NORTHERN CHEROKEE NATION
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    • WHY THE DEER’S TEETH ARE BLUNT
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    • How The Redbird Got His Color
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    • The Cherokee Legend of the First Strawberry
    • The Sixth Sun Has Risen
    • Young Harold Mayo and the Witch Woman
    • ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND MEDICINE
    • THE LEGEND OF THE FIRST WOMEN
    • How the Rabbit stole the Otter's coat
    • How the Honey Bee got their Stinger
    • BOY AND THE RATTLESNAKE STORY
    • LEGEND OF THE TLANUHWA AND THE UHKTENA
    • Yahula
    • Bears Race with Turtle
    • Why the Owl has a Spotted Coat
    • Why the Trees Lose Their Leaves
    • Why Rabbit Has A Short Tail
    • Why the Opossum’s Tail is Bare
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    • Roles of extended family
    • Cherokee Clan System
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Roles of Extended Family

The dynamics of what we would consider today as "extended family" was much simpler in ancient times. They understood the "village raising a child" mentality. As previously mentioned, one's clan (ᏧᏂᏴᏫ = tsu-ni-yv-wi) or family (ᏏᏓᏁᎸᎯ = si-da-ne-lv-hi) was always through their mother (ᎤᏂᏥ = u-ni-tsi) or maternal line.
As a young boy (ᎠᏧᏣ = a-tsu-tsa), his primary teacher (to hunt, fish, etc) was his maternal uncle OR any male member of his mother's clan. The term "Uncle" (ᎡᏚᏥ = e-du-tsi) generally meant any older man (ᎠᏍᎦᏯ = a-s-ga-ya), but one not yet an elder, of the clan. This was not to say the boy's father (ᎠᏓᏙᏓ = a-da-do-da) did not love (ᎬᎨᏳᎢ = gv-ge-yu-i) or provide for him, but understood that it was the clan's responsibility to teach his child (ᎠᏲᎵ = a-yo-li), the same as it was his responsibility to teach his "sister's", (ᎤᎸ = u-lv) a female clan member's, sons. As a newborn, a male child was given his name by his mother. When he became a man, the Medicine Man would give him his adult or warrior's name. A man was a warrior from approximately puberty to about age 45 when he "retired" from his warrior ways. A winding down period (about a year) took place to relax and mediate. At that age he could choose to marry, serve the council, and spread wisdom to his people (therefore contributing in a different way). He would often be referred to as "Grandfather" (ᎤᏚᏚ = u-du-du).

As a young girl (ᎠᎨᏳᏣ = a-ge-yu-tsa), her primary teacher was her aunt. The term "Aunt" (ᎡᎶᎩ = E-lo-gi) meant any older female (but not yet an elder) of the clan. A young girl's mother was responsible for teaching the other young women of her clan (other than her daughter) and teaching them to sew/gather and other chores. When a woman became an elder (normally after her child-bearing years) she had the opportunity to serve on the Women's Council, (made of Beloved Women) who decided things like what marriages (ᏨᏓᏓᏨᏍᏙᏗ = tsv-da-da-tsv-s-do-di) were permitted or who was to become a Clan Mother, who decided important matters regarding her particular clan such as adoptions/blood laws etc. She would often be referred to as "Grandmother" (ᎤᎵᏏ = U-li-si).

The role of extended family was important for two main reasons, one being clan connections and closeness and two because the Cherokees wanted a strict distinction between "teacher" (ᏗᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩ = Di-de-yo-hv-s-gi) and "parent" (ᎠᏓᎦᏴᎵᎨ = A-da-ga-yv-li-ge).

Clan: ᏧᏂᏴᏫ = tsu-ni-yv-wi
Family: ᏏᏓᏁᎸᎯ = si-da-ne-lv-hi
Mother: ᎤᏂᏥ = u-ni-tsi
Boy: ᎠᏧᏣ = a-tsu-tsa
Uncle: ᎡᏚᏥ = e-du-tsi
Man: ᎠᏍᎦᏯ = a-s-ga-ya
Father: ᎠᏓᏙᏓ = a-da-do-da
Love: ᎬᎨᏳᎢ = gv-ge-yu-i
Child: ᎠᏲᎵ = a-yo-li
Sister: ᎤᎸ = u-lv
Grandfather: ᎤᏚᏚ = u-du-du
Girl: ᎠᎨᏳᏣ = a-ge-yu-tsa
Aunt: ᎡᎶᎩ = E-lo-gi
Marriage: ᏨᏓᏓᏨᏍᏙᏗ = tsv-da-da-tsv-s-do-di
Grandmother: ᎤᎵᏏ = u-li-si
Teacher: ᏗᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩ = di-he-yo-hv-s-gi
Parent: ᎠᏓᎦᏴᎵᎨ = A-da-ga-yv-li-ge


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  • Home
  • Contact
  • Council Members
  • Events
  • PowWow
    • Vendor Information
    • Booklet Memorials & Ads
  • Photos
    • PowWows Past
    • Warsaw Heritage Days
    • Old Glory Days Parade
    • Fourth of July Weekend
    • Tribal Headquarters Improvements
    • Council Meetings
    • Darkening of the Sun
  • History
    • Children Massacre at Ywahoo Falls
    • Wampum Belt
    • Leaving our homeland
    • Spanish Treaty
    • Natural Disasters
    • Forced Removal
    • States against Indians
    • New Hope
    • Legal Genocide
    • Federal Recognition
    • Bringing the Children Home
    • Historical Cherokee marriage
    • In Ancient Times I
    • The Early Times II
    • The Colonial Period III
    • Sequoyah IV
    • The Cherokee Removal V
    • The Cherokee Today VI
  • Stories
    • How the Deer Got His Horns
    • WHY THE DEER’S TEETH ARE BLUNT
    • What Became Of The Rabbit
    • The Legend of the Cherokee Rose
    • Origin of the Bear
    • Why The Mink Smells
    • Life Lesson for All Cherokee
    • How the Partridge Got His Whistle
    • How The Redbird Got His Color
    • The First Fire
    • The Cherokee Legend of the First Strawberry
    • The Sixth Sun Has Risen
    • Young Harold Mayo and the Witch Woman
    • ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND MEDICINE
    • THE LEGEND OF THE FIRST WOMEN
    • How the Rabbit stole the Otter's coat
    • How the Honey Bee got their Stinger
    • BOY AND THE RATTLESNAKE STORY
    • LEGEND OF THE TLANUHWA AND THE UHKTENA
    • Yahula
    • Bears Race with Turtle
    • Why the Owl has a Spotted Coat
    • Why the Trees Lose Their Leaves
    • Why Rabbit Has A Short Tail
    • Why the Opossum’s Tail is Bare
  • Culture
    • Cherokee Adoption, past and present
    • Roles of extended family
    • Cherokee Clan System
    • Sacred Colors
    • Entering the Circle
    • Fall Cultivation
    • Dances
    • Straight Dancing
    • The Stomp Dance
  • Artist Showcase
  • Council Minutes