By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) passed a resolution during its regular session on Thursday, April 2 stating that sessions should open with a prayer in the Cherokee language.
The legislation states, “Tribal Council traditionally begins its monthly Council sessions with a prayer; and more often than not, the opening prayer is spoken in the English language, and only sometimes in Cherokee.”
It continues, “To properly respect Cherokee culture and tradition, our Elders and our Creator, and to help preserve the energize our language by making it part of our daily lives, Tribal Council sessions should begin with a prayer spoken in the Cherokee language.”
The resolution directs that Dinilawigi “should adopt the practice of beginning its monthly Council sessions with a prayer spoken in Cherokee”.
The resolution was submitted by Teena Watty with support from Cherokee speakers Sally Arch, Maggie Armachain, John Bird, Encie Brown, Janie Conseen Brown, Mike Wachacha, Tony Smoker, Roger Smoker, Myrtle Smoker, Lane Smoker, John Frances Smoker, Onita Bush, Nan Brown, Mary Brown, Alfred Welch, and Maybelle Welch.
Following passage of the legislation, Teena Watty told the One Feather, “Residential boarding schools and assimilation took our language from us. That loss didn’t happen by accident—but today, we are doing the work to bring it back through our immersion school, our Speaker’s House, and continuing classes for our members. Our language is who we are. It defines us as a people, as a culture, and as a sovereign nation.
Speaking to the Creator in our own tongue honors our Elders—and shows our young people that our language still lives. When it’s my time to cross over, I want to be able to say I tried. I want to say that in my own language… not someone else’s.”
During discussion on the legislation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Beloved Woman Myrtle Driver Johnson, a first language Cherokee speaker, said, “I would be honored to give the prayer in Cherokee until you decide how you’re going to do it.”
Elawodi (Yellowhill) Rep. Shennelle Feather commented, “I really like this resolution and I think as an effort for language revitalization, this is a good way to incorporate that on a regular basis – best practices. As a Cherokee person who doesn’t speak fluently, I think we need to be engulfed in it as much as possible. I think our future generations need to, also, be hearing that – whether they’re here or living somewhere else.”
The legislation passed unanimously (10-0) by those present with Dinilawigi Gahvsgi (Tribal Council Chairman) Jim Owle and Tutiyi/Tsalagi Gadugi (Snowbird/Cherokee County) Rep. Adam Wachacha being absent.
