭ. +Ta´ya gû´[n]tatĭ, ditsa´tista´‘ti. Tsâ´l-agayû´[n]lĭ +yă´hă ulû´[n]kwati-gwû nasgwû´. + +[Footnote 11: So written and pronounced by A‘yû[n]´ini instead of +utsĭnă´wa.] + + +_Translation._ + +TO TREAT THE GREAT CHILL. + +Listen! On high you dwell, On high you dwell--you dwell, you dwell. +Forever you dwell, you anida´we, forever you dwell, forever you +dwell. Relief has come--has come. Hayĭ! + +Listen! On Û[n]wadâ´hĭ you dwell, On Û[n]wadâhĭ you dwell--you +dwell, you dwell. Forever you dwell, you anida´we, forever you dwell, +forever you dwell. Relief has come--has come. Hayĭ! + +Listen! In the pines you dwell, In the pines you dwell--you dwell, you +dwell. Forever you dwell, you anida´we, forever you dwell, forever +you dwell. Relief has come--has come. Hayĭ! + +Listen! In the water you dwell, In the water you dwell, you dwell, you +dwell. Forever you dwell, you anida´we, forever you dwell, forever +you dwell. Relief has come--has come. Hayiĭ! + +Listen! O now you have drawn near to hearken, O Little Whirlwind, +O ada´wehi, in the leafy shelter of the lower mountain, there you +repose. O ada´wehi, you can never fail in anything. Ha! Now rise up. +A very small portion [of the disease] remains. You have come to sweep +it away into the small swamp on the upland. You have laid down your +paths near the swamp. It is ordained that you shall scatter it as in +play, so that it shall utterly disappear. By you it must be scattered. +So shall there be relief. + +Listen! O now again you have drawn near to hearken, O Whirlwind, +surpassingly great. In the leafy shelter of the great mountain there +you repose. O Great Whirlwind, arise quickly. A very small part [of +the disease] remains. You have come to sweep the intruder into the +great swamp on the upland. You have laid down your paths toward the +great swamp. You shall scatter it as in play so that it shall utterly +disappear. And now relief has come. All is done. Yû! + +(Prescription.)--(This is to use) when they are sick with the great +chill. Take a decoction of wild cherry to blow upon them. If you have +Tsâ´l-agayû´[n]lĭ (“old tobacco”--_Nicotiana rustica_) it also is +very effective. + + +_Explanation._ + +Unawa´stĭ, “that which chills one,” is a generic name for +intermittent fever, otherwise known as fever and ague. It is much +dreaded by the Indian doctors, who recognize several varieties of +the disease, and have various theories to account for them. The above +formula was obtained from A‘yû´[n]ni (Swimmer), who described the +symptoms of this variety, the “Great Chill,” as blackness in the face, +with alternate high fever and shaking chills. The disease generally +appeared in spring or summer, and might return year after year. In the +first stages the chill usually came on early in the morning, but came +on later in the day as the disease progressed. There might be more +than one chill during the day. There was no rule as to appetite, but +the fever always produced an excessive thirst. In one instance the +patient fainted from the heat and would even lie down in a stream to +cool himself. The doctor believed the disease was caused by malicious +tsgâ´ya, a general name for all small insects and worms, excepting +intestinal worms. These tsgâ´ya--that is, the disease tsgâ´ya, not +the real insects and worms--are held responsible for a large number +of diseases, and in fact the tsgâ´ya doctrine is to the Cherokee +practitioner what the microbe theory is to some modern scientists. The +tsgâ´ya live in the earth, in the water, in the air, in the foliage +of trees, in decaying wood, or wherever else insects lodge, and as +they are constantly being crushed, burned or otherwise destroyed +through the unthinking carelessness of the human race, they are +continually actuated by a spirit of revenge. To accomplish their +vengeance, according to the doctors, they “establish towns” under the +skin of their victims, thus producing an irritation which results in +fevers, boils, scrofula and other diseases. + +The formula begins with a song of four verses, in which the doctor +invokes in succession the spirits of the air, of the mountain, of +the forest, and of the water. Galû[n]latĭ, the word used in the +first verse, signifies, as has been already explained, “on high” or +“above everything,” and has been used by translators to mean heaven. +Û[n]wadâ´hĭ in the second verse is the name of a bald mountain +east of Webster, North Carolina, and is used figuratively to denote +any mountains of bold outline. The Cherokees have a tradition +to account for the name, which is derived from Û[n]wadâ´lĭ, +“provision house.” Nâ´tsihĭ´ in the third verse signifies +“pinery,” from nâ´‘tsĭ, “pine,” but is figuratively used to denote +a forest of any kind. + +In the recitation which follows the song, but is used only in serious +cases, the doctor prays to the whirlwind, which is considered to +dwell among the trees on the mountain side, where the trembling of the +leaves always gives the first intimation of its presence. He declares +that a small portion of the disease still remains, the spirits +invoked in the song having already taken the rest, and calls upon the +whirlwind to lay down a path for it and sweep it away into the swamp +on the upland, referring to grassy marshes common in the small coves +of the higher mountains, which, being remote from the settlements, are +convenient places to which to banish the disease. Not satisfied with +this, he goes on to direct the whirlwind to scatter the disease as it +scatters the leaves of the forest, so that it shall utterly disappear. +In the Cherokee formula the verb a‘ne´tsâge´ta means literally +“to play,” and is generally understood to refer to the ball play, +a´ne´tsâ, so that to a Cherokee the expression conveys the idea of +catching up the disease and driving it onward as a player seizes +the ball and sends it spinning through the air from between his ball +sticks. Niga´gĭ is a solemn expression about equivalent to the Latin +consummatum est. + +The doctor beats up some bark from the trunk of the wild cherry and +puts it into water together with seven coals of fire, the latter +being intended to warm the decoction. The leaves of Tsâl-agayû´[n]li +(Indian tobacco--Nicotiana rustica) are sometimes used in place of the +wild cherry bark. The patient is placed facing the sunrise, and the +doctor, taking the medicine in his mouth, blows it over the body of +the sick man. First, standing between the patient and the sunrise and +holding the medicine cup in his hand, he sings the first verse in a +low tone. Then, taking some of the liquid in his mouth, he advances +and blows it successively upon the top of the head, the right +shoulder, left shoulder, and breast or back of the patient, making +four blowings in all. He repeats the same ceremony with the second, +third, and fourth verse, returning each time to his original position. +The ceremony takes place in the morning, and if necessary is repeated +in the evening. It is sometimes necessary also to repeat the treatment +for several--generally four--consecutive days. + +The recitation is not used excepting in the most serious cases, when, +according to the formula, “a very small portion” of the disease +still lingers. It is accompanied by blowing _of the breath alone_, +without medicine, probably in this case typical of the action of the +whirlwind. After repeating the whole ceremony accompanying the song, +as above described, the doctor returns to his position in front of +the patient and recites in a whisper the first paragraph to the Little +Whirlwind, after which he advances and blows his breath upon the +patient four times as he has already blown the medicine upon him. Then +going around to the north he recites the second paragraph to the Great +Whirlwind, and at its conclusion blows in the same manner. Then moving +around to the west--behind the patient--he again prays to the Little +Whirlwind with the same ceremonies, and finally moving around to the +south side he closes with the prayer to the Great Whirlwind, blowing +four times at its conclusion. The medicine must be prepared anew by +the doctor at the house of the patient at each application morning +or evening. Only as much as will be needed is made at a time, and the +patient always drinks what remains after the blowing. Connected with +the preparation and care of the medicine are a number of ceremonies +which need not be detailed here. The wild cherry bark must always be +procured fresh; but the Tsâl-agayû´[n]lĭ (“Old Tobacco”) leaves +may be dry. When the latter plant is used four leaves are taken and +steeped in warm water with the fire coals, as above described. + + +HIĂ´ TSUNSDI´GA DIL‘TADI´NATANTI´YǏ. I. + +Sgĕ! Hĭsga´ya Ts‘sdi´ga ha-nâ´gwa da´tûlehû[n]gû´ +kĭlû-gwû´. Iyû´[n]ta agayû´[n]linasĭ´ taya´ĭ. Eska´niyŭ +unayĕ´histĭ´ nû[n]ta-yu´tanatĭ´. Sgĕ´! tinû´lĭtgĭ´! +Tleki´yu tsûtsestâ´gĭ hwĭnagĭ´. Yû! + +Sgĕ! Hige´cya ts‘sdi´ga ha-nâ´gwa da´tûlehû[n]gû´ +kĭlû-gwû´. Iyû[n]´ta tsûtu´tunasĭ´ tăya´ĭ. Eska´niyŭ +unayĕ´histĭ nû[n]tayu´tanatĭ´. Sgĕ! tinû´lĭtgĭ´! +Tleki´yu tsûtsestâ´ hwĭnagĭ´. Yû! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS IS TO MAKE CHILDREN JUMP DOWN. + +Listen! You little man, get up now at once. There comes an old woman. +The horrible [old thing] is coming, only a little way off. Listen! +Quick! Get your bed and let us run away. Yû! + +Listen! You little woman, get up now at once. There comes your +grandfather. The horrible old fellow is coming only a little way off. +Listen! Quick! Get your bed and let us run away. Yû! + + +_Explanation._ + +In this formula for childbirth the idea is to frighten the child and +coax it to come, by telling it, if a boy, that an ugly old woman is +coming, or if a girl, that her grandfather is coming only a short +distance away. The reason of this lies in the fact that an old woman +is the terror of all the little boys of the neighborhood, constantly +teasing and frightening them by declaring that she means to live +until they grow up and then compel one of them to marry her, old and +shriveled as she is. For the same reason the maternal grandfather, who +is always a privileged character in the family, is especially dreaded +by the little girls, and nothing will send a group of children +running into the house more quickly than the announcement that an old +“granny,” of either sex is in sight. + +As the sex is an uncertain quantity, the possible boy is always first +addressed in the formulas, and if no result seems to follow, the +doctor then concludes that the child is a girl and addresses her in +similar tones. In some cases an additional formula with the beads +is used to determine whether the child will be born alive or dead. +In most instances the formulas were formerly repeated with the +appropriate ceremonies by some old female relative of the mother, +but they are now the property of the ordinary doctors, men as well as +women. + +This formula was obtained from the manuscript book of A‘yû´[n]inĭ, +who stated that the medicine used was a warm decoction of a plant +called Dalâ´nige Unaste´tsĭ (“yellow root”--not identified), which +was blown successively upon the top of the mother’s head, upon the +breast, and upon the palm of each hand. The doctor stands beside the +woman, who is propped up in a sitting position, while repeating the +first paragraph and then blows. If this produces no result he then +recites the paragraph addressed to the girl and again blows. A part of +the liquid is also given to the woman to drink. A‘yû´[n]inĭ claimed +this was always effectual. + + +(HIĂ´ TSUNSDI´GA DIL‘TADI´NATANTI´YI. II.) + +Hitsutsa, hitsu´tsa, tleki´yu, tleki´yu, ĕ´hinugâ´ĭ, +ĕ´hinugâ´ĭ! Hi´tsu´tsa, tleki´yu, gûltsû´tĭ, +gûltsû´tĭ, tinagâ´na, tinagâ´na! + +Higĕ‘yu´tsa, higĕ‘yu´tsa, tleki´yu, tleki´yu, ĕ´hinugâ´ĭ, +ĕ´hinugâ´ĭ! Higĕ‘yu´tsa, tleki´yu, gû[n]gu´stĭ, +gû[n]gu´stĭ, tinagâ´na, tinagâ´na! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS IS TO MAKE CHILDREN JUMP DOWN. + +Little boy, little boy, hurry, hurry, come out, come out! Little boy, +hurry; a bow, a bow; let’s see who’ll get it, let’s see who’ll get it! + +Little girl, little girl, hurry, hurry, come out, come out. Little +girl, hurry; a sifter, a sifter; let’s see who’ll get it, let’s see +who’ll get it! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula was obtained from Takwati´hĭ, as given to him by +a specialist in this line. Takwatihi himself knew nothing of the +treatment involved, but a decoction is probably blown upon the patient +as described in the preceding formula. In many cases the medicine used +is simply cold water, the idea being to cause a sudden muscular action +by the chilling contact. In this formula the possible boy or girl is +coaxed out by the promise of a bow or a meal-sifter to the one who can +get it first. Among the Cherokees it is common, in asking about the +sex of a new arrival, to inquire, “Is it a bow or a sifter?” or “Is it +ball sticks or bread?” + + +DAL´NI Û[n]NĂGE´Ǐ ADANÛ´[n]WÂTǏ. + + Yuha´ahi´, (yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´,) + Yuha´ahi´, (yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´), Yû! + +Sgĕ! Û[n]tal-e´gwâhĭ´ didultâ´hĭstĭ ulsge´ta. Usĭnu´lĭ +dâtitu´lene´ĭ. Usĭnu´lĭ dunu´y‘tani´leĭ´. