SACRED FORMULAS OF THE CHEROKEES.

BY JAMES MOONEY.

INTRODUCTION.

The sacred formulas presented here are selected from a collection of about six hundred, obtained on the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina between 1887 and 1888. These formulas cover every subject relating to the daily life and thoughts of the Cherokee people, including medicine, love, hunting, fishing, war, self-protection, the destruction of enemies, witchcraft, agriculture, tribal councils, and the ball play a traditional ritual game similar to modern lacrosse, often called "the little brother of war.". In fact, they embody almost the entire ancient religion of the Cherokees. The original manuscripts, which are now held by the Bureau of Ethnology, were written by the shamans spiritual leaders, healers, or medicine men of the tribe for their own private use. They were written using the Cherokee characters invented by Sikwâ'ya original: "Sikwâ'ya"—commonly known as Sequoyah, the Cherokee scholar who created the Cherokee syllabary in 1821 in 1821. These documents, along with their explanations, were obtained either directly from the writers themselves or from their surviving relatives.

Some of these manuscripts are known to be at least thirty years old, and many are likely even older. Medical formulas of all kinds make up about half of the total collection. Love charms are the next most frequent, followed closely by the songs and prayers used for hunting and fishing. The large number of love charms will likely surprise those who were taught the old theory that Indians are indifferent to the attractions of women.

The relatively small number of war formulas can be explained by the fact that the last war the Cherokees fought as an independent tribe ended during the Revolutionary period. Consequently, many of these traditions were nearly forgotten by the time the Cherokee alphabet was invented a generation later. The Cherokees who fought in the Creek War and the American Civil War served under the interests and leadership of white officers; therefore, there was not the same opportunity to practice traditional shamanistic rites as there would have been in a conflict involving only Indians. However, because prayers for hunting, fishing, and the ball play remained in constant demand, they have been much better preserved.