Meditations During Advent: A Cherokee Legend

The forest contains two types of trees: evergreen, which keep their leaves and remain green all year, and deciduous, which lose their leaves in autumn. Cherokees explain how this came to be: When all the trees, plants, and animals were created, they were asked to stay awake to fast and pray for seven nights to honor the Creator. The first night they all stayed awake, but the second night some fell asleep; the third night more dropped out, and so on. By the seventh night, only a few were still awake. Of the animals, the owl (u-gu-gu), the panther (tsv-da-tsi), and a few others were still awake. These animals were given the power to see and go about in the dark and make prey of the birds and animals that must sleep at night. Of the trees, only the cedar, the pine, the spruce, the holly, the hemlock, and the laurel were awake to the end. The Creator gave these trees the ability to keep their leaves and stay green all year round and gave them special power to be medicine for the Cherokee people. Therefore, these trees are sacred and used for medicine by the Cherokee people to this day.

From the Essay for the 2022 Capitol Christmas Tree

Cacuce Micco Tiger

 

The Christmas tradition of lighting a “People’s Tree” on the west lawn of the United States Capitol is personal this year to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and the residents of Western North Carolina. The 78-foot red Spruce tree, named Ruby, was harvested in the Pisgah Forest, the ancestral lands of the Cherokee. The youth tree lighter, Cacuce “Choche” Micco Tiger is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Coche attends New Kituwah Academy language immersion school, where he learns to read, write, and speak the Cherokee language. He is in the 4th grade, and his favorite subjects are Cherokee, Math, and Science. Coche enjoys playing baseball, soccer, fishing, and playing outside. He also enjoys participating in his traditional Cherokee ceremonies.

Choche introduced himself to the group gathered on the Capitol lawn in his native languageand then recounted the legend of evergreen. Then he joined Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Governor Roy Cooper to turn the lights on the tree. I must admit I wept during the ceremony.

 

CLICK HERE to watch it.

 

 

When asked why the environment is important to the Cherokee, Choche replied, “Our environment is so important because my ancestors lived on this land, and I want to take care of it like they did. Also, the animals live in the environment, and I want to take care of them because they are related to me.” 

These are words of profound wisdom from an 11-year-old boy. This Advent as we await the inbreaking of the divine in the person of Jesus, the Christ, let us remember that Jesus came to teach us how to live in relationship.; relationship with all of creation, the trees, the birds, the animals, and most importantly with each other. Our indigenous sisters and brothers have always known the importance of living in relationship with the earth, the animals, and the plants. I pray we can learn from them to how to honor this fragile earth, our island home.

Perhaps one way we can honor the plants is to thank the precious evergreens that fill our homes this time of year with the fragrance of the forest and shine with twinkling lights to make our hearts glad. Make sure that beautiful tree is recycled to provide mulch for the garden or a habitat for the fish. Honor the life of the fir tree sitting in your living room.

I want to end with this beautiful Cherokee prayer blessing.

May the Warm Winds of Heaven

Blow softly upon your house.

May the Great Spirit

Bless all who enter there.

May your Moccasins

Make happy tracks

in many snows,

and may the Rainbow

Always touch your shoulder.

 

- The Rev. Dn. Kristi Neal