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa statû´[n]gani´ga, nû[n]dâ´yĭ +distul‘tâ´histĭ, Stisga´ya Dĭst‘sdi´ga, stida´wehi-gâgû. +Û[n]tal-e´gwa dâtitulene´(ĭ) ulsge´ta. Usĭnu´lĭ +detĭstû´l‘tani´ga ulsge´ta. Ditu´talenû´[n]itsa nû[n]na´hĭ +[w]i´de´tutanû´[n]tasĭ´, nû[n]tadu´ktahû´[n]stĭ +nige´sû[n]na. Nû´‘gĭ iyayû´[n]latăgĭ´ ayâwe´sâlû´[n]ta +de´dudûneli´sestĭ´, Gû´[n]tsatâtagi´yû +tistadi´gûlahi´sestĭ. Tiduda´le‘nû´(ĭ) û´[n]tale´gwâ +[w][i]tĭ´stûl‘tati´nû[n]tani´ga. Na´‘nă +witûl‘tâ´hĭstani´ga, tadu´ktahû´[n]stĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Ha-na´‘nă [w][i]d´ultâhiste´stĭ. (Yû!) + +(Degasisisgû´[n]ĭ)--Hiă´ anine´tsĭ ga´‘tiskĭ +adanû´[n]wâtĭ. Ŭ´[n]tla atsi´la tĭ´‘tĭ yĭ´gĭ. + + +_Translation._ + +TO TREAT THE BLACK YELLOWNESS. + + Yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´, + Yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´, yuha´ahi´ Yû! + +Listen! In the great lake the intruder reposes. Quickly he has risen +up there. Swiftly he has come and stealthily put himself (under the +sick man). + +Listen! Ha! Now you two have drawn near to hearken, there in the Sun +Land you repose, O Little Men, O great anida´wehi! The intruder has +risen up there in the great lake. Quickly you two have lifted up the +intruder. His paths have laid themselves down toward the direction +whence he came. Let him never look back (toward us). When he stops +to rest at the four gaps you will drive him roughly along. Now he has +plunged into the great lake from which he came. There he is compelled +to remain, never to look back. Ha! there let him rest. (Yû!) + +(Directions.)--This is to treat them when their breast swells. Fire +(coals) is not put down. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from A‘yû[n]inĭ’s manuscript, is used in treating +a disease known as Dalâni, literally, “yellow.” From the vague +description of symptoms given by the doctors, it appears to be an +aggravated form of biliousness, probably induced by late suppers and +bad food. According to the Indian theory it is caused by revengeful +animals, especially by the terrapin and its cousin, the turtle. + +The doctors recognize several forms of the disease, this variety +being distinguished as the “black dalâni” (Dalâni Û[n]nage´ĭ) and +considered the most dangerous. In this form of dalânĭ, according to +their account, the navel and abdomen of the patient swell, the ends of +his fingers become black, dark circles appear about his eyes, and the +throat contracts spasmodically and causes him to fall down suddenly +insensible. A‘yû[n]inĭ’s method of treatment is to rub the breast +and abdomen of the patient with the hands, which have been previously +rubbed together in the warm infusion of wild cherry (ta´ya) bark. The +song is sung while rubbing the hands together in the liquid, and the +prayer is repeated while rubbing the swollen abdomen of the patient. +The operation may be repeated several times on successive days. + +The song at the beginning has no meaning and is sung in a low +plaintive lullaby tone, ending with a sharp _Yu!_ The prayer possesses +a special interest, as it brings out several new points in the +Cherokee mythologic theory of medicine. The “intruder,” which is held +to be some amphibious animal--as a terrapin, turtle, or snake--is +declared to have risen up from his dwelling place in the great lake, +situated toward the sunset, and to have come by stealth under the +sick man. The verb implies that the disease spirit _creeps under_ as a +snake might crawl under the coverlet of a bed. + +The two Little Men in the Sun Land are now invoked to drive out the +disease. Who these Little Men are is not clear, although they are +regarded as most powerful spirits and are frequently invoked in the +formulas. They are probably the two Thunder Boys, sons of Kanati. + +The Little Men come instantly when summoned by the shaman, pull out +the intruder from the body of the patient, turn his face toward the +sunset, and begin to drive him on by threats and blows (expressed in +the word gû´[n]tsatatagi´yû) to the great lake from which he came. +On the road there are four gaps in the mountains, at each of which +the disease spirit halts to rest, but is continually forced onward by +his two pursuers, who finally drive him into the lake, where he is +compelled to remain, without being permitted even to look back again. +The four gaps are mentioned also in other formulas for medicine and +the ball play and sometimes correspond with the four stages of the +treatment. The direction “No fire (coals) is put down” indicates that +no live coals are put into the decoction, the doctor probably using +water warmed in the ordinary manner. + +Takwati´hĭ uses for this disease a decoction of four herbs applied +in the same manner. He agrees with A‘yû[n]inĭ in regard to the +general theory and says also that the disease may be contracted by +neglecting to wash the hands after handling terrapin shells, as, for +instance, the shell rattles used by women in the dance. The turtle or +water tortoise (seligu´gĭ) is considered as an inferior being, with +but little capacity for mischief, and is feared chiefly on account of +its relationship to the dreaded terrapin or land tortoise (tûksĭ´). +In Takwatihĭ’s formula he prays to the Ancient White (the fire), of +which these cold-blooded animals are supposed to be afraid, to put the +fish into the water, the turtle into the mud, and to send the terrapin +and snake to the hillside. + + +TSUNDAYE´LIGAKTANÛ´HǏ ADANÛ´[n]WÂTǏ. + +Sgĕ! Hanâ´gwa hatû´[n]ganiga, galû´[n]latĭ hetsadâ´histĭ, +Kâ´lanû Û´[n]nage, gahu´stĭ tsanu´lahû´[n]sgĭ +nige´sû[n]na. Ha-nâ´gwa (hetsatsa´û[n]tani´ga. +Hanigû´[n]watû[n]nigwălâe´stigwû tsalâsû´[n]ĭ. +Asgin-u´danû higes´eĭ. Sanigala´gĭ gesû´[n]ĭ +hastigû´‘lani´ga, duwâlu´wa´tû´tĭ nige´sû[n]na, +nitû´neli´ga. Ha-Usûhi´yĭ wititâ´hĭstani´ga. +Dadu´satahû´[n]stĭ nige´sû[n]na nitû´neli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa +nu´tatanû´[n]ta. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga, Kâ´lanû Gĭgage´ĭ, +hidawĕhi´yu. Ha-gahu´stĭ tsanu´lahû´[n]sgĭ nige´sû[n]na, +etsanetse´lûhĭ, Ha-galû[n]lati´tsa hetsatâ´histĭ. Nâ´gwa +hetsatsâ´û[n]tani´ga. Nigû´[n]watû´[n]nigwalâe´sti-gwû +tsalâsû´[n]ĭ. Asgin-udanû´hi-gwû higese´ĭ. Ha-Sanigalâgĭ +gesû´[n] hâstigû´‘lani´ga ulsge´ta, ha-utsĭnă´wa-gwû´ +nigû´[n]tisge´stĭ. Usûhi´yĭ wĭntûnĕ´dû. Usûhi´yĭ +wĭtitâ´hĭstani´ga. Utsĭnă´wa adû[n]ni´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga, Kâ´lanû Sa´ka´ni; +galû´latĭ hetsadâ´histĭ, hida´wĕhĭ. Gahu´stĭ +tsanu´lahû´[n]sgĭ nige´sû[n]na, etsanetse´lûhĭ. Ha-nâ´gwa +hetsatsâ´û[n]tani´ga. Nigû´[n]watû´[n]nigwalâe´sti-gwû +tsalâsû´[n]ĭ. Sanigalâ´gĭ gesu´[n] hastigû´‘lani´ga +ulsge´ta. Duwâlu´watû´tĭ nige´sû[n]na, nitû´neli´ga. +Usûhi´yĭ wĭtitâ´hĭstani´ga, dadu´satahû´[n]stĭ +nige´sû[n]na nitû´neli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa adû[n]ni´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga, Wa´hĭlĭ galû[n]lti´tsa +hetsadâ´histĭ, Kâ´lanû Tsûne´ga, hida´wĕhĭ. Gahu´stĭ +tsanu´l‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Hanâ´gwa hetsatsâ´û[n]tani´ga. +Nigû´[n]watû´[n]nigwalâe´sti-gwû tsalâsû´[n]ĭ. Ha-nâ´gwa +detal‘tani´ga. Sanigalâ´gĭ gesû´[n] hastig´û‘lani´ga +ulsge´ta, duwâlu´watû´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na nitû´neli´ga. +Usûhi´yĭ wĭtitâ´hĭstani´ga. Dadu´satahû´[n]stĭ +nige´sû[n]na nitû´neli´ga. Utsĭnă´wa adû[n]ni´ga. + +(Dega´sisisgû´[n]ĭ)--Hiă´agi‘li´ya unitlû[n]gû´[n]ĭ +adanû´wâtĭ. Askwanu´tsastĭ´. Tsâ´l(a) +Agayû´[n]lĭunitsi´lû[n]nû´hĭgû´[n]tatĭ, +anû´[n]sga‘lâ´-gwû; Kanasâ´la-‘nû unali´gâhû, +ade´la´-‘nû nû´‘gi-gwû ani´gage´ĭ dahâ´ĭ, +Tsâliyu´stĭ-‘nû Usdi´ga. Gahu´sti-´‘nu yuta´suyû´[n]na +sâwatu´hi-gwû atĭ´ dawâ´hila-gwû iyû´[n]ta. + + +_Translation._ + +TO TREAT FOR ORDEAL DISEASES. + +Listen! Ha! Now you have drawn near to hearken and are resting +directly overhead. O Black Raven, you never fail in anything. Ha! Now +you are brought down. Ha! There shall be left no more than a trace +upon the ground where you have been. It is an evolute ghost. You have +now put it into a crevice in Sanigalagi, that it may never find the +way back. You have put it to rest in the Darkening Land, so that it +may never return. Let relief come. + +Listen! Ha! Now you have drawn near to hearken, O Red Raven, most +powerful ada´wehi. Ha! You never fail in anything, for so it was +ordained of you. Ha! You are resting directly overhead. Ha! Now you +are brought down. There shall remain but a trace upon the ground where +you have been. It is an evolute ghost. Ha! You have put the Intruder +into a crevice of Sanigalagi and now the relief shall come. It (the +Intruder) is sent to the Darkening Land. You have put it to rest in +the Darkening Land. Let the relief come. + +Listen! Ha! Now you have drawn near to hearken, O Blue Raven; you are +resting directly overhead, ada´wehi. You never fail in anything, for +so it was ordained of you. Ha! Now you are brought down. There shall +be left but a trace upon the ground where you have been. You have put +the Intruder into a crevice in Sanigalagi, that it may never find the +way back. You have put it to rest in the Darkening Land, so that it +may never return. Let the relief come. + +Listen! Ha! Now you have drawn near to hearken; you repose on high on +Wa´hĭlĭ, O White Raven, ada´wehi. You never fail in anything. Ha! +Now you are brought down. There shall be left but a trace upon the +ground where you have been. Ha! Now you have taken it up. You have put +the Intruder into a crevice in Sanigalagi, that it may never find +the way back. You have put it to rest in the Darkening Land, never to +return. Let the relief come. + +(Directions)--This is to treat them for a painful sickness. One must +suck. Use Tsâ´lagayû[n]´-li (“Old Tobacco”--Nicotiana rustica), +blossoms, and just have them in the mouth, and Kanasâ´la (Wild +Parsnip), goes with it, and four red beads also must lie there, +and Tsâliyu´sti Usdi´ga (“Little (plant) Like Tobacco”--Indian +Tobacco--Lobelia inflata.) And if there should be anything mixed with +it (i.e., after sucking the place), just put it about a hand’s-length +into the mud. + + +_Explanation._ + +The Cherokee name for this disease gives no idea whatever of its +serious nature. The technical term, Tsundaye´liga´ktanû´hĭ, +really refers to the enthusiastic outburst of sociability that ensues +when two old friends meet. In this instance it might be rendered +“an ordeal.” The application of such a name to what is considered a +serious illness is in accordance with the regular formulistic practice +of making light of a dangerous malady in order to convey to the +disease spirit the impression that the shaman is not afraid of him. +A‘yû[n]inĭ, from whom the formula was obtained, states also that the +disease is sometimes sent to a man by a friend or even by his parents, +in order to test his endurance and knowledge of counter spells. + +As with most diseases, the name simply indicates the shaman’s theory +of the occult cause of the trouble, and is no clue to the symptoms, +which may be those usually attendant upon fevers, indigestion, or +almost any other ailment. + +In some cases the disease is caused by the conjurations of an enemy, +through which the patient becomes subject to an inordinate appetite, +causing him to eat until his abdomen is unnaturally distended. By the +same magic spells tobacco may be conveyed into the man’s body, causing +him to be affected by faintness and languor. The enemy, if bitterly +revengeful, may even put into the body of his victim a worm or insect +(tsgâya), or a sharpened stick of black locust or “fat” pine, which +will result in death if not removed by a good doctor. Sometimes a weed +stalk is in some occult manner conveyed into the patient’s stomach, +where it is transformed into a worm. As this disease is very common, +owing to constant quarrels and rival jealousies, there are a number of +specialists who devote their attention to it. + +The prayer is addressed to the Black, Red, Blue, and White Ravens, +their location at the four cardinal points not being specified, +excepting in the case of the white raven of Wa´hilĭ, which, as +already stated, is said to be a mountain in the south, and hence +is used figuratively to mean the south. The ravens are each in turn +declared to have put the disease into a crevice in Sanigala´gi--the +Cherokee name of Whiteside Mountain, at the head of Tuckasegee River, +in North Carolina, and used figuratively for any high precipitous +mountain--and to have left no more than a trace upon the ground where +it has been. The adjective