The Cherokee Tribe's Belief System

The Cherokee was one of the largest and strongest tribes in the Southeast. The tribe was extremely successful even when they were forced out of the land they first settled in when coming to the states. Though the tribe faced several times of trouble, they were still able to overcome and hold tight to their beliefs. Known today as one of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Cherokee Tribe is the second most populous tribe to exist in the United States.
The Cherokee creation legend is not a typical representation of a story, but rather a collection of myths told by elders of the tribe. Like many, there are no formal accounts of the creation of Cherokee peoples; however, the most spoken-about creation story comes from a myth passed down for several …show more content…
The tribe’s belief system was created in order to sustain a structured form. At a glance, the tribe’s system seems quite complicated; however, it is quite simpler than some may think. The Cherokee tribe’s beliefs and ceremonies are intriguing as there are many hidden meanings to them. For example, the numbers four and seven are especially important to the tribe. The number four represents a sense of the four basic directions: North, East, South, and West. The tribe however, also recognizes three other directions which include up, down, and center (where you as a human stands). The Cherokee Nation suggests that these directions represent a fully dimensional world as opposed to a one-dimensional world. The number seven not only represents all considered directions, but it also embodies the most difficult level obtained of purity and sacredness. As told by the Cherokee people, traditionally the owl and the cougar were the only beings that were able to obtain such status. This given-status is due to the fact that these animals were the only ones able to stay awake at night during the creation of Earth as told by some myths, thus assuming their ability to see at night. As stated within the official Cherokee website, “Many of the elements of the original system remain in place with traditional Cherokee today. Although some of these elements have evolved or otherwise been modified, this belief system is an integral part of day-to-day life for many.” Though the Cherokee still have strong traditional beliefs today, their traditional system was slightly threatened several times as they were forced to migrate several