Sovereign Amonsoquath Band of Cherokee

Cherokee Religion

Yowa, a Sacred Being

YO-WA (Pronounced Yo'-Way) is the Cherokee's God. He is a very sacred spirit. He is so sacred that only high priests say his name. Only YOWA could be said in a hymn, but they only sang that hymn once a year. Yowa is conceived as a unity of three beings. They were called the elderly fires above.

There were also spirits for the four directions. Theses were:

• North: A Blue Spirit showing defeat

• West: A Black Specter of Defeat

• East: A Red Spirit meaning power of war

• South: White spirits of peace

The Cherokees think seven a very sacred number. Cherokees have seven directions, north, south, west, above, below, and here in the center. They have seven festivals, and seven heavens. since the seventh festival is so sacred, they have it only every seventh year. 7 is a very important number.

On the first night of the festival the women danced the Friendship Dance. The next day everybody went into the temple and the chief brought out the sacred crystal. It is supposed to be able to tell the future. It really is a quartz crystal. It would tell the chief if the crops were going to be good.

They left the temple and plunged into the closest river seven times. Just before sunset everybody went into the temple again. The chief burnt tobacco flowers for religion. Then after sunset they ate.

Seven days later they met back into the temple. The re lit the sacred fire. The fire maker extinguished the altar flames and enkindled it.

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