“On their return home from a battle, the warriors stayed at their own town council houses for twenty-four days, where before returning to their wives and families, they underwent extensive purification rituals to rid themselves of uncleanness that was contacted during the fighting. At night there were Scalp, Smoke and other dances that the townspeople could watch. During those dances the four men who had served as spies wore the bird and animal skins they had used while on the march: that of the raven, the owl, the wolf, and the fox. Each night, when the Great War Chief put on his raven skin and went forward as a spy, three renowned warriors put on their skins and went off in other directions. The owl man went as a spy to the right, the wolf man to the left, and the fox man went back the way they had come. The raven and owl skins were worn around the bearers’ necks. A slit was made near the head of the wolf and the fox skin for the warrior to put his head through, and the skin was arranged so that the head hung down on the man’s chest and the tail hung down his back. Warriors who distinguished themselves in battle were on their return honored by the gift of a new name that was publicly bestowed by a general council of town leaders. Killer was the highest name, then Raven, Owl, Wolf and Fox.”

From Mails

The Four Winds are spirit beings, the Creator’s messengers, that were placed at the four corners of the world in the beginning of time by the Creator. The task of the Messengers is to attend to the cycle of the four seasons of the year.

The Messengers mind the movement of the sun, earth and stars and are charged with the responsibility of keeping a strict watch over the winds. Vigilance keeps all four winds from coming together and destroying living things on earth. In a continual state of action night and day, season through season, the Messengers are given direction by the Creator regarding what they shall do and what actions for a particular season they are to perform.

It is a matter of traditional instruction as told by the ancient priests of the original people that the individual who kills new meat shall take a part of the meat first to the priest. The priest cuts the meat into five sections, first giving a piece to the sacred fire located in the priest’s house, then, in turn, throwing a piece to the Winds of the North, South, East and lastly, West. After this is completed the meat is passed in its entirety through the sacred fire and distributed among the families. The Sun, called as “Wi ya ha” and “Wi” by certain priests and as “Tso ya” by others, has a presence upon the earth. The Sun’s earthly presence is known to the people as Fire through which the Sun, Grandmother of all that lives, sees everything that happens on earth. The Moon, Grandfather of all, is called by the priests as “To ya”.

Offerings are given to the Messengers to appease them. The offering is given to the North Wind Messenger so he will not whine too long and destroy people with cold. His color is black and his countenance, stern.

The offering is given to the East Wind Messenger so that he should not send strong east winds to overturn the young corn when it comes into tassel or roasting ears time. His color is red and his countenance is congenial.

The offering is given to the South Wind Messenger who provides the people with good and mild winds which causes all things to grow. He is a thoroughly good messenger and is highly favored by the great Ouga, or Creator, above. The South Wind’s color is yellow.

The offering is given to the West Wind Messenger who continually works to assist his superior, the South Wind Messenger. These two Messengers mix together to cause rains and bring water to the crops. The color is the West Wind is brown and his countenance is pleasant.

On occasion the North Wind Messenger sends his great cold winds to blow between the West and the South Winds, but the West Wind Messenger always joins with the South Wind Messenger and together they blow the cold north wind back to the North Wind Messenger. In summer all three Wind Messengers–the East, South and West–join together against the North Wind Messenger to ensure that his cold winds do not invade and destroy living things. Sometimes the North Wind Messenger will go about in the night to blast fruit trees, gardens, the first small corn and water. Because of the other three Winds, he must do this very secretly. Since the North Wind Messenger is capable of great mischief, the other Wind Messengers are always on their guard against his tricks and keep him in bounds. When people do wicked things, disobey their priests and refuse to listen to their counsel, the Creator, “Ouga”, sets all four wind messengers against the earth to destroy crops and bring hunger to punish people for their wicked actions.

Color Symbolism Of The Four Winds

East Wind Messenger

The color of the East Wind is red. The name of the East Wind Messenger is “Ka na ti” which is symbolized by the Thunder Bird. “Ka na ti” is the father of the South Wind and West Wind–thunder and lightning. This spirit being controls time and space. He precedes the Sun each morning to announce her arrival.

