Sponsored by
Most of the Cheorkee names that follow this explanation have been more or less anglicized; that is, they have been changed in their syllabication so as to ease the euphony and speech of the English tongue. For instance, the word for rainbow is unuficalatufli, which tires our phonetic patience. But if we drop the first and last syllables, and put the "tu" before the "la," we have nun-ca-tu-la, a beautiful word, which is uttered with four open vowels, retains the Indian lingo, and may be properly called a derivative from the Cherokee.
It is said that words and word-pronunciation of a savage people change more in fifty years than they do in an intelligently-written language in five hundred. A chief of the Cherokees told an American gentleman in 1884 that it was impossible for Indian children to understand fully the language of their grandfathers.
If this be true, the anglicized words have sustained no greater change since we first heard them than they would have undergone in the same length of time among the Indians themselves.
The word Ottaray, which signifies a mountain region, was written in the sixteenth century by the old Spanish explorers Qttari and John Adair in 1 775 wrote it Ottare. At present it would be Ottara, Ottalay, as modern Indians in the Piedmont sound "R" where those in the Altamont use "L," and both have changed the ending to the sound of broad a.
Mr. A. M. Huger, who has spent much time in gathering Indian lore, says:
"I prefer the rich, rotund 'R' to the languid lisping 'L'; and as the 'Land of the Sky' is a phrase, we could find no better word than this derivative from the Cherokee to give us pithily and poetically the name of our Appalachian Arcadia."
The Cherokees invariably gave names to all water courses, even down to brooks; rarely to mountain summits, and still less often to ranges. As a rule, therefore, the only way to give a mountain a Cherokee name is to adopt that of a chief or warrior, or of something else that the moutain suggests:
Mr. A. M. Huger, of Hendersonville, N. C., has not only furnished the vocabulary below, but also the information from which we have drawn the preface above.
The Ethnological Bureau of Washington, D. C., has also been very kind in getting words about which we were in doubt.
The spelling in the following vocabularies is made very full to protect the reader in correct pronunciations. Should you wish to utilize a word that does not exactly suit you, you can drop a letter, substitute one, or do both, which necessary corruption has been engaged in by most persons who have adopted Indian names.
If a gentleman desires to give his bald head an Indian name, he need not write San-tah-wah-gah, but only Santawaga. If his girl wishes to communicate by letter the hope that his bare scalp may ever be arched by the rainbow she need not write Yoo-wah-na, but only Yuwana.
Ag-i-ya-si'-ha or Ag-a-si'-yah=hunger.
Ah-chah'-yah=green fields. (Fresh or new.)
Ah-lis'-koh=she or it dances.
Ah-loo-no'-yah=mossy rock.
Ah-mah-chee'-1ah=fire water. (Whiskey.)
Ah-nah-kes'-tah=place of balsams.
Ah-no'-kah=black.
Ah-to-tah'-ra=war-chief.
Alloh-wes'-tee=happiness.
Alma-koh-lo'-la=jumping water.
Ah-no-wah=I (the Ego).
Choon-stul'-la=a thicket.
Chan-tah-cha=panther.
Chee-ah-tul'-lah=cause.
Chee-taw'-gah=chicken.
Chee-taw-gan-ay-kee=crowing chicken (rooster).
Chee-oh'-wah=place of otters (animal).
Chee'-rah=fire.
Chees'-qua=bird.
Chees-qua-nee'-tah=little bird.
Chees-qua'-yah=big bird.
Chees-see-to'-ah=place of rabbits.
Chees'too=rabbit.
Chees-too-wa'-ya=rabbit foot.
Chil'-toss or Ah-shil'-toss=falling blossom.
Chil-how'-we=fire deer (deer shot by torchlight?)
Chin-kan-nas-see' -na=dragging game.
Choon-o-law-ga =smoke.
Chock-les'-tee=sit down (a command).
Cho-wel'-lah-=fox.
Chu-no-see'-tah=thanks.
Con-na-see'nah=sassafras.
Cow-wee=beyond (on the other side).
Cul-lo-wee=-white lily.
Da-soh'-ga=rhododendron.
B-noh'-ta-=black snake.
Eddy-haw'=lynn tree.
Be-noh'-la=black fox.
Bh-zee'-kah=-green.
El-lo'-wah-=thunder.
EI-o-tee'=downwards.
EI-see-to'-nah=foot?
El-see-toss' and No-lah-wis'-sah=preacher.
EI-tee-kar'-ta-=low land.
Enos-kah-to'-gah=a leap.
Esee -0' -lah=cliffy river.
Ess-ko-nah=oak.
Etto-lee'-tah=rambler.
Ey-sun-day'~ga=old name of upper waters of Savannah river (may be Tuscarora).