translated “evolute” (udanûhĭ) is of +frequent occurrence in the formulas, but has no exact equivalent in +English. It signifies springing into being or life from an embryonic +condition. In this instance it would imply that whatever object the +enemy has put into the body of the sick man has there developed into a +ghost to trouble him. + +The directions are expressed in a rather vague manner, as is the +case with most of A‘yû[n]ini’s attempts at original composition. The +disease is here called by another name, agi‘li´ya unitlû[n]gû´[n]ĭ, +signifying “when they are painfully sick.” The treatment consists in +sucking the part most affected, the doctor having in his mouth during +the operation the blossoms of Tsâ´l-agayû´[n]lĭ (Nicotiana rustica), +Kanasâ´la (wild parsnip,) and Tsâliyusti Usdiga (Lobelia inflata.) The +first and last of these names signify “tobacco” and “tobacco-like,” +while the other seems to contain the same word, tsâ´la, and the +original idea may have been to counteract the witchcraft by the use of +the various species of “tobacco,” the herb commonly used to drive away +a witch or wizard. During the sucking process four red beads lie near +upon a piece of (white) cloth, which afterward becomes the perquisite +of the doctor. Though not explicitly stated, it is probable that the +doctor holds in his mouth a decoction of the blossoms named, rather +than the blossoms themselves. On withdrawing his mouth from the spot +and ejecting the liquid into a bowl, it is expected that there will be +found “mixed” with it a small stick, a pebble, an insect, or something +of the kind, and this the shaman then holds up to view as the +cause of the disease. It is afterward buried a “hand’s length” +(awâ´hilû)[12] deep in the mud. No directions were given as to diet +or tabu. + +[Footnote 12: This word, like the expression “seven days,” frequently +has a figurative meaning. Thus the sun is said to be seven awâ´hilû +above the earth.] + + +HUNTING. + +GÛN´HILÛ´[n]TA UGÛ´[n]WA‘LǏ. + +Una´lelŭ´ eskiska´l‘tasĭ´. Iskwa´lelŭ eskiska´l‘tasĭ´. +Yû! Ela-Kana´tĭ tsûlda´hĭstû´[n], tsûwatsi´la astû´[n] +detsatasi´ga. Ts’skwâ´lĭ uda´nisă´‘testĭ, ugwala´ga +udu´yaheti´dege´stĭ. Sunûsi´ya-gwû udanisă´‘testĭ, +ts’su´lti-gwû nige´sû[n]na. + +Hĭkayû´[n]lĭ Gi´gage-gâgû´, tsine´tsĭ gesû´[n] +aw’stitege´stĭ. _Tsăstû´ utatiyĭ_, nâ´gwa _tsăs‘tû +gasû‘hisă‘tĭ atisge´stĭ_. Ha-nâ´gwa nû[n]nâ tsusdi´ +tutana´wa-tegû´ _digana´watû´[n]ta_ atisge´stĭ. +Utalĭ´ udanû´hĭ ugwala´ga gû[n]watuy´ahĭti´tege´stĭ, +hĭlahiyû´[n]ta-gwû [w]ustû´‘stĭ nige´sû[n]na. D’stiskwâ´lĭ +deudû´nisă‘te´stĭ. Yû! + + +_Translation._ + +CONCERNING HUNTING. + +Give me the wind. Give me the breeze. Yû! O Great Terrestrial Hunter, +I come to the edge of your spittle where you repose. Let your stomach +cover itself; let it be covered with leaves. Let it cover itself at a +single bend, and may you never be satisfied. + +And you, O Ancient Red, may you hover above my breast while I sleep. +Now let good (dreams?) develop; let my experiences be propitious. +Ha! Now let my little trails be directed, as they lie down in various +directions(?). Let the leaves be covered with the clotted blood, and +may it never cease to be so. You two (the Water and the Fire) shall +bury it in your stomachs. Yû! + + +_Explanation._ + +This is a hunting formula, addressed to the two great gods of the +hunter, Fire and Water. The evening before starting the hunter “goes +to water,” as already explained, and recites the appropriate formula. +In the morning he sets out, while still fasting, and travels without +eating or drinking until nightfall. At sunset he again goes to water, +reciting this formula during the ceremony, after which he builds his +camp fire, eats his supper and lies down for the night, first rubbing +his breast with ashes from the fire. In the morning he starts out to +look for game. + +“Give me the wind,” is a prayer that the wind may be in his favor, +so that the game may not scent him. The word rendered here “Great +Terrestrial Hunter,” is in the original “Ela-Kana´tĭ.” In this +_e´la_ is the earth and _kana´tĭ_ is a term applied to a successful +hunter. The great Kanatĭ, who, according to the myth, formerly kept +all the game shut up in his underground caverns, now dwells above +the sky, and is frequently invoked by hunters. The raven also is +often addressed as Kanatĭ in these hunting formulas. Ela-Kana´tĭ, +the Great Terrestrial Hunter--as distinguished from the other +two--signifies the river, the name referring to the way in which the +tiny streams and rivulets search out and bring down to the great +river the leaves and débris of the mountain forests. In formulas for +medicine, love, the ball play, etc., the river is always addressed +as the Long Person (Yû´[n]wĭ Gûnahi´ta). The “spittle” referred to +is the foam at the edge of the water. “Let your stomach be covered +with leaves” means, let the blood-stained leaves where the stricken +game shall fall be so numerous as to cover the surface of the water. +The hunter prays also that sufficient game may be found in a single +bend of the river to accomplish this result without the necessity of +searching through the whole forest, and to that end he further prays +that the river may never be satisfied, but continually longing for +more. The same idea is repeated in the second paragraph. The hunter +is supposed to feed the river with blood washed from the game. In like +manner he feeds the fire, addressed in the second paragraph as the +“Ancient Red,” with a piece of meat cut from the tongue of the deer. +The prayer that the fire may hover above his breast while he sleeps +and brings him favorable dreams, refers to his rubbing his breast with +ashes from his camp fire before lying down to sleep, in order that the +fire may bring him dream omens of success for the morrow. The Fire is +addressed either as the Ancient White or the Ancient Red, the allusion +in the first case being to the light or the ashes of the fire; in the +other case, to the color of the burning coals. “You two shall bury it +in your stomachs” refers to the blood-stained leaves and the piece +of meat which are cast respectively into the river and the fire. The +formula was obtained from A‘yû[n]inĭ, who explained it in detail. + + +HIĂ´ TSI´SKWA GANÂHILIDASTI YǏ. + +Tsĭgĕ´! Hĭkayû´[n]l-Une´ga, tsûltâ´histû´[n] +gûlitâ´hĭstani´ga. Nâ´gwa tsûda´ntâ talehĭ´sani´ga. +Sâ´gwa igûnsi´ya ts’skwâlĭ´ udû´nisate´stĭ, ts’su´ltĭ +nige´sû[n]na. Wane´(ĭ) tigi´gage(ĭ) tali´kanĕli´ga. +[U]´[n]talĭ udanû´hĭ tsăgista´‘tĭ. + +Hĭkayû´[n]l-Une´ga, _anu´ya uwâtatâ´gĭ agi´stĭ +tătsiskâ´ltane´lûhĭ_. [U]´[n]talĭ u´danû´ +_te´tûlskew´si´ga_. + +Hĭkayû´[n]l-Une´ga, nû[n]na´(hĭ) kana´tĭ +skwatetâ´stani´ga. Unigwalû´[n]gĭ te´gatû[n]tsi´ga. +Nû[n]â´(hĭ) kana´tĭ tati´kiyû´[n]gwita´watise´stĭ. +Unigwalû´[n]gĭ tigû´[n]watû´tsanû´hĭ. + +Hĭkayû´[n]l-Une´ga, Kana´tĭ, sk´salatâ´titege´stĭ, +sa‘ka´ni ginu´t’tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Sgĕ! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS IS FOR HUNTING BIRDS. + +Listen! O Ancient White, where you dwell in peace I have come to rest. +Now let your spirit arise. Let it (the game brought down) be buried +in your stomach, and may your appetite never be satisfied. The red +hickories have tied themselves together. The clotted blood is your +recompense. + +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‘yû[n]inĭ’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‘yû[n]inĭ 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´[n]gĭ) are the wounded birds. Kana´tĭ is here used +to designate the fire, on account of its connection with the hunting +ceremonies. + + +INAGĚ´HǏ AYÂSTI[n]YǏ. + +Usĭnuli´yu Selagwû´tsĭ Gigage´ĭ getsû´[n]neliga +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 TǏ´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´[n]nage 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´[n]inĭ 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´YǏ TSUN´TANÛ. + +Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa hitsatû´[n]gani´ga hitsiga´tugĭ´. +Titsila´wisû´[n]hĭ [u]wâgi´‘lĭ tege´tsûts‘gû´‘lawĭstĭ´. +Tsuli´stana´lû ûlĕ´ waktûĭ, agi´stĭ une´ka +itsû´[n]yatanilû´ĭstani´ga. Gû[n]watu´hwĭtû´ nû[n]nâ´hĭ +degûndâltsi´dâhe´stĭ. [u]Wâ´hisâ´nahĭ tigiwatsi´la. +Tutsegû´‘lawistĭ´tege´stĭ. Û[n]talĭ´ degû´[n]watanûhĭ, +uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Tsuwatsi´la dadâl‘tsi´ga. A‘yû +A‘yû´[n]inĭ 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‘yû[n]inĭ´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, [u]Wâhisâ´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‘yû[n]inĭ 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. + +(YÛ[n]WĚ´HǏ UGÛ´[n]WA‘LǏ I.) + +Ku! Sgĕ! _Alahi´yĭ_ tsûl‘dâ´histĭ, Higĕ´‘ya tsûl‘di´yĭ, +hatû´[n]gani´ga. _Elahi´yĭ_ iyû´[n]ta ditsûl‘da´histĭ, +Higĕ´‘ya Tsûne´ga. Tsisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Tsâduhi´yĭ. +Nâ´gwa-skĭn´ĭ usĭnuli´yu hû[n]skwane´‘lû[n]gû´ tsisga´ya +agine´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Nâ´gwa nû´[n]nâ, une´ga +hû[n]skwanû[n]neli´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Nâ´gwa +skwade´tastani´ga. Sa‘ka´ni u´tatĭ nige´sû[n]na. Nû[n]nâ +une´ga skiksa´‘û[n]taneli´ga. Elaye´‘lĭ iyû´[n]ta +skwalewistă´‘tani´ga E´latĭ gesû´[n] tsĭtage´stĭ. +Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Agwâ´duhi´yu. Kûltsâ´te +une´ga skiga´‘tani´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na, +gû[n]kwatsâti´tege´stĭ. Tsi-sa‘ka´ni agwă´tatĭ +nige´sû[n]na. Usĭnuli´yu hû[n]skwane´‘lû[n]gû´. + +Ha-nâ´gwûlĕ _Elahi´yĭ_ iyû´[n]tă dûhiyane´‘lû[n]gû´ +a‘gĕ´‘ya sa‘ka´ni. Nâ´gwa nû[n]nâ´hĭ sa‘ka´ni +hû[n]tane´‘laneli´ga. Uhisa´‘tĭ-gwû u´danû dudusa´gĭ +tanela´sĭ. Nû[n]nâ´hĭ sa‘ka´ni tade´tâstani´ga. Nâgwûlĕ´ +hû[n]hiyatsâ´û[n]taniga. E´latĭ gesû´[n] tû´l‘taniga. +Dedu´laskû´[n]-gwû igû´[n]wa‘lawĭ´stĭ uhi´sa‘ti´yĭ +widaye´la‘ni´ga. Dedulaskû´[n]-gwû igû´[n]wa‘lawĭ´stĭ +uhi´sa‘ti´yĭ nitû´[n]neli´ga. + +Ha-sâgwahi´yu itsilasta´lagĭ + + uwă´sahi´yu, +etsane´‘laneli´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Agwâ´duhĭ. +A´yû agwadantâ´gĭ aye‘li´yu d’ka´‘lani´lĭ duda´ntâ, +uktahû´[n]stĭ nige´sû[n]na. Yû´[n]wĭ tsu´tsatû[n] +widudante´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na, nitû´[n]neli´ga. Sâ´gwahĭ +itsilasta´lagĭ, etsane´‘laneli´ga kûlkwâ´gi-nasĭ´ +igûlstû´‘lĭ gegane´‘lanû´[n]. + +Anisga´ya anewadi´sû[n] unihisa‘ti´yĭ. Tsu´nada´neilti´yĭ. +Dĭ´la-gwû degû´[n]wănatsegû´‘lawi´sdidegû´. +Ayâ´ise´ta-gwû u´danû. Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. Utse´tsti-gwû +degû´[n]wănatsegû´‘lawis´didegû´. Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. +Ka´ga-gwû degû´[n]wănatsegû´‘awisdidegû´. +Tsunada´neilti´yĭ. Da´l‘ka-gwû +degû´[n]wănatsegû´‘lawisdidegû´. + +Kûlkwâ´gĭ igûlsta´lagĭ unihisa‘ti´yu. +Ige´ski-gwû nige´sû[n]na. Ayâ´ise´ta-gwû +u´danû degû´[n]wănatsûn‘ti-degû´. K’si-gwû +degû´[n]wănatsûn‘ti-degû´. A´yagâgû´ tsisga´ya +agine´ga û[n]gwane´‘lanû´hĭ + + Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ +iti´tsa ditsidâ´ga. Agisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Agwâduhi´yu. +Tsi-sa‘ka´nĭ agwă´tatĭ nige´sû[n]na. Kûltsâ´te une´ga +û[n]ni´tagâgû´ gûkwatsâ´nti-degû´. Agisă´‘tĭ +nige´sû[n]na. A´yû agwadantâ´gĭ aye‘li´yu gûlasi´ga +tsûda´ntâ, uktahû´[n]stĭ nige´sû[n]na. 