http://www.cherokee.org/flash/christmas/2003/HolidayCard2003.html
I Want To Wish You
A Merry Christmas
Two of the most common Cherokee Christmas greetings are Tsisa kohi-iga adehvga; "Jesus today is born."
Ulihelisdi danistayohihv; "We rejoice that they go shooting,"
Why would this expression become a Christmas greeting? The Cherokee language gives us a window into the history and development of holiday traditions.
In the days before refrigeration, freshness was essential. If you were planning to have turkey or goose or quail or venison for Christmas dinner, somebody had to go shooting, preferably that day. Even as a teenager (hey! not as long ago as many of you might think), I remember hunting on Christmas morning in the South. We seldom (never!) shot anything, and went home to cook what was in the freezer. But at least we had gone shooting on Christmas morning, and tradition was fulfilled.
Another reason for the expression: Cherokee communities in the South and Southwest borrowed the Spanish custom of celebrating Christmas with firecrackers. The same expression was kept, but this time 'they' refers to the firecrackers, not the hunters, which go shooting.
Santa Claus is called "he shoots firecrackers", or Distayohi. Aneha (he brings) didanedi (gifts) to nigada (all) the diniyotli osda (good children). He may place them under the atsina (cedar tree), which as a reward for keeping vigil all night soon after the creation of the world, keeps its leaves all year. Distayohi's sleigh is drawn by galiquogi (seven) awi (deer).
While the old Cherokee spiritual practices are very much alive, Cherokee today are predominantly Baptists and Methodists. As adaptable monotheists, Cherokees had less trouble than some Indian nations in accommodating the Christian message.
By Brian Wilkes, published Dec 17, 2007
