Introduction
Osiyo Nigadv! If you have been in a Cherokee class, you might have heard that said as the teacher entered the room. It is a formal way to say, “Hello everyone!” or more directly translated “Hello All!” The following stories will all be inspired by the Cherokee legends I grew up hearing. All of these stories will prominently feature Opossum, as most of the myths are about animals. Opossum is a figure who is not seen in many myths, so his character is not as well established as some. Opossum has some elements of the trickster archetype, but that role is more often attributed to Rabbit, and most of Opossum’s roles in myths are not as the trickster. The goal of this collection is to make Opossum’s character more consistent, using his most prominent appearances as a basis for his character.
Before all of that, however, I feel it is necessary to explain a few aspects of Cherokee culture and language. For one thing, the number seven is sacred, and so it often shows up in the myths. For example, one of the stories will touch on the origin of the Pleiades (which is a constellation of six stars) but there will be a group of seven involved in them. I mention that here and not in an author’s note because it will show up in more than one story.
Next, I feel it is necessary to provide some information on the Cherokee language. The storytellers I have heard have always incorporated Cherokee words in their stories, especially in the dialogue, so I will follow suit. Here are the most common words/phrases, along with tips on pronunciation:
Osiyo/’siyo: Osiyo means hello. It is pronounced how it is spelled – “oh see yo.” In informal settings, Cherokee speakers will shorten words, usually by dropping the first or last syllable of a word. If osiyo is hello, ‘siyo is hi.
Wado (wah-doh): wado means thank you.
Osda/Osdadv (oh-stah/oh-stah-duh): Osda means good. Sometimes you say osdadv to describe something as “very good.” For example, you say osda when you are asked how you’re doing, but you say osdadv when you actually mean it.
Siqua utsetsasdi/utsetsasdi (see-quah oo-jet’sdee): this means opossum. Siqua is also the word for pig, so it is usually not actually said when referring to opossum. You would just say utsetsasdi.
Ani’tsutsa (ah-nee choo-jaw): this is the word for the Pleiades and it directly translates to “the boys.” “Ani” is a prefix used to refer to a group, most commonly a clan, and the word for boy is atsutsa. For example, to say wolf clan, you would add “ani” before wolf (waya) and say “aniwaya.”
Sali (sah-lee): Sali is the Cherokee word for persimmon.
Below is an audio introduction which includes spoken versions of all of the words listed, in case you want a more vivid demonstration on how the Cherokee words are spoken. I have seen a few questions on my comment wall about this, so I'll explain a bit about my experience with the Cherokee language. I am a member of Cherokee Nation, and I was taught the language and syllabary at a very young age. My sister and I competed in language competitions, and we were fairly well-known for our skills. My current grasp on the language is rusty, but I like to think I still know enough to tell you all some stories.
Image Information: Mother Opossum and Babies; photo from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services at Flickr.