The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees Part 10

This short formula, obtained from wanita, is recited by the hunter while taking aim. The bowstring is let go--or, rather, the trigger is pulled--at the final _Y!_ He was unable to explain the meaning of the word selagwtsi further than that it referred to the bullet. Later investigation, however, revealed the fact that this is the Cherokee name of a reed of the genus Erianthus, and the inference follows that the stalk of the plant was formerly used for arrow shafts. Red implies that the arrow is always successful in reaching the mark aimed at, and in this instance may refer also to its being b.l.o.o.d.y when withdrawn from the body of the animal. Inagehi, dwellers in the wilderness, is the generic term for game, including birds, but Awanita has another formula intended especially for deer.

(Y'NA TIKANGITA.)

He+! Hayuyahaniwa. hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

Tsistuyi nehanduyan, Tsistuyi nehanduyan--Yoho+!

He+! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

Kuwhi nehanduyan, Kuwhi nehanduyan--Yoho+!

He+! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

Uyye nehanduyan, Uyaye nehahduyan--Yoho+!

He+! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

Gtekw(hi) nehanduyan, Gtekw(hi) nehanduyan--Yoho+!

le-n asehi tadeyastatakhi g[n]nage asttsiki.

_Translation._

BEAR SONG.

He! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

In Rabbit Place you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho+!

He! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

In Mulberry Place you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho+!

He! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

In Uyye you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho+!

He! Hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa, hayuyahaniwa.

In the Great Swamp (?) you were conceived (repeat)--Yoho+!

And now surely we and the good black things, the best of all, shall see each other.

_Explanation._

This song, obtained from Ay[n]ini in connection with the story of the Origin of the Bear, as already mentioned, is sung by the bear hunter, in order to attract the bears, while on his way from the camp to the place where he expects to hunt during the day. It is one of those taught the Cherokees by the Ani-Tskahi before they lost their human shape and were transformed into bears. The melody is simple and plaintive.

The song consists of four verses followed by a short recitation. Each verse begins with a loud prolonged _He+!_ and ends with _Yoho+!_ uttered in the same manner. Hayuyahaniwa has no meaning.

Tsistuyi, Kuwhi, Uyye, and Gtekwhi are four mountains, in each of which the bears have a townhouse and hold a dance before going into their dens for the winter. The first three named are high peaks in the Smoky Mountains, on the Tennessee line, in the neighborhood of Clingmans Dome and Mount Guyot. The fourth is southeast of Franklin, North Carolina, toward the South Carolina line, and may be identical with Fodderstack Mountain. In Kuwahi dwells the great bear chief and doctor, in whose magic bath the wounded bears are restored to health. They are said to originate or be conceived in the mountains named, because these are their headquarters. The good black things referred to in the recitation are the bears.

HIA ATSTIYI TSUNTAN.

Sge! Ngwa hitsat[n]ganiga hitsigatugi.

t.i.tsilawis[n]hi [u]wgili tegetstsglawisti.

Tsulista.n.a.l le wakti, agisti uneka its[n]yatanilistaniga. G[n]watuhwit n[n]nhi degndltsidhesti. [u]Whisnahi tigiwatsila.

Tutseglawist.i.tegesti. [n]tali deg[n]watanhi, uhisati niges[n]na. Tsuwatsila dadltsiga. Ay Ay[n]ini tigwadita. Y!

_Translation._

THIS IS FOR CATCHING LARGE FISH.

Listen! Now you settlements have drawn near to hearken. Where you have gathered in the foam you are moving about as one. You Blue Cat and the others, I have come to offer you freely the white food. Let the paths from every direction recognize each other. Our spittle shall be in agreement. Let them (your and my spittle) be together as we go about.

They (the fish) have become a prey and there shall be no loneliness.

Your spittle has become agreeable. I am called Swimmer. Y!

_Explanation._

This formula, from Ay[n]inis book, is for the purpose of catching large fish. According to his instructions, the fisherman must first chew a small piece of Yugwil (Venus Flytrap--Diona muscipula) and spit it upon the bait and also upon the hook. Then, standing facing the stream, he recites the formula and puts the bait upon the hook. He will be able to pull out a fish at once, or if the fish are not about at the moment they will come in a very short time.

The Yugwil is put upon the bait from the idea that it will enable the hook to attract and hold the fish as the plant itself seizes and holds insects in its cup. The root is much prized by the Cherokees for this purpose, and those in the West, where the plant is not found, frequently send requests for it to their friends in Carolina.

The prayer is addressed directly to the fish, who are represented as living in settlements. The same expression as has already been mentioned is sometimes used by the doctors in speaking of the _tsgya_ or worms which are supposed to cause sickness by getting under the skin of the patient. The Blue Cat (_Amiurus, genus_) is addressed as the princ.i.p.al fish and the bait is spoken of as the white food, an expression used also of the viands prepared at the feast of the green corn dance, to indicate their wholesome character.

