Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney

is applied to the first yellow-jacket (d`ska'i) seen in the spring, to a queen bee and to the leader of a working squad. u`lana'wa--the soft-shell turtle; the etymology of the word is uncertain. See also saligu'gi and tûksi'. ulasu'la--moccasin, shoe. ûle'--and; ûle-`nû', and also. Ûñli'ta--"(He is) long-winded," an archaic form for the regular word, gûñli'ta; an old masculine name. A chief about the year 1790, known to the whites as "The Breath." ûlskwûlte'gi--a "pound-mill," a self-acting water-mill used in the Cherokee mountains. The name signifies that "it butts with its head" (uska', head), in allusion to the way in which the pestle works in the mortar. The generic word for mill is dista'sti. ulstitlû'--literally, "it is on his head." The diamond crest on the head of the mythic Uktena serpent. When detached it becomes the Ulûñsû'ti. Ultiwâ'i--a former Cherokee settlement about the present Ooltewah, on the creek of the same name, in James county, Tennessee. The name has the locative form (i suffix), but cannot be translated. ulûñni'ta--domesticated, tame; may be used for persons as well as animals, but not for plants; for cultivated or domesticated plants the adjective is gûnutlûñ'i (or gûnusûñ'i). Ulûñsû'ti--"Transparent"; the great talismanic crystal of the Cherokee. Spelled Oolunsade by Hagar. See number 50 and notes. ulûñ'ta--"it has climbed," from tsilahi', "I am climbing"; the poison oak (Rhus radicans). See number 126. U`lûñ'yi--"Tuber place," from U`li', a variety of edible tuber, and yi, locative. A former settlement upon Turniptown (for U`lûñ'yi) creek, above Ellijay, in Gilmer county, Georgia. Unacala--see Une'gadihi'. U'nadanti'yi--"Place where they conjured," the name of a gap about three miles east of Webster, in Jackson county, North Carolina, and now transferred to the town itself. See number 122. unade'na--woolly, downy (in speaking of animals); uwa'nû, wool, down, fine fur (detached from the animal). u'nahu'--see unahwi'. unahwi'--heart; in Middle and Lower dialects, unahu'. See page 187. Unaka--see une'ga and Unicoi. unatlûñwe'hitû--"it has spirals"; a plant (unidentified) used in conjurations. See number 126. une'ga--white. une'guhi--"he is (was) mischievous or bad"; tsûne'guhi'yu, "you are very mischievous" (said to a child). See number 118. une'gutsatû'--"(he is) mischievous"; a'gine'gutsatû', "I am mischievous." Une`lanûñ'hi--"The Apportioner"; "I am apportioning," gane`laskû'; "I apportion" (habitually), gane`laski. In the sacred formulas a title of the Sun god; in the Bible the name of God. une'stalûñ--ice. Unicoi--the map name of the old Unicoi turnpike (see page 87), of a gap on the watershed between Chattahoochee and Hiwassee rivers, in Georgia, and of a county in eastern Tennessee. Probably a corruption of une'ga, white, whence comes also Unaka, the present map name of a part of the Great Smoky range. uni'gisti--foods; singular, agi'sti. Uniga'yata`ti'yi--"Where they made a fish trap," from uga'yatûñ'i, fish trap, and yi, locative; a place on Tuckasegee river, at the mouth of Deep creek, near Bryson City, in Swain county, North Carolina. See number 100 and notes. Uni'haluna--see Ahalu'na. Unika'wi--the "Townhouse dance," so called because danced inside the townhouse; the name does not refer to a townhouse (gati'yi) and can not be analyzed, but may have some connection with the archaic word for deer. Cf. Ani'-Kawi'. Une'ga-dihi'--"White-man-killer"; from une'ga, "white," for yûñ'wune'ga, "white person," and dihi', a noun suffix denoting "killer" ("he kills them" habitually). A Cherokee chief, whose name appears in documents about 1790 as White-man-killer, or, by misprint Unacala. It is an old masculine name, existing until recently upon the reservation. Cf. Ta'gwadihi'. u'niskwetu`gi--"they wear a hat"; ûlskwe'tawa', hat, from uska', head. The may-apple (Podophyllum). See number 126. unistilûñ'isti--"they stick on along their whole length"; the generic name for "stickers" and burs, including