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Indigenous Stories

Cherokee Medicine Man

Categories : Cherokee , Cherokee Stories

In the old days the Cherokee Medicine Man would travel to the rock caves to meet with the Little People and share in their secrets. The medicine men would stay in the mountains for seven days and nights telling stories around the campfire. On the fist night they would tell the story of the bear and sing the songs the bear had taught the Cherokee. The songs were for good hunting. On the second night, they would dance the Green Corn Dance for good crops, singing and dancing all night long. On the third night a song was sung to invoke the deer spirit to be kind to the Cherokee hunters. The fourth, fifth and sixth nights were spent on more storytelling, dancing and singing. Each medicine man told about sacred formula that the Little People has entrusted to him.

On the seventh night, at the darkest hour, as the drums beat louder and louder, the Little People or Yundi Tsundi danced into the circle. They danced and chanted sacred songs. Then the Little People told the medicine men to return the secrets that had been shared with them that year. One by one the medicine men placed the secret formulas in the hands of the Little People. The medicine men left the cave and returned to their people. They would return again and again to receive and return the spirit gifts of the Little People.

Go Back To: Cherokee Nation