Cherokee Myth - THE RAVEN MOCKER

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

THE RAVEN MOCKER

Of all the Cherokee wizards or witches the most dreaded is the Raven Mocker (Kâ′lanû Ahyeli′skĭ), the one that robs the dying man of life. They are of either sex and there is no sure way to know one, though they usually look withered and old, because they have added so many lives to their own.

At night, when some one is sick or dying in the settlement, the Raven Mocker goes to the place to take the life. He flies through the air in fiery shape, with arms outstretched like wings, and sparks trailing behind, and a rushing sound like the noise of a strong wind. Every little while as he flies he makes a cry like the cry of a raven when it “dives” in the air—not like the common raven cry—and those [402]who hear are afraid, because they know that some man’s life will soon go out. When the Raven Mocker comes to the house he finds others of his kind waiting there, and unless there is a doctor on guard who knows how to drive them away they go inside, all invisible, and frighten and torment the sick man until they kill him. Sometimes to do this they even lift him from the bed and throw him on the floor, but his friends who are with him think he is only struggling for breath.

After the witches kill him they take out his heart and eat it, and so add to their own lives as many days or years as they have taken from his. No one in the room can see them, and there is no scar where they take out the heart, but yet there is no heart left in the body. Only one who has the right medicine can recognize a Raven Mocker, and if such a man stays in the room with the sick person these witches are afraid to come in, and retreat as soon as they see him, because when one of them is recognized in his right shape he must die within seven days. There was once a man named Gûñskăli′skĭ, who had this medicine and used to hunt for Raven Mockers, and killed several. When the friends of a dying person know that there is no more hope they always try to have one of these medicine men stay in the house and watch the body until it is buried, because after burial the witches do not steal the heart.

The other witches are jealous of the Raven Mockers and afraid to come into the same house with one. Once a man who had the witch medicine was watching by a sick man and saw these other witches outside trying to get in. All at once they heard a Raven Mocker cry overhead and the others scattered “like a flock of pigeons when the hawk swoops.” When at last a Raven Mocker dies these other witches sometimes take revenge by digging up the body and abusing it.

The following is told on the reservation as an actual happening:

A young man had been out on a hunting trip and was on his way home when night came on while he was still a long distance from the settlement. He knew of a house not far off the trail where an old man and his wife lived, so he turned in that direction to look for a place to sleep until morning. When he got to the house there was nobody in it. He looked into the âsĭ and found no one there either. He thought maybe they had gone after water, and so stretched himself out in the farther corner to sleep. Very soon he heard a raven cry outside, and in a little while afterwards the old man came into the âsĭ and sat down by the fire without noticing the young man, who kept still in the dark corner. Soon there was another raven cry outside, and the old man said to himself, “Now my wife is coming,” and sure enough in a little while the old woman came in and sat down by her husband. Then the young man knew they were Raven Mockers and he was frightened and kept very quiet.[403]

Said the old man to his wife, “Well, what luck did you have?” “None,” said the old woman, “there were too many doctors watching. What luck did you have?” “I got what I went for,” said the old man, “there is no reason to fail, but you never have luck. Take this and cook it and let’s have something to eat.” She fixed the fire and then the young man smelled meat roasting and thought it smelled sweeter than any meat he had ever tasted. He peeped out from one eye, and it looked like a man’s heart roasting on a stick.

Suddenly the old woman said to her husband, “Who is over in the corner?” “Nobody,” said the old man. “Yes, there is,” said the old woman, “I hear him snoring,” and she stirred the fire until it blazed and lighted up the whole place, and there was the young man lying in the corner. He kept quiet and pretended to be asleep. The old man made a noise at the fire to wake him, but still he pretended to sleep. Then the old man came over and shook him, and he sat up and rubbed his eyes as if he had been asleep all the time.

Now it was near daylight and the old woman was out in the other house getting breakfast ready, but the hunter could hear her crying to herself. “Why is your wife crying?” he asked the old man. “Oh, she has lost some of her friends lately and feels lonesome,” said her husband; but the young man knew that she was crying because he had heard them talking.

When they came out to breakfast the old man put a bowl of corn mush before him and said, “This is all we have—we have had no meat for a long time.” After breakfast the young man started on again, but when he had gone a little way the old man ran after him with a fine piece of beadwork and gave it to him, saying, “Take this, and don’t tell anybody what you heard last night, because my wife and I are always quarreling that way.” The young man took the piece, but when he came to the first creek he threw it into the water and then went on to the settlement. There he told the whole story, and a party of warriors started back with him to kill the Raven Mockers. When they reached the place it was seven days after the first night. They found the old man and his wife lying dead in the house, so they set fire to it and burned it and the witches together.

See: Myths of the Cherokee. Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902. Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Native American Medicinal Plants A

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Alfalfa – Known officially as Medicago Sativa, Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family. Grown all over the world, it has been utilized in herbal medicine for centuries. Native Americans used it to promote blood clotting and treat jaundice. 

American Ginseng – Officially known as Panax Quinquefolius, this herb is of the ivy family and native to the hardwood forests of eastern North America. Used by Native Americans long before Europeans arrived, it was used not only to heal a wide variety of ailments; but, also for spiritual and ceremonial purposes. Recognized as one of the five most valuable plant medicines by the Seneca, traditional uses included flu, colds, fever, sinus problems, to reduce swelling, and as a laxative. The herb was smoked like tobacco by the Iroquois, and used in sweat baths by the Seminole. It was also dried for use in teas and tonics by the Cherokee, Creek, Houma, Mimac, Mohegan, and Potawatomi for a variety of medicinal purposes. Some tribes used at as a body rub. Another not so common use was using the herb to attract a mate, such as the Meskwaki women to gain a husband, and Pawnee men who used Ginsing as a love charm. 

Allspice – Formally known as Pimenta Dioica, this fragrant spice is not only used in cooking and seasoning, but also as an herbal remedy, also known as Jamaica Pepper, Kurundu, Myrtle Pepper, Pimenta, Clove Pepper, and Newspice. It’s dried unripe berries have long been used in teas for treatment of colds, menstrual cramps, upset stomach, indigestion, flatulence, diabetes, toothaches, and relief of muscle aches and pains. 

American Licorice – Officially known as Glycyrrhiza Lepidota, and sometimes called wild licorice, it is native to most of North America, from central Canada south through the United States to California, Texas and Virginia, but absent from the southeastern states. Its roots have been widely used by a number of Native American tribes in teas for the treatment of cough, diarrhea, chest pain, fever, stomach aches, and to speed the delivery of the placenta after childbirth. 

American Mistletoe – Specifically known as Phoradendron Leucarpum, this is a species of mistletoe which is native to the United States and Mexico. Its common names include Eastern Mistletoe, Hairy Mistletoe, Oak Mistletoe, Pacific Mistletoe, or Western Mistletoe. Native Americans used Phoradendron for blood pressure, lung problems, epilepsy, headache, abortions and as a contraceptive. The Cherokee made a tea ooze that was used to bathe the head for headache and the Creek made a concoction for lung troubles, such as tuberculosis. The Mendocino Indians often used the root to induce abortions and to prevent conception. Other uses included chewing on the root for toothaches, rubbing the body with a decoction of leave for painful limbs and joints. It was also used by some tribes in religious ceremonies.  

Antelope Sage – Formally known as Eriogonum Jamesii, this herb is a species of wild buckwheat also known as James’ Buckwheat. Native to southwestern North America, in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Nebraska; it was often used as a contraceptive by Native Americans, such as the Navajo. The women would drink one cup of a decoction of the root during menstruation. The root was chewed or used in teas as a cardiac medicine, for stomach aches, and depression. Some made a wash that was used for sore eyes.

Arnica – A member of the sunflower family, one species, called Arnica Montana, has been used for centuries by Native Americans as a topical cream or ointment to soothe muscle aches, reduce inflammation, treat sprains and bruises, and heal wounds. 

Aspen – Aspen trees are native to cold regions with cool summers. In North America, this includes the far north portions and extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. There are several varieties of Aspen trees, one of which — the Quaking Aspen, which was used by both Native Americans and early pioneers to treat fever, scurvy, cough, pain, and as an anti-inflammatory. 

Astragalus – A large genus of about 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, it is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milk-vetch (most species), locoweed (some species in the western U.S.), and goat’s-thorn. Used in Native American remedies, the dried roots was often in combination with other herbs, to strengthen the body against disease. 

