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
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._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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