Yuchi background

It has been a little while since I have entered a post. I am very sorry for that October was not a very good month for me. So I am going to start in with a little history of the Yuchi Natives.
Yuchi Indians were based in Tennesse, they were forced to leave and there is little recollection of this tribe in the area of Tennesse. When they split up they went into many different neighboring tribes, but they did not lose their culture or background. The Yuchi were very strong willed Indians and they held on to what they had.
The Yuchi language was one of the only Native American Language that did not change. In over four-hundred years it stayed the very same. I found it very neat to research this part. In my research I found that there are a few Natives that still speak this language. They have not taking in other words from other tribes and many people do not get the great chance to learn this language it is held with the Yuchi Indians in a dear place.

"We Are The People"

"WE ARE THE PEOPLE…"
By Takatoka



We are the People of the Longhouse
We are Spirits Dancing
Upon our Mother Earth.
Her heart the Drum is beating.
We are Her Children.
We are the Warriors.
We follow the Sacred Path.



We are the People of the Longhouse.
The Four Winds know us.
Trees, birds and animals teach us.
Sun and Moon share visions with us.
The Stone people and waters are we.
They all instruct our path to see.



We are the People of the Longhouse,
Keepers of the Sacred Manataka
The Great Gathering Place,
Place of Peace for all who make pilgrimage
To celebrate the Secrets of Grace.



We are the People of the Longhouse.
We are Arapaho, Caddo, Pueblo, Navaho,
Seminole Winnebago, and Eskimo.
We are Apache, Hopi, Cree, Pawnee, Santee, Lumbee,
Shawnee, Zuni, Miami, and Cherokee.
We are Ojibwa, Oneida, Seneca, Chippewa, Omaha,
Ottawa, Iowa and Kiowa.
We are Quapaw, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Witchita,
Kaw, and Catabaw.
We are Dakota, Lakota, and Kituwah.
We are Creek, Blackfeet, Comanche, Abenaki, Yuchi,
Lenape, Shoshone and Potawatomi.
We are Ute, Paiute, Aleuts, Inuit; Illinois and Iroquois.
We are Brule, Hunkpapa and Yankton Sioux;
Bannock, Wyandot, Mohawk, Sac and Fox, and Kickapoo.
Cheyenne, Osage, and Yamasee.

We are them and they are we.



In the Valley of Manataka,
600 nations join hands in the Circle.
The Spirit of Peace floats on air.
Black, yellow and white man joins the miracle.
Red man shows the way there.



Rainbow Woman lives at Manataka.
Sister to White Buffalo Calf Woman,
She sleeps in the deep of Mother Earth.
Yet, she is the sign in the sky to show the way,
Her colors are bright; to remind us of Grace as we pray.



We are the People of the Longhouse;
The sacred fire of seven woods lifts our prayers on smoke.
The Great Creator hears us.
And, the Sacred Mountain awoke.



Shaking and trembling from the sleep.
The mountain rumbles, big houses crumble
Pushing hot waters from the deep
People are in fear and some run like the deer
But we, the People of the Longhouse,
are humble and kneel to hear.



Great Creator speaks for Mother Earth.
"I want Manataka back"
The turn of the medicine wheel has come.
The hot springs flow with one great crack,
Sacred waters flow and we sing with the drum.



Great clouds of vapors emerge once more.
Colorful rainbows leap from the mists.
We walk the white cloud across the valley floor.
There is only peace; and no shaking fists --
The spirit of Manataka has arisen once more.



The Valley has changed yet it is the same.
There are no buildings to mar its face.
Metal noise replaced with amazing grace.
The Place of Peace - Manataka is its name.
We forgive those who took Manataka away;
and hid the waters for many days.



We come again for the healing breath of Nowasalon,
They come for the healing herbs and healing red clay;
We join hands and sing to the drum until dawn;
They come for the healing crystal and to pray.



To give much thanks to the Creator above,
We the People of the Longhouse ask blessing.
He gives us beauty, everlasting peace, and love.
So be it, we gather again to dance and sing.