the Spanish needle, cockle bur, jimson weed, etc. See number 126. uni'tsi--her mother; agitsi', my mother. Uniyâ'hitûñ'yi--"Where they shot it," from tsiyâ'ihû, "I shoot," and yi, locative. A place on Tuckasegee river a short distance above Bryson City, in Swain county, North Carolina. See number 100. Untoola--see Dihyûñ'dula'. Unta'kiyasti'yi--"Where they race," from takiya'ta, a race, and yi, locative; locally corrupted to Tahkeyostee. The district on the French Broad river, around Asheville, in Buncombe county, North Carolina. The town itself is known to the Cherokee as Kâsdu'yi, "Ashes place," (from kâsdu, ashes, and yi, locative), which is intended as a translation of its proper name. See number 122. Untlasgâsti'yi--"Where they scratched"; a place at the head of Hyatt creek of Valley river, in Cherokee county, North Carolina. For tradition see number 122. Untoola--see Dihyûñ'dula'. unûñ'ti--milk. usdi'gâ (abbreviated usdi'), small; plural tsunsdi'ga, tsunsdi'. usga'se`ti'yu--very dangerous, very terrible; intensive of usga'se`ti. Uskwale'na--"Big-head," from uska', head; a masculine name, perhaps the original of the "Bull-head," given by Haywood as the name of a former noted Cherokee warrior. Uskwâ'li-gû'ta--"His stomach hangs down," from uskwâ'li, his stomach, and gû'ta, "it hangs down." A prominent chief of the Revolutionary period, known to the whites as Hanging-maw. U`stana'li (from u`stanalâ'hi or uni'stana'la (a plural form), denoting a natural barrier of rocks (plural) across a stream)--a name occurring in several places in the old Cherokee country, and variously spelled Eastinaulee, Eastanora, Estanaula, Eustenaree, Istanare, Oostanaula, Oostinawley, Ustenary, etc. One settlement of this name was on Keowee river, below the present Fort George, in Oconee county, South Carolina; another seems to have been somewhere on the waters of Tuckasegee river, in western North Carolina; a third, prominent during and after the Revolutionary period, was just above the junction of Coosawatee and Conasauga rivers to form the Oostanaula, in Gordon county, Georgia, and adjoining New Echota (see Gansâ'gi). Other settlements of the same name may have been on Eastanollee creek of Tugaloo river, in Franklin county, Georgia, and on Eastaunaula creek, flowing into Hiwassee river, in McMinn county, Tennessee. Cf. Tsu`stanalûñ'yi, under Dagunâ'hi. u'stûti--see utsu`gi. Ustû'tli--a traditional dangerous serpent. The name signifies having something on the calf of the leg or on the heel, from ustûtûñ'i, (his) calf of the leg (attached). It is applied also to the southern hoop-snake (Abastor erythrogrammus). See number 54. Usûñhi'yi--the "Darkening land," where it is always getting dark, as at twilight. The name used for the west in the myths and sacred formulas; the common word is wude'ligûñ'yi, "there where it (the sun) goes down." In number 63 the word used is wusûhihûñ'yi, "there where they stay over night." See also Tsûsginâ'i. u'tanû--great, fully developed. Cf. e'gwa. utawâ'hilû--"hand-breadth," from uwâ'yi, hand. A figurative term used in the myths and sacred formulas. U'tawagûn'ta--"Bald place." A high bald peak of the Great Smoky range on the Tennessee-North Carolina line, northeastward from Big Pigeon river. See number 51. Ûñ'tiguhi'--"Pot in the water," from ûñti'ya, or ûñti', pot, and guhi', "it is in the water" (or other liquid--habitually). The Suck, a dangerous rapid in Tennessee river, at the entrance of Suck creek, about eight miles below Chattanooga, Tennessee. See number 63 and notes. U`tlûñ'ta--"He (or she) has it sharp," i. e., has some sharp part or organ; it might be used of a tooth, finger-nail, or some other attached portion of the body, but in the story is understood to refer to the awl-like finger. Ten Kate spells it Uilata. A mythic half-human monster. See number 66 and notes. U`tlûñtûñ'yi--"U`tlûñ'ta place;" see U`tlûñ'ta. A place on little Tennessee river, nearly off Citico creek, in Blount county, Tennessee. See number 66 and notes and number 