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 be completely veiled in +loneliness. Put her into the blue road. And now bring her down. Place +her standing upon the earth. Where her feet are now and wherever she +may go, let loneliness leave its mark upon her. Let her be marked out +for loneliness where she stands. + +Ha! I belong to the (Wolf) ( + + ) clan, that one alone which was +allotted into for you. No one is ever lonely with me. I am handsome. +Let her put her soul the very center of my soul, never to turn away. +Grant that in the midst of men she shall never think of them. I belong +to the one clan alone which was allotted for you when the seven clans +were established. + +Where (other) men live it is lonely. They are very loathsome. The +common polecat has made them so like himself that they are fit +only for his company. They have became mere refuse. They are very +loathsome. The common opossum has made them so like himself that they +are fit only to be with him. They are very loathsome. Even the crow +has made them so like himself that they are fit only for his company. +They are very loathsome. The miserable rain-crow has made them so like +himself that they are fit only to be with him. + +The seven clans all alike make one feel very lonely in their company. +They are not even good looking. They go about clothed with mere +refuse. They even go about covered with dung. But I--I was ordained +to be a white man. I stand with my face toward the Sun Land. No one +is ever lonely with me. I am very handsome. I shall certainly never +become blue. I am covered by the everlasting white house wherever I +go. No one is ever lonely with me. Your soul has come into the very +center of my soul, never to turn away. I--(Gatigwanasti,) (0 0)--I +take your soul. Sgĕ! + + +_Explanation._ + +This unique formula is from one of the loose manuscript sheets +of Gatigwanasti, now dead, and belongs to the class known as +Yû[n]wĕ´hĭ or love charms (literally, concerning “living +humanity”), including all those referring in any way to the marital +or sexual relation. No explanation accompanies the formula, which must +therefore be interpreted from analogy. It appears to be recited by +the lover himself--not by a hired shaman--perhaps while painting and +adorning himself for the dance. (_See next two formulas._) + +The formula contains several obscure expressions which require further +investigation. Elahiyĭ or Alahiyĭ, for it is written both ways in +the manuscript, does not occur in any other formula met with thus +far, and could not be explained by any of the shamans to whom it was +submitted. The nominative form may be Elahĭ, perhaps from _ela_, “the +earth,” and it may be connected with Wa´hĭlĭ, the formulistic name +for the south. The spirit invoked is the White Woman, white being the +color denoting the south. + +Uhisa´‘tĭ, rendered here “lonely,” is a very expressive word to a +Cherokee and is of constant recurrence in the love formulas. It refers +to that intangible something characteristic of certain persons which +inevitably chills and depresses the spirits of all who may be +so unfortunate as to come within its influence. Agisa´‘tĭ +nige´sû[n]na, “I never render any one lonely,” is an intensified +equivalent for, “I am the best company in the world,” and to tell a +girl that a rival lover is uhisa´‘tĭ is to hold out to her the sum +of all dreary prospects should she cast in her lot with him. + +The speaker, who evidently has an exalted opinion of himself, invokes +the aid of the White Woman, who is most beautiful and is never +uhisa´‘tĭ. She at once responds by making him a white--that is, +a happy--man, and placing him in the white road of happiness, which +shall never become blue with grief or despondency. She then places him +standing in the middle of the earth, that he may be seen and admired +by the whole world, especially by the female portion. She finally puts +him into the white house, where happiness abides forever. The verb +implies that the house shelters him like a cloak and goes about with +him wherever he may go. + +There is something comical in the extreme self-complacency with which +he asserts that he is very handsome and will never become blue and no +one with him is ever lonely. As before stated, white signifies peace +and happiness, while blue is the emblem of sorrow and disappointment. + +Having thus rendered himself attractive to womankind, he turns his +attention to the girl whom he particularly desires to win. He begins +by filling her soul with a sense of desolation and loneliness. In the +beautiful language of the formula, her path becomes blue and she is +veiled in loneliness. He then asserts, and reiterates, that he is of +the one only clan which was allotted for her when the seven clans were +established. + +He next pays his respects to his rivals and advances some very +forcible arguments to show that she could never be happy with any of +them. He says that they are all “lonesome” and utterly loathsome--the +word implies that they are mutually loathsome--and that they are +the veriest trash and refuse. He compares them to so many polecats, +opossums, and crows, and finally likens them to the rain-crow (cuckoo; +_Coccygus_), which is regarded with disfavor on account of its +disagreeable note. He grows more bitter in his denunciations as he +proceeds and finally disposes of the matter by saying that all the +seven clans alike are uhisa´‘tĭ and are covered with filth. Then +follows another glowing panegyric of himself, closing with the +beautiful expression, “your soul has come into the very center of +mine, never to turn away,” which reminds one forcibly of the sentiment +in the German love song, “Du liegst mir im Herzen.” The final +expression, “I take your soul,” implies that the formula has now +accomplished its purpose in fixing her thoughts upon himself. + +When successful, a ceremony of this kind has the effect of rendering +the victim so “blue” or lovesick that her life is in danger until +another formula is repeated to make her soul “white” or happy again. +Where the name of the individual or clan is mentioned in these +formulas the blank is indicated in the manuscript by crosses + + or +ciphers 0 0 or by the word iyu´stĭ, “like.” + + +HǏ´Ă ĂMA´YǏ Ă´TAWASTI´YǏ KAN´HEHÛ. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa usĭnuli´yu hatû´[n]gani´ga _Higĕ´‘yagu´ga_, +tsûwatsi´la gi´gage tsiye´la skĭna´dû‘lani´ga. 0 0 +digwadâ´ita. Sa‘ka´nĭ tûgwadûne´lûhĭ. Atsanû´[n]gĭ +gi´gage skwâsû´hisa‘tani´ga. + + kûlstă´lagĭ + sa‘ka´nĭ +nu´tatanû´[n]ta. Ditu´nû[n]nâ´gĭ dagwû´laskû´[n]-gwû +deganu´y’tasi´ga. Galâ´nû[n]tse´ta-gwû +dagwadûne´lidise´stĭ. Sgĕ! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS TELLS ABOUT GOING INTO THE WATER. + +Listen! O, now instantly, you have drawn near to hearken, O +Agĕ´‘yagu´ga. You have come to put your red spittle upon my body. +My name is (Gatigwanasti.) The blue had affected me. You have come and +clothed me with a red dress. She is of the (Deer) clan. She has become +blue. You have directed her paths straight to where I have my feet, +and I shall feel exultant. Listen! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from Gatigwanasti’s book, is also of the Yû[n]wĕ´hĭ +class, and is repeated by the lover when about to bathe in the stream +preparatory to painting himself for the dance. The services of a +shaman are not required, neither is any special ceremony observed. +The technical word used in the heading, ă´tawasti´yĭ, signifies +plunging or going entirely into a liquid. The expression used for the +ordinary “going to water,” where the water is simply dipped up with +the hand, is ămâ´yĭ dita‘ti´yĭ, “taking them to water.” + +The prayer is addressed to Agĕ´‘yaguga, a formulistic name for the +moon, which is supposed to exert a great influence in love affairs, +because the dances, which give such opportunities for love making, +always take place at night. The shamans can not explain the meaning +of the term, which plainly contains the word agĕ´‘ya, “woman,” and +may refer to the moon’s supposed influence over women. In Cherokee +mythology the moon is a man. The ordinary name is nû´[n]dâ, or more +fully, nû´[n]dâ sû[n]nâyĕ´hĭ, “the sun living in the night,” +while the sun itself is designated as nû´[n]dâ igĕ´hĭ, “the sun +living in the day.” + +By the red spittle of Agĕ´‘yagu´ga and the red dress with which the +lover is clothed are meant the red paint which he puts upon himself. +This in former days was procured from a deep red clay known as +ela-wâ´tĭ, or “reddish brown clay.” The word red as used in the +formula is emblematic of success in attaining his object, besides +being the actual color of the paint. Red, in connection with dress +or ornamentation, has always been a favorite color with Indians +throughout America, and there is some evidence that among the +Cherokees it was regarded also as having a mysterious protective +power. In all these formulas the lover renders the woman blue or +disconsolate and uneasy in mind as a preliminary to fixing her +thoughts upon himself. (_See next formula._) + +(YÛ´[n]WĚ´HǏ UGÛ´[n]WA‘LǏ II.) + + Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ. + Galû´[n]latĭ, datsila´ĭ--Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, + yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ. + Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ gatla´ahĭ--Yû´[n]wĕhĭ. + Ge‘yagu´ga Gi´gage, tsûwatsi´la gi´gage tsiye´la + skĭna´dû‘lani´ga-- + Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ. + Hiă-‘nû´ atawe´ladi´yĭ kanâ´hĕhû galû[n]lti´tla. + + +_Translation._ + +SONG FOR PAINTING. + + _Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ._ + I am come from above--_Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, + yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ._ + I am come down from the Sun Land--_Yû´[n]wĕhĭ._ + O Red Agĕ‘yagu´ga, you have come and put your red spittle upon + my body--Yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ, yû´[n]wĕhĭ. + +And this above is to recite while one is painting himself. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from Gatigwanasti, immediately follows the one last +given, in the manuscript book, and evidently comes immediately after +it also in practical use. The expressions used have been already +explained. The one using the formula first bathes in the running +stream, reciting at the same time the previous formula “Amâ´yĭ +Ă´tawasti´yĭ.” He then repairs to some convenient spot with his +paint, beads, and other paraphernalia and proceeds to adorn himself +for the dance, which usually begins about an hour after dark, but +is not fairly under way until nearly midnight. The refrain, +yû´[n]wĕhĭ, is probably _sung_ while mixing the paint, and the +other portion is recited while applying the pigment, or vice versa. +Although these formula are still in use, the painting is now obsolete, +beyond an occasional daubing of the face, without any plan or pattern, +on the occasion of a dance or ball play. + +ADALANI´STA‘TI´YǏ. Ǐ. + + Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga nihĭ´-- + --Tsa´watsi´lû tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ ayû´. + --Hiyelû´ tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ ayû´. + --Tsăwiyû´ tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ ayû´. + --Tsûnahu´ tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ ayû´. + +Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga, Hĭkayû´[n]lige. Hiă´ asga´ya +uda´ntâ tsa‘ta´hisi´ga [Hĭkayû´[n]lige] hiye´lastû[n]. +Tsaskûlâ´hĭsti-gwû´ nige´sû[n]na. Dĭkana´watû´[n]ta-gwû +tsûtû´neli´ga. Hĭlû dudantĕ´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Duda´ntâ dûskalû[n]´tseli´ga. Astĭ´ digû´[n]nage +tagu´talû[n]tani´ga. + + +_Translation._ + +TO ATTRACT AND FIX THE AFFECTIONS. + + Listen! O, now you have drawn near to hearken-- + --Your spittle, I take it, I eat it. } + --Your body, I take it, I eat it, } + --Your flesh, I take it, I eat it, } Each sung four times. + --Your heart, I take it, I eat it. } + +Listen! O, now you have drawn near to hearken, O, Ancient One. This +man’s (woman’s) soul has come to rest at the edge of your body. You +are never to let go your hold upon it. It is ordained that you shall +do just as you are requested to do. Let her never think upon any +other place. Her soul has faded within her. She is bound by the black +threads. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula is said by the young husband, who has just married an +especially engaging wife, who is liable to be attracted by other men. +The same formula may also be used by the woman to fix her husband’s +affections. On the first night that they are together the husband +watches until his wife is asleep, when, sitting up by her side, he +recites the first words: Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga nihĭ´, +and then sings the next four words: Tsawatsi´lû tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ +ayû´, “Your spittle, I take it, I eat it,” repeating the words four +times. While singing he moistens his fingers with spittle, which +he rubs upon the breast of the woman. The next night he repeats the +operation, this time singing the words, “I take your body.” The third +night, in the same way, he sings, “I take your flesh,” and the fourth +and last night, he sings “I take your heart,” after which he repeats +the prayer addressed to the Ancient One, by which is probably meant +the Fire (the Ancient White). A‘yû´[n]inĭ states that the final +sentences should be masculine, i.e., His soul has faded, etc., and +refer to any would-be seducer. There is no gender distinction in +the third person in Cherokee. He claimed that this ceremony was so +effective that no husband need have any fears for his wife after +performing it. + + +ADAYE´LIGA´GTA‘TǏ´. + +Yû! Galû´[n]latĭ tsûl‘da´histĭ, Giya´giya´ Sa‘ka´ni, +nâ´gwa nû[n]talû[n] i´yû´[n]ta. Tsâ´la Sa‘ka´ni +tsûgistâ´‘tĭ adû[n]ni´ga. Nâ´gwa nidâtsu´l‘tanû´[n]ta, +nû´[n]tātagû´ hisa´hasi´ga. Tani´dâgû[n]´ +aye´‘lĭ dehidâ´siga. Unada´ndâ dehiyâ´staneli´ga. +Nidugale´ntanû´[n]ta nidûhû[n]neli´ga. + +Tsisga´ya agine´ga, nû[n]dâgû´[n]yĭ ditsidâ´‘stĭ. Gû´nĭ +âstû´ uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Agĕ´‘ya une´ga hi´ă +iyu´stĭ gûlstû´‘lĭ, iyu´stĭ tsûdâ´ita. Uda´ndâ +usĭnu´lĭ dâdatinilû´gû[n]elĭ´. Nû[n]dâgû´[n]yitsû´ +dâdatinilugûstanelĭ. Tsisga´ya agine´ga, ditsidâstû´[n]ĭ +nû‘nû´ kana´tlani´ga. Tsûnkta´ tegă‘la´watege´stĭ. +Tsiye´lû[n] gesû´[n]ĭ uhisa´‘tĭ nige´sû[n]na. + + +_Translation._ + +FOR SEPARATION (OF LOVERS). + +Yû! On high you repose, O Blue Hawk, there at the far distant lake. +The blue tobacco has come to be your recompense. Now you have arisen +at once and come down. You have alighted midway between them where +they two are standing. You have spoiled their souls immediately. They +have at once become separated. + +I am a white man; I stand at the sunrise. The good sperm shall never +allow any feeling of loneliness. This white woman is of the Paint +(iyustĭ) clan; she is called (iyustĭ) Wâyĭ´. We shall instantly +turn her soul over. We shall turn it over as we go toward the Sun +Land. I am a white man. Here where I stand it (her soul) has attached +itself to (literally, “come against”) mine. Let her eyes in their +sockets be forever watching (for me). There is no loneliness where my +body is. