Introduction

The Cherokee people are a tribe of Native Americans who reside in the Southeastern woodlands of North and South Carolina. They are a people with deep connection to the Earth and a great love for everything Mother Nature has to offer them. The Cherokee believe that everything living is connected through spirits. This belief ideology is what brought their literature and stories to life in a beautifully memorizing way.

Poetry

Poetry was a popular way for the Cherokee people to write about the world around them. With simple phrasing and poignant messages they were able to form beautiful word-scapes of the world around them. Here is an original Cherokee inspired free-verse.

Brothers

The deer is my brother, running strong and free.

His hooves pounding beside me

as we run through our home.

The deer is my brother,

watching silently as I

walk noiselessly through the wood

during the hunt.

He is safe.

He is my kin.

Short Story

A huge part of Cherokee culture is legends, other wise known as short stories. These beautiful works give insight into topics such as: Creation, War, even Deat and are highly respected amoung the Cherokee people. Here is an original short story by mself about "The Voice in the Wind".

The Voice in the Wind

Uwaga ran barefooted as fast as she could from her village.

"That's it! I can't take this anymore!" she cried as she sprang from rock to rock crossing the river.

Uwaga's father, Totsi, had told her for the last time that she was to marry the handsome son of the chief, Inali by sundown or she would be banished from the village. Knowing she couldn't do this Uwaga ran in fright- she didn't want to marry Inali he was mean and rude and kinda smelly. SHe wanted to be free to run across Elohi with no ties to any place.

Uwaga ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She collapsed in exhaustion at the base of the great Delegalis and began to pray:

"Oh great Delegalis please help me. I don't want to be tied down to this place I want to run free and see all there is to see. I want to meet all peoples in all lands without worry. I wan't to bring smiles to children's faces in every corner of the world. I just, I want to never be able to caught. Please, oh please, help me great Delegalis."

Uwaga sat in silent concentration as she continued to mumble broken prayers when suddenly the roots began to shake.

Uwaga looked up in fright and saw the limbs of the great willow swaying when she heard this in the leaves:

"Young Uwaga, there is only one way to grant you what you pray for and it is not easy. You must be ready to transform and give away everything you have ver known. Once you have made this decision my daughter there is no going back- are you sure this is what you want?"

"Oh yes Delegalis! Please! I do not belong to this form, I belong to the great Mother Elohi in all of her great masterpieces. I am willing and ready. I long to be free."

Delegalis shook leaves from her branches and whispered, "Very well my child. We shall begin."

The leaves rushed around Uwaga until she felt weightless, her hair whisked away followed by her clothes. They were replaced with wisps of linings of the highest clouds and her skin paled to the blue of the sky. The best happened last- her body took a new form the form of the great breeze that blows.

"There my child", Delegalis laughed, "from now on you will be known as Unole- the great breeze.From now on no one may control you, you are free to roam this great Earth and see everything you desire. Go on, try it out."

Uwaga, now Unole, took off like a bolt springing leaves and dust in the air behind her. She flew to the sky and down again with the power of the mighty winds and she giggled the whole time. Her voice nothing but a whisper in the trees. She pulled at childrens hair and blew cool air on their faces as they laughed. She whispered promises of protection on her people and promises of destruction over her enemies. She was happy, she was wild, she was free.

The End