Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney

by the doctors in connection with the gathering and preparation of medicinal roots, barks, and herbs, see the author's Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, in the Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, 1891. Violet--The Onondaga name signifies "two heads entangled," referring, we are told, to "the way so often seen where the heads are interlocked and pulled apart by the stems" (W. M. Beauchamp, in Journal of American Folk-Lore, October, 1888). Cedar--For references to the sacred character of the cedar among the plains tribes, see the author's Ghost-dance Religion, in the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, part 2, 1896. Linn and basswood--The ancient Tuscarora believed that no tree but black gum was immune from lightning, which, they declared, would run round the tree a great many times seeking in vain to effect an entrance. Lawson, who records the belief, adds: "Now, you must understand that sort of gum will not split or rive: therefore, I suppose the story might arise from thence" (Carolina, pp. 345-346, ed. 1860). The Pawnee claim the same immunity for the cedar, and throw sprigs of it as incense upon the fire during storms to turn aside the lightning stroke (Grinnell, Pawnee Hero Stories, p. 126). Ginseng--For more concerning this plant see the author's Sacred Formulas, above mentioned. GLOSSARY OF CHEROKEE WORDS The Cherokee language has the continental vowel sounds a, e, i, and u, but lacks o, which is replaced by a deep â. The obscure or short û is frequently nasalized, but the nasal sound is seldom heard at the end of a word. The only labial is m, which occurs in probably not more than half a dozen words in the Upper and Middle dialects, and is entirely absent from the Lower dialect, in which w takes its place. The characteristic l of the Upper and Middle dialects becomes r in the Lower, but no dialect has both sounds. There is also an aspirated l; k and t have the ordinary sounds of these letters, but g and d are medials, approximating the sounds of k and t, respectively. A frequent double consonant is ts, commonly rendered ch by the old traders (see p. 188, "Dialects"). a as in far. a as in what, or obscure as in showman. â as in law, all. d medial (semisonant), approximating t. e as in they. e as in net. g medial (semisonant), approximating k. h as in hat. i as in pique. i as in pick. k as in kick. l as in lull. `l surd l (sometimes written hl), nearly the Welsh ll. m as in man. n as in not. r takes place of l in Lower dialect. s as in sin. t as in top. u as in rule. û as in cut. ûñ û nasalized. w as in wit. y as in you. ` a slight aspirate, sometimes indicating the omission of a vowel. A number of English words, with cross references, have been introduced into the glossary, and these, together with corrupted Cherokee forms, are indicated by small capitals. adâ'lanûñ'sti--a staff or cane. adan'ta--soul. ada'wehi--a magician or supernatural being. ada'wehi'yu--a very great magician; intensive form of ada'wehi. â'gana--groundhog. Â'ganstâ'ta--"Groundhog-sausage," from â'gana, groundhog, and tsistâ'û, "I am pounding it," understood to refer to pounding meat, etc., in a mortar, after having first crisped it before the fire. A war chief noted in the Cherokee war of 1760, and prominent until about the close of the Revolution; known to the whites as Oconostota. Also the Cherokee name for Colonel Gideon Morgan of the war of 1812, for Washington Morgan, his son, of the Civil war, and now for a full-blood upon the reservation, known to the whites as Morgan Calhoun. Â'gan-uni'tsi--"Groundhogs'-mother," from â'gana and uni'tsi, their mother, plural of utsi', his mother (etsi', agiti', my mother). The Cherokee name of a Shawano captive, who, according to tradition, killed the great Uktena serpent and procured the Ulûñsû'ti. Agawe'la--"Old Woman," a formulistic name for corn or the spirit of corn. agayûñ'li--for agayûñ'lige, old, ancient. agidâ'ta--see edâ'ta. agidu'tu--see edu'tu. Agi`li--"He is rising," possibly a contraction of an old personal name, Agin'-agi`li, "Rising-fawn." Major