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from A‘yû[n]inĭ’s book, is used to separate two lovers +or even a husband and wife, if the jealous rival so desires. In the +latter case the preceding formula, from the same source, would be used +to forestall this spell. No explanation of the ceremony is given, but +the reference to tobacco may indicate that tobacco is smoked or thrown +into the fire during the recitation. The particular hawk invoked +(giya´giya´) is a large species found in the coast region but seldom +met with in the mountains. Blue indicates that it brings trouble with +it, while white in the second paragraph indicates that the man is +happy and attractive in manner. + +In the first part of the formula the speaker calls upon the Blue +Hawk to separate the lovers and spoil their souls, i.e., change their +feeling toward each other. In the second paragraph he endeavors +to attract the attention of the woman by eulogizing himself. The +expression, “we shall turn her soul over,” seems here to refer to +turning her affections, but as generally used, to turn one’s soul is +equivalent to killing him. + + +(ADALANǏ´STĂ‘TI´YǏ II.) + +Yû! Ha-nâ´gwa ada´ntĭ dătsâsi´ga, [*][*] hĭlû(stû´‘lĭ), +([*][*]) ditsa(dâ´ita). A´yû 0 0 tsila(stû´‘lĭ). Hiye´la +tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´. (Yû!) + +Yû! Ha-nâ´gwa ada´ntĭ dătsâsi´ga. [*][*] hĭlû(stû´‘lĭ), +[*][*] ditsa(dâ´íta). A´yû 0 0 tsûwi´ya tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´. +Yû! + +Yû! Ha-nâ´gwa ada´ntĭ dătsâsi´ga. [*][*] hĭlû(stû´‘lĭ) +[*][*] ditsa(dâ´íta). A´yû 0 0 tsûwatsi´la tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´ +a´yû. Yû! + +Yû! Ha-nâ´gwa ada´ntĭ dătsâsi´ga. [*][*] hĭlû(stû´‘lĭ), +[*][*] ditsadâ´(ita). A´yû 0 0 tsûnahŭ´ tsĭkĭ´ tsĭkû´. +Yû! + +Sgĕ! “Ha-nâ´gwa ada´ntĭ dutsase´, tsugale´ntĭ nige´sû[n]na,” +tsûdûneĭ, Hĭkayû´[n]lige galû´[n]latĭ. Kananĕ´skĭ +Û´[n]nage galû´[n]latĭ (h)etsatsâ´û[n]tănile´ĭ. +Tsănilta´gĭ tsûksâ´û[n]tanile´ĭ. [*][*] gûla(stû´‘lĭ), +[*][*] ditsadâ´(ita). Dudantâ´gĭ uhani´latâ +tĭkwenû´[n]tani´ga. Kûlkwâ´gĭ igûlsta´lagĭ iyû´[n]ta +yû´[n]wĭ adayû´[n]latawă´ dudûne´lida´lû[n] uhisa´‘tĭ +nige´sû[n]na. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwatĭ uhisa´‘tĭ dutlû´[n]tani´ga. Tsû´nkta +daskâ´lû[n]tsi´ga. Sâ´gwahĭ di´kta de´gayelû[n]tsi´ga. +Ga´tsa igûnû´nugâ´ĭstû uda´ntâ? Usû´hita nudanû´[n]na +ûltû[n]ge´ta gû[n]wadûneli´dege´stĭ. Igû[n]wûlsta´‘ti-gwû +duwâlu´wa‘tû[n]tĭ nige´sû[n]na. Kananĕ´skĭ Û[n]nage´ĭ +tsanildew’se´stĭ ada´ntâ uktû[n]lesi´dastĭ nige´sûna. +Gadâyu´stĭ tsûdâ´ita ada´ntĭ tside´atsasi´ga. A´ya +a´kwatseli´ga. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwûlĕ´ hû[n]hatû[n]ga´ga, Hĭkayû´[n]lĭ +Gi´gage. Tsetsûli´sĭ hiye´lastû[n] a‘ta´hisi´ga. Ada´ntâ +hasû‘gû´‘lawĭ´stani´ga, tsa´skaláhĭstĭ nige´sû[n]na. +Hĭkayû´[n]lige denătsegû‘la´wĭstani´ga. Agĕ´‘ya +gĭ´nsû[n]gû‘lawĭs´tani´ga uda´ntâ _uwahisĭ´sata_. +Dĭgĭnaskûlâ´hĭstĭ nige´sû[n]na. Yû! + +Hi´ănasgwû´ u‘tlâ´yi-gwû dĭgalû´[n]wistan´tĭ +snû[n]â´yĭ hani´‘lihû[n] gûnasgi´stĭ. Gane´tsĭ +aye´‘lĭ asi´tadis´tĭ watsi´la, ganû[n]li´yetĭ aguwaye´nĭ +andisgâ´ĭ. Sâi´yĭ tsika´nâhe itsu´laha´gwû. + + +_Translation._ + +TO FIX THE AFFECTIONS. + +Yû! Ha! Now the souls have come together. You are of the Deer (x x) +clan. Your name is (x x) Ayâsta, I am of the Wolf (o-o) clan. Your +body, I take it, I eat it. Yû! Ha! Now the souls have come together. +You are of the Deer clan. Your name is Ayâsta. I am of the Wolf clan. +Your flesh I take, I eat. Yû! + +Yû! Ha! Now the souls have come together. You are of the Deer clan. +Your name is Ayâsta. I am of the Wolf clan. Your spittle I take, I +eat. I! Yû! + +Yû! Ha! Now the souls have come together. You are of the Deer clan. +Your name is Ayâsta. I am of the Wolf clan. Your heart I take, I eat. +Yû! + +Listen! “Ha! Now the souls have met, never to part,” you have said, O +Ancient One above. O Black Spider, you have been brought down from on +high. You have let down your web. She is of the Deer clan; her name is +Ayâsta. Her soul you have wrapped up in (your) web. There where the +people of the seven clans are continually coming in sight and again +disappearing (i.e. moving about, coming and going), there was never +any feeling of loneliness. + +Listen! Ha! But now you have covered her over with loneliness. Her +eyes have faded. Her eyes have come to fasten themselves on one alone. +Whither can her soul escape? Let her be sorrowing as she goes along, +and not for one night alone. Let her become an aimless wanderer, whose +trail may never be followed. O Black Spider, may you hold her soul in +your web so that it shall never get through the meshes. What is the +name of the soul? They two have come together. It is mine! + +Listen! Ha! And now you have hearkened, O Ancient Red. Your +grandchildren have come to the edge of your body. You hold them yet +more firmly in your grasp, never to let go your hold. O Ancient One, +we have become as one. The woman has put her (x x x) soul into our +hands. We shall never let it go! Yû! + +(Directions.)--And this also is for just the same purpose (the +preceding formula in the manuscript book is also a love charm). It +must be done by stealth at night when they are asleep. One must put +the hand on the middle of the breast and rub on spittle with the hand, +they say. The other formula is equally good. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula to fix the affections of a young wife is taken from the +manuscript sheets of the late Gatigwanasti. It very much resembles the +other formula for the same purpose, obtained from. A‘yû´[n]inĭ, +and the brief directions show that the ceremony is alike in both. The +first four paragraphs are probably sung, as in the other formula, on +four successive nights, and, as explained in the directions and as +stated verbally by A‘yû´[n]inĭ, this must be done stealthily at +night while the woman is asleep, the husband rubbing his spittle on +her breast with his hand while chanting the song in a low tone, hardly +above a whisper. The prayer to the Ancient One, or Ancient Red (Fire), +in both formulas, and the expression, “I come to the edge of your +body,” indicate that the hands are first warmed over the fire, in +accordance with the general practice when laying on the hands. The +prayer to the Black Spider is a beautiful specimen of poetic imagery, +and hardly requires an explanation. The final paragraph indicates +the successful accomplishment of his purpose. “Your grandchildren” +(tsetsûli´sĭ) is an expression frequently used in addressing the +more important deities. + + +MISCELLANEOUS FORMULAS. + +SÛ[n]N´YǏ ED´HǏ E´SGA ASTÛ[n]TI´YǏ. + +Sgĕ! Uhyû[n]tsâ´yĭ galû[n]lti´tla tsûltâ´histĭ, Hĭsgaya +Gigage´ĭ, usĭnu´lĭ di´tsakûnĭ´ denatlû[n]hi´sani´ga +Uy-igawa´stĭ duda´ntĭ. Nû[n]nâ´hĭ tatuna´watĭ. Usĭnu´lĭ +duda´ntâ dani´yû[n]stanilĭ´. + +Sgĕ! Uhyû[n]tlâ´yĭ galû[n]lti´tla tsûltâ´histĭ, Hĭsga´ya +Tĕ´halu, _hinaw’sŭ´’ki_. Ha-usĭnu´lĭ nâ´gwa di´tsakûnĭ´ +denatlû[n]hisani´ga uy-igawa´stĭ duda´ntĭ. Nû[n]nâ´hĭ +tătuna´wătĭ. Usĭnu´lĭ duda´ntâ dani´galĭstanĭ´. + + +_Translation._ + +TO SHORTEN A NIGHT-GOER ON THIS SIDE. + +Listen! In the Frigid Land above you repose, O Red Man, quickly we two +have prepared your arrows for the soul of the Imprecator. He has +them lying along the path. Quickly we two will take his soul as we go +along. + +Listen! In the Frigid Land above you repose, O Purple Man, * * * *. +Ha! Quickly now we two have prepared your arrows for the soul of the +Imprecator. He has them lying along the path. Quickly we two will cut +his soul in two. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from A‘yû´[n]inĭs’ book, is for the purpose of +driving away a witch from the house of a sick person, and opens up a +most interesting chapter of Cherokee beliefs. The witch is supposed +to go about chiefly under cover of darkness, and hence is called +sû[n]nâ´yĭ edâ´hĭ, “the night goer.” This is the term in common +use; but there are a number of formulistic expressions to designate +a witch, one of which, u´ya igawa´stĭ, occurs in the body of the +formula and may be rendered “the imprecator,” i.e., the sayer of +evil things or curses. As the counteracting of a deadly spell always +results in the death of its author, the formula is stated to be not +merely to drive away the wizard, but to kill him, or, according to the +formulistic expression, “to shorten him (his life) on this side.” + +When it becomes known that a man is dangerously sick the witches from +far and near gather invisibly about his house after nightfall to worry +him and even force their way in to his bedside unless prevented by the +presence of a more powerful shaman within the house. They annoy the +sick man and thus hasten his death by stamping upon the roof and +beating upon the sides of the house; and if they can manage to get +inside they raise up the dying sufferer from the bed and let him fall +again or even drag him out upon the floor. The object of the witch in +doing this is to prolong his term of years by adding to his own life +as much as he can take from that of the sick man. Thus it is that +a witch who is successful in these practices lives to be very old. +Without going into extended details, it may be sufficient to state +that the one most dreaded, alike by the friends of the sick man and by +the lesser witches, is the Kâ´lana-ayeli´skĭ or Raven Mocker, so +called because he flies through the air at night in a shape of fire, +uttering sounds like the harsh croak of a raven. + +The formula here given is short and simple as compared with some +others. There is evidently a mistake in regard to the Red Man, who is +here placed in the north, instead of in the east, as it should be. +The reference to the arrows will be explained further on. Purple, +mentioned in the second paragraph, has nearly the same symbolic +meaning as blue, viz: Trouble, vexation and defeat; hence the Purple +Man is called upon to frustrate the designs of the witch. + +To drive away the witch the shaman first prepares four sharpened +sticks, which he drives down into the ground outside the house at each +of the four corners, leaving the pointed ends projecting upward and +outward. Then, about noontime he gets ready the Tsâlagayû´[n]lĭ +or “Old Tobacco” (_Nicotiana rustica_), with which he fills his pipe, +repeating this formula during the operation, after which he wraps the +pipe thus filled in a black cloth. This sacred tobacco is smoked only +for this purpose. He then goes out into the forest, and returns just +before dark, about which time the witch may be expected to put in +an appearance. Lighting his pipe, he goes slowly around the house, +puffing the smoke in the direction of every trail by which the witch +might be able to approach, and probably repeating the same or another +formula the while. He then goes into the house and awaits results. +When the witch approaches under cover of the darkness, whether in his +own proper shape or in the form of some animal, the sharpened stick on +that side of the house shoots up into the air and comes down like an +arrow upon his head, inflicting such a wound as proves fatal within +seven days. This explains the words of the formula, “We have prepared +your arrows for the soul of the Imprecator. He has them lying along +the path”. A‘yû´[n]inĭ said nothing about the use of the sharpened +sticks in this connection, mentioning only the tobacco, but the +ceremony, as here described, is the one ordinarily used. When wounded +the witch utters a groan which is heard by those listening inside the +house, even at the distance of half a mile. No one knows certainly who +the witch is until a day or two afterward, when some old man or woman, +perhaps in a remote settlement, is suddenly seized with a mysterious +illness and before seven days elapse is dead. + + +GAHU´STǏ A´GIYAHU´SA. