The Native American Indian

Cherokee Christmas
As the Cherokee's conception of Christ did not fit any European style Christmas ceremony and the fact that we, the Tsa la gi have been upon this earth a long, long time, we had our own ways of celebrating and giving thanks. Since back then, the ways have changed, however some things stay the same. The seasons don't change, the significance of 4 stays the same and that of 7 also does not change. It can be said that the celebrations were held this way or that but we were not there and these are closely guarded secrets. Perhaps they will be shared when the time is right perhaps, if we werethere at a celebration of long ago at this time of the changing of seasons it would have gone something like this:
It is the time of change when the leaves are red and upon the earth and the bare branches of the trees sigh a bit of relief to shed their burden. The winter coats are thick and warm on the creatures of our mother Our brother the Bear is in the womb of earth mother contemplating the coming seasons and dreaming of ripe berries. The old man of the North has blanketed the earth mother with a fresh coat of snow and the promise of regeneration lies just below it. It is the time of the changing of seasons from the time of harvesting to winter and the time to give thanks for theyear we have had and the year to come.

As the spirit world is the most powerful at dawn or sunrise the ceremony will be at sunrise. The villagers gather at the sacred fire pit and the keeper of the sacred fire adds the ashes from the previous fire to this and the fire glows. This insures the circle continues from one fire to the next, fromone season to the other from one generation to the next.

A man of medicine leads us in our prayers, song and thanks. He speaks his silent prayer asking the spirits of the 4 directions to help him carry the prayers to thecreator. He asks the sun father and star nation of the skies to also help carry the prayers of thanks. He asks the mother of us all to give her blessing and help carry the prayers and for the Tsa la gi, the 7 th spirit. Sometimes called in different ways it is the power within us, the power around us it is that of our beings our own spirit, it is also asked to help carry our prayers and bless us this day.

As the sun rises and we stand facing the east we sing. We sing a song of welcome to the sun and we pray. It is time to thank the creator for the food stores that will get us thru the winter and to thank the creatures of the earth for giving theirlives so that we and our families may live. It is time to thank the earth mother for being good to us and for the plant people she provides us that heal and nourish us.

We pray around the fire and and give thanks for all these things and we pray for the coming year and that it may be good to the earth mother. For if it is good to her, it will be good for us and the creatures of the earth. We also at this time thank the Corn Mothers for providing us with her corn, which is a large part of our daily nourishment.<WBR>We share grits passed to show that we are grateful and to forgive the things of the past. We will sing and pray and perhaps dance this day, as we are grateful to the spirits and show our love for the earth and one another. It is another passing of the seasons.

One more way we give thanks near this day called Christmas. 


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