Gras-ka-law'=table or bench.
Jo-has'-see=he loves,
Ka-tal'-sta=the echo witch.
Kah-nes'~kah=-grassy,
Kah-no'-nah=hemlock spruce.
Kah-yo'-kah=tooth
Kah~yoo~tan'~tah= chimney,
Kan-nah-sut'-tah=toe.
Kan~ne~haw'=carrying.
Kar-so-ee'=back.
Kas-kee-law'=chair.
Kas-sah-no'-lah and KO-ah-no'-lah=swift.
Kaw-nay~rock=panther pelt (not Cherokee).
Ka-wa'-na=duck.
Kee'-ra=dog.
Keen-too~kee~na=beaver~dam.
KIa-ma-haw'=bat.
Klau-soo'-nah=terrapin.
Klon-tes'-kah =pheasant.
Koh-lah~nah'~yah=raven roost.
Koh-law'~wah=flying squirrel.
Ko-loo'-na=raven.
Ko-ten'-sah=nose.
Ko-1as'-sah=snipe.
Kon~nah~hee'tak=long (Adj.).
Kon-na~to'~gah=standing turkey.
Kon-na-nes'-tah=little turkey.
Kon -na-nes'-kee=spider.
Kon-na-see'~tah=dogwood
Kon-na-wes'-ka=it melts (thaws).
Konna-so-wah=-fish hawk.
Kon-nas-say-wee'=bundle of arrows.
Kulla-sa'-ga=sweet, sugar.
Kul-lee-soh-tah=-house.
Kul-lo-quee-na=stag.
Kul-lo-wes-kee-=axe.
Loll-tee=witch of the waterfalls.
Nan-ta-hay'-leh-=sun in the middle, pouring down at noon-day.
Nan-to-kah'-yah-=sour-wood.
Nan-to=-the sun.
Nas-soo'-ga=grape.
No-kas'-sa=star.
No-mon'-da=Catawba (third in order of mountains, streams or territory).
No'-yah=a rock.
Not-tah-lee'=spice bush.
Nun'-da=the moon.
Nun-wa'-ti=medicine.
Oh-kah-no'-ah=sweat (South.).
Oh-kah-set'-tee=rotten.
Oh-kah-tee'-ah=little valley.
Oh-koh'-nah=ground hog.
Oh-lan'-tah=a lover.
Oh-nah-wal'-lah=shallow.
Oh-nee'-tah =milk.
Oh-nes-kee'-lah=nest.
Oh-wan-tes-kah=shade.
Oh-was'-sah=place of God.
Olla-see'-tah=lean.
Os-ko'-dah=buck-eye.
Os-ko'-lah=head or top.
Os-see'-lah=cotton.
Os-so-wee=evening.
Os-so'-lah=benches.
Ossa-wack'-=empty.
Ossa-wat'-tee=buck skin.
Os-so-wes'-tee=to paint.
Os-tah-nee'-ga=scalp.
Os-tee' -gah=baby.
Os-tee-no-lah=rocky bar (of a river).
Otta-no-lah-=lazy or slow.
Sag-i-naw'=Sauk place, or place of the Sauk Indians (not Cherokee).
Sah-ko-lee'-tah=blue bird.
Sah-koh-na'-gah=blue.
Sah-lo'-lah =squirrel.
Sah-lo-lah-nee'-tah=little squirrel.
Sah-noh-lah=morning.
Sah-too-lee'-tah=do you wish it?
San-tah-wah'-gah=bald head.
San-teet'-la=sandy.
Swan-na-no-a=the whiffing noise of wings, of swan or raven, as they pass overhead.
See-ah-no'-lah or Sass-ee-noh'-la=white man.
Sel-loo-wah-ga =fodder.
See-lah'-wah=sweet gum (tree).
See'-loh=corn.
See'-quah=hog.
See-qua-nee'-tah=little hog (pig).
See-no'-yah=darkness.
See-yo'-kah=blue jay (bird); also crooked.
So-kas'-sah=bald (old field).
So-ko-tel'-lah-one dollar (money).
So-quil'-lah=horse.
Sun-ko'-ta=apple.
Sun-na-lee'=morning.
Sun-no-we'= night.
Stee-sta'-chee=musk-rat.
Syan-too-gah=bathing in water (swimming).
Ta-loo'-sa=basket.
Ta-naw'-wha=a fabulous hawk or eagle.
Tah-lo-nah'-gah=yellow.
Tan-no-wee'-tah=to jump over.
Taw-lee'-na=service berry.
Taw-litz'-ah=grass-hopper.
Taw-wa-nee'-tah=little beaver.
Tee-ko'-nah=bull frog.