Disclaimer:  These herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Many are poisonous.

Acer glabrum var. douglasii (Douglas maple), used by Plateau tribes as a treatment for diarrhea.

Acer glabrum var. glabrum The Blackfoot take an infusion of the bark in the morning as a cathartic. The Okanagan-Colville, when hunting, use a branch tied in a knot & placed over the bear's tracks while hunting to stop the wounded bear. The Thompson people use a decoction of wood & bark taken for nausea caused by smelling a corpse.

Acer saccharinum (silver maple), an infusion of bark removed from the south side of the tree is used by the Mohegan for cough medicine.

Acer saccharum (sugar maple), used by the Mohegan as a cough remedy, & the sap as a sweetening agent & to make maple syrup.

Actaea rubra (red baneberry), used by the Algonquin for stomach pains, in some seasons for males, other seasons for females.

Agrimonia gryposepala, used by the Iroquois to treat diarrhea. Also used by the Cherokee to treat fever, by the Ojibwa for urinary problems, & by the Meskwaki & Prairie Potawatomi used it as a styptic for nosebleeds.

Alnus rhombifolia, used by some Plateau tribes for female health treatment.

Alnus rubra, used to treat poison oak, insect bites, & skin irritations. The Blackfoot Confederacy used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders & tuberculosis. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains betulin & lupeol, compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors.

Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush), used by the Cahuilla & Tongva to alleviate menstrual cramps & menopause by taking it as a decoction, & consuming it regularly before the menstruation period. They also used it as an aid for child labor since the plant stimulates the uterine mucosa, quickening the process. The Cahuilla people chewed on the leaves, dried or fresh, to fight colds & coughs. The Ohlone used it to remove pain by applying it to wounds & teeth, to treat colds, coughs, & rheumatism by making it into a tea bath, & as a poultice for asthma.

Cherokee Myth - HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

KANA′TĬ AND SELU: HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE

The earth is a great island floating in a sea of water, and suspended at each of the four cardinal points by a cord hanging down from the sky vault, which is of solid rock. When the world grows old and worn out, the people will die and the cords will break and let the earth sink down into the ocean, and all will be water again. The Indians are afraid of this.

When all was water, the animals were above in Gălûñ′lătĭ, beyond the arch; but it was very much crowded, and they were wanting more room. They wondered what was below the water, and at last Dâyuni′sĭ, “Beaver’s Grandchild,” the little Water-beetle, offered to go and see if it could learn. It darted in every direction over the surface of the water, but could find no firm place to rest. Then it dived to the bottom and came up with some soft mud, which began to grow and spread on every side until it became the island which we call the earth. It was afterward fastened to the sky with four cords, but no one remembers who did this.

At first the earth was flat and very soft and wet. The animals were anxious to get down, and sent out different birds to see if it was yet dry, but they found no place to alight and came back again to Gălûñ′lătĭ. At last it seemed to be time, and they sent out the Buzzard and told him to go and make ready for them. This was the Great Buzzard, the father of all the buzzards we see now. He flew all over the earth, low down near the ground, and it was still soft. When he reached the Cherokee country, he was very tired, and his wings began to flap and strike the ground, and wherever they struck the earth there was a valley, and where they turned up again there was a mountain. When the animals above saw this, they were afraid that the whole world would be mountains, so they called him back, but the Cherokee country remains full of mountains to this day.

When the earth was dry and the animals came down, it was still dark, so they got the sun and set it in a track to go every day across the island from east to west, just overhead. It was too hot this way, and Tsiska′gĭlĭ′, the Red Crawfish, had his shell scorched a bright red, so that his meat was spoiled; and the Cherokee do not eat it. The [240]conjurers put the sun another hand-breadth higher in the air, but it was still too hot. They raised it another time, and another, until it was seven handbreadths high and just under the sky arch. Then it was right, and they left it so. This is why the conjurers call the highest place Gûlkwâ′gine Di′gălûñ′lătiyûñ′, “the seventh height,” because it is seven hand-breadths above the earth. Every day the sun goes along under this arch, and returns at night on the upper side to the starting place.

There is another world under this, and it is like ours in everything—animals, plants, and people—save that the seasons are different. The streams that come down from the mountains are the trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at their heads are the doorways by which we enter it, but to do this one must fast and go to water and have one of the underground people for a guide. We know that the seasons in the underworld are different from ours, because the water in the springs is always warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the outer air.

When the animals and plants were first made—we do not know by whom—they were told to watch and keep awake for seven nights, just as young men now fast and keep awake when they pray to their medicine. They tried to do this, and nearly all were awake through the first night, but the next night several dropped off to sleep, and the third night others were asleep, and then others, until, on the seventh night, of all the animals only the owl, the panther, and one or two more were still awake. To these were given the power to see and to go about in the dark, and to make prey of the birds and animals which must sleep at night. Of the trees only the cedar, the pine, the spruce, the holly, and the laurel were awake to the end, and to them it was given to be always green and to be greatest for medicine, but to the others it was said: “Because you have not endured to the end you shall lose your hair every winter.”

Men came after the animals and plants. At first there were only a brother and sister until he struck her with a fish and told her to multiply, and so it was. In seven days a child was born to her, and thereafter every seven days another, and they increased very fast until there was danger that the world could not keep them. Then it was made that a woman should have only one child in a year, and it has been so ever since.

See: Myths of the Cherokee. Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902. Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Native American Medicinal Plants B

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

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Bee Pollen – Used for centuries by different cultures around the world, it is one of the oldest health foods utilized as a dietary supplement & physical rejuvenator.

Beeswax – Taken from the honeycomb of bees, Beeswax has been used for centuries. Honey bees were introduced  to North America in the early 17C & Native Americans called them “white man’s flies.” However, the indigenous people of the Americas had utilized wild bees in their products for many hundreds of years.

Blackberry – Officially called Rubus Fruticosus, its root-bark & leaves, was used in the healing of a number of medical problems. Making a tea from the root is often used to sooth stomach problems, dysentery, & diarrhea.

Black Gum – Scientifically known as Nyssa Sylvatica, this tree is native to eastern North America, from New England & southern Ontario south to central Florida & eastern Texas. It is also commonly known as Black Tupelo, Pepperide, or simply Gum or Tupelo. Its fruit, bark, & roots have been used by Native Americans as a bath, as well as in decoctions to induce vomiting, eliminate worms in children, & treat eye problems. Cherokee healers used a mild tea made from small pieces of the bark & twigs to relieve chest pain.

Black Raspberry – Formally known as Rubus Occidentalis, it is also known as wild black raspberry, black caps, black cap raspberry, thimbleberry, & scotch cap. Roots of the shrub, which are boiled into tea or chewed, have been found to be cathartic, & effective in the treatment of gonorrhea, cough, & toothache. They have also been used as a wash for sore eyes, ulcers, boils, & sores. The Pawnee, Omaha, & Dakota tribes boiled the root bark to treat dysentery.

Black Cohosh – Officially known as Cimicifuga Racemosa, this white-blooming plant from the buttercup family is native to the woodlands throughout Eastern North America. Also called black bugbane, black snakeroot, rattle weed, & fairy candle. Native Americans, including the Winnebago, Dakota, & the Oklahoma Delaware, were known to have used the root of the plant in teas to heal various problems including gynecological, sore throats,cough, headache, kidney problems & depression. The Cherokee, on the other hand, used the roots to make an alcoholic beverage.

Black Elderberry – See Elder.

Bloodroot – Officially known as Sanguinaria Canadensis, it has also been called bloodwort, red puccoon root, Indian plant, pauson, & tetterwort. Indigenous to the hardwood forests of the eastern part of North America, the roots of the flowering plant have long been used in Native American medicinal remedies to treat respiratory & digestive problems, diphtheria, sore throat, bronchial problems, rheumatism, & used as a pain reliever & sedative. Externally, it was used for ringworm, burns, & as an insect repellent. Fresh roots were made into washes, poultices, snuffs, dental powders, & salves. In the past, the red sap of the root were also used as a dye by many tribes & the Appalachia Indians were known to have carried as a charm to ward off evil spirits.

