The Seven Cherokee Religious Ceremonies

Introduction 

The Cherokee people comprise a conservative Native American population residing in the United States. Their culture is unique and popular not only in the United States, but also in the global spectrum. Another religious belief among the Cherokee people is the story of corn and medicine. The story explains that the earth was created from mud that came from a volcano ( Johansen & Pritzker, 2008) . These are a few examples of beliefs that form the basis of the Cherokee religious ceremonies. The ceremonies are deemed an iconic approach to connect and thank the Great Spirit that is responsible for blessings and crops. The evolving trends in the Cherokee religious ceremonies demonstrate the changing nature of the religion that has in turn captured the attention of many parties including adjustment of laws protecting Native Americans religions. 

History of the Cherokee People, their Religion and Ceremonies 

The Cherokee are the North American Indians who descend from the Iroquoian lineage. They were considerably the largest politically-integrated group at the time of colonization by the Europeans. At the time, they resided in the present-day Alabama, Kentucky, western parts of North Carolina and South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia ( Mails, 1992) . The Cherokee people are currently the largest Native American group in the United States. The Cherokee are very religious and before their contact with the Europeans they had a creator who they worshiped through songs and dances. 

Although they did not refer to the creator as God, the current generations of the Cherokee people consider him the same. Some of the ancient songs and dances are still being used to praise God in the contemporary Christian religion. As much as their beliefs, songs, and stories vary from one community to another, the Cherokee people have a unified theological system. According to Mails (1992), t he Cherokee creation beliefs suggest that the earth started as an island floating on a large mass of water and hang from the sky through four cords attached to cardinal points. On the other hand, the ancient Cherokee religious ceremonies such as the seven Cherokee religious ceremonies are still practiced to this day. 

A religion is the belief in some divine superhuman power; while a ceremony is a celebration of a certain event marked by predefined procedures. Religions have various ceremonies that are marked at particular times of the year or seasons. These are referred to as religious ceremonies. On the other hand, a ceremony can be in form of a ritual in religious and traditional practices. It could also be just a modest celebration that may not involve religion of traditions. The Cherokee people celebrate many religious ceremonies throughout a year that involve following the seasons of the moons. These ceremonies are known as the seven Cherokee religious ceremonies. 

The Seven Cherokee Religious Ceremonies 

The Cherokee people have always practiced the seven religious ceremonies that involve fasting, dances, feasting, chants, divination rituals, purification rites, and immersing in water. These activities often happen around the time of the New Moons. According to Deloria (2016) , the Cherokee people consider numbers “four” and “seven” as spiritual numbers when practicing these ceremonies. Number four represents the four primary directions, while number seven represents the seven directions of the seven ancient ceremonies of the annual Cherokee religious cycle. Six of the ancient rituals were held annually between March and November, while the seventh ceremony was held every seven years. 

First New Moon of Spring 

The First New Moon was held when trees shot their pale news leaves, and the grass started to grow during the first new moon experienced in March. The festival represented the beginning of the planting season, and its procedures indicated the success or failure of crops ( Treuer, 2012) . People emerge refreshed and renewed from their huts after being shut by the cold winter season. It is a happy time since people have the opportunity to go out for outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, raising gardens, and interacting with other communities around. 

The ceremony that lasts for seven days represents a time for purification and cleansing. The ritual begins with the fire keeper lighting the sacred fire is used to cleanse houses and lodges. Fruits from the past fall are brought to be consumed while celebrating new beginnings. The hot coals resulting from the new fire are used to replace the old ones indicating that a new time has come. According to Treuer (2012) , all home fires must have been put off, and they are subsequently rekindled with the coals from the coals of the new sacred fire. It is a new beginning for the whole community and every individual where the Mother Earth is renewed. After the cleansing and purification procedures, predictions regarding the success of crops are made. Thereafter, the tongue of a deer is thrown into the sacred fire. 

The Green Corn Ceremony or Selutsunigististi 

Corn characterized the “start of life” for the Cherokee people’s ancestors. In that regard, the Cherokee people held two annual ceremonies to honor the cultivation of corn. Messengers were sent to notify people from different places to inform people when the celebrations were to be held. The messengers gathered seven years of corns from fields of different corns. Upon their arrival, the Chief and the seven councilors would then fast for six days. The ceremony would then start on the seventh day. The Green Corn Ceremony was held when corn stalks were still green but had developed ears ( Gabbert, 1998) . For this reason, there was a promise that corn and other crops will produce ample food to sustain people's lives. The Peace Chief, Uku, placed a tongue of a deer, corn, and some tobacco in the sacred fire. This ritual symbolized good hunting as there is plenty of meat and a good harvest in the form of corn, meaning there is plenty of food. These are indications that there will be a lot of good and healthy people. 

Ripe Corn Ceremony or Donagohuni 

The Ripe Corn ceremony was held in the early fall (late summer) when corn was fully matured and ready to be harvested. Like the Green Corn Ceremony, the ceremony was held to thank the Great Spirit for the good harvest as represented by the mature corn and other crops that acted as the source of food. The ceremony is held 45 days after the Green Corn Festival ( Treuer, 2012) . Women perform a religious dance before they decided on the time the festival would be held. Consequently, hunters are sent out to bring the best game meat while a committee was set up to organize the ceremony. 

