Daughter of the Sun: Practical Lessons & Cosmic Connections in Cherokee Mythology

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Published: Apr 6th, 2024

The Sun is a major figure in Cherokee mythology; the world depends upon her light and warmth, but is at the mercy of her brutal heat when she is slighted by her brother, the Moon. In this story, recorded from the Eastern Band of Cherokee in the late 19th century, a plan to stop the Sun from burning the world leads to the death of her daughter, and a plan to bring her back from the Ghost Country. Common characters to Native American mythology including the Great Horned Serpent appear in a tale with strong connections to the natural world and Cherokee history. Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning”

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This channel is a collection of thoughts of one person on the important stories that we humans have shared with each other. I believe that, in respectfully approaching storytelling traditions, we can find timeless wisdom and beauty that apply to modern life. I do my best to find and share that wisdom. I encourage you to share your thoughts and stories as well.

The stories presented here have all been freely shared by their original tellers. I encourage you to study each story directly and consult traditional sources whenever possible.

Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:33 Cherokee Indian Pottery and Bread Worker, Cherokee Indian Reservation, North Carolina from the Tichnor Brothers Collection, Boston Public Library, licensed under Creative Commons 01:21 Forces of Nature 01:55 Oconolufty by Rudolph Frank Ingerle 02:08 Plate, Natural Bridge, Virginia, America, from Coalport Porcelain Factory, Shropshire, England 02:43 Eastern Hognose, Cape Cod Massachusetts Specimen, photographed by Scotbuch7, licensed under Creative Commons 02:53 Eastern Hognose Snake Playing Dead, photographed by Virginia State Parks Staff, licensed under Creative Commons 02:57 Copperhead photographed in Liberty County, Texas, by William L Farr, licensed under Creative Commons 03:17 James Mooney, from Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 1901 03:25 Swimmer from Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney 03:36 Sequoyah by Henry Inman 04:05 Pot with Horned and Feathered Serpents, New Mexico or Chihuahua, c. 1280-1450 05:15 Journey to Ghost Country 05:53 Sorel Tree from The North American Sylva 06:08 Cherokee Eagle Dance Movements by Will West Long, from Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin “The Iroquois Eagle Dance, an Offshoot of the Calumet Dance” 1953 06:32 The Daughter of the Sun from Myths of the Cherokee, recorded by James Mooney 08:25 Habit of Cunne Shote a Cherokee Chief 08:41 Conclusion: Many Medicines 09:28 Facsimile of the Swimmer Manuscript from Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees by James Mooney Thumbnail image generated through use of artificial intelligence. All works of art are in the public domain unless stated otherwise. Stock video clips licensed through Storyblocks. Ambiment - The Ambient by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.