Blue Cohosh – Formally called Caulophyllum Thalictroides, & also known as squaw root & papoose root, this flowering plant is found in hardwood forests from Manitoba, Canada & Oklahoma east to the Atlantic Ocean. Native Americans used the root in teas & tonics to treat rheumatism, dropsy, colic, cramps, hiccough, epilepsy, female reproductive issues, uterine problems, & to induce labor, & ease the pain of childbirth. Many Native American tribes & later, European herbologists & mid-wives, used Blue Cohosh in conjunction with other herbs & remedies for abortive & contraceptive purposes.

Blue Spruce –  The Colorado blue spruce was discovered on Pikes Peak in 1862 & its fame spread quickly &  has long been used by Native Americans for healing purposes. The Navajo & Keres tribes used this tree as a traditional medicinal plant & a ceremonial item, & twigs are given as gifts to bring good fortune.  They also chewed the balsam of spruce as a chewing gum & spread it as caulking or glue.

Boneset – Officially called Eupatorium Perfoliatum, is part of the aster family & contains up to 60 species. Native to temperate regions of North America, it has also been called  ague weed, feverwort, thoroughwort or snakeroot.  Though it has been found to be poisonous, it was used by the Iroquois, Delaware, Cherokee, Mohegan, & Menominee to treat colds & fever. The Alabama used it for stomach aches & the Cherokee, as a laxative.

Broom Snakeweed – Officially known as Gutierrezia Sarothrae, it is native to the west & southwest portions of the United States, & is also simply called snakeweed. Southwestern Indians & Mexicans used it for multiple treatments. The Blackfoot boiled the roots & inhaled the steam for respiratory ailments, the Comanche used the leaves in a decoction for whooping cough. The Sioux used it for colds, cough, & vertigo. Others used the fresh flowers or roots for diarrhea, as bath for fever, as a poultice for bruises, sores, rheumatism. It was probably most widely used by the Navajo, who used it for headache, on wounds, applied it to insect stings & snake bites, utilized a decoction of the root for painful urination, stomachache, colds, fever, & promote the expulsion of the placenta after childbirth. If was often used as an ingredient in sweat baths & sweat lodges.

Buck Brush – A common name for some 50-60 species of North American shrubs, it is officially called Ceanothus. The genus is confined to North America, the center of its distribution in California, with some species in the eastern United States, southeast Canada, & extending as far south as Guatemala. One species, Ceanothus Velutinus, was known as Red Root by many Native American tribes & was used for cysts, fibroid tumors, inflammation, & mouth & throat problems. Another called Hummingbird Blossoms by the Cherokee was used for a diuretic to stimulate kidney function. Ceanothus Integerrimus has been used by North American tribes to ease childbirth.  The Miwok Indians of California were known to have made baskets from Ceanothus branches & early early pioneers used the plant as a substitute for black tea.

Buckthorn – A genus of shrubs or small trees in the Rhamnaceae family, they are native throughout the temperate & subtropical Northern Hemisphere, & also more locally in the subtropical Southern Hemisphere in parts of Africa & South America. Only the buckthorn bark is used for medicinal purposes. Known from the 14th century, Buckthorn is especially administrated as a laxative or purgative.

Buffaloberry – Officially called as Shepherdia, there are three species called Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia Argentea,) Canada Buffaloberry or Russet Buffaloberry (Shepherdia Canadensis,) & Round-leaf Buffaloberry Shepherdia Rotundifolia. These small shrubs with bitter tasting berries are native to northern & western North America. Also called soapberry, bullberry, rabbitberry, chaparral berry, silverleaf, & soopolallie, the berries & other parts of the plant have long been used as food, medicine, & dye.

Burdock – Officially called Arctium Lappa, this plant is a member of the sunflower family, & is also known as Cocklebur & Bardana. Though it originated in Eurasia, it was used by Native Americans for centuries. Its roots have long been eaten around the world as a vegetable & has many medicinal uses in treatment gastrointestinal ailments & respiratory problems. Native American uses included crushing the roots & leaves for skin care, including sores & ulcers, & treating  rheumatism by the Cherokee, Maliseet, Menominee, Micmac, & Chippewa tribes. The Iroquois were known to use the roots to aid in circulation & & to purify the blood. The Potawatomi also used it as a blood purifier & general tonic in teas. Rich in chromium, iron, magnesium, thiamin, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, & zinc, the Indians also utilized it as food, drying the roots to add to soups, & using the young leaves as greens. Many tribes also utilized burdock in ceremonial uses.

Disclaimer:  These herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Many are poisonous.

Baccharis sarothroides, used by the Seri people to make a decoction by cooking the twigs. This tea is used to treat colds, sinus headache, & general sore achy ailments. The same tea is also used as a rub for sore muscles. 

Balsamorhiza sagittata, used as food & medicine by many Native American groups, such as the Nez Perce, Kootenai, Cheyenne, & Salish.

Baptisia australis – the Cherokee would use the roots in teas as a purgative or to treat tooth aches & nausea, while the Osage made an eyewash with the plant.

Betula occidentalis, used by some Plateau tribes to treat pimples & sores.

Blephilia ciliata, traditionally used by the Cherokee to make a poultice to treat headaches.

Cherokee Myth - The Origin of Disease & Medicine.

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

THE ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND MEDICINE.

In the old days quadrupeds, birds, fishes, & insects could all talk, & they & the human race lived together in peace & friendship. But as time went on the people increased so rapidly that their settlements spread over the whole earth & the poor animals found themselves beginning to be cramped for room. This was bad enough, but to add to their misfortunes man invented bows, knives, blowguns, spears, & hooks, & began to slaughter the larger animals, birds & fishes for the sake of their flesh or their skins, while the smaller creatures, such as the frogs & worms, were crushed & trodden upon without mercy, out of pure carelessness or contempt. In this state of affairs the animals resolved to consult upon measures for their common safety.

The bears were the first to meet in council in their townhouse in Kuwa´hĭ, the “Mulberry Place,” & the old White Bear chief presided. After each in turn had made complaint against the way in which man killed their friends, devoured their flesh & used their skins for his own adornment, it was unanimously decided to begin war at once against the human race. Some one asked what weapons man used to accomplish their destruction. “Bows & arrows, of course,” cried all the bears in chorus. “And what are they made of?” was the next question. “The bow of wood & the string of our own entrails,” replied one of the bears. It was then proposed that they make a bow & some arrows & see if they could not turn man’s weapons against himself. So one bear got a nice piece of locust wood & another sacrificed himself for the good of the rest in order to furnish a piece of his entrails for the string. But when everything was ready & the first bear stepped up to make the trial it was found that in letting the arrow fly after drawing back the bow, his long claws caught the string & spoiled the shot. This was annoying, but another suggested that he could overcome the difficulty by cutting his claws, which was accordingly done, & on a second trial it was found that the arrow went straight to the mark. But here the chief, the old White Bear, interposed & said that it was necessary that they should have long claws in order to be able to climb trees. “One of us has already died to furnish the bowstring, & if we now cut off our claws we shall all have to starve together. It is better to trust to the teeth & claws which nature has given us, for it is evident that man’s weapons were not intended for us.”

No one could suggest any better plan, so the old chief dismissed the council & the bears dispersed to their forest haunts without having concerted any means for preventing the increase of the human race. Had the result of the council been otherwise, we should now be at war with the bears, but as it is the hunter does not even ask the bear’s pardon when he kills one.

The deer next held a council under their chief, the Little Deer, & after some deliberation resolved to inflict rheumatism upon every hunter who should kill one of their number, unless he took care to ask their pardon for the offense. They sent notice of their decision to the nearest settlement of Indians & told them at the same time how to make propitiation when necessity forced them to kill one of the deer tribe. Now, whenever the hunter brings down a deer, the Little Deer, who is swift as the wind & can not be wounded, runs quickly up to the spot & bending over the blood stains asks the spirit of the deer if it has heard the prayer of the hunter for pardon. If the reply be “Yes” all is well & the Little Deer goes on his way, but if the reply be in the negative he follows on the trail of the hunter, guided by the drops of blood on the ground, until he arrives at the cabin in the settlement, when the Little Deer enters invisibly & strikes the neglectful hunter with rheumatism, so that he is rendered on the instant a helpless cripple. No hunter who has regard for his health ever fails to ask pardon of the deer for killing it, although some who have not learned the proper formula may attempt to turn aside the Little Deer from his pursuit by building a fire behind them in the trail.

