Cory Junaluska, left, battles during the Wayohi v. Walelu anetso game at the 112th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Cory Junaluska, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), is an Anetsovsgi (Ball player) for the Wayohi (Wolftown) Anetso (Stickball) team. Junaluska was featured in the One Feather previously for his podcast, Uktena Underground.
Junaluska said the challenge call, a traditional Cherokee war whoop used in anetso to challenge teams to a game, is his favorite experience of any game, “The best and only experience I will share is the challenge calls, and genuinely knowing in my heart that to my left, my right, and behind me, I am surrounded by family.”
Cory Junaluska, middle, participates in a traditional Cherokee challenge call ahead of an anetso game during the 112th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Junaluska shared that for him and his team, stickball is a guide for life as a Cherokee person. “Stickball for me is the foundation of life. Not in a sense that my life is built around stickball, but that stickball is a guide for how to best live it. For those who live correctly to be able to participate understand what I mean. From the practices on and off the field. Only those who are regularly involved know and would be able to relate. The do’s and don’ts, should and should nots, the lessons this game has taught me can be applied to my day-to-day life,” he said.
“A Stickball Player’s lifestyle, for both men and women, I believe is one of the purest ways to live your life. Shame on me for not remembering who exactly said this, but I once heard an elder say, “Right now in this moment, we are the only people on the planet who are gathered together to play this sport.”’
Junaluska said that anetso is an important tradition of Cherokee culture that should be kept alive. “It’s who we are. Much like our language, it separates us from those who meant to destroy us. It’s ours. Our tradition, our medicine, our culture, it’s a part of our religion. Like us, Cherokee, it is the original. It’s our responsibility to keep it that way.”