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´[n]gani´ga Nû´[n]ya Wâtige´ĭ, +gahu´stĭ tsûtska´dĭ nige´sû[n]na. Ha-nâ´gwa +dû´[n]gihya´lĭ. Agiyahu´sa sĭ´kwa, haga´ tsû[n]-nû´ +iyû´[n]ta dătsi´waktû´hĭ. Tla-‘ke´ a´ya a´kwatseli´ga. 0 0 +digwadâi´ta. + + +_Translation._ + +I HAVE LOST SOMETHING. + +Listen! Ha! Now you have drawn near to hearken, O Brown Rock; you +never lie about anything. Ha! Now I am about to seek for it. I have +lost a hog and now tell me about where I shall find it. For is it not +mine? My name is ----. + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, for finding anything lost, is so simple as to need but +little explanation. Brown in this instance has probably no mythologic +significance, but refers to the color of the stone used in the +ceremony. This is a small rounded water-worn pebble, in substance +resembling quartz and of a reddish-brown color. It is suspended by a +string held between the thumb and finger of the shaman, who is guided +in his search by the swinging of the pebble, which, according to their +theory, will swing farther in the direction of the lost article than +in the contrary direction! The shaman, who is always fasting, repeats +the formula, while closely watching the motions of the swinging +pebble. He usually begins early in the morning, making the first +trial at the house of the owner of the lost article. After noting the +general direction toward which it seems to lean he goes a considerable +distance in that direction, perhaps half a mile or more, and makes +a second trial. This time the pebble may swing off at an angle in +another direction. He follows up in the direction indicated for +perhaps another half mile, when on a third trial the stone may veer +around toward the starting point, and a fourth attempt may complete +the circuit. Having thus arrived at the conclusion that the missing +article is somewhere within a certain circumscribed area, he advances +to the center of this space and marks out upon the ground a small +circle inclosing a cross with arms pointing toward the four cardinal +points. Holding the stone over the center of the cross he again +repeats the formula and notes the direction in which the pebble +swings. This is the final trial and he now goes slowly and carefully +over the whole surface in that direction, between the center of the +circle and the limit of the circumscribed area until in theory, at +least, the article is found. Should he fail, he is never at a loss for +excuses, but the specialists in this line are generally very shrewd +guessers well versed in the doctrine of probabilities. + +There are many formulas for this purpose, some of them being long and +elaborate. When there is reason to believe that the missing article +has been stolen, the specialist first determines the clan or +settlement to which the thief belongs and afterward the name of the +individual. Straws, bread balls, and stones of various kinds are used +in the different formulas, the ceremony differing according to the +medium employed. The stones are generally pointed crystals or antique +arrowheads, and are suspended as already described, the point being +supposed to turn finally in the direction of the missing object. +Several of these stones have been obtained on the reservation and are +now deposited in the National Museum. It need excite no surprise +to find the hog mentioned in the formula, as this animal has been +domesticated among the Cherokees for more than a century, although +most of them are strongly prejudiced against it. + + +HIA´ UNÁLE (ATESTI´YǏ). + + Yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, + Yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´--Yû! + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hĭnahû[n]´ski tayĭ´. Ha-tâ´sti-gwû +gû[n]ska´ihû. Tsûtali´i-gwati´na halu´‘nĭ. Kû´nigwati´na +dula´ska galû´[n]lati-gwû witu´ktĭ. Wigû[n]yasĕ´hĭsĭ. +´talĭ tsugû´[n]yĭ wite´tsatanû´[n]û[n]sĭ´ nû[n]nâhĭ +tsane´lagĭ de´gatsana´wadise´stĭ. Kûnstû´ dutsasû´[n]ĭ +atû´[n]wasûtĕ´hahĭ´ tsûtûneli´sestĭ. Sgĕ! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS IS TO FRIGHTEN A STORM. + + Yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, + Yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´, yuhahi´--Yû! + +Listen! O now you are coming in rut. Ha! I am exceedingly afraid of +you. But yet you are only tracking your wife. Her footprints can be +seen there directed upward toward the heavens. I have pointed them +out for you. Let your paths stretch out along the tree tops (?) on +the lofty mountains (and) you shall have them (the paths) lying down +without being disturbed, Let (your path) as you go along be where the +waving branches meet. Listen! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from A‘yû´[n]inĭ’s book, is for driving away, or +“frightening” a storm, which threatens to injure the growing corn. The +first part is a meaningless song, which is sung in a low tone in the +peculiar style of most of the sacred songs. The storm, which is not +directly named, is then addressed and declared to be coming on in a +fearful manner on the track of his wife, like an animal in the rutting +season. The shaman points out her tracks directed toward the upper +regions and begs the storm spirit to follow her along the waving tree +tops of the lofty mountains, where he shall be undisturbed. + +The shaman stands facing the approaching storm with one hand stretched +out toward it. After repeating the song and prayer he gently blows in +the direction toward which he wishes it to go, waving his hand in the +same direction as though pushing away the storm. A part of the storm +is usually sent into the upper regions of the atmosphere. If standing +at the edge of the field, he holds a blade of corn in one hand while +repeating the ceremony. + + +DANAWÛ´ TSUNEDÂLÛ´HǏ NUNATÛ´NELI´TALÛ´[n]HǏ +U´NALSTELTA´‘TANÛ´HǏ. + +Hayĭ! Yû! Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa usĭnuli´yu A´tasu Gi´gage´ĭ +hinisa´latani´ga. Usĭnu´lĭ duda´ntâ u´nanugâ´tsidastĭ´ +nige´sû[n]na. Duda´ntâ e‘lawi´nĭ iyû´[n]ta ă´tasû +digû[n]nage´ĭ degû[n]lskwĭ´tahise´stĭ, anetsâge´ta +unanugâ´istĭ nige´sû[n]na, nitinû´[n]neli´ga. Ă´tasû +dusa´ladanû´[n]stĭ nige´sû[n]na, nitinû´[n]neli´ga. +E‘lawi´nĭ iyû´[n]ta ă´tasû û[n]nage´ ugû[n]´hatû +û[n]nage´ sâ´gwa da‘liyĕ´kû‘lani´ga _unadutlâ´gĭ_. +Unanugâ´tsida´stĭ nige´sû[n]na, nû[n]eli´ga. + +Usĭnuli´yu tsunada´ntâ kul‘kwâ´gine tigalû´[n]ltiyû´[n]ĭ +iyû´[n]ta ada´ntâ tega´yĕ‘ti´tege´stĭ. Tsunada´ntâ +tsuligalĭ´stĭ nige´sû[n]na dudûni´tege´stĭ. +Usĭnu´lĭ deniû´[n]eli´ga galû´[n]latĭ iyû´[n]ta +widu´l‘tâhĭsti´tege´stĭ. Ă´tasû gigage´ĭ +dĕhatagû´[n]yastani´ga. Tsunada´ntâ tsudastû´nilida´stĭ +nige´sû[n]na nû[n]eli´ga. Tsunada´ntâ galû´[n]latĭ +iyû´[n]ta witĕ´‘titege´stĭ. Tsunada´ntâ anigwalu´gĭ +une´ga gû[n]wa´nadagû´[n]yastitege´stĭ. Sa‘ka´nĭ udûnu´hĭ +nige´sû[n]na usĭnuli´yu. Yû! + + +_Translation._ + +WHAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TO WAR DID TO HELP THEMSELVES. + +Hayĭ! Yû! Listen! Now instantly we have lifted up the red war club. +Quickly his soul shall be without motion. There under the earth, where +the black war clubs shall be moving about like ball sticks in the +game, there his soul shall be, never to reappear. We cause it to be +so. He shall never go and lift up the war club. We cause it to be so. +There under the earth the black war club (and) the black fog have come +together as one for their covering. It shall never move about (i.e., +the black fog shall never be lifted from them). We cause it to be so. + +Instantly shall their souls be moving about there in the seventh +heaven. Their souls shall never break in two. So shall it be. Quickly +we have moved them (their souls) on high for them, where they shall +be going about in peace. You (?) have shielded yourselves (?) with the +red war club. Their souls shall never be knocked about. Cause it to +be so. There on high their souls shall be going about. Let them shield +themselves with the white war whoop. Instantly (grant that) they shall +never become blue. Yû! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, obtained from A‘wani´ta, may be repeated by the doctor +for as many as eight men at once when about to go to war. It is +recited for four consecutive nights, immediately before setting out. +There is no tabu enjoined and no beads are used, but the warriors “go +to water” in the regular way, that is, they stand at the edge of the +stream, facing the east and looking down upon the water, while the +shaman, standing behind them, repeats the formula. On the fourth night +the shaman gives to each man a small charmed root which has the power +to confer invulnerability. On the eve of battle the warrior after +bathing in the running stream chews a portion of this and spits the +juice upon his body in order that the bullets of the enemy may pass +him by or slide off from his skin like drops of water. Almost every +man of the three hundred East Cherokees who served in the rebellion +had this or a similar ceremony performed before setting out--many of +them also consulting the oracular ulû[n]sû´tĭ stone at the same +time--and it is but fair to state that not more than two or three of +the entire number were wounded in actual battle. + +In the formula the shaman identifies himself with the warriors, +asserting that “_we_” have lifted up the red war club, red being the +color symbolic of success and having no reference to blood, as might +be supposed from the connection. In the first paragraph he invokes +curses upon the enemy, the future tense verb _It shall be_, etc., +having throughout the force of _let it be_. He puts the souls of +the doomed enemy in the lower regions, where the black war clubs are +constantly waving about, and envelops them in a black fog, which shall +never be lifted and out of which they shall never reappear. From +the expression in the second paragraph, “their souls shall never be +knocked about,” the reference to the black war clubs moving about like +ball sticks in the game would seem to imply that they are continually +buffeting the doomed souls under the earth. The spirit land of the +Cherokees is in the west, but in these formulas of malediction or +blessing the soul of the doomed man is generally consigned to the +underground region, while that of the victor is raised by antithesis +to the seventh heaven. + +Having disposed of the enemy, the shaman in the second paragraph turns +his attention to his friends and at once raises their souls to the +seventh heaven, where they shall go about in peace, shielded by +(literally, “covered with”) the red war club of success, and never to +be knocked about by the blows of the enemy. “Breaking the soul in two” +is equivalent to snapping the thread of life, the soul being regarded +as an intangible something having length, like a rod or a string. This +formula, like others written down by the same shaman, contains several +evident inconsistencies both as to grammar and mythology, due to the +fact that A‘wanita is extremely careless with regard to details and +that this particular formula has probably not been used for the last +quarter of a century. The warriors are also made to shield themselves +with the white war whoop, which should undoubtedly be the red war +whoop, consistent with the red war club, white being the color +emblematic of peace, which is evidently an incongruity. The war whoop +is believed to have a positive magic power for the protection of the +warrior, as well as for terrifying the foe. + +The mythologic significance of the different colors is well shown in +this formula. Red, symbolic of success, is the color of the war club +with which the warrior is to strike the enemy and also of the other +one with which he is to shield or “cover” himself. There is no doubt +that the war whoop also should be represented as red. In conjuring +with the beads for long life, for recovery from sickness, or for +success in love, the ball play, or any other undertaking, the red +beads represent the party for whose benefit the magic spell is +wrought, and he is figuratively clothed in red and made to stand upon +a red cloth or placed upon a red seat. The red spirits invoked always +live in the east and everything pertaining to them is of the same +color. + +Black is always typical of death, and in this formula the soul of the +enemy is continually beaten about by black war clubs and enveloped in +a black fog. In conjuring to destroy an enemy the shaman uses +black beads and invokes the black spirits--which always live in the +west--bidding them tear out the man’s soul, carry it to the west, +and put it into the black coffin deep in the black mud, with a black +serpent coiled above it. + +Blue is emblematic of failure, disappointment, or unsatisfied desire. +“They shall never become blue” means that they shall never fail in +anything they undertake. In love charms the lover figuratively covers +himself with red and prays that his rival shall become entirely blue +and walk in a blue path. The formulistic expression, “He is entirely +blue,” closely approximates in meaning the common English phrase, “He +feels blue.” The blue spirits live in the north. + +White--which occurs in this formula only