The first recorded European contact with the Cherokee was Hernando De Soto’s expedition of 1540. Records of the expedition refer to the tribe as “Chalaque”, probably from the Mobilian trade language (a corrupted Choctaw jargon used by the tribes of the Southeast), probably meaning “cave people”. This word in the southern Cherokee dialect was pronounced “Tsa-la-gi” but in the eastern area pronounced “Tsa-ra-gi”, from which the name “Cherokee” is derived. The Cherokee called themselves “Ani-Yun-wiya”, the principal people. The Cherokee also referred to themselves as “Ani-Kituhwagi”, the people of Kituhwa — an ancient town which was probably the original nucleus of the tribe.

In April of 1540, De Soto crossed through the Cherokee country looking for gold. The Spanish explorers found the first Cherokee village they encountered practically deserted. The Cherokee were aware of the outrageous conduct of the Spaniards toward neighboring tribes so they abandoned their towns before the arrival of the expedition, leaving behind only those who could not travel. In need of food and receiving no help from the Cherokee, the expedition quickly moved on to the north.

Turning to the west, across the Blue Ridge, De Soto again entered the Cherokee country and received a much warmer welcome. The Cherokee were reportedly very hospitable and provided the travelers with much needed food — corn, wild turkey, and other small game.

De Soto moved on to the Muscogee, Creek, country but sent two soldiers back into the Cherokee country to look for reported copper and gold mines. One report states that they found mines of a fine species of copper with indications of gold and silver but De Soto chose not to return to search for the mines.

The two soldiers were given a dressed buffalo skin, the first obtained by white men, and described it as “an ox hide as thin as a calf’s skin, and the hair like a soft wool between the coarse and fine wool of sheep.” It should be noted that buffalo (actually the correct name is “bison”) did not just roam the “Great Plains” but could be found all the way to the Atlantic Coast.

The next reported contact with Europeans came in the fall of 1566. The Spanish had established Fort San Felipe near present Port Royal, SC and a small expedition was sent into the interior of the region. Joined the following summer by another detachment of troops, the combined force returned to their fort. Most reports were that they received a friendly reception everywhere along the their route.

The Spanish carried on mining and smelting of gold and other metals within the Cherokee country in the mid to late 1600′s. Although these operations were kept secret by the Spanish, they were well known in the Spanish settlements of Santa Elena and Saint Augustine.

http://cherokeehistory.com/firstcon.html

He-e! Ani’-Tsa’guhi, Ani’-Tsa’guhi, akwandu’li e’lanti’ ginun’ti,

Ani’-Tsa’guhi, Ani’-Tsa’guhi, akwandu’li e’lanti’ ginun’ti–Yu! He-e! The Ani’-Tsa’guhi, the Ani’-Tsa’guhi, I want to lay them low on the ground,

The Ani’-Tsa’guhi, the Ani’-Tsa’guhi, I want to lay them low on the ground,–Yû!

The bear hunter starts out each morning fasting and does not eat until near evening. He sings this song as he leaves camp, and again the next morning, but never twice the same day.

Myths Of The Cherokee, By James Mooney, From Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology 1897-98, Part I. [1900]

A long time ago, only the three Yellow Jacket sisters had fire. Even though other animals froze, the fire was kept from them. Wise Old Coyote, however, devises a plan to steal the fire, and enlists the other animals to help. Coyote diverts the yellow jackets, seizes a burning stick, and runs away. As the yellow jackets chase him, he hands it off to Eagle, who hands it to Mountain Lion. Several hand-offs later, Frog hides a hot coal in his mouth on a river bottom, and the yellow jackets give up. When Frog spits the coal out, Willow Tree swallows it, and Coyote shows the animals how to extract it: by rubbing two sticks together over dry moss. Now that the animals have fire, each night they gather in a circle while the elders tell stories. An meaningful tale which stresses the importance of the natural world and our need to live cooperatively with it.

http://www.indians.org/welker/coyofire.htm

The word for the Great Spirit, Hashtali, means “noon day sun.” It was believed the sun holds the power of life and death over people. There is a legend that says Hashtali and Fire are friends. In fact, it was believed that they are always in touch with one another. Fire tells the sun about everything it hears and sees on Earth, especially when it learns of wrong-doing. The people knew that if they did anything naughty near a fire, Hashtali would know of it before they could take even one step. Choctaw children were always very good around a fire!

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~mboucher/mikebouchweb/choctaw/legends1.htm

Often, around the fire in the long house of the Haudenosaunee , during the Moon of the Long Nights, this tale is told.