George Lowrey, cousin of Sequoya, and assistant chief of the Cherokee Nation about 1840. Stanley incorrectly makes it "Keeth-la, or Dog" (for gi`li'.) agini'si--see eni'si. agi'si--female, applied usually to quadrupeds. Agis'-e'gwa--"Great Female," possibly "Great Doe." A being, probably an animal god, invoked in the sacred formulas. agitsi'--see etsi'. Agitsta`ti'yi--"Where they stayed up all night," from tsigitsûñ'tihû', "I stay up all night." A place in the Great Smoky range about the head of Noland creek, in Swain county, North Carolina. See notes to number 100. Aguaquiri--see Guaquili. Ahalu'na--"Ambush," Ahalunûñ'yi, "Ambush place," or Uni'halu'na, "Where they ambushed," from akalu'ga, "I am watching". Soco gap, at the head of Soco creek, on the line between Swain and Haywood counties, North Carolina (see number 122). The name is also applied to a lookout station for deer hunters. ahanu'lahi--"he is bearded," from ahanu'lahû, a beard. Ahu'lude'gi--"He throws away the drum" (habitual), from ahu'li, drum, and akwade'gû, "I am throwing it away" (round object). The Cherokee name of John Jolly, a noted chief and adopted father of Samuel Houston, about 1800. ahyeli'ski--a mocker or mimic. akta'--eye; plural, dikta'. akta'ti--a telescope or field glass. The name denotes something with which to examine or look into closely, from akta', eye. akwandu'li--a song form for akwidu'li(-hû, "I want it." Akwan`ki--see Anakwan`ki. Akwe`ti'yi--a location on Tuckasegee river, in Jackson county, North Carolina; the meaning of the name is lost. See number 122. Alarka--see Yalâgi. âliga'--the red-horse fish (Moxostoma). Alkini'--the last woman known to be of Natchez descent and peculiarity among the East Cherokee; died about 1890. The name has no apparent meaning. ama'--water; in the Lower dialect, awa'; cf. a'ma, salt. amaye'hi--"dwelling in the water," from ama' (ama'yi, "in the water") and ehû', "I dwell," "I live." Amaye`l-e'gwa--"Great island," from amaye`li, island (from ama', water, and aye`li, "in the middle") and e'gwa, great. A former Cherokee settlement on Little Tennessee river, at Big island, a short distance below the mouth of Tellico, in Monroe county, Tennessee. Timberlake writes it Mialaquo, while Bartram spells it Nilaque. Not to be confounded with Long-island town below Chattanooga. Amaye`li-gûnahi'ta--"Long island," from amaye`li, island, and gûnahi'ta, long. A former Cherokee settlement, known to the whites as Long Island town, at the Long island in Tennessee river, on the Tennessee-Georgia line. It was one of the Chickamauga towns (see Tsikama'gi). ama'yine'hi--"dwellers in the water," plural of amaye'hi. Anada'dûñtaski--"Roasters," i. e., Cannibals; from gûñ'taskû', "I am putting it (round) into the fire to roast." The regular word for cannibals is Yûñ'wini'giski, q. v. See number 3. anagâhûñ'ûñskû'--the Green-corn dance; literally, "they are having a Green-corn dance"; anagâhûñ'ûñsgûñ'yi, "where they are having the Green-corn dance"; the popular name is not a translation of the Cherokee word, which has no reference either to corn or dancing. Anakwan`ki--the Delaware Indians; singular Akwan`ki, a Cherokee attempt at Wapanaqki, "Easterners," the Algonquian name by which, in various corrupted forms, the Delawares are commonly known to the western tribes. Anantooeah--see Ani'-Nûn'dawe'gi. a`ne'tsâ, or a`netsâ'gi--the ballplay. a`netsâ'ûñski--a ballplayer; literally, "a lover of the ballplay." ani'--a tribal and animate prefix. ani'da'wehi--plural of ada'wehi. a'niganti'ski--see dagan`tû. Ani'-Gatage'wi--one of the seven Cherokee clans; the name has now no meaning, but has been absurdly rendered "Blind savanna," from an incorrect idea that it is derived from igâ'ti, a swamp or savanna, and dige'wi, blind. Ani'-Gilâ'hi--"Long-haired people," one of the seven Cherokee clans; singular, Agilâ'hi. The word comes from agilâ'hi (perhaps connected with agi`lge-ni, "the back of (his) neck"), an archaic term denoting wearing the hair long or flowing loosely, and usually recognized as applying more particularly to a woman. Ani'-Gili'--a problematic tribe, possibly the Congaree. See page