Era una tradición que permitía a cada miembro de la comunidad saber cuál era su lugar. Marcaba el momento en el que una niña se convertía en mujer, un niño en guerrero y un cazador en proveedor.
Desde ese momento no había confusión en el lugar que ocupaba cada uno a los ojos de toda la comunidad o aldea. Se definían los roles, se otorgaban regalos y se ganaba un nuevo nombre.
Una mujer podía recibir herramientas de cocina, mantas, pieles. Objetos que le ayudarían a establecer su propio hogar. Un himbre podía recibir arcos y flechas de su abuelo o padre. Herramientas que necesitará en la caza para proveer comida en su hogar.
Cuando el poblado, la comunidad veía que uno estaba listo para tomar su rol como adulto, se organizaban una ceremonia y un banquete. El hombre o la mujer se posicionaría en frente de todo el poblado para tomar su lugar entre ellos.
Cada uno conocía las responsabilidades que esto conllevaba. Una hija no podría regresar a la casa de su madre bucando ayuda, o para volver a ser tratada como una niña. Era ahora una mujer. Un hombre tampoco podría volver a la casa de sus padres para que le ayudasen a resolver un problema en su lugar.. Era ahora un hombre. La posibilidad de intercambiar o volver a los antiguos roles se había esfumado.
En el poblado se respetaban estos ritos y se respetaba a los adultos al tratarles como tal. Traicionar ese honor, signifcaría que aquellos en el poblado se darían la vuelta al pasar. Ninguna puerta se te abriría, te convertirías en un marginado cuyo único lugar permitido sería tu interior.
Cuando uno volviera a comportarse como un adulto en la comunidad, los demás le observarían sin decir nada. Sólo cuando mostrase que había crecido y aprendido, y que una vez más actuaban por el bien común de la comunidad y no de uno mismo, un Anciano hablaría con el para indicarle que nuevamente era parte de la comunidad. Nada más, sin repercusiones, simplemente se le aceptaba de nuevo.
El camino del Cherokee es dar a la comunidad: críar un hijo, cuidar de los enfermos y ancianos, en definitiva ser como una gran familia.
From that moment on there was no confusion of where one stood in the eyes of the whole community or Village. Roles were defined and honored, one was given a new name as well as gifts.
A woman may receive cooking tools, hides, blankets. Things that would aid herein establishing her own lodge. A man may receive a bow and arrows made by a grandfather, or a father. Tools he would need for hunting for providing food for his lodge.
When the village, the community, saw one was ready to take on the roles of adult, a feast and a special ceremony would be held. The man or woman that this ceremony was being held for would stand before the whole village and it would be known that now they were to be seen as a man and woman.
Each knowing the responsibilities that carried. A daughter could not run back to her mothers lodge to seek help, or be treated again as a child and seek her mother or father to fix it. She was a woman. Nor could a man run back to his mother or fathers lodge seeking help or seek his parents to step in and help him to resolve a problem. He was a man. There was no swaying back and forth between a child and an adult.
Those in the village respected this passage of rites and they would be respected as an adult and treated as such . To act in a manner that disrespected the honor given to you, (and being seen as an adult ready to stand as an equal with the adults of the village was an honor) those in the village would turn their backs on to you when you passed by. No door would open in another lodge for you to enter. You would become isolated, made to deal with no place to turn but to yourself.
When one started to walk with respect, behaving as an adult was to behave within the community, those in the community would watch, saying nothing. Once he/she showed they had grown, learned, that they had once again were acting on the behalf of the whole, not self, an Elder would speak to them, signaling to the others that their brothers and sisters were once again part of the community. No more or no less, no repercussion, no being raked over hot coals, simply accepted back.
The Cherokee way is for the village: to raise a child, to care for our sick, our elderly, to be as one family.
When the village, the community, saw one was ready to take on the roles of adult, a feast and a special ceremony would be held. The man or woman that this ceremony was being held for would stand before the whole village and it would be known that now they were to be seen as a man and woman.
Each knowing the responsibilities that carried. A daughter could not run back to her mothers lodge to seek help, or be treated again as a child and seek her mother or father to fix it. She was a woman. Nor could a man run back to his mother or fathers lodge seeking help or seek his parents to step in and help him to resolve a problem. He was a man. There was no swaying back and forth between a child and an adult.
Those in the village respected this passage of rites and they would be respected as an adult and treated as such . To act in a manner that disrespected the honor given to you, (and being seen as an adult ready to stand as an equal with the adults of the village was an honor) those in the village would turn their backs on to you when you passed by. No door would open in another lodge for you to enter. You would become isolated, made to deal with no place to turn but to yourself.
When one started to walk with respect, behaving as an adult was to behave within the community, those in the community would watch, saying nothing. Once he/she showed they had grown, learned, that they had once again were acting on the behalf of the whole, not self, an Elder would speak to them, signaling to the others that their brothers and sisters were once again part of the community. No more or no less, no repercussion, no being raked over hot coals, simply accepted back.
The Cherokee way is for the village: to raise a child, to care for our sick, our elderly, to be as one family.
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