An arc built with green branches forms the forest for the ceremonial grounds. During the event, women are prohibited from the arc. The evening before the ceremony, all clans pick the branch that they will use during the ceremony. Black tea is drunk to characterize purification and cleansing ( Johansen & Pritzker, 2008) . The tea is said to induce vomiting, which indicates that the digestive system has been cleansed. Symbolically, the “corn dance” was used to grace the ceremony with movements that suggested the process of harvesting of corn. The ceremony is held for four days. 

Great New Moon Ceremony or Nuwatiegawa 

The Great New Moon ceremony occurred in the fall of the first day of the Autumnal Equinox. Since Cherokee stories indicate that the world was created in autumn (October), the ceremony is considered the "New Year's" celebrations. Prior to the beginning of the main celebrations, people would go to the river and immerse seven times. The Cherokee people used the Diving Crystal to determine what the New Year had in store for them, whether war, peace, health issues, or death ( Treuer, 2012) . Like the other ceremonies, the Great New Moon ceremony included fasting, feasting, dancing, or staying awake all night. 

Propitiation of Cementation Ceremony or Atohuna 

The Atohuna was characterized by making friends and maintaining it eternally. This ceremony was held ten days after the Great New Moon Ceremony. The ceremony represented the relationship between the Creator and humankind. The same relationship is replicated by human beings of the same or opposite sex. The relationship was a vow to bound by another person’s friendship eternally and treating the other person the same way one would expect to be treated as long they are both alive. It was a pledge for universal paternal or fraternal love. Those who had quarreled in the previous year were meant to take the ceremony as the opportunity to reconcile ( Treuer, 2012) . Seven selected men cleansed the house of the council by beating its roof with sticks made from the sycamore tree. Like other ceremonies, it was also rekindling the sacred fire. 

Bounding Bush Ceremony or Elawatalegi 

The Bounding Bush Ceremony is a joyous celebration where the Cherokee people gave thanks to the Great Spirits and his helpers. The Cherokee people used the ceremony as a platform to acknowledge the Great Spirit as the source of their joy ( Deloria, 2016) . It was characterized by dancing and feasting, and every member of the community gave their thanks by tossing tobacco into the sacred fire. The ceremony was the last major ceremony before the onset of winter. It allowed the Cherokee people to prepare for the hardships associated with the cold moons. People united in activities in the ceremony, and at the end of the ceremony, people surrounded the sacred square outside the council house where they tossed tobacco leaves into the sacred fire. 

Uku Dance Ceremony 

Unlike the other six ceremonies that were held annually, the Uka dance of the Chief Dance was celebrated after seven years. The Principal Chief of the Cherokee people was carried on a white chair to the circle of the sacred fire, where he was acknowledged as the chief of all Cherokee clans. It is also a reminder of the major Chief, the Great Spirit Creator. After the event at the sacred circle, people entered into dancing and feasting ( Mails, 1992) . The dancing is done using spruce and pines. The dance starts with a movement of alternating males and females. Women wear turtle shells, and each dancer holds a twig of spruce that is moved up and down, forming a movement representing the wings of a pigeon. With great pageantry and dancing, the Uku is given new garments. The Uku Dance ceremony is held over the winter, and people who participate in the feast contribute tobacco. 

Past and Present Trends in Cherokee Religious Ceremonies 

Today, many Cherokee people still observe the seven religious ceremonies; other grounds observe some of the rituals. However, the Cherokee people have evolved over the centuries, and it cannot be said that the current method of conducting the rituals can be compared to that of the 18 th century and before. This can be attributed to increased modernization and globalization that has changed almost every aspect of our culture. For example, the increased concentration on Christianity, Islam, and other religions have compromised most of the traditional religions ( Hale, 1997) . Moreover, the increased concentration on education has prevented some people from attending these rituals. For instance, students studying abroad or in distant institutions may not be able to participate in these ceremonies regularly. As a result of this, some people get gradually disconnected from the rituals since they are committed to other activities. From that perspective, the routines are expected to keep changing to accommodate the modern world. 

Changes in the Cherokee religious rituals started a long time ago when foreign when European countries tried to colonize the Cherokee people. The English colonist in the 16 th century must have had some influence on the rituals owing to the introduction of new cultures and rules that deny people the freedom to express themselves freely. In the 18 th century, the Cherokee people were actively involved in trade alliances with the British. The British traders often resided with the Cherokee people while exchanging items. In the process, there was a lot of interaction between cultures ( Mails, 1992) . The interaction with the English traders gradually changed the Cherokee culture. There were also imbalances in terms of power, where the indigenous people vied for positions to control the trade. These interactions often facilitate the gradual disintegration of a culture, implying that even religious rituals are affected. From that point of view, it is evident that the Cherokee religious culture did not start changing in the recent past but started many years ago. 