by an evident error--denotes +peace and happiness. In ceremonial addresses, as at the green corn +dance and ball play, the people figuratively partake of white food +and after the dance or the game return along the white trail to their +white houses. In love charms the man, in order to induce the woman to +cast her lot with his, boasts “I am a white man,” implying that all is +happiness where he is. White beads have the same meaning in the bead +conjuring and white was the color of the stone pipe anciently used +in ratifying peace treaties. The white spirits live in the south +(Wa´hală). + +Two other colors, brown and yellow, are also mentioned in the +formulas. Wâtige´ĭ, “brown,” is the term used to include brown, +bay, dun, and similar colors, especially as applied to animals. It +seldom occurs in the formulas and its mythologic significance is as +yet undetermined. Yellow is of more frequent occurrence and is typical +of trouble and all manner of vexation, the yellow spirits being +generally invoked when the shaman wishes to bring down calamities upon +the head of his victim, without actually destroying him. So far as +present knowledge goes, neither brown nor yellow can be assigned to +any particular point of the compass. + +Usĭnuli´yu, rendered “instantly,” is the intensive form of +usĭnu´lĭ “quickly,” both of which words recur constantly in the +formulas, in some entering into almost every sentence. This frequently +gives the translation an awkward appearance. Thus the final sentence +above, which means literally “they shall never become blue instantly,” +signifies “Grant that they shall never become blue”, i.e., shall never +fail in their purpose, _and grant our petition instantly_. + + +DIDA´LATLI´‘TǏ. + +Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa tsûdantâ´gĭ tegû´[n]yatawâ´ilateli´ga. Iyustĭ +(0 0) tsilastû´‘lĭ Iyu´stĭ (0 0) ditsadâ´ita. Tsûwatsi´la +elawi´nĭ tsidâ´hĭstani´ga. Tsûdantâgĭ +elawi´nĭ tsidâ´hĭstani´ga. Nû´[n]ya gû´[n]nage +gû[n]yu´tlû[n]tani´ga. Ă‘nûwa´gĭ gû´[n]nage´ +gû[n]yu´tlû[n]tani´ga. Sû[n]talu´ga gû´[n]nage +degû´[n]yanu´galû´[n]tani´ga, tsû´nanugâ´istĭ +nige´sû[n]na. Usûhi´yĭ nû[n]nâ´hĭ wite´tsatanû´[n]û[n]sĭ +gûne´sâ gû´[n]nage asahalagĭ´. Tsûtû´neli´ga. Elawâ´tĭ +asa´halagĭ´a´dû[n]ni´ga. Usĭnuli´yu Usûhi´yĭ gûltsâ´tĕ +digû´[n]nagesta´yĭ, elawâ´ti gû´[n]nage tidâ´hĭstĭ +wa‘yanu´galû[n]tsi´ga. Gûne´sa gû´[n]age sû[n]talu´ga +gû´[n]nage gayu´tlû[n]tani´ga. Tsûdantâ´gĭ +ûska´lû[n]tsi´ga. Sa‘ka´nĭ adû[n]ni´ga. Usû´hita +atanis´se´tĭ, ayâ´lâtsi´sestĭ tsûdantâ´gĭ, +tsû´nanugâ´istĭ nige´sû[n]na. Sgĕ! + + +_Translation._ + +TO DESTROY LIFE. + +Listen! Now I have come to step over your soul. You are of the (wolf) +clan. Your name is (A‘yû´[n]inĭ). Your spittle I have put at rest +under the earth. Your soul I have put at rest under the earth. I have +come to cover you over with the black rock. I have come to cover you +over with the black cloth. I have come to cover you with the black +slabs, never to reappear. Toward the black coffin of the upland in the +Darkening Land your paths shall stretch out. So shall it be for you. +The clay of the upland has come (to cover you. (?)) Instantly the +black clay has lodged there where it is at rest at the black houses in +the Darkening Land. With the black coffin and with the black slabs I +have come to cover you. Now your soul has faded away. It has become +blue. When darkness comes your spirit shall grow less and dwindle +away, never to reappear. Listen! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula is from the manuscript book of A‘yû´[n]inĭ, +who explained the whole ceremony. The language needs but little +explanation. A blank is left for the name and clan of the victim, and +is filled in by the shaman. As the purpose of the ceremony is to bring +about the death of the victim, everything spoken of is symbolically +colored black, according to the significance of the colors as already +explained. The declaration near the end, “It has become blue,” +indicates that the victim now begins to feel in himself the effects of +the incantation, and that as darkness comes on his spirit will shrink +and gradually become less until it dwindles away to nothingness. + +When the shaman wishes to destroy the life of another, either for his +own purposes or for hire, he conceals himself near the trail along +which the victim is likely to pass. When the doomed man appears the +shaman waits until he has gone by and then follows him secretly until +he chances to spit upon the ground. On coming up to the spot the +shaman collects upon the end of a stick a little of the dust thus +moistened with the victim’s spittle. The possession of the man’s +spittle gives him power over the life of the man himself. Many +ailments are said by the doctors to be due to the fact that some enemy +has by this means “changed the spittle” of the patient and caused it +to breed animals or sprout corn in the sick man’s body. In the love +charms also the lover always figuratively “takes the spittle” of the +girl in order to fix her affections upon himself. The same idea in +regard to spittle is found in European folk medicine. + +The shaman then puts the clay thus moistened into a tube consisting +of a joint of the Kanesâ´la or wild parsnip, a poisonous plant of +considerable importance in life-conjuring ceremonies. He also puts +into the tube seven earthworms beaten into a paste, and several +splinters from a tree which has been struck by lightning. The idea in +regard to the worms is not quite clear, but it may be that they are +expected to devour the soul of the victim as earthworms are supposed +to feed upon dead bodies, or perhaps it is thought that from their +burrowing habits they may serve to hollow out a grave for the soul +under the earth, the quarter to which the shaman consigns it. In other +similar ceremonies the dirt-dauber wasp or the stinging ant is buried +in the same manner in order that it may kill the soul, as these are +said to kill other more powerful insects by their poisonous sting or +bite. The wood of a tree struck by lightning is also a potent spell +for both good and evil and is used in many formulas of various kinds. + +Having prepared the tube, the shaman goes into the forest to a tree +which has been struck by lightning. At its base he digs a hole, in the +bottom of which he puts a large yellow stone slab. He then puts in +the tube, together with seven yellow pebbles, fills in the earth, and +finally builds a fire over the spot to destroy all traces of his work. +The yellow stones are probably chosen as the next best substitute for +black stones, which are not always easy to find. The formula mentions +“black rock,” black being the emblem of death, while yellow typifies +trouble. The shaman and his employer fast until after the ceremony. + +If the ceremony has been properly carried out, the victim becomes +blue, that is, he feels the effects in himself at once, and, unless +he employs the countercharms of some more powerful shaman, his soul +begins to shrivel up and dwindle, and within seven days he is dead. +When it is found that the spell has no effect upon the intended victim +it is believed that he has discovered the plot and has taken measures +for his own protection, or that, having suspected a design against +him--as, for instance, after having won a girl’s affections from +a rival or overcoming him in the ball play--he has already secured +himself from all attempts by counterspells. It then becomes a serious +matter, as, should he succeed in turning the curse aside from himself, +it will return upon the heads of his enemies. + +The shaman and his employer then retire to a lonely spot in the +mountains, in the vicinity of a small stream, and begin a new series +of conjurations with the beads. After constructing a temporary shelter +of bark laid over poles, the two go down to the water, the shaman +taking with him two pieces of cloth, a yard or two yards in length, +one white, the other black, together with seven red and seven +black beads. The cloth is the shaman’s pay for his services, and is +furnished by his employer, who sometimes also supplies the beads. +There are many formulas for conjuring with the beads, which are used +on almost all important occasions, and differences also in the details +of the ceremony, but the general practice is the same in all cases. +The shaman selects a bend in the river where his client can look +toward the east while facing up stream. The man then takes up his +position on the bank or wades into the stream a short distance, +where--in the ceremonial language--the water is a “hand length” +(_awâ´hilû_) in depth and stands silently with his eyes fixed upon +the water and his back to the shaman on the bank. The shaman then lays +upon the ground the two pieces of cloth, folded into convenient size, +and places the red beads--typical of success and his client upon +the white cloth, while the black beads--emblematic of death and the +intended victim--are laid upon the black cloth. It is probable that +the first cloth should properly be red instead of white, but as it is +difficult to get red cloth, except in the shape of handkerchiefs, a +substitution has been made, the two colors having a close mythologic +relation. In former days a piece of buckskin and the small glossy, +seeds of the Viper’s Bugloss (_Echium vulgare_) were used instead +of the cloth and beads. The formulistic name for the bead is +_sû´nĭkta_, which the priests are unable to analyze, the ordinary +word for beads or coin being _adélâ_. + +The shaman now takes a red bead, representing his client, between +the thumb and index finger of his right hand, and a black bead, +representing the victim, in like manner, in his left hand. Standing +a few feet behind his client he turns toward the east, fixes his eyes +upon the bead between the thumb and finger of his right hand, and +addresses it as the Sû´nĭkta Gigăge´ĭ, the Red Bead, invoking +blessings upon his client and clothing him with the red garments of +success. The formula is repeated in a low chant or intonation, the +voice rising at intervals, after the manner of a revival speaker. Then +turning to the black bead in his left hand he addresses it in similar +manner, calling down the most withering curses upon the head of the +victim. Finally looking up he addresses the stream, under the name of +Yû´[n]wĭ Gûnahi´ta, the “Long Person,” imploring it to protect +his client and raise him to the seventh heaven, where he will be +secure from all his enemies. The other, then stooping down, dips up +water in his hand seven times and pours it upon his head, rubbing it +upon his shoulders and breast at the same time. In some cases he dips +completely under seven times, being stripped, of course, even when the +water is of almost icy coldness. The shaman, then stooping down, makes +a small hole in the ground with his finger, drops into it the fatal +black bead, and buries it out of sight with a stamp of his foot. This +ends the ceremony, which is called “taking to water.” + +While addressing the beads the shaman attentively observes them as +they are held between the thumb and finger of his outstretched hands. +In a short time they begin to move, slowly and but a short distance at +first, then faster and farther, often coming down as far as the first +joint of the finger or even below, with an irregular serpentine motion +from side to side, returning in the same manner. Should the red bead +be more lively in its movements and come down lower on the finger +than the black bead, he confidently predicts for the client the speedy +accomplishment of his desire. On the other hand, should the black bead +surpass the red in activity, the spells of the shaman employed by the +intended victim are too strong, and the whole ceremony must be gone +over again with an additional and larger quantity of cloth. This must +be kept up until the movements of the red beads give token of success +or until they show by their sluggish motions or their failure to move +down along the finger that the opposing shaman can not be overcome. In +the latter case the discouraged plotter gives up all hope, considering +himself as cursed by every imprecation which he has unsuccessfully +invoked upon his enemy, goes home and--theoretically--lies down and +dies. As a matter of fact, however, the shaman is always ready with +other formulas by means of which he can ward off such fatal results, +in consideration, of a sufficient quantity of cloth. + +Should the first trial, which takes place at daybreak, prove +unsuccessful, the shaman and his client fast until just before sunset. +They then eat and remain awake until midnight, when the ceremony is +repeated, and if still unsuccessful it may be repeated four times +before daybreak (or the following noon?), both men remaining awake and +fasting throughout the night. If still unsuccessful, they continue to +fast all day until just before