The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees

DEVELOPED OVER MANY CENTURIES and in many cultures, traditions based on medicinal plants and calls to the spiritual world were applied by so-called "medicine men" to address the challenges of daily life. Passed orally from generation to generation, shaman to shaman, these secret formulas were kept alive. From only one Native American culture do we have an accurate record of these chants, medicines, and methods. Among all the tribes within the present bounds of the United States, only the Cherokees had acquired a written language. By 1821 its creator, the legendary Sequoyah had created unique characters to capture the vocal sounds of Cherokee speech. Cherokee shamans were quick to take advantage of this wonderful new tool. No longer would they be forced to rely on memory alone. When James Mooney, author of this text, began his research on the Cherokee reservation of North Carolina, many of the Cherokee documents were decades old. Building a relationship with certain shamans he secured permission to record their formulas for posterity-with the caveat that he would not reveal their individual secrets to other shamans. With their cooperation, he was able to give us remarkable insight into an important element of Native American life, an element that included not only the Native American approach to treat illness and wounds but also to influence battles, romances, games, and more.