Oral Traditions

In my research of the Yuchi Indians I have found the traditions very intriuging. Most of the oral traditions of the Yuchi did mix with the oral traditions of the Cherokee. There is not many specifics that I have found with just the Yuchi, but am still trying to search for some stories and will post some if I do find them.

Yuchi religions

The green corn festival was a Native American celebration and religious ceremony. This was shared by several different tribes. This festival lasted for about three days. The Yuchi celebration began in the later part of April and early May and lasted until around the third week of July. This festival was to give thanks for corn, rain, sun, and a good harvest. It was also a renewal of religiousness. The yuchi would stand around with their heads bent because, Native Americans never knelt. After they have stood around for a minute with their heads bent they would say a prayer.

I found these facts in a paper wrote by a very talented 5th-6th grade writer. Thank you Erin Jessop for your great writing skills! I thought that it was an interesting piece. If you would like to read more about the Green Corn festival please take a look!
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/Byrnes-celebrations/corn.html

Yuchi Creation Story

Before the beginning, water was everywhere. But no people, animals, or earth were visible.
There were birds, however, who held a council to decide if it might be best to have all land or all water. "Let us have land, so we can have more food," said some of the birds. Others said, "Let's have all water, because we like it this way."
Subsequently, they appointed Eagle as their Chief who was to decide one way or the other. Eagle decided upon land and asked, "Who will go and search for land?"
Dove volunteered first and flew away. In four days he completed his hunt and returned, reporting, "I could not find land anywhere."
Crawfish came swimming along and was asked by the council to help search for land. He disappeared under the water for four days. When he arose to the surface again, he held some dirt in his claws. He had found some land deep in the water.
Crawfish made a ball of the dirt and handed it to Chief Eagle, who then flew away with it. Four days later he returned and said to the council, "Now there is land, an island has been formed-- follow me!"
The whole bird colony flew after Eagle to see the new land, though it was a very small island. Gradually, the land began to grow larger and larger as the water became lower and lower. More islands appeared and these grew together, creating larger islands into one earth.

Tuskegee Indians say they were chosen by the Great Spirit to be the first people to live upon the new earth, a long, long time ago.

The Origin of Earth

Tuskegee

Native American Lore
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore35.html

I AM FLOORED!

Wow, is all I can say! I just got a hold of a Yuchi Historian! YAY! EXCITED!! But, as I was asking for landmarks and such he began to tell me that the state of Tenneessee doe not reconize the Yuchi to ever have lived there!?!? Which to me is funny because the Yuchi is who named Tennessee. The yuchi word is "Tana-see" meaning the meeting place! Wow! So, I will not be looking at anything of use when I go to my trip to the mountains that will say yes the Yuchi was here. But, they do have a lake and there is yuchi artifacts of such at the bottom of it! He was super nice to speak with and he also has a website! Take a look it is full of great information!
http://www.yuchi.org

Let's talk about Yuchi Native Americans

Some of the interesting facts that I have found out along the way.

First off the question most ask is how in the world do you pronounce Yuchi? Well, It is really said just like it looks! Or if you would like to see the way it sounds, ( that is what I usually say (;) "YOO-chee" The tribe has other names also, they are Euchee, Uchi, or Uchee. They all mean the same and are said the same.
This tribe orignated in Tennesse and Kentucky. They are moved now and reside in Oklahoma. This move took place in the 1800's and they re still living there today. If you do a search online for them you can find maps and such that have the area they use to live in. That would be something that you may like to check out yourself if you are interesting in Native Americans.
Their housing was very neat looking! I have a link in my side bar where you may click and it will take you to their house. It also has other Native American housing in it so be careful on which one you find. Yuchi housing was made of clay and wood. They would put up a wood frame of sorts and pack the clay on it to make it sturdy. This would also insulate the house.
This is just a tid bit of information that I have found through my search. I am trying to make this flow as good as I can. But, I felt like this information should be taking into your mind ;) when reading more of the things I will write about during my semester. There may be a few more out of place posts that I will explain some more things about the Yuchi Natives!! Hope that you enjoy what I have written so far! Also, like I have said before questions or information would be greatly appreciated! No questions are stupid so feel free to ask so I may DIG for the answer you seek!