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Cherokee Indians Beliefs

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Ranging from the south Alleghenies mountain range all the way down to the south of Georgia and far west of Alabama, lived the Cherokee Indians. They were a powerful detached tribe of the Iroquoian family and were commonly called Tsaragi which translates into "cave people." This tribe was very prominent in what is now called the U.S, but over time has been split up or run out of their land because of social or political encounters with the new settlers from Europe. Despite the dispersion or the split amongst this tribe, they still obtained their core religious beliefs, practices and ceremonies. Their detailed belief system, fundamental beliefs, significant meanings, and their connection to song and dance make up their religious system. The early …show more content…

Many traditional Cherokees believe that after one dies, his or her soul often continues to live on as a ghost (Cherokee Indian Religion). They are supposed to have the ability to materialize where some but not all can see them. More fundamental beliefs that they follow is that good is rewarded, and evil is punished, and witchcraft among the Cherokee does not resemble that of non-Indian cultures (Cherokee Indian Religion). Even though they follow a strict belief system and everything had a purpose and was thought out, there are times when punishments cannot be explained. When someone does something right, it is rewarded either by being ranked higher or having individual honors or privileges within the society. On the other hand, when someone does something punishable, it is not taken lightly. In fact, that person suffers severe consequences because he or she is believed to be overtaken by evil spirits. To fully understand witchcraft amongst the Cherokee, one has to realize that using medicine, conjuring, and witchcraft have remained an integral part of Cherokee culture even up to the present day (Cherokee Indian Religion). They have used medication as a whole to help with healing people within their …show more content…

This is the primary way the Cherokees stayed in contact with their gods and praised them. The men would sing the songs and the women would keep the beat to the songs as people danced around the eternal fire. When they danced the are singing and praying to the creator, which is very similar to the Christian faith that is today (Buskirk). Cherokees today still practice the same way as their ancestors did, but there is a more significant connection with Christian beliefs and Cherokee beliefs. "Many Cherokees today go to church just as any other person does. I, personally, went to both the dances and churches while I was growing up", said Kathy Van Buskirk who is a Cherokee from Oklahoma (Buskirk). Because the Cherokees live so close to the earth, each native tribe with the Cherokee tribe are very religious. This is why most all of them recognize the belief system as an integral part of the day to day

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