4th Annual Community Ceremonial Day

The Cherokee Healing & Wellness Coaltion sponsored its  4^th Annual Cherokee Community Day this past Saturday at the Tsali Manor Pavilion.  Friends and families gathered on a beautiful fall day to honor, promote and reclaim some of our Cherokee traditions.

Identifying of one’s clan family is a standard activity during this annual event as is the Cementation or “make friends” (Atunah) activity.  The Atunah is one of the seven ceremonies that was traditionally held during this time of the year.  The importance of this ceremony was that the Cherokees came together after their New Year ceremony for thanksgiving,  renewal, reclaiming and forgiveness of relationships.  This event showed how important community cohesiveness and individual relationships were.  It was a time to forgive all passed wrongs and ill feelings one had for others, and a time for individuals to commit to loving and caring for each other. Tom Hill, the Fire Keeper for this event, kept the fire blazing while individuals took time to identify those others for whom they carried ill feelings, hatred or dislikes toward.  This process included, writing down the names and then throwing the pieces of paper on which the names were written into the fire. This act demonstrated a mental and physical way of saying, “I forgive you and will no longer carry these feelings inside me, clearing the way for me to have a loving and caring way of living.”  The Cherokee knew that carrying hostility divided our People and that clearing away negative energy in our bodies promoted good health and kept peace among our people.

This year another Cherokee practice was introduced to the people.  Several scientific research results were shared.  For example, the importance of what drinking water has to our bodies which is 70% water; how the effects of drinking a daily quota of water has on reducing the risks of bladder cancer, colon cancer and the possible reduction of heart disease.  Additionally, they were told of a research done by a renown Japanese doctor, Emirates Emoto, who found that words, feelings, and thoughts have a profound effect on water and the water produced either clear, brilliant, beautiful crystals, or ugly, dark, deformed ones depending on the intent delivered to them, either, spoke, thought, or written…it didn’t matter in what form, only that the water took on the attitude.  This particular research information should lead us to question what our behavior is doing to others since our bodies and planet are both 70% water!

The people were reminded of how the Cherokees used water in their daily lives and how it was also used for healing.  For thousands of years, the Cherokees have known the importance of water, they have used water as medicine and practiced “going to  water” in their daily lives, or during preparation for important ceremonies and activities.   There were also special people who could use Ama in their healing practice. The Cherokees had knowledge of this life-giving resource many years before scientific “discoveries”.  Two elders brought water from a spring high in the mountains for the event, and  a prayer of thanksgiving for the water, acknowledging the Creator’s gift, and all’s of life’s dependence on it was given by Pastor Jack Russell.  The Ama was then offered to anyone who desired to partake.

The Traditional Feast once again provided people with an opportunity to enjoy some of the Cherokee foods, bean and chestnut bread, squash, beans and corn, wild greens, frog legs, rabbit casserole, quail gravy and deer gravy, wishey and slicks, and various fruits and berry dishes, watercress salad, along with blueberry & hibiscus tea.

The group dismissed by singing a hymn in the Cherokee language.

The Cherokee Healing and Wellness Coalition sponsors this yearly event because it is committed to encouraging a healthy life style and healing by the promotion of Cherokee traditions along with the Seven Cherokee Core values.  Many thanks for your partication in this event and your donations that made it all possible.  Sgi.