South Wind Messenger

The color of the South Wind is yellow. The name of the South Wind Messenger is “U sa wi”, the Light Magician. This spirit being ushers in the summer seasons. Together with his twin brother, the West Wind, they manage the rain, wind and lightning throughout summer and autumn. Together they force the North Wind back to his home after his allotted time.

West Wind Messenger

The West Wind Messenger color is brown. He is called “Nuh sa wi”, the Dark Magician. The West Wind Messenger represents lightning.

North Wind Messenger

The North Wind Messenger color is black. He is called “Yah wi gu na he da”, Long Human being. This being is the spirit of all of the rivers and controls the winds that bring the winter season. He would cause great mischief if not for the watchful eyes of the South Wind and West Wind Messengers which keep him in check.

David Michael Wolfe
Virginia Cherokee Descendent Inage.i AniYunwiya
Cherokee American Artist N.G.E.D. and Historian

In Cherokee mythology, as in that of Indian tribes generally, there is no essential difference between men and animals. In the primal genesis period they seem to be completely undifferentiated, and we find all creatures alike living and working together in harmony and mutual helpfulness until man, by his aggressiveness and disregard for the rights of the others, provokes their hostility, when insects, birds, fishes, reptiles, and four footed beasts join forces against him (see story, “Origin of Disease and Medicine”). Henceforth their lives are apart, but the difference is always one of degree only. The animals, like the people, are organized into tribes and have like them their chiefs and townhouses, their councils and ball plays, and the same hereafter in the Darkening land of Us’ûñhi’yï. Man  is still the paramount power, and hunts and slaughters the others as his own necessities compel, but is obliged to satisfy the animal tribes in every instance, very much as a murder is compounded for, according to the Indian system, by “covering the bones of the dead” with presents for the bereaved relatives.

This pardon to the hunter is made the easier through a peculiar doctrine of reincarnation, according to which, as explained by the shamans, there is assigned to every animal a definite life term which can not be curtailed by violent means. If it is killed before the expiration of the allotted time the death is only temporary and the body is immediately resurrected in its proper shape from the blood drops, and the animal continues its existence until the end of the predestined period, when the body is finally dissolved and the liberated spirit goes to join its kindred shades in the Darkening land. This idea appears in the story of the bear man and in the belief concerning the Little Deer. Death is thus but a temporary accident and the killing a mere minor crime. By some priests it is held that there are seven successive reanimations before the final end.

Certain supernatural personages, Kana’tï and Tsul`kälû’ (see the myths), have dominion over the animals, and are therefore regarded as the distinctive gods of the hunter. Kana’tï at one time kept the game animals, as well as the pestiferous insects, shut up in a cave under ground, from which they were released by his undutiful sons. The primeval animals- the actors in the animal myths and the predecessors of the existing species-are believed to have been much larger, stronger, and cleverer than their successors of the present day. In these myths we find the Indian explanation of certain peculiarities of form, color, or habit, and the various animals are always consistently represented as acting in accordance with their well-known characteristics.

First and most prominent in the animal myths is the Rabbit (Tsistu), who figures always as a trickster and deceiver, generally malicious, but often beaten at his own game by those whom he had intended to victimize. The connection of the rabbit with the dawn god and the relation of the Indian myths to the stories current among the southern negroes are discussed in another place. Ball players while in training are forbidden to eat the flesh of the rabbit, because this animal so easily becomes confused in running. On the other hand, their spies seek opportunity to strew along the path which must be taken by their rivals a soup made of rabbit hamstrings, with the purpose of rendering them timorous in action.

In a ball game between the birds and the four footed animals (seestory) the Bat, which took sides with the birds, is said to have won the victory for his party by his superior dodging abilities. For this reason the wings or sometimes the stuffed skin of the bat are tied to the implements used in the game to insure success for the players. According to the same myth the Flying Squirrel (Tewa) also aided in securing the victory, and hence both these animals are still invoked by the ball player. The meat of the common gray squirrel (sälâ’lï) is forbidden to rheumatic patients, on account of the squirrel’s habit of assuming a cramped position when eating. The stripes upon the back of the ground squirrel (kiyu`ga) are the mark of scratches made by the angry animals at a memorable council in which he took it upon himself to say a good word for the archenemy, Man (see “Origin of Disease and Medicine”). The peculiarities of the mink (sûñgï) are accounted for by another story.