Next came the fishes & reptiles, who had their own grievances against humanity. They held a joint council & determined to make their victims dream of snakes twining about them in slimy folds & blowing their fetid breath in their faces, or to make them dream of eating raw or decaying fish, so that they would lose appetite, sicken, & die. Thus it is that snake & fish dreams are accounted for.

Finally the birds, insects, & smaller animals came together for a like purpose, & the Grubworm presided over the deliberations. It was decided that each in turn should express an opinion & then vote on the question as to whether or not man should be deemed guilty. Seven votes were to be sufficient to condemn him. One after another denounced man’s cruelty & injustice toward the other animals & voted in favor of his death. The Frog (walâ´sĭ) spoke first & said: “We must do something to check the increase of the race or people will become so numerous that we shall be crowded from off the earth. See how man has kicked me about because I’m ugly, as he says, until my back is covered with sores;” & here he showed the spots on his skin. Next came the Bird (tsi´skwa; no particular species is indicated), who condemned man because “he burns my feet off,” alluding to the way in which the hunter barbecues birds by impaling them on a stick set over the fire, so that their feathers & tender feet are singed & burned. Others followed in the same strain. The Ground Squirrel alone ventured to say a word in behalf of man, who seldom hurt him because he was so small; but this so enraged the others that they fell upon the Ground Squirrel & tore him with their teeth & claws, & the stripes remain on his back to this day.

The assembly then began to devise & name various diseases, one after another, & had not their invention finally failed them not one of the human race would have been able to survive. The Grubworm in his place of honor hailed each new malady with delight, until at last they had reached the end of the list, when some one suggested that it be arranged so that menstruation should sometimes prove fatal to woman. On this he rose up in his place & cried: “Wata´n Thanks! I’m glad some of them will die, for they are getting so thick that they tread on me.” He fairly shook with joy at the thought, so that he fell over backward & could not get on his feet again, but had to wriggle off on his back, as the Grubworm has done ever since.

When the plants, who were friendly to man, heard what had been done by the animals, they determined to defeat their evil designs. Each tree, shrub, & herb, down, even to the grasses & mosses, agreed to furnish a remedy for some one of the diseases named, & each said: “I shall appear to help man when he calls upon me in his need.” Thus did medicine originate, & the plants, every one of which has its use if we only knew it, furnish the antidote to counteract the evil wrought by the revengeful animals. When the doctor is in doubt what treatment to apply for the relief of a patient, the spirit of the plant suggests to him the proper remedy.

Extracted from:  The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees.  Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1885-1886,  Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891.  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee. 

Native American Medicinal Plants C

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

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Calamus Root – See Sweetflag

Cardinal Flower – Formally called Lobelia Cardinalis, this plant with bright red flowers is native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada south through the eastern & southwestern United States, Mexico & Central America. Native Americans used the root to heal intestinal ailments, worms, epilepsy, typhoid, cramps, & syphilis. Leaf tea was used for cold, bronchial problems, croup, nosebleed, fever,headache, & rheumatism. A poultice of the roots has been used on hard to heal sores & applied to the head to relieve the pain of headache. The Penobscot tribe smoked the dried leaves as a substitute for tobacco.

Cascara Sagrada – Officially called Rhamnus Purshiana, it comes from a species of Buckthorn tree native to western North America from southern British Columbia south to central California, & inland to western Montana. Also known as Cascara Buckthorn, Chitticum Bark, Sacred Bark, & Bearberry, dried & aged bark is used primarily for bowel problems. It has powerful laxative effect & is believed to improve the muscle tone of the colon walls. The dried bark can be made into tea, although it tastes bitter.

Cattail – Officially called Typha, there are about  11 species mostly found in wetland habitats of the Northern Hemisphere. It is also commonly known by several names including Bullrush, Reedmace, Punks, & Corndog Grass. These were often used to make a nutritious & energy-rich food source which was processed into flour. Pollen was also collected from mature male flowers & used as a flour supplement or thickener. In Native American herbal medicine, various species were used in poultices applied to burns,wounds infection, sprains, boils, & swelling. Internally, it was used for abdominal cramps,  kidney stones,whooping cough, cysts, gonorrhea, & diarrhea. Specifically, the Apache used the pollen in a number of remedies; the Dakota, Ponca, & Pawnee used it for dressing burns & scalds; the Algonquin to treat infection, the Cahuilla for bleeding wounds. The Cheyenne were also known to have used leaves in their Sun Dance ceremony.

Cat’s Claw – Officially known as Uncaria Tomentosa, it is also sometimes called Cat’s Nail. A tropical vine that grows in the rainforest & jungles of South America & Asia, it has been used for medicinal purposes for more than two thousand years as a general health tonic, contraceptive, anti-inflammatory agent, gastrointestinal & urinary tract problems, diarrhea, rheumatic disorders, respiratory problems, acne, &, diabetes.

Cayenne – Formally known as Capsicum, it is also commonly known as Chili Pepper, Hot Pepper, Red Pepper, Tabasco Pepper, Pimiento, Mexican Chili, & many other local names. It is native to the Americas, where they have been cultivated for thousands of years by the people in the tropical regions & are now cultivated worldwide. Used as both a food & for medicinal purposes, it was best known for treatment of circulatory & digestive problems. Other conditions it was used for was rheumatism, arthritis, chronic nerve pain, shingles,diabetes, stomach ailments, heart disease, varicose veins, headache, menstrual cramps, & asthma. It was also used as a gargle for throat irritation. Externally, it was applied to wounds to increase blood flow & numb the pain.

Chokecherry – Officially known as Prunus Virginiana, it is also called Western Chokecherry, Black Chokecherry, & Wild Cherry. Varieties can be found all over the United States & Canada. Numerous tribes including the Mohawk, Huron, Miami, Delaware, Cree, Ojibwe, Penobscot, Iroquois, Chippewa, & others have long used the tree as a source of food & medicine. In early American medicine, it was considered one of the most important native drugs, ranked along with Sassafras. The berries were collected & dried for later consumption & the bark of the tree was used in the treatment of small pox, scurvy, soreness of the chest & throat, lung hemorrhages, cough, colds, inflammation of the bowel, diarrhea, stomach cramps, cholera,  digestive problems, gangrenous wounds, sores, pains, severe burns & wounds. When Europeans arrived in America, they learned from the Indians about the health properties of chokeberry & began to use it to treat cough, colds, consumption, & malaria, burns & wounds.

Coltsfoot – Scientifically known as Tussilago Farfara, this dandelion looking plant has been used medicinally throughout the world for thousands of years. Pedanius Dioscorides, a Greek physician & pharmacologist, who lived from 40-90 AD, recommended it for cough & asthma. Known by several other names, including British Tobacco, Bullsfoot, Butterbur, Coughwort, Flower Velure, Horsehoof, & others, it was native to several locations in Europe & Asia. It was introduced to the Americas by early colonists & now grows in North America, from Kentucky & Tennessee northward to Ontario & Quebec in Canada; as well as west of the Mississippi River in the Minnesota & Washington. Its leaves were usually smoked for cough, bronchitis, whooping cough, & other respiratory disorders. Crushed leaves were also used in teas & tonics for flu, pleurisy, sore throat, inflammation, fever, diarrhea, & indigestion.Crushed leaves & flowers were also used externally for various skin disorders, insect bites, inflammation, burns, skin ulcers, & sores.

Cotton – Of the genus Gossypium, cotton is native to tropical & subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Africa, & India. Roots, leaves, & seeds have been used in the treatment of urinary problems, to aid the contraction of the uterus after child birth, excessive bleeding during menstruation, for healing wounds & burns, dysentery, & diarrhea. The Alabama & Koasati tribes made a tea of the roots of the plant to relieve the pains of labor.

Creosote Bush – Officially, the plant is called Larrea Tridentata & many refer to it as “chaparral” as a medicinal herb. It is prominent in the deserts of the south & western U.S. A tea of the leaves was made by Native Americans of the Southwest & used as a treatment for respiratory problems, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, chicken pox, dysmenorrhea, & snakebite.

Disclaimer:  These herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Many are poisonous.

Calypso (orchid), used by the Nlaka'pamux of British Columbia used it as a treatment for mild epilepsy.

Ceanothus integerrimus, the branches of which were used among the Indigenous peoples of California in treating women after childbirth.

Ceanothus velutinus, used by certain Plateau tribes to create herbal tea to induce sweating as a treatment for colds, fevers, & influenza. Leaves were also used when rinsing to help prevent dandruff.