sundown. Then they eat again and again +remain awake until midnight, when the previous night’s programme +is repeated. It has now become a trial of endurance between the +revengeful client and his shaman on the one side and the intended +victim and his shaman on the other, the latter being supposed to be +industriously working countercharms all the while, as each party must +subsist upon one meal per day and abstain entirely from sleep until +the result has been decided one way or the other. Failure to endure +this severe strain, even so much as closing the eyes in sleep for +a few moments or partaking of the least nourishment excepting just +before sunset, neutralizes all the previous work and places the +unfortunate offender at the mercy of his more watchful enemy. If +the shaman be still unsuccessful on the fourth day, he acknowledges +himself defeated and gives up the contest. Should his spells prove the +stronger, his victim will die within seven days, or, as the Cherokees +say, seven nights. These “seven nights,” however, are frequently +interpreted, figuratively, to mean _seven years_, a rendering which +often serves to relieve the shaman from a very embarrassing position. + +With regard to the oracle of the whole proceeding, the beads do move; +but the explanation is simple, although the Indians account for it +by saying that the beads become alive by the recitation of the sacred +formula. The shaman is laboring under strong, though suppressed, +emotion. He stands with his hands stretched out in a constrained +position, every muscle tense, his breast heaving and voice trembling +from the effort, and the natural result is that before he is done +praying his fingers begin to twitch involuntarily and thus cause the +beads to move. As before stated, their motion is irregular; but the +peculiar delicacy of touch acquired by long practice probably imparts +more directness to their movements than would at first seem possible. + + +HIĂ´ A´NE´TS UGÛ´[n]WA´LǏ AM´YǏ DITSÛ´[n]STA´TǏ. + +Sgĕ! Ha-nâgwa ă´stĭ une´ga aksâ´û[n]tanû´[n] usĭnu´lĭ +a‘ne´tsâ unatsâ´nû[n]tse´lahĭ akta´‘tĭ adû[n]ni´ga. + +Iyu´stĭ utadâ´ta, iyu´stĭ tsunadâ´ita. Nû[n]nâ´hĭ +anite´lahĕhû´ ige´skĭ nige´sû[n]na. Dû´ksi-gwu´ +dedu´natsgû‘la´wate´gû. Da´‘sû[n] unilâtsi´satû. Sa‘ka´ni +unati´satû´. + +Nû[n]nâ´hĭ dâ´tadu´nina´watĭ´ a´yû-‘nû´ digwatseli´ga +a‘ne´tsâ unatsâ´nû[n]tse´lahĭ. Tla´mehû Gigage´ĭ sâ´gwa +danûtsgû´‘lani´ga. Igû´[n]yĭ galû´[n]lâ ge´sû[n] i´yû[n] +kanû´[n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ´hĭstâ´gĭ. Ta´line galû´[n]lâ +ge´su[n] i´yû[n] kanû´[n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ´hĭstâ´gĭ. +He´nilû danûtsgû´‘lani´ga. Tla´ma û[n]ni´ta a´nigwalu´gĭ +gû[n]tla´‘tisge´stĭ, ase´gwû nige´sû[n]na. + +Du´talĕ a‘ne´tsâ unatsâ´nû[n]tse´lahĭ saligu´gi-gwû +dedu´natsgû´‘lawĭsti´tegû´. Elawi´nĭ da´‘sû[n] +unilâtsi´satû. + +Tsâ´ine digalû´[n]latiyu´[n] Să´niwă Gi´gageĭ sâ´gwa +danûtsgû´‘lani´ga, asĕ‘gâ´gĭ nige´sû[n]na. Kanû´[n]lagĭ +[u]*wâhâ´hĭstâ´gĭ nû´‘gine digalû´[n]latiyû´[n]. +Gulĭ´sgulĭ´ Sa‘ka´ni sâ´gwa danûtsgû´‘lani´ga, +asĕ‘gâ´gĭ nige´sû[n]na. Kanû´[n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ´hĭstâgĭ +hĭ´skine digalû´[n]latiyû´[n]. Tsŭtsŭ´ Sa‘ka´ni sâ´gwa +danûtsgû´‘lani´ga, asĕ‘gâ´gĭ nige´sû[n]na. + +Du´talĕ a‘ne´tsâ utsâ´nû[n]tse´lahĭ Tĭne´gwa Sa‘ka´ni +sâ´gwa danûtsgû´‘lani´ga, ige´skĭ nige´sû[n]na. Da´‘sû[n] +unilâtsi´satû. Kanû´[n]lagĭ [u]wâhâ´hĭstâ´gĭ +sutali´ne digalû´[n]latiyû´[n]. A´nigâsta´ya sâ´gwa +danûtsgu´‘lani´ga, asĕ‘gâ´gĭ nige´su[n]na. Kanû´[n]lagĭ +[u]wâhâ´hĭstâ´gĭ kûl‘kwâgine digalû´[n]latiyû´[n]. +Wâtatû´ga Sa‘ka´ni sâ´gwa danûtsgû´‘lani´ga, asĕ‘gâ´gĭ +nige´sû[n]na. + +Du´talĕ a‘ne´tsâ unatsâ´nû[n]tse´lahĭ, Yâ´na +dedu´natsgû´‘lawĭstani´ga, ige´skĭ nige´sû[n]na. Da‘sû[n] +du´nilâtsi´satû. Kanû´[n]lagĭ de´tagaskalâ´û[n]tanû´[n], +igû[n]´wûlstanûhi-gwûdi´na tsuye´listi gesû´[n]ĭ. Akta´‘tĭ +adû[n]ni´ga. + +Sgĕ! Nâ´gwa t’skĭ´nâne´lĭ ta´lădŭ´ iyû´[n]ta +a´gwatseli´ga, Wătatu´ga Tsûne´ga. Tsuye´listĭ gesû´[n]ĭ +skĭ´nâhû[n]sĭ´ a´gwatseli´ga--kanû´[n]lagĭ a´gwatseli´ga. +Nă´‘nâ utadâ´ta kanû´[n]lagĭ dedu´skalâ´asi´ga. + +Dedû´ndagû´[n]yastani´ga, gû[n]wâ´hisâ´nûhĭ. Yû! + + +_Translation._ + +THIS CONCERNS THE BALL PLAY--TO TAKE THEM TO WATER WITH IT. + +Listen! Ha! Now where the white thread has been let down, quickly we +are about to examine into (the fate of) the admirers of the ball play. + +They are of--such a (iyu´stĭ) descent. They are called--so and so +(iyu´stĭ). They are shaking the road which shall never be joyful. +The miserable Terrapin has come and fastened himself upon them as they +go about. They have lost all strength. They have become entirely blue. + +But now my admirers of the ball play have their roads lying along in +this direction. The Red Bat has come and made himself one of them. +There in the first heaven are the pleasing stakes. There in the second +heaven are the pleasing stakes. The Pewee has come and joined them. +The immortal ball stick shall place itself upon the whoop, never to be +defeated. + +As for the lovers of the ball play on the other side, the common +Turtle has come and fastened himself upon them as they go about. Under +the earth they have lost all strength. + +The pleasing stakes are in the third heaven. The Red Tlăniwă has +come and made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. +The pleasing stakes are in the fourth heaven. The Blue Fly-catcher +has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. The +pleasing stakes are in the fifth heaven. The Blue Martin has made +himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. + +The other lovers of the ball play, the Blue Mole has come and fastened +upon them, that they may never be joyous. They have lost all strength. + +The pleasing stakes are there in the sixth heaven. The Chimney Swift +has made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. The +pleasing stakes are in the seventh heaven. The Blue Dragon-fly has +made himself one of them, that they may never be defeated. + +As for the other admirers of the ball play, the Bear has just come and +fastened him upon them, that they may never be happy. They have lost +all strength. He has let the stakes slip from his grasp and there +shall be nothing left for their share. + +The examination is ended. + +Listen! Now let me know that the twelve are mine, O White Dragon-fly. +Tell me that the share is to be mine--that the stakes are mine. As for +the player there on the other side, he has been forced to let go his +hold upon the stakes. + +Now they are become exultant and happy. Yû! + + +_Explanation._ + +This formula, from the A‘yû[n]inĭ manuscript is one of those used +by the shaman in taking the ball players to water before the game. +The ceremony is performed in connection with red and black beads, +as described in the formula just given for destroying life. The +formulistic name given to the ball players signifies literally, +“admirers of the ball play.” The Tlă´niwă (să´niwă in the Middle +dialect) is the mythic great hawk, as large and powerful as the roc of +Arabian tales. The shaman begins by declaring that it is his purpose +to examine or inquire into the fate of the ball players, and then +gives his attention by turns to his friends and their opponents, +fixing his eyes upon the red bead while praying for his clients, and +upon the black bead while speaking of their rivals. His friends he +raises gradually to the seventh or highest _galû´[n]latĭ_. This +word literally signifies height, and is the name given to the abode +of the gods dwelling above the earth, and is also used to mean heaven +in the Cherokee bible translation. The opposing players, on the other +hand, are put down under the earth, and are made to resemble animals +slow and clumsy of movement, while on behalf of his friends the +shaman invokes the aid of swift-flying birds, which, according to +the Indian belief, never by any chance fail to secure their prey. +The birds invoked are the He´nilû or wood pewee (_Contopus virens_), +the Tlăniwă or mythic hawk, the Gulĭ´sgulĭ´ or great crested +flycatcher (_Myiarchus crinitus_), the Tsûtsû or martin (_Progne +subis_), and the A´nigâsta´ya or chimney swift (_Chætura +pelasgia_). In the idiom of the formulas it is said that these “have +just come and are sticking to them” (the players), the same word +(_danûtsgû´lani’ga_) being used to express the devoted attention of +a lover to his mistress. The Watatuga, a small species of dragon-fly, +is also invoked, together with the bat, which, according to a Cherokee +myth, once took sides with the birds in a great ball contest with the +four-footed animals, and won the victory for the birds by reason of +his superior skill in dodging. This myth explains also why birds, and +no quadrupeds, are invoked by the shaman to the aid of his friends. +In accordance with the regular color symbolism the flycatcher, martin, +and dragon-fly, like the bat and the tlă´niwă, should be red, the +color of success, instead of blue, evidently so written by mistake. +The white thread is frequently mentioned in the formulas, but in this +instance the reference is not clear. The twelve refers to the number +of runs made in the game. + + +Index. + + A‘wanita, or Young Deer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 + Ayasta, Cherokee manuscript obtained from 313 + A‘yû[n]´inĭ, or Swimmer, Cherokee manuscripts obtained from + 310-312 + Bathing in medical practice of Cherokees 333-334, 335-336 + Bleeding, practice of among the Cherokees 334-335 + Brinton, D.G., cited on linguistic value of Indian records 318 + Catawba Killer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 + Cherokees, paper on Sacred Formulas of, by James Mooney 301-397 + bathing, rubbing, and bleeding in medical practice of 333-336 + manuscripts of, containing sacred, medical, and other formulas, + character and age of 307-318 + medical practice of, list of plants used in 324-327 + medicine dance of 337 + color symbolism of 342-343 + gods of, and their abiding places 340-342 + religion of 319 + Cherokee Sacred Formulas, language of 343-344 + specimens of 344-397 + for rheumatism 345-351 + for snake bite 351-353 + for worms 353-356 + for neuralgia 356-359 + for fever and ague 359-363 + for child birth 363-364 + for biliousness 365-366 + for ordeal diseases 367-369 + for hunting and fishing 369-375 + for love 375-384 + to kill a witch 384-386 + to find something 386-387 + to prevent a storm 387-388 + for going to war 388-391 + for destroying an enemy 391-395 + for ball play 395-397 + Color symbolism of the Cherokees 342, 343 + Disease, Cherokee theory of 322-324 + Disease and medicine, Cherokee tradition of origin of 319-322 + Gahuni manuscript of Cherokee formulas 313, 314 + Gatigwanasti manuscript of Cherokee formulas 312, 313 + Gods of the Cherokees and their abiding places 340-342 + Haywood, John, cited on witchcraft beliefs among the Cherokees 322 + Inali manuscript of Cherokee formulas 314-316 + Long, W.W., collection of Cherokee formulas and songs prepared by + 317 + Medical practice of Cherokees, plants used 322-331 + Medicine dance of Cherokees 337 + Mooney, James, paper on sacred formulas of the Cherokees, by + 301-397 + Names, importance attached to, in Cherokee sacred formulas 343 + Plants used by Cherokees for medical purposes 322-331 + ceremonies for gathering 339 + Religion of the Cherokees, character of 319 + Religion of the Cherokees, gods of 340-342 + Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, paper by James Mooney on 301-397 + Sanitary regulations among the Cherokee Indians, neglect of 332, + 333 + Shamans, decline of power of among Cherokees 336 + mode of payment of among Cherokees 337-339 + Sweat bath, use of, among Cherokees 333-334 + Swimmer manuscript of Cherokee formulas 310, 312 + Tabu among Cherokees, illustrations of 331-332 + Takwatihi, or Catawba-Killer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 + Will West, collection of Cherokee formulas and songs prepared by + 317 + Young Deer, Cherokee formulas furnished by 316 + + + + + Errors: + + Missing or superfluous quotation marks have been silently corrected. + + ... while closely watching the motions ... + [original has “the / the” at line break] + formulas obtained from Tsiskwa, A´wanita, and / Takwtihi + [error for Takwati´hĭ ?] + Sgĕ! Ha-nâ´gwa hû[n]hatû´[n]gani´ga + [all parentheses in this paragraph shown as printed] + (hetsatsa´û[n]tani´ga + [mismatched parenthesis in original] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, by +James Mooney + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SACRED FORMULAS *** + +***** This file should be named 24788-0.txt or 24788-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/7/8/24788/ + +Produced by William Flis, Carlo Traverso and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at +http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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