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
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._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account