C. velutinus was known as "red root" by many Native American tribes due to the color of the inner root bark, & was used as a medicine for treating lymphatic disorders, ovarian cysts, fibroid tumors, & tonsillitis.

Chimaphila umbellata, used by some Plateau tribes in an herbal tea to treat tuberculosis.

Claytonia virginica (Virginia spring-beauty), used medicinally by the Iroquois, who would give a cold infusion or decoction of the powdered roots to children suffering from convulsions. They would also eat the raw roots, believing that they permanently prevented conception. They would also eat the roots, as would the Algonquin people, who cooked them like potatoes.

Cleome serrulata, used by tribes in the southwest to make an infusion to treat stomach illnesses & fevers.

Commelina dianthifolia, infusion of plant used by Keres as a strengthener for weakened tuberculosis patients.

Cornus sericea, used by Plateau tribes to treat colds by eating the berries. Also used to slow bleeding.

Cherokee Myth - THE FIRST FIRE

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

 THE FIRST FIRE

In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the Thunders (Ani′-Hyûñ′tĭkwălâ′skĭ), who lived up in Gălûñ′lătĭ, sent their lightning and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the smoke coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was a long time ago.

Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering what to do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened and came back without the fire. The little Screech-owl (Wa′huhu′) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely, but while he was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could see well, and his eyes are red to this day. Then the Hooting Owl (U′guku′) and the Horned Owl (Tskĭlĭ′) went, but by the time they got to the hollow tree the fire was burning so fiercely that the smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white rings about their eyes. They had to come home again without the fire, but with all their rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white rings.

Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksu′hĭ snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The heat and smoke were too much for him, too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed by good luck to get out again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has ever since had the habit of darting and doubling on his track as if trying to escape from close quarters. He came back, and the great blacksnake, Gûle′gĭ, “The Climber,” offered to go for fire. He swam over to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does, but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out again he was as black as the Uksu′hĭ.

Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world was cold, but birds, snakes, and four-footed animals, all had some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture near the burning sycamore, until at last Kănăne′skĭ Amai′yĕhĭ (the Water Spider) said she would go. This is not the water spider that looks like a mosquito, but the other one, with black downy hair and red stripes on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How could she bring back the fire? “I’ll manage that,” said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and wove it into a tusti bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and through the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl, and came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.

See: Myths of the Cherokee. Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902. Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

Native American Medicinal Plants D

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

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Dandelion – Officially called Taraxacum Officinale, it is known by most people as a common weed; but to herbalists, for its many culinary & medicinal uses.  A tea of the roots was drunk for heartburn by the Pillager Ojibwas, & the Mohegan tribe drank a tea of the leaves as a general health tonic.

Devil’s Claw – Formally called Harpagophytum Procumbens, this plant, native to southern Africa, is also called Grapple Plant, Harpagon, Wood Spider, & Devil’s Club. Used for thousands of years by indigenous people of that country, it was used to treat fever, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions, & conditions involving the gallbladder, pancreas, stomach & kidneys; as well as a numbing agent. Later it brought to Europe & utilized primarily to improve digestion & treat arthritis. After it was brought to the Americas, the Indians of British Columbia utilized a tea of the root bark to offset the effects of diabetes.

Dogbane – See Indian Hemp

Dogwood – Scientifically known as Cornus Florida, this flowering tree native to the U.S. can be found from Maine to Florida & west to Minnesota, Kansas, & Texas. Having several other common names including American Dogwood, Boxwood, Budwood, Cornelian Tree, Flowering Dogwood, Green Ozier, & others, its inner bark, berries, & twigs have long been used in Native American remedies. Primarily it was used internally to treat malaria, fever, pneumonia, colds, & diarrhea; as well as improving digestion & appetite. Externally, poultices were used to heal ulcers & sores. In the early 19C, a report was made that Native Americans in Virginia were remarkable for their white teeth. They utilized twigs as chewing sticks, which acted as a toothpick & chewing brush. The Iroquois were known to use the twigs in a tonic for gonorrhea & the the Cherokee chewed the bark for headache & used a decoction of bark to treat childhood afflictions such as worms, measles, & diarrhea. They also made poultices, which were used for wounds, & other skin disorders. The Menominee used the bark in enemas, & the Arikara mixed it the bearberry to make a sacred tobacco.

Disclaimer:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions.

Delphinium nudicaule, the root of which was used as a narcotic by the Mendocino.

Devil's club, traditionally used by Native Americans to treat adult-onset diabetes & a variety of tumors. In vitro studies showed that extracts of devil's club inhibit tuberculosis microbes. The plant is used medicinally & ceremonially by the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska, who refer to it as "Tlingit aspirin." A piece of devil's club hung over a doorway is said to ward off evil. The plant is harvested & used in a variety of ways, including lip balms, ointments, & herbal teas. Some Tlingit disapprove of the commercialization of the plant as they see it as a violation of its sacred status.

Cherokee Myth - THE ORIGIN OF GAME AND CORN

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

KANA′TĬ AND SELU: THE ORIGIN OF GAME AND CORN

When I was a boy this is what the old men told me they had heard when they were boys.

Long years ago, soon after the world was made, a hunter and his wife lived at Pilot knob with their only child, a little boy. The father’s name was Kana′tĭ (The Lucky Hunter), and his wife was called Selu (Corn). No matter when Kana′tĭ went into the wood, he never failed to bring back a load of game, which his wife would cut up and prepare, washing off the blood from the meat in the river near the house. The little boy used to play down by the river every day, and one morning the old people thought they heard laughing and talking in the bushes as though there were two children there. When the boy came home at night his parents asked him who had been playing with him all day. “He comes out of the water,” said the boy, “and he calls himself my elder brother. He says his mother was cruel to him and threw him into the river.” Then they knew that the strange boy had sprung from the blood of the game which Selu had washed off at the river’s edge.

Every day when the little boy went out to play the other would join him, but as he always went back again into the water the old people never had a chance to see him. At last one evening Kana′tĭ said to his son, “Tomorrow, when the other boy comes to play, get him to wrestle with you, and when you have your arms around him hold on to him and call for us.” The boy promised to do as he was told, so the next day as soon as his playmate appeared he challenged him to a wrestling match. The other agreed at once, but as soon as they had their arms around each other, Kana′tĭ’s boy began to scream for his father. The old folks at once came running down, and as soon as the Wild Boy saw them he struggled to free himself and cried out, “Let me go; you threw me away!” but his brother held on until the parents reached the spot, when they seized the Wild Boy and took him home with them. They kept him in the house until they had tamed him, but he was always wild and artful in his disposition, and was the leader of his brother in every mischief. It was not long until the old people discovered that he had magic powers, and they called him I′năge-utăsûñ′hĭ (He-who-grew-up-wild).

Whenever Kana′tĭ went into the mountains he always brought back a fat buck or doe, or maybe a couple of turkeys. One day the Wild Boy said to his brother, “I wonder where our father gets all that game; let’s follow him next time and find out.” A few days afterward Kana′tĭ took a bow and some feathers in his hand and started off toward the west. The boys waited a little while and then went after him, keeping out of sight until they saw him go into a swamp where there were a great many of the small reeds that hunters use to make arrowshafts. Then the Wild Boy changed himself into a puff of bird’s down, which the wind took up and carried until it alighted upon Kana′tĭ’s shoulder just as he entered the swamp, but Kana′tĭ knew nothing about it. The old man cut reeds, fitted the feathers to them and made some arrows, and the Wild Boy—in his other shape—thought, “I wonder what those things are for?” When Kana′tĭ had his arrows finished he came out of the swamp and went on again. The wind blew the down from his shoulder, and it fell in the woods, when the Wild Boy took his right shape again and went back and told his brother what he had seen. Keeping out of sight of their father, they followed him up the mountain until he stopped at a certain place and lifted a large rock. At once there ran out a buck, which Kana′tĭ shot, and then lifting it upon his back he started for home again. “Oho!” exclaimed the boys, “he keeps all the deer shut up in that hole, and whenever he wants meat he just lets one out and kills it with those things he made in the swamp.” They hurried and reached home before their father, who had the heavy deer to carry, and he never knew that they had followed.