Let the paths from every direction recognize each other, means let the fishes, which are supposed to have regular trails through the water, a.s.semble together at the place where the speaker takes his station, as friends recognizing each other at a distance approach to greet each other, [u]Whisnahi tigiwatsila, rendered our spittle shall be in agreement, is a peculiar archaic expression that can not be literally translated. It implies that there shall be such close sympathy between the fisher and the fish that their spittle shall be as the spittle of one individual. As before stated, the spittle is believed to exert an important influence upon the whole physical and mental being. The expression your spittle has become agreeable is explained by Ay[n]ini as an a.s.sertion or wish that the fish may prove palatable, while the words rendered there shall be no loneliness imply that there shall be an abundant catch.

LOVE.

(Y[n]WEHI UG[n]WALI I.)

Ku! Sge! _Alahiyi_ tsldhisti, Higeya tsldiyi, hat[n]ganiga. _Elahiyi_ iy[n]ta ditsldahisti, Higeya Tsnega. Tsisati niges[n]na. Tsduhiyi.

Ngwa-skini usinuliyu h[n]skwanel[n]g tsisgaya aginega. Agisati niges[n]na. Ngwa n[n]n, unega h[n]skwan[n]neliga. Uhisati niges[n]na. Ngwa skwadetastaniga. Sakani utati niges[n]na. N[n]n unega skiksa[n]taneliga. Elayeli iy[n]ta skwalewistataniga Elati ges[n] tsitagesti.

Agisati niges[n]na. Agwduhiyu. Kltste unega skigataniga. Uhisati niges[n]na, g[n]kwatst.i.tegesti. Tsi-sakani agwatati niges[n]na. Usinuliyu h[n]skwanel[n]g.

Ha-ngwle _Elahiyi_ iy[n]ta dhiyanel[n]g ageya sakani. Ngwa n[n]nhi sakani h[n]tanelaneliga. Uhisati-gw udan dudusagi tanelasi. N[n]nhi sakani tadetstaniga. Ngwle h[n]hiyats[n]taniga. Elati ges[n] tltaniga.

Dedulask[n]-gw ig[n]walawisti uhisatiyi widayelaniga. Dedulask[n]-gw ig[n]walawisti uhisatiyi nit[n]neliga.

Ha-sgwahiyu itsilastalagi + + uwasahiyu, etsanelaneliga. Agisati niges[n]na. Agwduhi.

Ay agwadantgi ayeliyu dkalanili dudant, uktah[n]sti niges[n]na. Y[n]wi tsutsat[n]

widudanteti niges[n]na, nit[n]neliga. Sgwahi itsilastalagi, etsanelaneliga klkwgi-nasi iglstli geganelan[n].

Anisgaya anewadis[n] unihisatiyi. Tsunadaneiltiyi.

Dila-gw deg[n]wanatseglawisdideg.

Ayiseta-gw udan. Tsunadaneiltiyi. Utsetsti-gw deg[n]wanatseglawisdideg. Tsunadaneiltiyi.

Kaga-gw deg[n]wanatsegawisdideg.

Tsunadaneiltiyi. Dalka-gw deg[n]wanatseglawisdideg.

Klkwgi iglstalagi unihisatiyu.

Igeski-gw niges[n]na. Ayiseta-gw udan deg[n]wanatsnti-deg. Ksi-gw deg[n]wanatsnti-deg. Ayagg tsisgaya aginega [n]gwanelanhi + + N[n]dg[n]yi it.i.tsa ditsidga. Agisati niges[n]na. Agwduhiyu.

Tsi-sakani agwatati niges[n]na. Kltste unega [n]nitagg gkwatsnti-deg. Agisati niges[n]na. Ay agwadantgi ayeliyu glasiga tsdant, uktah[n]sti niges[n]na. Ay tsigi tsdanta 0 0. Sge!

_Translation._

CONCERNING LIVING HUMANITY (LOVE).

K! Listen! In Alahiyi you repose, O Terrible Woman, O you have drawn near to hearken. There in Elahiyi you are at rest, O White Woman. No one is ever lonely when with you. You are most beautiful.

Instantly and at once you have rendered me a white man. No one is ever lonely when with me. Now you have made the path white for me. It shall never be dreary. Now you have put me into it. It shall never become blue. You have brought down to me from above the white road. There in mid-earth (mid-surface) you have placed me. I shall stand erect upon the earth. No one is ever lonely when with me. I am very handsome. You have put me into the white house. I shall be in it as it moves about and no one with me shall ever be lonely. Verily, I shall never become blue. Instantly you have caused it to be so with me.

And now there in Elahiyi you have rendered the woman blue. Now you have made the path blue for her. Let her be completely veiled in loneliness. Put her into the blue road. And now bring her down. Place her standing upon the earth. Where her feet are now and wherever she may go, let loneliness leave its mark upon her. Let her be marked out for loneliness where she stands.