Hickory Hill - Welcome to my lodge
(- threads, 23 posts)
 Down by the river
General Thread
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When you arise each morning, give thanks to the Creator, to the four sacred directions, to Mother Earth and Father Sky and all your relations.
| "GOING TO WATER" - The waters of the river (“Long Man”) are sacred to the Tsalagi. Many still follow the tradition of “Going to Water” to start the day. Every morning, no matter what the season or weather, the custom is to wade out into the waters of a clean running creek or river, face the east of rising sun, and dip seven times in the water while reciting prayers. "The Cherokees regarded the river as a deity, calling him the Long Man...a giant with his head in the foothills of the mountains and his foot far down in the lowland, pressing always, resistless and without stop, to a certain goal, and speaking in murmurs which only the priest may interpret. "The World was sometimes frequented by Under World monsters who came out of the rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and mountain caves, all of these being entrances to the Under World. They lurked around lonely spots like mountain passes, making mischief or even causing great misfortunes for people. There were giant frogs, and giant lizards, among these monsters..." "Rivers also figured prominently in the Cherokee spirit world...The river was associated with the moon, and on every new moon, including those in winter, the Cherokees used to go to the bank of the river where a priest officiated and everybody plunged in. This was to ensure long life, implying that the snake, which annually sheds its skin, is associated with longevity. Usually this ritual took place at a bend of the river where they could face upstream towards the rising sun. Just as Fire could be offended, so could the River. "The river was often used for divining into the future and for discovering the causes of illness. The dipping into the water was a preliminary to the Ball Game. (Charles Hudson, The Southern Indians, University of TN Press, 1976) "To Cherokees, among all spiritual forces none were more important than water, the river Yunwi Gunahita, the Long Person. Going to water... was an activity and ritual that preceded or followed every important event. Going to water brought purification and rebirth. Regularly during pregnancy, following the birth of a child, and after monthly menses, women went to water to begin new life. Mothers took newborn infants to water to invest them with purifying strength. Before competitive games and before and after warfare, men went to water for purification and protection. The sick or wounded went to water to heal and cleanse their spirits. Cherokees who returned from captivity went to water before reentering society. At each new moon, families went to water to maintain spiritual health. Entire towns and villages went to water before agricultural harvests. By going to water, Cherokees experienced renewal and regeneration, and preparation for the future. Their relationship to water was ancient and spiritual, involving attitudes toward lovers and enemies, families and priests, toward processes of birth, death, illness, and healing, toward fortune in games, hunting, love, and war. All converged at the water."(from Weaving New Worlds by Sarah Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 1997) |
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River View (* Germaniae Flavius, Jul 23, 2007 - 13:17 ) This is very creative..... (* XQUIQ MorningStar, May 11, 2007 - 09:31 ) Greeting the day (* Moonbeam MorningStar, Mar 20, 2007 - 08:27 )|
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