Three Arrows was a boy of the Mohawk tribe. Although he had not yet seen fourteen winters he was already known among the Iroquois for his skill and daring. His arrows sped true to their mark. His name was given him when with three bone-tipped arrows he brought down three flying wild geese from the same flock. He could travel in the forest as softly as the south wind and he was a skillful hunter, but he never killed a bird or animal unless his clan needed food. He was well-versed in woodcraft, fleet of foot, and a clever wrestler. His people said, ‘Soon he will be a chief like his father.’

The sun shone strong in the heart of Three Arrows, because soon he would have to meet the test of strength and endurance through which the boys of his clan attained manhood. He had no fear of the outcome of the dream fast which was so soon to take. (to fast means to go without food or water)

Three Arrow’s father was a great chief and a good man, and the boy’s life had been patterned after that of his father.

When the grass was knee-high, Three Arrows left his village with his father. They climbed to a sacred place in the mountains. They found a narrow cave at the back of a little plateau. Here Three Arrows decided to live for his few days of prayer and vigil. He was not permitted to eat anything during the days and nights of his dream fast. He had no weapons, and his only clothing was a breechcloth and moccasins. His father left the boy with the promise that he would visit him each day that the ceremony lasted, at dawn.

Three Arrows prayed to the Great Spirit. He begged that his clan spirit would soon appear in a dream and tell him what his guardian animal or bird was to be. When he knew this, he would adopt that bird or animal as his special guardian for the rest of his life. When the dream came he would be free to return to his people, his dream fast successfully achieved.

For five suns Three Arrows spent his days and nights on the rocky plateau, only climbing down to the little spring for water after each sunset. His heart was filled with a dark cloud because that morning his father had sadly warned him that the next day, the sixth sun, he must return to his village even if no dream had come to him in the night. This meant returning to his people in disgrace without the chance of taking another dream fast.

That night Tree Arrows, weak from hunger and weary from ceaseless watch, cried out to the Great Mystery. ‘O Great Spirit, have pity on him who stands humbly before Thee. Let his clan spirit or a sign from beyond the thunderbird come to him before tomorrow’s sunrise, if it be Thy will.’

As he prayed, the wind suddenly veered from east too north. This cheered Three Arrows because the wind was now the wind of the great bear, and the bear was the totem of his clan. When he entered the cavern he smelled for the first time the unmistakable odor of a bear. This was strong medicine.

He crouched at the opening of the cave, too excited to lie down although his tire body craved rest. As he gazed out into the night he heard the rumble of thunder, saw the lightning flash, and felt the fierce breath of the wind from the north. Suddenly a vision came to him, and a gigantic bear stood
beside him in the cave. Then Three Arrows heard it say, ‘Listen well, Mohawk. Your clan spirit has heard your prayer. Tonight you will learn a great mystery which will bring help and gladness to all your people.’

A terrible clash of thunder brought the dazed boy to his feet as the bear disappeared. He looked from the cave just as a streak of lightning flashed across the sky in the form of a blazing arrow. Was this the sign from the thunderbird ?

Suddenly the air was filled with a fearful sound. A shrill shrieking came from the ledge just above the cave. It sounded as though mountain lions fought in the storm; yet Three Arrows felt no fear as he climbed toward the ledge. As his keen eyes grew accustomed to the dim light he saw that the force of the wind was causing two young balsam trees to rub violently against each other. The strange noise was caused by friction, and as he listened and watched fear filled his heart, for, from where the two trees rubbed together a flash of lightning show smoke. Fascinated, he watched until flickers of flames followed the smoke.

Three Arrows had never seen fire of any kind at close range nor had any of his people. He scrambled down to the cave and covered his eyes in dread of this strange magic. Then he smelt bear again and he thought of his vision, his clan spirit, the bear, and its message. This was the mystery which he was to reveal to his people. The blazing arrow in the sky was to be his totem, and his new name – Blazing Arrow.

At daybreak, Blazing Arrow climbed onto the ledge and broke two dried sticks from what remained of one of the balsams. He rubbed them violently together, but nothing happened. ‘The magic is too powerful for me,’ he thought.

Then a picture of his clan and village formed in his mind, and he patiently rubbed the hot sticks together again. His will power took the place of his tired muscles. Soon a little wisp of smoke greeted his renewed efforts, then came a bright spark on one of the stick. Blazing Arrow waved it as he had seen the fiery arrow wave in the night sky. A resinous blister on the stick glowed, then flamed.

Fire had come to the Six Nations!

http://www.indigenouspeople.net/fire6nat.htm