The buffalo, the largest game animal of America, was hunted in the southern Allegheny region until almost the close of the last century, the particular species being probably that known in the West as the wood or mountain buffalo. The name in use among the principal gulf tribes was practically the same, and can not be analyzed, viz, Cherokee, yûñsû’; Hichitee, ya’nasi; Creek, yëna’sa; Choctaw, yanash. Although the flesh of the buffalo was eaten, its skin dressed for blankets and bed coverings, its long hair woven into belts, and its horns carved into spoons, it is yet strangely absent from Cherokee folklore. So far as is known it is mentioned in but a single one of the sacred formulas, in which a person under treatment for rheumatism is forbidden to eat the meat, touch the skin, or use a spoon made from the horn of the buffalo, upon the ground of an occult connection between the habitual cramped attitude of a rheumatic and the natural “hump” of that animal.

The elk is known, probably by report, under the name of a`wï e’gwa, “great deer”, but there is no myth or folklore in connection with it.

The deer, a`wï’, which is still common in the mountains, was the principal dependence of the Cherokee hunter, and is consequently prominent in myth, folklore, and ceremonial. One of the seven gentes of the tribe is named from it (Ani’-Kawï’, “Deer People”). According to a myth given elsewhere, the deer won his horns in a successful race with the rabbit. Rheumatism is usually ascribed to the work of revengeful deer ghosts, which the hunter has neglected to placate, while on the other hand the aid of the deer is invoked against frostbite, as its feet are believed to be immune from injury by frost. The wolf, the fox, and the opossum are also invoked for this purpose, and for the same reason. When the redroot (Ceanothus americanus) puts forth its leaves the people say the young fawns are then in the mountains. On killing a deer the hunter always cuts out the hamstring from the hind quarter and throws it away, for fear that if he ate it he would thereafter tire easily in traveling.

The powerful chief of the deer tribe is the A`wï’ Usdi’, or “Little Deer,” who is invisible to all except the greatest masters of the hunting secrets, and can be wounded only by the hunter who has supplemented years of occult study with frequent fasts and lonely vigils. The Little Deer keeps constant protecting watch over his subjects, and sees well to it that not one is ever killed in wantonness. When a deer is shot by the hunter the Little Deer knows it at once and is instantly at the spot. Bending low his head he asks of the blood stains upon the ground if they have heard–i.e., if the hunter has asked pardon for the life that he has taken. If the formulistic prayer has been made, all is well, because the necessary sacrifice has been atoned for; but if otherwise, the Little Deer tracks the hunter to his house by the blood drops along the trail, and, unseen and unsuspected, puts into his body the spirit of rheumatism that shall rack him with aches and pains from that time henceforth. As seen at rare intervals–perhaps once in a long lifetime-the Little Deer is pure white and about the size of a small dog, has branching antlers, and is always in company with a large herd of deer. Even though shot by the master hunter, he comes to life again, being immortal, but the fortunate huntsman who can thus make prize of his antlers has in them an unfailing talisman that brings him success in the chase forever after. The smallest portion of one of those horns of the Little Deer, when properly consecrated, attracts the deer to the hunter, and when exposed from the wrapping dazes them so that they forget to run and thus become an easy prey. Like the Ulûñsû’tî stone, it is a dangerous prize when not treated with proper respect, and is–or was- -kept always in a secret place away from the house to guard against sacrilegious handling.

Somewhat similar talismanic power attached to the down from the young antler of the deer when properly consecrated. So firm was the belief that it had influence over “anything about a deer” that eighty and a hundred years ago even white traders used to bargain with the Indians for such charms in order to increase their store of deerskins by drawing the trade to themselves. The faith in the existence of the miraculous Little Deer is almost as strong and universal to-day among the older Cherokee as is the belief in a future life.

