Indian Tobacco--Lobelia inflata.) And if there should be anything mixed with it (i. e., after sucking the place), just put it about a hand's-length into the mud.

Explanation.

The Cherokee name for this disease gives no idea whatever of its serious nature. The technical term, Tsundaye'liga'ktanû'hï, really refers to the enthusiastic outburst of sociability that ensues when two old friends meet. In this instance it might be rendered "an ordeal." The application of such a name to what is considered a serious illness is in accordance with the regular formulistic practice of making light of a dangerous malady in order to convey to the disease spirit the impression that the shaman is not afraid of him. A`yûninï, from whom the formula was obtained, states also that the disease is sometimes sent to a man by a friend or even by his parents, in order to test his endurance and knowledge of counter spells.

As with most diseases, the name simply indicates the shaman's theory of the occult cause of the trouble, and is no clue to the symptoms, which may be those usually attendant upon fevers, indigestion, or almost any other ailment.

In some cases the disease is caused by the conjurations of an enemy, through which the patient becomes subject to an inordinate appetite, causing him to eat until his abdomen is unnaturally distended. By the same magic spells tobacco may be conveyed into the man's body, causing him to be affected by faintness and languor. The enemy, if bitterly revengeful, may even put into the body of his victim a worm or insect (tsgâya), or a sharpened stick of black locust or "fat" pine, which will result in death if not removed by a good doctor. Sometimes a weed stalk is in some occult manner conveyed into the patient's stomach, where it is transformed into a worm. As this disease is very common, owing to constant quarrels and rival jealousies, there are a number of specialists who devote their attention to it.

The prayer is addressed to the Black, Red, Blue, and White Ravens, their location at the four cardinal points not being specified, excepting in the case of the white raven of Wa'hilï, which, as already stated, is said to be a mountain in the south, and hence is used figuratively to mean the south. The ravens are each in turn declared to have put the disease into a crevice in Sanigala'gi--the Cherokee name of Whiteside Mountain, at the head of Tuckasegee River, in North Carolina, and used figuratively for. any high precipitous mountain--and to have left no more than a trace upon the ground where it has been. The adjective translated "evolute" (udanûhï) is of frequent occurrence in the formulas. but has no

{p. 369}

exact equivalent in English. It signifies springing into being or life from an embryonic condition. In this instance it would imply that whatever object the enemy has put into the body of the sick man has there developed into a ghost to trouble him.

 



Prev Home Next



index.htm  -   cherokee_formulas1.htm  -   cherokee_formulas2.htm  -   cherokee_formulas3.htm  -   cherokee_formulas4.htm  -   cherokee_formulas5.htm  -   cherokee_formulas6.htm  -   cherokee_formulas7.htm  -   cherokee_formulas8.htm  -   cherokee_formulas9.htm  -   cherokee_formulas10.htm  -   cherokee_formulas11.htm  -   cherokee_formulas12.htm  -   cherokee_formulas13.htm  -   cherokee_formulas14.htm  -   cherokee_formulas15.htm  -   cherokee_formulas16.htm  -   cherokee_formulas17.htm  -   cherokee_formulas18.htm  -   cherokee_formulas19.htm  -   cherokee_formulas20.htm  -   cherokee_formulas21.htm  -   cherokee_formulas22.htm  -   cherokee_formulas23.htm  -   cherokee_formulas24.htm  -   cherokee_formulas25.htm  -   cherokee_formulas26.htm  -   cherokee_formulas27.htm  -   cherokee_formulas28.htm  -   cherokee_formulas29.htm  -   cherokee_formulas30.htm  -   cherokee_formulas31.htm  -   cherokee_formulas32.htm  -   cherokee_formulas33.htm  -   cherokee_formulas34.htm  -   cherokee_formulas35.htm  -   cherokee_formulas36.htm  -   cherokee_formulas37.htm  -   cherokee_formulas38.htm  -   cherokee_formulas39.htm  -   cherokee_formulas40.htm  -   cherokee_formulas41.htm  -   cherokee_formulas42.htm  -   cherokee_formulas43.htm  -   cherokee_formulas44.htm  -   cherokee_formulas45.htm  -   cherokee_formulas46.htm  -   cherokee_formulas47.htm  -   cherokee_formulas48.htm  -   cherokee_formulas49.htm  -   cherokee_formulas50.htm  -   cherokee_formulas51.htm  -   cherokee_formulas52.htm  -   cherokee_formulas53.htm  -   cherokee_formulas54.htm  -   cherokee_formulas55.htm  -   cherokee_formulas56.htm  -   cherokee_formulas57.htm  -   cherokee_formulas58.htm  -   cherokee_formulas59.htm  -   cherokee_formulas60.htm  -   cherokee_formulas61.htm  -   cherokee_formulas62.htm  -   cherokee_formulas63.htm  -   cherokee_formulas64.htm  -   cherokee_formulas65.htm  -   cherokee_formulas66.htm  -   cherokee_formulas67.htm  -   cherokee_formulas68.htm  -   cherokee_formulas69.htm  -   cherokee_formulas70.htm  -   cherokee_formulas71.htm  -   cherokee_formulas72.htm  -   cherokee_formulas73.htm  -   cherokee_formulas74.htm  -   cherokee_formulas75.htm  -   cherokee_formulas76.htm  -   cherokee_formulas77.htm  -   cherokee_formulas78.htm  -   cherokee_formulas79.htm  -   cherokee_formulas80.htm  -   cherokee_formulas81.htm  -   cherokee_formulas82.htm