To Attract and Fix the Affections

ADALANI´STA'TI´YI. I.

Sge! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´ngani´ga nihi´-
-Tsa´watsi´lû tsiki´ tsikû´ ayû´.
-Hiyelû´ tsiki´ tsikû´ ayû´.
-Tsawiyû´ tsiki´ tsikû´ ayû´.
-Tsûnahu´ tsiki´ tsikû´ ayû´.

Sge! Nâ´gwa hatû´ngani´ga, Hikayû´nlige. Hia´ asga´ya uda´ntâ tsa'ta´hisi´ga [Hikayû´nlige] hiye´lastûn. Tsaskûlâ´histi-gwû´ nige´sûnna. Dikana´watû´nta-gwû tsûtû´neli´ga. Hilû dudante´'ti nige´sûnna. Duda´ntâ dûskalûn´tseli´ga. Asti´ digû´nnage tagu´talûntani´ga.

Translation.
To Attract And Fix The Affections.

Listen! O, now you have drawn near to hearken-
-Your spittle, I take it, I eat it.-Your body, I take it, I eat it,-Your flesh, I take it, I eat it,-Your heart, I take it, I eat it. } Each sung four times.

Listen! O, now you have drawn near to hearken, O, Ancient One. This man's (woman's) soul has come to rest at the edge of your body. You are never to let go your hold upon it. It is ordained that you shall do just as you are requested to do. Let her never think upon any other place. Her soul has faded within her. She is bound by the black threads.

Explanation

This formula is said by the young husband, who has just married an especially engaging wife, who is liable to be attracted by other men. The same formula may also be used by the woman to fix her husband's affections. On the first night that they are together the husband watches until his wife is asleep, when, sitting up by her side, he recites the first words: Sge! Ha-nâ´gwa hatû´ngani´ga nihi´, and then sings the next four words: Tsawatsi´lû tsiki´ tsikû´ ayû´, "Your spittle, I take it, I eat it," repeating the words four times. While singing he moistens his fingers with spittle, which he rubs upon the breast of the woman. The next night he repeats the operation, this time singing the words, "I take your body." The third night, in the same way, he sings, "I take your flesh," and the fourth and last night, he sings "I take your heart," after which he repeats the prayer addressed to the Ancient One, by which is probably meant the Fire (the Ancient White). A'yû´nini states that the final sentences should be masculine, i.e., His soul has faded, etc., and refer to any would-be seducer. There is no gender distinction in the third person in Cherokee. He claimed that this ceremony was so effective that no husband need have any fears for his wife after performing it.

ADAYE´LIGA´GTA'TI´

Yû! Galû´nlati tsûl'da´histi, Giya´giya´ Sa'ka´ni, nâ´gwa nûntalûn i´yû´nta. Tsâ´la Sa'ka´ni tsûgistâ´'ti adûnni´ga. Nâ´gwa nidâtsu´l'tanû´nta, nû´ntatagû´ hisa´hasi´ga. Tani´dâgûn´ aye´'li dehidâ´siga. Unada´ndâ dehiyâ´staneli´ga. Nidugale´ntanû´nta nidûhûnneli´ga.

Tsisga´ya agine´ga, nûndâgû´nyi ditsidâ´'sti. Gû´ni âstû´ uhisa´'ti nige´sûnna. Age´'ya une´ga hi´a iyu´sti gûlstû´'li, iyu´sti tsûdâ´ita. Uda´ndâ usinu´li dâdatinilû´gûneli´. Nûndâgû´nyitsû´ dâdatinilugûstaneli. Tsisga´ya agine´ga, ditsidâstû´ni nû'nû´ kana´tlani´ga. Tsûnkta´ tega'la´watege´sti. Tsiye´lûn gesû´ni uhisa´'ti nige´sûnna.

Translation.
For Separation (Of Lovers)

Yû! On high you repose, O Blue Hawk, there at the far distant lake. The blue tobacco has come to be your recompense. Now you have arisen at once and come down. You have alighted midway between them where they two are standing. You have spoiled their souls immediately. They have at once become separated.

I am a white man; I stand at the sunrise. The good sperm shall never allow any feeling of loneliness. This white woman is of the Paint (iyusti) clan; she is called (iyusti) Wâyi´. We shall instantly turn her soul over. We shall turn it over as we go toward the Sun Land. I am a white man. Here where I stand it (her soul) has attached itself to (literally, "come against") mine. Let her eyes in their sockets be forever watching (for me). There is no loneliness where my body is.

Explanation

This formula, from A'yûnini's book, is used to separate two lovers or even a husband and wife, if the jealous rival so desires. In the latter case the preceding formula, from the same source, would be used to forestall this spell. No explanation of the ceremony is given, but the reference to tobacco may indicate that tobacco is smoked or thrown into the fire during the recitation. The particular hawk invoked (giya´giya´) is a large species found in the coast region but seldom met with in the mountains. Blue indicates that it brings trouble with it, while white in the second paragraph indicates that the man is happy and attractive in manner.

In the first part of the formula the speaker calls upon the Blue Hawk to separate the lovers and spoil their souls, i.e., change their feeling toward each other. In the second paragraph he endeavors to attract the attention of the woman by eulogizing himself. The expression, "we shall turn her soul over," seems here to refer to turning her affections, but as generally used, to turn one's soul is equivalent to killing him.

Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee

Sacred Formulas Of The Cherokees, By James Mooney, 1885-1886