The bears (yânû) are transformed Cherokee of the old clan of the Ani’-Tsâ’gûhï (see story, “Origin of the Bear”). Their chief is the White Bear, who lives at Kuwâ’hï, “Mulberry place,” one of the high peaks of the Great Smoky mountains, near to the enchanted lake of Atagâ’hï to which the wounded bears go to be cured of their hurts. Under Kuwâ’hï and each of three other peaks in the same mountain region the bears have townhouses, where they congregate and hold dances every fall before retiring to their dens for the winter. Being really human, they can talk if they only would, and once a mother bear was heard singing to her cub in words which the hunter understood. There is one variety known as kalâs’-gûnâhi’ta, “long hams,” described as a large black bear with long legs and small feet, which is always lean, and which the hunter does not care to shoot, possibly on account of its leanness. It is believed that new-born cubs are hairless, like mice.

The wolf (wa’`ya) is revered as the hunter and watchdog of Kana’tï, and the largest gens in the tribe bears the name of Ani’-wa’`ya, “Wolf people.” The ordinary Cherokee will never kill one if he can possibly avoid it, but will let the animal go by unharmed, believing that the kindred of a slain wolf will surely revenge his death, and that the weapon with which the deed is done will be rendered worthless for further shooting until cleaned and exercised by a medicine man. Certain persons, however, having knowledge of the proper atonement rites, may kill wolves with impunity, and are hired for this purpose by others who have suffered from raids upon their fish traps or their stock. Like the eagle killer (see “The Bird Tribes”), the professional wolf killer, after killing one of these animals, addresses to it a prayer in which he seeks to turn aside the vengeance of the tribe by laying the burden of blame upon the people of some other settlement. He then unscrews the barrel of his gun and inserts into it seven small sourwood rods heated over the fire, and allows it to remain thus overnight in the running stream; in the morning the rods are taken out and the barrel is thoroughly dried and cleaned.

The dog (gi`lï’), although as much a part of Indian life among the Cherokee as in other tribes, hardly appears in folklore. One myth makes him responsible for the milky way; another represents him as driving the wolf from the comfortable house fire and taking the place for himself. He figures also in connection with the deluge. There is no tradition of the introduction of the horse (sâ’gwälï, from asâ’gwälihû’, from “a pack or burden”) or of the cow (wa’`ka, from the Spanish, vaca). The hog is called, sïkwä, this being originally the name of the opossum, which somewhat resembles it in expression, and which is now distinguished as sïkwä utse’tstï, “grinning sïkwä”. In the same way the sheep, another introduced animal, is called a`wï’ unäde’na, “woolly deer”; the goat, a`wï’ ahänu’lähï, “bearded deer,” and the mule, “sâ’gwä’lï digû’lanähi’ta”, “long-eared horse.” The cat, also obtained from the whites, is called wesä, an attempt at the English “pussy.” When it purrs by the fireside, the children say it is counting in Cherokee, “ta’ladu’, nûñ’gï, ta’ladu’, nûñ’gï,” “sixteen, four, sixteen, four.” The elephant, which a few of the Cherokee have seen in shows, is called by them käma’mä u’tänû, “great butterfly,” from the supposed resemblance of its long trunk and flapping ears to the proboscis and wings of that insect. The anatomical peculiarities of the opossum, of both sexes, are the subject of much curious speculation among the Indians, many of whom believe that its young are produced without any help from the male. It occurs in one or two of the minor myths.

The fox (tsu’`lä) is mentioned in one of the formulas, but does no appear in the tribal folklore. The black fox is known by a different name (inâ’lï). The odor of the skunk (dïlä’) is believed to keep off contagious diseases, and the scent bag is therefore taken out and hung over the doorway, a small hole being pierced in it in order that the contents may ooze out upon the timbers. At times, as in the smallpox epidemic of 1866, the entire body of the animal was thus hung up, and in some cases, as an additional safeguard, the meat was cooked and eaten and the oil rubbed over the skin of the person. The underlying idea is that the fetid smell repels the disease spirit, and upon the same principle the buzzard, which is so evidently superior to carrion smells, is held to be powerful against the same diseases.

