James Mooney presents an extensive collection of sacred Cherokee formulas, obtained directly from native shamans in North Carolina during the late nineteenth century. These manuscripts, recorded in the syllabary invented by Sequoyah, reveal the depth of traditional Cherokee religion, mythology, and medical practice before widespread assimilation. The text details the mythological origin of disease and medicine, wherein animals inflicted maladies upon humanity for overhunting and disrespect, while plants offered themselves as remedies to restore balance. Mooney outlines the complex diagnostic theories of the shamans, who attributed physical ailments to the spiritual influence of animals, ghosts, and witches.
The medical system relies heavily on symbolic associations, fasting, taboos, and ritual bathing rather than empirical sanitation. Alongside medical prescriptions for rheumatism, neuralgia, fevers, and childbirth, the collection encompasses songs and prayers for hunting, fishing, love, weather control, and warfare. Color symbolism governs the invocation of elemental and animal spirits, where specific hues dictate the cardinal directions and determine whether a ritual brings healing or destruction. The volume provides a rare, unfiltered window into a living aboriginal faith, capturing both the poetic beauty of the ancient formulas and the practical realities of Cherokee life during a period of profound cultural transition.