124. U'tsala--"Lichen"; another form of utsale'ta. A Cherokee chief of the Removal period. See page 157. utsale'ta--lichen, literally "pot scrapings," from a fancied resemblance. Ûñtsaiyi' (also Etsaiyi' or Tsaiyi', the first syllable being almost silent)--"Brass." A mythic gambler. See number 63 and notes. The present rendering, "brass," is probably a modern application of the old myth name, and is based upon the resemblance of the sound to that produced by striking a sheet of metal. utsa'nati'--rattlesnake; the name is of doubtful etymology, but is said to refer to the rattle. Utsa'nati'yi--"Rattlesnake place." Rattlesnake springs, about two miles south from Charleston, Bradley county, Tennessee. See page 132. utset'sti--"he grins" (habitually). See si'kwa utset'sti. utsi'--her (his) mother; etsi', agitsi', my mother. Utsi'dsata'--"Corn-tassel," "Thistle-head," etc. It is used as a masculine name and was probably the Cherokee name of the chief known during the Revolutionary period as "Old Tassel." utsu'`gi--the tufted titmouse (Parus bicolor); also called u'stûti, "topknot, or tip." on account of its crest. See numbers 35 and 66. û'tsûti'--fish. Cf. u'tsûti, many. ûñwadâ'li--store-house, provision house. See number 3 and notes. Uñ'wadâ-tsu`gilasûñ'--"Where the storehouse (ûñwâdâ'li) was taken off." Either Black rock or Jones knob, northeast of Webster, on the east line of Jackson county, in North Carolina. See number 122. Uwagâ'hi (commonly written Ocoee)--"Apricot place," from uwa'ga, the "apricot vine," or "maypop," (Passiflora incarnata), and hi, locative. A former important settlement on Ocoee river, near its junction with Hiwassee, about the present Benton, in Polk county, Tennessee. uwâ'yi--hand, paw; generally used with the possessive suffix, as uwâye'ni, "his hand." uwe'la--liver. uwe'nahi--rich; used also as a personal name as the equivalent of Richard. Cf. Tsuwe'nahi. Uw'tsûñ'ta,--"Bouncer" (habitual); from k`tsi, "it is bouncing." A traditional serpent described as moving by jerks like a measuring worm, to which also the name is applied. See number 55. Uyâhye'--a high peak in the Great Smoky range, probably on the line between Swain county, North Carolina, and Sevier or Blount county, Tennessee. See number 75 and notes. Uy'gilâ'gi--abbreviated from Tsuyu`gilâ'gi, "Where there are dams," i. e., beaver dams; from gu`gilû'ûñskû', "he is damming it." 1. A former settlement on Oothcaloga (Ougillogy) creek of Oostanaula river, near the present Calhoun, in Gordon county, Georgia; 2. Beaverdam creek, west of Clarkesville, in Habersham county, Georgia. Valleytown--see Gû'nahitûñ'yi. Vengeance creek--see Gansa`ti'yi. Wachesa--see Watsi'su. wadâñ'--thanks! wâ'di--paint, especially red paint. wâ'dige-askâ'li--"his head (is) brown," i. e., "brown-head," from wâdige'i, brown, brown-red, and askâ'li, possessive of uska', head; the copperhead snake. Wadi'yahi--A feminine name of doubtful etymology. An expert basket-making woman among the East Cherokee, who died in 1895. She was known to the whites as Mrs Bushyhead. See page 179. Wafford--see Tsuskwanûñ'nawa'ta. Wa'ginsi'--The name of an eddy at the junction of the Little Tennessee and main Tennessee rivers, at Lenoir, in Loudon county, Tennessee. The town is now known to the Cherokee by the same name, of which the meaning is lost. See number 124. waguli'--whippoorwill; the name is an onomatope; the Delaware name is wekolis (Heckewelder). Wahnenauhi--see Wani'nahi. wa`huhu'--the screech-owl (Megascops asio); see also tskili' and uguku'. wa`ka--cow; from the Spanish vaca, as is also the Creek waga and the Arapaho wakûch. walâ'si--the common green frog; there are different names for the bullfrog (kûnu'nu, q. v.) and for other varieties; warts are also called walâ'si. Walâsi'yi--"Frog place." 1. A former settlement, known to the whites as Frogtown, upon the creek of the same name, north of Dahlonega, in Lumpkin county, Georgia. 