The beaver (dâ’yï), by reason of its well-known gnawing ability, against which even the hardest wood is not proof, is invoked on behalf of young children just getting their permanent teeth. According to the little formula which is familiar to nearly every mother in the tribe, when the loosened milk tooth is pulled out or drops out of itself, the child runs with it around the house, repeating four times, “Dâ’yï, skïntä’ (Beaver, put a new tooth into my jaw)” after which he throws the tooth upon the roof of the house.

In a characteristic song formula to prevent frostbite the traveler, before starting out on a cold winter morning, rubs his feet in the ashes of the fire and sings a song of four verses, by means of which, according to the Indian idea, he acquires in turn the cold-defying powers of the wolf, deer, fox, and opossum, four animals whose feet, it is held, are never frostbitten. After each verse he imitates the cry and the action of the animal. The words used are archaic in form and may be rendered “I become a real wolf,” etc. The song runs:

Tsûñ’wa’`ya-ya’ (repeated four times), wa + a! (prolonged howl). (Imitates a wolf pawing the ground with his feet.)

Tsûñ’-ka’wi-ye’ (repeated four times), sauh! sauh! sauh! sauh! (Imitates
call and jumping of a deer.)

Tsûñ’-tsu’`la-ya’ (repeated four times), gaih! gaih! gaih! gaih! (Imitates
barking and scratching of a fox.)

Tsûñ’-sï’kwa-ya’ (repeated four times), kï +. (Imitates the cry of an opossum when cornered, and throws his head back as that animal does when feigning death.)

MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE , By James Mooney, From Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology. 1897-98,Part I. [1900]

NORTH: blue, wind trouble, cold winds, grief, sadness.
Winter: survival and waiting

SOUTH: white, earth, peace, warm winds
Summer, serenity, plenty

EAST: red, fire, war, success, beginning, blood
Spring: victory, power

WEST: black, water, death, defeat, night, dark
Autumn: final harvest, end of life cycle

UP ABOVE: yellow, happiness

DOWN BELOW: brown

HERE IN THE CENTER: green

In the old days Täwi’skälä (Flint) lived up in the mountains, and all the animals hated him because he had helped to kill so many of them. They used to get together to talk over means to put him out of the way, but everybody was afraid to venture near his house until the Rabbit, who was the boldest leader among them, offered to go after Flint and try to kill him. They told him where to find him, and the Rabbit set out and at last came to Flint’s house.

Flint was standing at his door when the Rabbit came up and said, sneeringly, “Siyu’! Hello! Are you the fellow they call Flint?” “Yes; that’s what they call me,” answered Flint. “Is this where you live?” “Yes; this is where I live.” All this time the Rabbit was looking about the place trying to study out some plan to take Flint off his guard. He had expected Flint to invite him into the house, so he waited a little while, but when Flint made no move, he said, “Well, my name is Rabbit; I’ve heard a good deal about you, so I came to invite you to come and see me.”

Flint wanted to know where the Rabbit’s house was, and he told him it was down in the broom-grass field near the river. So Flint promised to make him a visit in a few days. “Why not come now and have supper with me?” said the Rabbit, and after a little coaxing Flint agreed and the two started down the mountain together.

When they came near the Rabbit’s hole the Rabbit said, “There is my house, but in summer I generally stay outside here where it is cooler.” So he made a fire, and they had their supper on the grass. When it was over, Flint stretched out to rest and the Rabbit got some heavy sticks and his knife and cut out a mallet and wedge. Flint looked up and asked what that was for. “Oh,” said the Rabbit, “I like to be doing something, and they may come handy.” So Flint lay down again, and pretty soon he was sound asleep. The Rabbit spoke to him once or twice to make sure, but there was no answer. Then he came over to Flint and with one good blow of the mallet he drove the sharp stake into his body and ran with all his might for his own hole; but before he reached it there was a loud explosion, and pieces of flint flew all about. That is why we find flint in so many places now. One piece struck the Rabbit from behind and cut him just as he dived into his hole. He sat listening until everything seemed quiet again. Then he put his head out to look around, but just at that moment another piece fell and struck him on the lip and split it, as we still see it.

Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney. From the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology 1897-98, Part I. [1900] and is now in the public domain.