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 301-398Mooney, James
Religion
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
Mooney, James
Cherokee Indians -- Religion; Cherokee language -- Texts; Indians of North America -- Medicine
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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