The Cherokee Nation, one of the most recognized Native American tribes, boasts a rich cultural heritage that intricately expands numerous aspects, including history, art, music, cuisine, and more. Central, however, to understanding any culture is language – an embodiment of a people’s identity, history, heritage, and worldview. In this respect, the Cherokee language, coupled with its unique writing system (the Cherokee syllabary), offers an exciting case study. This article will explore these facets of the Cherokee tribe, providing an in-depth look at the Cherokee language, its syllabary, and how they are intertwined with the tribe’s broader cultural heritage.
The Cherokee Language
The Cherokee language, known as Tsalagi Gawonihisdi in Cherokee, is part of the Iroquoian language family[^1^]. Unlike many other Native American languages, it is a polysynthetic language. This means that words are often built from multiple morphemes – the smallest units of meaning – that combine to create complex words with nuanced meanings.
At the opening of the 19th century, the language was predominantly oral, with no written counterpart. The oration was grounded in passing down the tribe’s history, customs, and traditional tales. However, this oral tradition risked the language and its embedded cultural nuances’ long-term survival as western influence began to permeate Cherokee life.
The Invention of Cherokee Syllabary
Acknowledging the need for a written language, George Guess (or Sequoyah), a notable Cherokee silversmith, ingeniously crafted the Cherokee syllabary in 1821[^1^]. Sequoyah could not read or write English. However, he was inspired by the ‘talking leaves’ of the white settlers and convinced that his people could benefit from having their language written down.
Sequoyah’s Cherokee syllabary is not an alphabet but rather a set of characters representing syllables. The Cherokee language uses 85 characters, ranging from ‘a’ to ‘v.'[^2^]. Each of these syllables captures the phonetic sounds present in the spoken language, providing a semblance of the language’s polysynthetic nature. When it was introduced, the Cherokee syllabary quickly gained popularity among the tribe members, facilitating a rapid rise in the tribe’s literacy rate.
Language and Cultural Interaction
With the advent of the syllabary, the Cherokee community’s dynamic changed. Literacy transformed into a tool for cultural preservation, solidarity, and even political dissent. The Cherokee Phoenix, first printed in 1828 – entirely in the Cherokee language using Sequoyah’s syllabary – served to unite the tribe, disseminate news, and rally community members politically[^3^].
Educational and Cultural Renaissance
Since the syllabary’s invention, various initiatives have taken place to preserve and promote the Cherokee language. Today, Cherokee immersion schools cater to children from pre-school age, teaching students exclusively in the Cherokee language[^1^]. This is followed by a cultural renaissance as the language’s revitalization has sparked increased interest not only in speaking Cherokee but also in other traditionally Cherokee activities, such as traditional beadwork, basket-making, and clothing production.
Contemporary Struggles & Future Hopes
However, the journey to language preservation hasn’t been easy. Today, only about 2,400 people across Eastern Oklahoma fluently speak the Cherokee language[^1^]. This reduction is alarming, particularly considering a population of about 360,000 Cherokees living across the United States.
Fuelled by the urgency to save their language, the Cherokees are leveraging various tools, including Rosetta Stone language courses, smartphone language apps, and more[^2^]. With young people at the forefront of these efforts, the hope is to ingrain the Cherokee language firmly into the tribe’s future – a symbol of cultural resurgence.
Conclusion
Understanding the Cherokee language and its unique syllabary isn’t just about appreciating a different form of communication. It opens up a cultural gate to understanding the tribe’s rich heritage, values, and worldview better.
Thus, as the Cherokee tribe continues to strive to preserve their language and syllabary, they are not just nurturing a form of communication. They are safeguarding a cultural lifeline – an embodiment of their history, heritage, traditions, and collective identity. With the tribe’s fervent efforts and future-focused thinking, the Cherokee language’s survival and the cultural diversity it embodies may yet stand strong.
[^1^]: Cherokee Nation Website, 2021. “Cherokee Language” [Online] Available at: https://language.cherokee.org/
[^2^]: The Rosetta Stone Project, 2018. “The Cherokee Syllabary” [Online] Available at: https://rosettaproject.org/blog/02018/mar/8/cherokee-syllabary/
[^3^]: Cherokee Phoenix, 2021. “About us” [Online] Available at: https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/About-Us