|
Cherokee
Moons |
|
January Month of
the Cold Moon - (U no lv ta ni) |
| This
time of the season is a time for personal and ritual observance, fasting
and personal purification. During this season, families prepare for the
coming of the new seasons, starting in Windy Moon Anuyi or March.
Personal items and tools for planting are repaired, and new ones made.
Stories about ancestors and the family are imparted to the younger ones
by the elders. A mid-Winter or "Cold Moon Dance" is usually held in the
community as well, marking the passing or ending of one cycle of seasons
and welcoming the beginning of the new cycle. Hearth fires are put out
and new ones made. The putting out of fires and lighting of new ones
anciently is the duty of certain "priest" of certain clans, and
coincides with the first new-arrival of the morning star (Sun's
daughter, now called Venus) in the east. |
|
February Month of
the Bony Moon- (Ka ga li) |
|
Traditional time of personal-family feast for the ones who had departed
this world. A family meal is prepared with place(s) set for the
departed. This is also a time of fasting and ritual observance. A
community dance officiated by a "doctor" Didanawiskawi commonly referred
to as a Medicine-person. Connected to this moon is the "Medicine Dance". |
|
March Month of the
Windy Moon- (A nv yi) |
| "First
New Moon" of the new seasons. Traditional start of the new cycle of
planting seasons or Moons. New town council fires are made. The figure
used to portray this moon is the historic figure of Kanati, one of the
many beings created by the "Apportioner" Unethlana. These "helpers" were
variously charged with the control of the life elements of the earth:
air/earth/fire/water. Their domains are the sky, earth, stars and the
Seven Levels of the universe. |
|
April Month of the
Flower Moon- (Ka wo ni) |
| First
plants of the season come out at this time. New births are customary
within this time frame. The first new medicine and herb plants that
taught an kind how to defend against sickness and conjury come out now.
Streams and rivers controlled by the spirit being, "Long Men," renew
their lives. Ritual observances are made to "Long Man" at this time. A
dance customary at this season was the "Knee Deep Dance" of the Spring
or Water Frog. |
|
May Month of the
Planting Moon- (A ni s gv ti) |
|
Families traditionally prepare the fields and sow them with the stored
seeds from last season. Corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, yams
and sunflowers are some food planted at this time. A dance traditionally
done at this time is the "Corn Dance". |
|
June Month of the
Green Corn Moon- (De ha lu yi) |
| First
signs of the "corn in tassel", and the emerging of the various plants of
the fields. People traditionally begin preparations for the upcoming
festivals of the ensuing growing season. People of the AniGadugi Society
begin repairs needed on town houses, family homes and generally provide
for the needy. The AniGadugi Society is a volunteer help group who see
to the needs of the less fortunate, the elderly and the infirm of the
villages. |
|
July Month of the
Ripe Corn Moon- (Gu ye gwo ni) |
| First
foods or the new planting and the roasting ears of corn are ready. Towns
begin the cycle festivals. Dances and celebrations of thanks to the
Earth Mother and the "Apportioner" Unethlana are given. In the old times
this was the traditional time of the "Green Corn Dance" or festival. A
common reference of this moon is the "first roasting of ears" ...sweet
corn-moon. This is the customary time for commencement of the Stick Ball
games traditionally called AniStusti, "Little War". Today known as
"lacrosse". Stick Ball dances and festivals are commonly held at this
time. |
|
August Month of the
end of the Fruit Moon- (Ga lo ni) |
| Foods
of the trees and bushes are gathered at this time. The various "Paint
Clans" begin to gather many of the herbs and medicines for which they
were historically known. Green Corn festivals are commonly held at this
time in the present day. The "Wild Potato" Clans begin harvesting
various foods growing along the streams, marshes, lakes and ponds. |
|
September Month of
the Nut Moon- (Du li s di) |
| The
corn harvest referred to as "Ripe Corn Festival" was customarily held in
the early part of this moon to acknowledge Selu the spirit of the corn.
Selu is thought of as First Woman. The festival respects Mother Earth as
well for providing all foods during the growing season. The "Brush Feast
Festival" also customarily takes place in this season. All the fruits
and nuts of the bushes and trees of the forest were gathered as this
time. A wide variety of nuts from the trees went into the nut breads for
the various festivals throughout the seasons. Hunting traditionally
began in earnest at this time. |
|
October Month of
the Harvest Moon- (Du nin di) |
| Time
of traditional "Harvest Festival" Nowatequa when the people give thanks
to all the living things of the fields and earth that helped them live,
and to the "Apportioner" Unethlana. Cheno i-equa or "Great Moon"
Festival is customarily held at this time. |
| November Month of the Trading Moon- (Nv da de wi) |
|
Traditionally a time of trading and barter among different towns and
tribes for manufactured goods, produce and goods from hunting. The
people traded with other nearby tribes as well as distant tribes,
including those of Canada, Middle America and South America. Also the
customary time of the "Friendship Festival" Adohuna "new friends made".
This was a time when all transgressions were forgiven, except for murder
which traditionally was taken care of according to the law of blood by a
clans person of a murdered person. The festival recalls a time before
"world selfishness and greed". This was a time also when the needy among
the towns were given whatever they needed to help them through the
impending lean winter season. |
|
December Month of
the Snow Moon- (V s gi yi) |
| The
spirit being, "Snow Man", brings the cold and snow for the earth to
cover the high places while the earth rests until the rebirth of the
seasons in the Windy Moon Anuyi. Families traditionally were busy
putting up and storing goods for the next cycle of seasons. Elders
enjoyed teaching and retelling ancient stories of the people to the
young. |
| http://www.telliquah.com/Moons.htm |
| (Courtesy
Tiger Lilli Sakima) |
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