Cherokee deities

[Taurwen]

Hey all

Does anyone here know of a good source online about cherokee gods and goddesses? I'm 1/8th Cherokee, but after searching on google/altavista/ other places not many good results came up.

Wa-do,
Taurwen

[Ravyn Sylverwyng]

I have another site that I have found, but it is on the other computer that I have given my sister, but here is some information that I found at this site

http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/sfoc/sfoc23.htm

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'hï, "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

p. 341

Nû'ntâ. 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

p. 342

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'nlati) above the arch of the firmament.

[Flar's Freyja]

You may have found anything because many of the deities are associated with many tribes. Try here:

http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/native_american-mythology.php

and here:

http://www.crystalinks.com/spiderwoman.html

[KellyP]

Glad to hear someone of Native American descent (here in Oklahoma we still call them Indians) is exploring their ancestral culture. Having lived in an area populated by many tribes I see how their culture is eroding away as young people show little interest in learning traditional skills.

Here are a few things I found doing some searches. Hope they help.

http://www.cherokeenationmexico.com/religion.html
http://www.cherokeenationmexico.com/religion.html

You may have better luck contacting the Cherokee tribal HQ closest to you and asking for a name and email address of someone willing to correspond with you.

Then you could tell the rest of MW what you have learned.

Kelly
pot-bellied druid of the prairie

[Flar's Freyja]

Glad to hear someone of Native American descent (here in Oklahoma we still call them Indians) You may have better luck contacting the Cherokee tribal HQ closest to you and asking for a name and email address of someone willing to correspond with you........

Then you could tell the rest of MW what you have learned.

Kelly
pot-bellied druid of the prairie

I'm in Oklahoma as well - right here in Cherokee National Headquarters. I find it sad that while the "Indians" have fought for their rights, the majority make no effort to pass down their heritage to their children and no longer practice it.

Here's the link to their official site here in Tahlequah:

http://www.cherokee.org/

I'd also be interested to know whether they can help you.

[Taurwen]

All thank you all, the links have proven helpful. I like the Cherokee Nation's site. I didn't actually know their site existed until now :D

[Flar's Freyja]

All thank you all, the links have proven helpful. I like the Cherokee Nation's site. I didn't actually know their site existed until now :D

I believe that most of the tribes that actually have headquarters have websites these days. They're pretty easy to find in search engines. I hope you'll find the info you're seeking and that you'll come back and share it :)

[Wolfscout1]

Thank everyone for this thread.
I have read all the links and am honored and thankful for what is presented here.

[Taurwen]

Here's some things I found, of the Cherokee Gods and Goddesses. In the second quote, it seems there are two sun goddesses.... I'll have to figure out about that. ---

[edit]After searching for Igaehinvdo I got few results. But the other sun goddess brought me a lot of results.


ENUMCLAW: Trouble-making Thunder God.

The son of KANATI the Hunter and SELU the Corn Goddess, ENUMCLAW and his brother KAPOONIS were known as the THUNDER-TWINS.

Having consulted with spirits, ENUMCLAW discovered the secret of making fire spears, while his brother KAPOONIS mastered the somewhat easier art of hurling very large boulders.

Together they caused all manner of mayhem on Earth. Not very amused, Father Sky grabbed both of them up into his domain and put them to use.

Now ENUMCLAW makes lightning by casting his fire spears down to Earth, while his brother hurls thunderous boulders across the sky.


http://www3.sympatico.ca/chartreuse/AvatarsOfTheGoddess/FirstNations.htm[/url]"][/i]
Grandmother Spider
(Spinning Woman, Thinking Woman) The creatress and wisdom goddess of the Cherokee. She wove the universe every day and unraveled the web every night

Elihino
The Cherokee earth mother; sister of Igaehindivo (the sun goddess) and Sehu (the corn woman)

Asgaya Gigagei
The Red Man or Red Woman invoked by the Cherokee in spells to cure the ill. Asgaya Gigagei is either male or female, depending on the sex of the patient.

Igaehinvdo
The Cherokee sun goddess. Sister of Elihino (the earth) and Sehu (maize goddess).

Unelanuhi
The Cherokee goddess of the Sun, her name meant "apportioner", she who divided time into units. The world had no sun, so opossum was sent to get one but burned its tail; vulture tried, burning its feathers. Finally, Spider Grandmother wove a web that caught Unelanuhi, the sun, and the people had warmth.

Selu
("corn") Sometimes known as the Cherokee First Woman, she is Kanati's wife. Selu created corn in secret by rubbing her belly or by defecating. Her sons, the Twin Thunder Boys, killed her when they spied upon her and decided she was a witch.

[Agaliha]

Too bad there isn't more detailed info.... :(
I've been trying to find some for Cherokee Gods too.
But all I get are little summaries.
::sigh::

Edit: I just found this site that maybe more helpful: http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/religion.htm (http://www.cherokeebyblood.com/religion.htm)

It's so hard to find good info... :geez: