THE WAY OF THE CHEROKEE
by Tsquayi

THE CHEROKEE PURPOSE

I wrote the following in December of 2001:

Many years ago, the revered Cherokee religious leader, Redbird Smith, said, “I have always believed that the Great Creator had a great design for my people, the Cherokees. I have been taught that, from my childhood up, and now, in my mature manhood, I recognize it as a great truth. Our forces have been dissipated by the external forces; perhaps it has been just a training, but we must now get together as a race and render our contribution to mankind. We are endowed with intelligence, we are industrious, we are loyal and we are Spiritual, but, we are overlooking the particular Cherokee mission on earth, for no man nor race is endowed with these qualifications without a designed purpose.”

I believe, as did Redbird Smith, that we have a great purpose and that the first step of the Cherokees toward rendering our contribution to mankind must be to “get together” and establish peace and unity among all Cherokees. It is toward that goal that I have worked for many years. The establishment of the Cherokee Nation of Mexico and its recognition by the Government of Mexico is an important step toward the recognition of all Cherokees and our unification into one great nation. Then, perhaps we can join with all Native Americans in a great alliance. That was the dream of our great Shawnee brother, Tecumseh. If we will work together as brothers and sisters, we can magnify the power of the Spirit.

But those are only the first steps. I believe the mission of the Cherokees is to show the world the path to peace. We will do this by teaching the true Spiritual relationships among persons, Nature, and the Spirit World. Whether we call upon the Spirits by the name God, Jehovah, Allah, Unehlanvhi, Great Spirit, or some other, we call upon the same being. I have never seen proof that any nation, religious sect, race, sex, age, or even species is favored by the Spirits over any other. We must humble ourselves, rise above intolerance of others and, in our hearts, replace hate and indifference with acceptance and respect. I believe, with all my being, that we will accomplish this mission.

Nvwatohiyada idehesdi (Nuhw toe hee yah dah ee day hay sdee; Let us live together in peace).