A few days later the boys went back to the swamp, cut some reeds, and made seven arrows, and then started up the mountain to where their father kept the game. When they got to the place, they raised the rock and a deer came running out. Just as they drew back to shoot it, another came out, and then another and another, until the boys got confused and forgot what they were about. In those days all the deer had their tails hanging down like other animals, but as a buck was running past the Wild Boy struck its tail with his arrow so that it pointed upward. The boys thought this good sport, and when the next one ran past the Wild Boy struck its tail so that it stood straight up, and his brother struck the next one so hard with his arrow that the deer’s tail was almost curled over his back. The deer carries his tail this way ever since. The deer came running past until the last one had come out of the hole and escaped into the forest. Then came droves of raccoons, rabbits, and all the other four-footed animals—all but the bear, because there was no bear then. Last came great flocks of turkeys, pigeons, and partridges that darkened the air like a cloud and made such a noise with their wings that Kana′tĭ, sitting at home, heard the sound like distant thunder on the mountains and said to himself, “My bad boys have got into trouble; I must go and see what they are doing.”

So he went up the mountain, and when he came to the place where he kept the game he found the two boys standing by the rock, and all the birds and animals were gone. Kana′tĭ was furious, but without saying a word he went down into the cave and kicked the covers off four jars in one corner, when out swarmed bedbugs, fleas, lice, and gnats, and got all over the boys. They screamed with pain and fright and tried to beat off the insects, but the thousands of vermin crawled over them and bit and stung them until both dropped down nearly dead. Kana′tĭ stood looking on until he thought they had been punished enough, when he knocked off the vermin and made the boys a talk. “Now, you rascals,” said he, “you have always had plenty to eat and never had to work for it. Whenever you were hungry all I had to do was to come up here and get a deer or a turkey and bring it home for your mother to cook; but now you have let out all the animals, and after this when you want a deer to eat you will have to hunt all over the woods for it, and then maybe not find one. Go home now to your mother, while I see if I can find something to eat for supper.”

When the boys got home again they were very tired and hungry and asked their mother for something to eat. “There is no meat,” said Selu, “but wait a little while and I’ll get you something.” So she took a basket and started out to the storehouse. This storehouse was built upon poles high up from the ground, to keep it out of the reach of animals, and there was a ladder to climb up by, and one door, but no other opening. Every day when Selu got ready to cook the dinner she would go out to the storehouse with a basket and bring it back full of corn and beans. The boys had never been inside the storehouse, so wondered where all the corn and beans could come from, as the house was not a very large one; so as soon as Selu went out of the door the Wild Boy said to his brother, “Let’s go and see what she does.” They ran around and climbed up at the back of the storehouse and pulled out a piece of clay from between the logs, so that they could look in. There they saw Selu standing in the middle of the room with the basket in front of her on the floor. Leaning over the basket, she rubbed her stomach—so—and the basket was half full of corn. Then she rubbed under her armpits—so—and the basket was full to the top with beans. The boys looked at each other and said, “This will never do; our mother is a witch. If we eat any of that it will poison us. We must kill her.”

When the boys came back into the house, she knew their thoughts before they spoke. “So you are going to kill me?” said Selu. “Yes,” said the boys, “you are a witch.” “Well,” said their mother, “when you have killed me, clear a large piece of ground in front of the house and drag my body seven times around the circle. Then drag me seven times over the ground inside the circle, and stay up all night and watch, and in the morning you will have plenty of corn.” The boys killed her with their clubs, and cut off her head and put it up on the roof of the house with her face turned to the west, and told her to look for her husband. Then they set to work to clear the ground in front of the house, but instead of clearing the whole piece they cleared only seven little spots. This is why corn now grows only in a few places instead of over the whole world. They dragged the body of Selu around the circle, and wherever her blood fell on the ground the corn sprang up. But instead of dragging her body seven times across the ground they dragged it over only twice, which is the reason the Indians still work their crop but twice. The two brothers sat up and watched their corn all night, and in the morning it was full grown and ripe.

When Kana′tĭ came home at last, he looked around, but could not see Selu anywhere, and asked the boys where was their mother. “She was a witch, and we killed her,” said the boys; “there is her head up there on top of the house.” When he saw his wife’s head on the roof, he was very angry, and said, “I won’t stay with you any longer; I am going to the Wolf people.” So he started off, but before he had gone far the Wild Boy changed himself again to a tuft of down, which fell on Kana′tĭ’s shoulder. When Kana′tĭ reached the settlement of the Wolf people, they were holding a council in the townhouse. He went in and sat down with the tuft of bird’s down on his shoulder, but he never noticed it. When the Wolf chief asked him his business, he said: “I have two bad boys at home, and I want you to go in seven days from now and play ball against them.” Although Kana′tĭ spoke as though he wanted them to play a game of ball, the Wolves knew that he meant for them to go and kill the two boys. They promised to go. Then the bird’s down blew off from Kana′tĭ’s shoulder, and the smoke carried it up through the hole in the roof of the townhouse. When it came down on the ground outside, the Wild Boy took his right shape again and went home and told his brother all that he had heard in the townhouse. But when Kana′tĭ left the Wolf people he did not return home, but went on farther.

The boys then began to get ready for the Wolves, and the Wild Boy—the magician—told his brother what to do. They ran around the house in a wide circle until they had made a trail all around it excepting on the side from which the Wolves would come, where they left a small open space. Then they made four large bundles of arrows and placed them at four different points on the outside of the circle, after which they hid themselves in the woods and waited for the Wolves. In a day or two a whole party of Wolves came and surrounded the house to kill the boys. The Wolves did not notice the trail around the house, because they came in where the boys had left the opening, but the moment they went inside the circle the trail changed to a high brush fence and shut them in. Then the boys on the outside took their arrows and began shooting them down, and as the Wolves could not jump over the fence they were all killed, excepting a few that escaped through the opening into a great swamp close by. The boys ran around the swamp, and a circle of fire sprang up in their tracks and set fire to the grass and bushes and burned up nearly all the other Wolves. Only two or three got away, and from these have come all the wolves that are now in the world.

Soon afterward some strangers from a distance, who had heard that the brothers had a wonderful grain from which they made bread, came to ask for some, for none but Selu and her family had ever known corn before. The boys gave them seven grains of corn, which they told them to plant the next night on their way home, sitting up all night to watch the corn, which would have seven ripe ears in the morning. These they were to plant the next night and watch in the same way, and so on every night until they reached home, when they would have corn enough to supply the whole people. The strangers lived seven days’ journey away. They took the seven grains and watched all through the darkness until morning, when they saw seven tall stalks, each stalk bearing a ripened ear. They gathered the ears and went on their way. The next night they planted all their corn, and guarded it as before until daybreak, when they found an abundant increase. But the way was long and the sun was hot, and the people grew tired. On the last night before reaching home they fell asleep, and in the morning the corn they had planted had not even sprouted. They brought with them to their settlement what corn they had left and planted it, and with care and attention were able to raise a crop. But ever since the corn must be watched and tended through half the year, which before would grow and ripen in a night.

As Kana′tĭ did not return, the boys at last concluded to go and find him. The Wild Boy took a gaming wheel and rolled it toward the Darkening land. In a little while the wheel came rolling back, and the boys knew their father was not there. He rolled it to the south and to the north, and each time the wheel came back to him, and they knew their father was not there. Then he rolled it toward the Sunland, and it did not return. “Our father is there,” said the Wild Boy, “let us go and find him.” So the two brothers set off toward the east, and after traveling a long time they came upon Kana′tĭ walking along with a little dog by his side. “You bad boys,” said their father, “have you come here?” “Yes,” they answered, “we always accomplish what we start out to do—we are men.” “This dog overtook me four days ago,” then said Kana′tĭ, but the boys knew that the dog was the wheel which they had sent after him to find him. “Well,” said Kana′tĭ, “as you have found me, we may as well travel together, but I shall take the lead.”

Soon they came to a swamp, and Kana′tĭ told them there was something dangerous there and they must keep away from it. He went on ahead, but as soon as he was out of sight the Wild Boy said to his brother, “Come and let us see what is in the swamp.” They went in together, and in the middle of the swamp they found a large panther asleep. The Wild Boy got out an arrow and shot the panther in the side of the head. The panther turned his head and the other boy shot him on that side. He turned his head away again and the two brothers shot together—tust, tust, tust! But the panther was not hurt by the arrows and paid no more attention to the boys. They came out of the swamp and soon overtook Kana′tĭ, waiting for them. “Did you find it?” asked Kana′tĭ. “Yes,” said the boys, “we found it, but it never hurt us. We are men.” Kana′tĭ was surprised, but said nothing, and they went on again.