Tella-ko'-lah=ginseng.
Tell a-nee'-tah=chinquapin.
Tee-naw-lee'-tah=hunting.
Te-nella-whis'-ta=let us stop.
Tee-to-nes'-kah=witch.
Tic-ah-lay'-leh=wagon.
To-kas'-sah=highland terrapin (tortoise).
To-lest'-ee=autumn.
To-wes-ko'-lah=breath, also hearth.
Too-gel-lah=strong.
Tox'-ah-way or Tox-a-way=red bird.
Tor-wil'-la=rat.
Tus-quit'-tah=rafters, i.e,, the raftered ridges.
U-nat-si-=snow.
Wah-lay-lah=humming bird.
Wah-hee'-yah=wolf.
Wah-heet-la=trotting wolf.
Wah-ka-loo-na=wolf teacher.
Wah-loo'-nah=-hunting stand.
Wah-nee'-tah=little deer.
Wah-tau'-gah=reed.
Wah-tee~yay' leh=mocking bird.
Wah-toh-ree'=corn crib (may be Catawba, as those Indians formerly lived on the Wateree River, S.
C.).
Wan-tes'-kah=level.
Wa-tau-ga =(river) probably river of beautifully tinted forests or river of reeds.
Wes'-sah=wild cat.
Winny~so'=kahgrape.
Yoh-nas-sah=buffalo.
Yoo-kah-no'-nah=rain.
Yoo-nay'-kah=white
Yoo-noo'-lah=wind.
Yo'-nah=bear.
Yon-ah-leek'=climbing bear.
Yon-ah-los'-see=bear trail.
Yon-ah-way'-ah=bear paw.
Ze-tel-la=Crane (bird).
NAMES OF FEMALES
Al-cy'na.
AI-kee'-nah.
AI-see-yo'-nah.
El-lee' -kab.
EI-see-yo'-nah.
Ey-oh'-kah.
Kah-lo-nes'kah.
Nel-sin'-nah.
Sen-no-wee'-tah.
Tee-nel'-la.
To-net'-ta.
NAMES OF MALES
Ah-koh-nah-luc'-ta.
Choo-na-les'-kah.
Con-nee'-see-haw.
Juna-lus-ka--chief of the Cherokees, who aided General Jackson in defeating the Creek at the battle
of Horseshoe Bend.
Ko -wes'-ko-ee'.
Nan-do'-wah. (Seneca.)
Nick-o-tee'-ah.
Oh-lah-nee'-tah.
Oh-lus'-kee.
Oh-tah-satch'.
Oh-wan-tes'-kah.
See-ka-to'-nah.
See-wan'da. (Mohawk.)
Sen-no-wee-ta.
Sick-o-wee'.
Sor-nook'.
Te-na-nel'-lah.
Tick-ah-no'-la.
To-son'-ta.
Wah-non'-da. (Mohawk.)
FROM THE TUSCARORA
Chee-on-on'-da--hills upon hills.
Coata'ra=cascade in a gorge.
Coataro'go--place of falls.
Conata'ra~tree in a gorge.
Dion'daroga--inflow of waters.
Isunda'ganame of a place.
Ossaro'ga=view of rocks and water.
Ossi'anac'=land of pebbles.
Ossowa'=white water.
Ottaray--the over hills. (Cherokee.)
Ontaro'ga--place of rocks and hills.
Onteo'ra--hills of the sky.
Tarkoee'--Catawba Land. (Cherokee.)
Ta-lu'-la=falls in Georgia (the water that leaps or bounds).
Tiaro'ga=place of rocks and water.
Tico'a=falls in Georgia (the water that lightens or brightens).
Yoo-wa-na=rainbow.
From records of old Spanish Explorations in what is now the Southern States.
NAMES OF TOWNS, CHIEFS, Etc.
Axacon=of old Eastern Virginia (1570).
Aqua-quee'-ree.
Aqua-tee-ra.
Ara-coo'-chee.
Chi-a-ha'-possibly same as Che'owa=now Graham County, North Carolina.
Chis'-co--Cheorkee Chief or town.
Jua'-da=place or town-written also Joara, Joa'na and Zoa'ra.
Oris'ta.
Pal-las-sa' or Pal~las-see=probably name of Blue Ridge Mountains.
Sa-ta'-po, or Sa-tah'-po=place or town.
Tau-as'-que.
Tas'-que.
Sa-too-ree-o'-no or Sat-u-ri-o' -na.
Tal-i-min'-co--Rock Chief (Creek).
To-cal'-ques=place or town, possibly now Toxaway.
To-go'-ya.
X-ua'-la=town of De Soto's Expedition.
Yu-lee'-na.