2. Le Conte and Bullhead mountains in the Great Smoky range on the North Carolina-Tennessee line, together with the ridge extending into Sevier county, Tennessee, between the Middle and West forks of Little Pigeon river. See number 51 and notes. walâs'-unûl'sti--"it fights frogs," from walâ'si, frog, and unûl'sti, "it fights" (habitually); gû`lihû', "I am fighting." The Prosartes lanuginosa plant. See number 126. Walâs'-unûlsti'yi--"Place of the plant walâs'-unûl'sti," commonly known to the whites as Fightingtown, from a translation of the latter part of the name; a former settlement on Fightingtown creek, near Morganton, in Fannin county, Georgia. See number 125. Walini'--a feminine name, compounded from Wali, another form of Kwali, "Polly," with a suffix added for euphony. Wane'-asûñ'tlûñyi--"Hickory footlog place," from wane'i, hickory, asûñtlûñ'i (q. v.), footlog, bridge, and yi, locative. A former settlement, known to the whites as Hickory-log, on Etowah river, a short distance above Canton, in Cherokee county, Georgia. Wani'nahi'--a feminine name of uncertain etymology; the Wahnenauhi of the Wahnenauhi manuscript. Washington--see Wa'sitû'na. Wâ'si--the Cherokee form for Moses. Wa'sitû'na, Wa'sûñtû'na (different dialectic forms)--a Cherokee known to the whites as Washington, the sole survivor of a Removal tragedy. See page 158. The name denotes a hollow log (or other cylindrical object) lying on the ground at a distance; the root of the word is asi'ta, log, and the w prefixed makes it at a distance. Wa'sulû'--a large red-brown moth which flies about the blossoming tobacco in the evening. Watâ'gi (commonly written Watauga, also Watoga, Wattoogee, Whatoga, etc.)--a name occurring in two or more towns in the old Cherokee country; one was an important settlement on Watauga creek of Little Tennessee river, a few miles below Franklin, in Macon county, Tennessee; another was traditionally located at Watauga Old Fields, about the present Elizabethton, on Watauga river, in Carter county, Tennessee. See page 21. The meaning of the name is lost. Watauga--see Watâ'gi. Watsi'sa--a prominent old Cherokee, known to the whites as Wachesa, a name which cannot be translated, who formerly lived on lower Beaverdam creek of Hiwassee river, below Murphy, in Cherokee county, North Carolina. From the fact that the Unicoi turnpike passed near his place it was locally known as the Wachesa trail. wa`ya--wolf; the name is an onomatope, intended as an imitation of the animal's howl; cf. the Creek name, yähä. Wa`yâ'hi--"Wolf place," i. e. place of the Wolf clan; the form Ani'-Wa`yâ'hi is not used. Wolftown settlement on upper Soco creek, on the East Cherokee reservation, in Jackson county, North Carolina. Waya gap--see A`tâhi'ta. Wayeh--see Wâyi. Wâyî--"Pigeon"; the modern Cherokee name for Big Pigeon river in western North Carolina; probably a translation of the English name. It appears also as Wayeh. Welch, Lloyd--see Da'si`giya'gi. wesa--cat; a corruption of "pussy." White-path--see Nûñnâ'hi-tsune'ga. Willstown--a former important settlement, so called from the halfbreed chief known to the whites as Red-headed Will, on Will's creek below Fort Payne, in Dekalb county, Alabama. The settlement was frequently called from him Wili'yi, "Will's place," but this was not the proper local name. Wilsini'--the Cherokee name for H. W. Spray, agent and superintendent for the East Cherokee reservation; an adaptation of his middle name, Wilson. Wil-usdi'--"Little Will," from Wili', Will and usdi'ga or usdi', little. The Cherokee name for Colonel W. H. Thomas, for many years the recognized chief of the eastern band. Wissactaw--see gahawi'sita. Wolftown--see Wa`yâ'hi. Wootassite, Wrosetasatow--see Outacity. Wude'ligûñ'yi--the west; literally "there where it (the sun) goes down" (w prefixed implies distance, yi, locative). See also Usûñhi'yi and wusûhihûñ'yi. Wuliga'natûtûñ--excelling all others, either in good or bad; it may be used as equivalent to wastûñ, "beyond the limit." See page 232. wusûhihûñ'yi--"there where they stay over night," i. e. "the west." An archaic term used by the narrator of the story of Ûñtsaiyi', number