After a while he turned to them and said, “Now you must be careful. We are coming to a tribe called the Anăda′dûñtăskĭ (“Roasters,” i. e., cannibals), and if they get you they will put you into a pot and feast on you.” Then he went on ahead. Soon the boys came to a tree which had been struck by lightning, and the Wild Boy directed his brother to gather some of the splinters from the tree and told him what to do with them. In a little while they came to the settlement of the cannibals, who, as soon as they saw the boys, came running out, crying, “Good, here are two nice fat strangers. Now we’ll have a grand feast!” They caught the boys and dragged them into the townhouse, and sent word to all the people of the settlement to come to the feast. They made up a great fire, put water into a large pot and set it to boiling, and then seized the Wild Boy and put him down into it. His brother was not in the least frightened and made no attempt to escape, but quietly knelt down and began putting the splinters into the fire, as if to make it burn better. When the cannibals thought the meat was about ready they lifted the pot from the fire, and that instant a blinding light filled the townhouse, and the lightning began to dart from one side to the other, striking down the cannibals until not one of them was left alive. Then the lightning went up through the smoke-hole, and the next moment there were the two boys standing outside the townhouse as though nothing had happened. They went on and soon met Kana′tĭ, who seemed much surprised to see them, and said, “What! are you here again?” “O, yes, we never give up. We are great men!” “What did the cannibals do to you?” “We met them and they brought us to their townhouse, but they never hurt us.” Kana′tĭ said nothing more, and they went on.

*   *   *

He soon got out of sight of the boys, but they kept on until they came to the end of the world, where the sun comes out. The sky was just coming down when they got there, but they waited until it went up again, and then they went through and climbed up on the other side. There they found Kana′tĭ and Selu sitting together. The old folk received them kindly and were glad to see them, telling them they might stay there a while, but then they must go to live where the sun goes down. The boys stayed with their parents seven days and then went on toward the Darkening land, where they are now. We call them Anisga′ya Tsunsdi′ (The Little Men), and when they talk to each other we hear low rolling thunder in the west.

After Kana′tĭ’s boys had let the deer out from the cave where their father used to keep them, the hunters tramped about in the woods for a long time without finding any game, so that the people were very hungry. At last they heard that the Thunder Boys were now living in the far west, beyond the sun door, and that if they were sent for they could bring back the game. So they sent messengers for them, and the boys came and sat down in the middle of the townhouse and began to sing.

At the first song there was a roaring sound like a strong wind in the northwest, and it grew louder and nearer as the boys sang on, until at the seventh song a whole herd of deer, led by a large buck, came out from the woods. The boys had told the people to be ready with their bows and arrows, and when the song was ended and all the deer were close around the townhouse, the hunters shot into them and killed as many as they needed before the herd could get back into the timber.

Then the Thunder Boys went back to the Darkening land, but before they left they taught the people the seven songs with which to call up the deer. It all happened so long ago that the songs are now forgotten—all but two, which the hunters still sing whenever they go after deer.

Native American Medicinal Plants E

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

Eastern Skunk Cabbage – Known officially as Symplocarpus Foetidus, it is also called Clumpfoot Cabbage, Foetid Pothos, Meadow Cabbage, Polecat Weed, or Swamp Cabbage; but, is most commonly known as simply Skunk Cabbage. It is a low growing, foul smelling plant that prefers wetlands & can be found naturally in the eastern U.S. from Minnesota east & south to North Carolina & Tennessee. It was used extensively as a medicinal plant by the Winnebago & Dakota tribes to stimulate the removal of phlegm in asthma. It was also used as a seasoning & magical talisman by various tribes.

Echinacea – A flowering plant in the daisy family, it is also referred to as purple coneflower, passion flower, & simply, coneflower. Growing in eastern & central North America in moist to dry prairies & open wooded areas, it was widely used by the Plains Indians to treat infection & wounds & for its general medicinal qualities. The plant was used by chewing on the root or in tea for internal problems or  pulverizing it for external wounds. In addition to its use as a medical remedy, it was often used in rituals by the Omaha & Winnebago tribes; & the Cheyenne were known to have used the herb during their traditional Sun Dance ceremonies.  Echinacea is one of the most widely known herbal medicines in American folk herbalism. Used extensively by early herbalists & American Indians in North America for generations. A variety of tribes, including the Pawnee, Dakota & Omaha-Winnebago relied heavily upon this plant, which was used for ailments ranging from supporting the immune system to distemper in horses. Nine species are native to the United States & Canada, with heavy concentration in Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma & Missouri. These species are perennial members of the sunflower, or Asteraceae, family & mostly prefer rocky, disturbed soils in open fields, prairies & along railroad tracks.

Elder & Elderberries– Known officially as Sambucus, this species of tall shrubs & small trees are in the Honeysuckle family. Several species are native to North America & Europe, but the most commonly used among North American tribes is Sambucus Canadensis, or the Black Elderberry.  The Cherokee & Delaware made a tea from the dried flowers to sweat out toxins. The Seminole & Creek pounded the root to utilize as a topical treatment for swelling. The Houma Indians used the berries to make a tonic wine & other tribes, such as the  Iroquois, Dakota, Omaha, & Ponca to make a refreshing summer fruit drink.

Evening Primrose – Officially known as Oenothera & Onagraceae, this is a genus of about 125 species of flowering plants that are native to North & South America. Also commonly known as Suncups or Sundrops, it has long been used as both a food & in medicinal remedies. For food, the Apache were known to have used it in soups & sauces; while the Cherokee were known to have cooked the leave for greens & boiled the roots like potatoes. The Hopi & Navajo used it in Ceremonial Medicine & the Jemez carried the root as a good luck charm. Specific use by tribes for medicine included treating muscle strain, swelling, & throat trouble by the Navajo & Ramah; for sores & swelling by the Blackfoot, as an eye medicine by the Hopi; & the Cherokee used it for a number of purposes, including as a hemorrhoid remedy, for boils, for strength, & to reduce “overfatness.”

Disclaimer:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions.

Echinacea, Echinacea angustifolia was widely used by the North American Plains Indians for its general medicinal qualities. Some Plains tribes did use echinacea to treat some of the symptoms that could be caused by the common cold: The Kiowa used it for coughs & sore throats, the Cheyenne for sore throats, the Pawnee for headaches, & many tribes including the Lakotah used it as an analgesic. Native Americans learned of E. angustifolia by observing elk seeking out the plants & consuming them when sick or wounded, & identified those plants as elk root. The following table examines why various tribes use echinacea.

Tribe Uses

Cheyenne Sore mouth/gums

Choctaws Coughs, dyspepsia

Comanche Toothache, sore throat

Crow Colds, toothache, colic

Dakota (Oglala) Cool inflammation

Delaware (Lenape) Gonorrhea

Kiowa Coughs, sore throat

Meskwaki Cramps

Omaha Septic diseases

Omaha-Ponca Eye wash

Sioux (Dakota) Bowels, tonsillitis

The entire echinacea plant is used medicinally, both dried & fresh. Common preparations include making a decoction or infusion of the roots & leaves, making a poultice of parts of the plant, juicing the root or simply using the leaves as they were.

Encelia farinosa (brittlebush), used by the Seri to treat toothache. For toothache the bark is removed, the branch heated in ashes, & then placed in the mouth to "harden" a loose tooth. The Cahuilla of California also used this as a toothache reliever, & to treat chest pain as well by heating the plant gum & applying it to the chest.

Equisetum hyemale, used by some Plateau tribes. They boiled the stalks to produce a drink used as a diuretic & to treat venereal disease.

Erigenia bulbosa, the Cherokee were known to chew this plant as medicine for toothaches, it is unknown what parts of plant they chewed.

Eriodictyon crassifolium, used by the Chumash people to keep airways open for proper breathing.

Eriodictyon trichocalyx (Yerba Santa), used by the Cahuilla to pure blood & to treat coughs, colds, sore throats, asthma, tuberculosis, & catarrh. It was also used as a liniment, a poultice, & a tea bath to treating rheumatism, fatigued limbs, sores, & fevers. The Chumash also used this as a liniment for the feet & chest.

