Cherokee Legends from the Trail of Tears

 

The Legend of Corn Beads

As the soldiers came to each household to gather the Cherokee people together many wept tears of sadness over the loss of homes and personal belongings. Many were only allowed to take what they could carry and many were not allowed to take anything at all. As the people were taken from their homes they would cry out asking the Creator to send a miracle.

Many realized that these things would happen according to some of our old teachings, but they still wept because this was the only home they had ever known. The Creator looked down upon his children, the Cherokee, and sent a miracle to help soothe their sorrows.

At the place where the tears of our people fell, up sprang a shoot that looked like a cornstalk. As the plant bloomed and opened up, tears of gray fell to the ground. Creator said, "This will be a sign unto all who pass that my children will always be a part of this land. The cornstalk represents life for my children and the tears are gray for the suffering and sorrow."

As the Trail of Tears began the people cried their tears of sorrow. They cried for the loss of family and home. As they walked along the trail, tears fell to the ground. Where these tears fell, there sprang up a small shoot and from it fell the tears of our people's suffering.

Today these small plants can be found where the Cherokee once walked in times of sadness. From the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina to the Green Country of Oklahoma, to remind us that our people are strong and will survive just as this plant has. It also reminds us of the love our Creator has for his children.

From The Cherokee Nation

 

Listen to the Story

Listen to Janelle Adair, Miss Cherokee 1999-2000, share the story of the corn-bead necklace.

 

The Legend of Cherokee Rose

The Cherokee were driven from their homelands in North Carolina and Georgia over 100 years ago when gold was discovered on their lands; the journey, known as the "Trail of Tears", was a terrible time for the people - many died from the hardships and the women wept. The old men knew the women must be strong to help the children survive so the called upon the Great One to help their people and to give the mothers strength.

The Great One caused a plant to spring up everywhere a Mother's tears had fallen upon the ground on the journey. He told the old men that the plant would grow quickly, then fall back to the ground and another stem would grow. The plant would have whilte blossoms, a beautiful rose with five petals and gold in the center for the greed of the white man for the gold on their land. The leaves would have seven green leaflets, one for each Cherokee clan. The plant would be strong and grow quickly throughout the land all along the Trail of Tears. The stickers on the stem would protect it from those who might try to move it, as it spread to reclaim some of the lost Cherokee homeland.

The next morning, the women saw the beautiful white blossoms far back on the trail. When they heard what the Great One had said they felt their strength returning and knew they would survive and the children would grow and the People would flourish in the new Cherokee Nation.

From The Cherokee Nation