How Religion Fits into those Broader Revitalization Movements 

Like other tribes, the Cherokee people had their challenges of accepting and incorporating religion into their culture. The process of revitalization is thus gradual and may take generations to incorporate religion into indigenous culture fully. The Cherokee people tried to woo spirits with prayers and tobacco when they were still not yet conversant with the modern religion ( Hale, 1997) . The shared beliefs revolved around the ability of certain people having the power to foresee the future and be able to communicate with the spirits. However, religions such as Christianity acknowledge the existence of one Divine power and do not accept the existence of the “unknown” spirits. 

During the 18 th and 19 th century, the Cherokee experienced revitalization movements when their cultures clashed with the European cultures that had infiltrated North America extensively. The reason behind confusion and differences in opinions fell in the fact that Cherokee people saw the Europeans as intruders who did not respect their religion that was respected very much for many years. However, there was credibility in the Europeans way of life based on their trading powers and innovations. Revitalization movements were also brought about by the diseases brought by the Europeans that were new to the Native Americans ( Cobb & Fowler, 2007) . These gave the impression that the Europeans were outsiders who brought diseases that were non-existent before their emergence. 

The displacement of Cherokee people from their traditional lands was also a significant cause of revitalization movements. The Cherokee people have settled very well in their traditional areas and considered the grounds a perfect place where they performed their rituals and communicated with their spirits. As a result, the Cherokee people entered into revitalization movements in defense of their lands, culture, and religion ( Barker, 2011) . However, their revitalization movements were often not as successful as initially intended. This is due to their heavy dependence on trade alliances with the Europeans. The trade alliances thus became one of the major setbacks to revitalization movements. 

In the past five hundred years, the Native Americans, including the Cherokee people, have fought to defend their culture. One of the major aspects of these actions includes social and political movements to protect their rights to retain their cultural practices. Even in the past few decades, the Cherokee people have continued to practice their cultural rituals and religious practices ( Mails, 2013) . It remains to be seen whether the Cherokee people will maintain their culture into the future. There is increased globalization that has enhanced interactions of people through traveling, education, and the extensive Internet connection. Then again, people are intermarrying hence somewhat compromising the deep roots of the next generation culture. From a critical point of view, there are groups of people who are committed to safeguarding the culture and passing it on to future generations. 

The U.S Laws Affecting Religion and how they affect the Cherokee 

Primarily, the Freedom of Religion law safeguards all Americans right to participate or support particular religious movements. In that regard, the Cherokee people have their right to practice their traditional religion ( Barker, 2011) . The First Amendment included the Establishment clause that prevented the government from promoting a particular religion. This implies that the government cannot favor one religion over another. There is also the common emphasis on the clause “separation of the state and the church” that implies that law and religion cannot be intermixed. From that perspective, the United States government treats the Cherokee religious practices like any other religious practices. 

The Cherokee religious practices are also protected by the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978. The Act protects the Native Americans against the violation of their freedom to practice religion thus giving them the right to access particular sites, practice traditional rites, and possess sacred objects. The Act protects the rights of Native Americans to practice religion by preventing governmental agencies from interfering with their religious ceremonies. From the analysis of the Act, it is evident that the government has tried to ensure the freedom and right of religion among the Native Americans including the Cherokee. 

Conclusion 

The Cherokee people are known to value their religious culture and take their ceremonies with a lot of passion and commitment to the Great Spirit. The seven religious of the Cherokee people unit communities and have teachings about their way of life. The ceremonies involve forecasting what is to come, giving thanks to what has already happened, and praying for a better future. Their prayers incorporate cleansing and purity, as well as fasting. What is more, some other ceremonies involve uniting people, such as through reconciliation or pledging eternal friendship. The Cherokee religious culture has however, experienced changes that led to revitalization movements. They have fought to defend the culture, and this is the reason their cultural and religious practices exist to this day. 

Barker, J. (2011).  Native acts: Law, recognition, and cultural authenticity . Durham: Duke University Press. 

Cobb, D. M., & Fowler, L. (2007).  Beyond red power: American Indian politics and activism since 1900 . Santa Fe, N.M: School for Advanced Research. 

Deloria, J. V. (2016).  God Is Red: A Native View of Religion . Golden: Fulcrum Publishing. 

Hale, F. (August 01, 1997). The confrontation of Cherokee traditional religion and Christianity in Diane Glancy's "Pushing the Bear".  Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Mission Studies, 25,  2, 195-209. 

Gabbert, L. (1998).  A midwestern corn festival: Ears everywhere . New York: PowerKids Press. 

Johansen, B. E., & Pritzker, B. (2008).  Encyclopedia of American Indian history . Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. 

Top of Form 

Mails, T. E. (1992).  The Cherokee people: The story of the Cherokees from earliest origins to contemporary times . Tulsa, Okla: Council Oak Books. 

Mails, T. E. (2013).  Secret Native American pathways: A guide to inner peace . []: Pointer Oak. Top of Form 

Treuer, A. (2012).  Everything you wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to ask . Saint Paul, MN: Borealis Books.