Eriodictyon californicum (Yerba Santa), Native Americans used it to treat asthma, upper respiratory infections, & allergic rhinitis. The Chumash used it to poultice broken bones, wounds, insect bites, & sores. A steam bath was used to treat hemorrhoids.

Eryngium aquaticum, used by the Cherokee for nausea, by the Choctaw people used it as a remedy for snakebite & gonorrhea, & by the Delaware people for intestinal worms.

Erythrina herbacea, Creek women used an infusion of the root for bowel pain; the Choctaw used a decoction of the leaves as a general tonic; the Seminole used an extract of the roots for digestive problems, & extracts of the seeds, or of the inner bark, as an external rub for rheumatic disorders.

Cherokee Myth - WAHNENAUHI VERSION; THE ORIGIN OF GAME AND CORN

Cherokee Myth  

Tales Around the Campfire -  Robert Hood, designer, and Edward Francis Finden, engraver, Interior of a Cree Indian Tent. March 25th. 1820, 1823

See: Myths of the Cherokee. Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902. Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

WAHNENAUHI VERSION; THE ORIGIN OF GAME AND CORN

After the world had been brought up from under the water, “They then made a man and a woman and led them around the edge of the island. On arriving at the starting place they planted some corn, and then told the man and woman to go around the way they had been led. This they did, and on returning they found the corn up and growing nicely. They were then told to continue the circuit. Each trip consumed more time. At last the corn was ripe and ready for use.”

Another story is told of how sin came into the world. A man and a woman reared a large family of children in comfort and plenty, with very little trouble about providing food for them. Every morning the father went forth and very soon returned bringing with him a deer, or a turkey, or some other animal or fowl. At the same time the mother went out and soon returned with a large basket filled with ears of corn which she shelled and pounded in a mortar, thus making meal for bread.

When the children grew up, seeing with what apparent ease food was provided for them, they talked to each other about it, wondering that they never saw such things as their parents brought in. At last one proposed to watch when their parents went out and to follow them.

Accordingly next morning the plan was carried out. Those who followed the father saw him stop at a short distance from the cabin and turn over a large stone that appeared to be carelessly leaned against another. On looking closely they saw an entrance to a large cave, and in it were many different kinds of animals and birds, such as their father had sometimes brought in for food. The man standing at the entrance called a deer, which was lying at some distance and back of some other animals. It rose immediately as it heard the call and came close up to him. He picked it up, closed the mouth of the cave, and returned, not once seeming to suspect what his sons had done.

When the old man was fairly out of sight, his sons, rejoicing how they had outwitted him, left their hiding place and went to the cave, saying they would show the old folks that they, too, could bring in something. They moved the stone away, though it was very heavy and they were obliged to use all their united strength. When the cave was opened, the animals, instead of waiting to be picked up, all made a rush for the entrance, and leaping past the frightened and bewildered boys, scattered in all directions and disappeared in the wilderness, while the guilty offenders could do nothing but gaze in stupefied amazement as they saw them escape. There were animals of all kinds, large and small—buffalo, deer, elk, antelope, raccoons, and squirrels; even catamounts and panthers, wolves and foxes, and many others, all fleeing together. At the same time birds of every kind were seen emerging from the opening, all in the same wild confusion as the quadrupeds—turkeys, geese, swans, ducks, quails, eagles, hawks, and owls.

Those who followed the mother saw her enter a small cabin, which they had never seen before, and close the door. The culprits found a small crack through which they could peer. They saw the woman place a basket on the ground and standing over it shake herself vigorously, jumping up and down, when lo and behold! large ears of corn began to fall into the basket. When it was well filled she took it up and, placing it on her head, came out, fastened the door, and prepared their breakfast as usual. When the meal had been finished in silence the man spoke to his children, telling them that he was aware of what they had done; that now he must die and they would be obliged to provide for themselves. He made bows and arrows for them, then sent them to hunt for the animals which they had turned loose.

Then the mother told them that as they had found out her secret she could do nothing more for them; that she would die, and they must drag her body around over the ground; that wherever her body was dragged corn would come up. Of this they were to make their bread. She told them that they must always save some for seed and plant every year.

Native American Medicinal Plants F

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

F

Fendler’s Bladderpod – Officially known as Lesquerella fendleri, this is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by several common names, including Yellowtop. It was used for a variety of purposes by Native Americans including the Hopi, who used the root to treat snakebite, as a gynecological aid after childbirth, and to induce vomiting. The Navajo and Kayenta tribes used a poultice of the roots which was applied to sore eyes. The Navajo also used it as a snuff to clear nasal passages, a poultice of crushed leaves for toothache, and to treat spider bites.

Fennel – Formally known as Foeniculum Vulgare, this highly aromatic and flavorful herb has long been used in cooking and in medicinal remedies. Native to the shores of the Mediterranean, it later traveled to many parts of the world. It was first introduced to North America by Spanish missionaries for cultivation in their medicinal gardens, and was later brought by English settlers. The Hopi tribe smoked the plant as a substitute for tobacco.

Feverwort  – Officially called Triosteum Perfoliatum, this course, leafy herb of the honeysuckle family is also known as Horse Gentian, Fever-root, Wild Coffee, and Tinker’s Weed.  The Cherokee also drank a decoction of the herb to cure fever.

Disclaimer:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions.

Native American Medicinal Plants G

John White Watercolor c 1585 British Museum

G

Gentiana – A genus of flowering plants belonging to the Gentianaceae family, which has more than 400 species. Common names include Bitter Root, Bitter Wort, Gal Weed, Yellow Gentian, Sampsons Snakeroot, Longdan, and Qin Jiao. Growing in alpine habitats all over the world, most species have pretty, deep blue flowers. Though it has an extremely bitter taste, it was commonly used by Native Americans to treat digestive ailments and as an appetite stimulator. Various species were also used to treat Malaria, stimulate menstruation, and to rid the body of worms. It was also used topically to treat wounds and painful inflammation, one species of which, the Catawba Indians used the roots in hot water on aching backs.

Geranium – Of the Pelargonium species, there are about 200 types of Geraniums found throughout the world. Other common names include Scented Geranium and Stork’s Bill.  In Native American medicine, the Cherokee were known to have boiled geranium root together with wild grape, which was used to rinse the mouths of children affected with thrush. The Chippewa and Ottawa tribes boiled the entire geranium plant and drank the tea for diarrhea.

Goldenseal – Officially known as Hydrastis Canadensis, this herb of the Buttercup family is also known as Yellow Root, Orange Root, Puccoon, Ground Raspberry, and Wild Curcuma. Native to southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, it was traditionally used by Native Americans to treat skin disorders, digestive problems, liver conditions, diarrhea, as a stimulant, and for eye irritations. The Cherokee were also known to have pounded the large root-stock with bear fat and smeared it on their bodies as an insect repellent. The herb was introduced to early colonists for medical use by the Iroquois.

Green Hellebore – See Hellebore

Greenbriar – Officially known as Smilax Bona-Nox, it is a member of the larger Smilax family of more than 300 species. Also known by several other names such as Bullbriar, Catbriar, Horsebriar, Prickly-ivys, and Pull Out a Sticker to the Cherokee, it grows in temperate zones, tropics and subtropics worldwide. The flowering plants, many of which are woody and/or thorny, its root has often been used as a diuretic, the treatment of dropsy, urinary complaints, and as a blood purifier.

Disclaimer:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions.

Gaultheria hispidula (creeping snowberry) Infusion of leaves used as a tonic for overeating by the Algonquin people. Fruit used as food. Used as a sedative by the Anticosti. Decoction of leaves or whole plant taken for unspecified purpose by Micmac. Leaves used by Ojibwa people to make a beverage.

Gentiana villosa, Catawba Indians used the boiled roots as medicine to relieve back pain.

Geranium maculatum, used by Mesquakie tribe to brew a root tea for toothache & for painful nerves. They also mashed the roots for treating hemorrhoids.

Goldenseal, referred to by Prof. Benjamin Smith Barton in his first edition of Collections for an Essay Toward a Materia Medica of the United States (1978), as being used by the Cherokee as a cancer treatment.

Gutierrezia microcephala, used by the Native Americans for various reasons. The Cahuilla used an infusion of the plant as a gargle or placed the plant in their mouths as a toothache remedy. The Hopi & Tewa both used the plant as a carminative, as prayer stick decorations, & for roasting sweet corn.