Respect Integrity

							                                Respect - Integrity
                                   August September
                                      8th Grade
Respect - To feel or show honor for someone or something
Integrity - Rigid adherence to a code of values

Purpose of the Lesson - This lesson promotes integrity and respect for political leaders
      and our government through investigation of the prehistoric Georgians, its
      leaders, artists, and architects. It also helps students to appreciate differences in
      point of view.

GPS - Social Studies Curriculum Guidelines for 8th Grade
Geography of Georgia - SS.8.1.1; SS.8.1.2; SS.8.1.3; SS.8.12.5, SS.8.12.6
Early Inhabitants of Georgia - SS.8.2.1; SS.8.2.2; SS.8.2.3

Concept: What does it mean to be a part of a clan and earn/keep respect within this mini
culture?

Masterwork: Cherokee Indian Drum Dance Video – 2 minutes, 1 sec.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-
900605883181249296&q=cherokee+indians&hl=en

               Cherokee Indian Flute Music

http://www.marksonderproductions.com/headline/MickiFree.html

       Click on one of the following selections

              The Warrior
Painted Horses, The Sun Chaser, Love Child

           The Rocker
Wounded Knee, Rattlesnake, Heathers Arms

Stories – Cherokee Indian Storeis on line
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/Indian/stories.html

Materials – Midi Files of Cherokee music, plain white paper, writing utensils, markers,
crayons, colored pencils,
Web Sites: http://ngeorgia.com/history/goldrush.html;
               http://ngeorgia.com/history/histpre.html
               http://ngeorgia.com/history/creek.html
Procedure – HOOK - INTRODUCTION – The teacher will click on one of the Cherokee
Indian Music links of their choice and ask the following questions: Did you know that the
state capital dome is covered with gold that was found in Georgia? Did you know that
the gold was actually mined by the ancient Cherokee Indians living here in Georgia as
close as Cherokee County? Did you know that these ancient people built their temples
atop huge mounds of earth? Did you know that the Cherokee were part of a clan? What
does it mean to be a part of a clan?

   1.      The teacher will pose these questions to the students and write the names of
           the seven Cherokee Clans on the board.
                Bird, Paint, Deer, Wolf, Blue, Long Hair, Wild Potato.
   2.      Students will be divided into seven groups and take on the names of each clan.
   3.      Students will design a symbol that will represent each clan.
   4.      Student will then be asked to define and write down what it means to be part
           of a clan.
   5.      Students will be asked to determine what t means to respect the values of
           another clan.
   6.      Student will be asked to determine how each clan could retain it’s integrity
           while intermingling with other clans.
   7.      The teacher will play the drum music ritual video and pose the following
           question? After viewing this video, what kind of religion do you think your
           clan participates in? Why do you think it was important to include rituals in
           their religious ceremonies?
   8.      What do you think the rites of women and children were? How do you think
           these were influenced and later changed?
   9.      The teacher will introduce the idea of Cherokee Storytellers to each group and
           provide each group with a copy of one of the Cherokee stories/fables. The
           teacher will tell the students that the storytellers of the Cherokee were
           responsible to carry on the history of the Cherokee to future generations.
           Each clan/group will then be responsible for creating a story of a member of
           their clan for future generations and illustrate.
   10.     the teacher can read/post recipes for the students to enjoy reading
                 Grandmother Spider Steals the Sun
                                  [CHEROKEE]

   In the beginning there was only blackness, and nobody could see anything.
   People kept bumping into each other and groping blindly. They said: "What
                                this world needs is light."
Fox said he knew some people on the other side of the world who had plenty of
light, but they were too greedy to share it with others. Possum said he would be
   glad to steal a little of it. "I have a bushy tail," he siad. "I can hide the light
   inside all that fur." Then he set out for the other side of the world. There he
 found the sun hanging in a tree and lighting everything up. He sneaked over to
the sun, picked out a tiny piece of light, and stuffed it into his tail. But the light
   was hot and burned all the fur off. The people discovered his theft and took
           back the light, and ever since, Possoum's tail has been bald.
"Let me try," said Buzzard. "I know better than to hide a piece of stolen light in
    my tail. I'll put it on my head." He flew to the other side of the world and,
diving straight into the sun, seized it with his claws. He put it on his head, but it
  burned his head feathers off. The people grabbed the sun away from him, and
               ever since that time Buzzard's head has remained bald.
Grandmother Spider said, "Let me try!" First she made a thickwalled pot out of
  clay. Next she spun a web reaching all the way to the other side of the world.
   She was so small that none of the people there noticed her coming. Quickly
     Grandmother Spider snatched up the sun, put it in the bowl of clay, and
 scrambled back home along one of the strands of her web. Now her side of the
                         world had light, and everyone rejoiced.
 Spider Woman brought not only the sun to the Cherokee, but fire with it. And
     besides that, she taught the Cherokee people the art of pottery making.

                --From a tale reported by James Mooney in the 1890's.
"American Indian Myths & Legends" Selected and edited by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso
                                        Ortiz.
             Why the Opussum's Tail Is Bare - Cherokee
       In the beginning all living things - men, animals, plants and trees - spoke the same
language and behaved in much the same way. Animals, like people, were organized into tribes.
They had chiefs, lived in houses, held councils and ceremonies.

         Many animals had characteristics which we would not recognize today. The rabbit, for
example, was fierce, bold and cunning, and a great mischief maker. It was through Rabbit's tricks
that the deer lost his sharp wolf-like teeth, the buzzard his handsome topknot of feathers and the
opossum his long, bushy tail.

        Opossum was very proud of his tail which, in those days, was covered with thick black
fur. He spent long hours cleaning and brushing it and composing songs about its beauty and
vigour. Sometimes, when he walked through the village, he carried his tail erect, like a banner
rippling in the breeze. At other times, he swept it low behind him, like a train. It was useful as
well as beautiful, for when Opossum lay down to sleep, he tucked it under him to make a soft
bed, and in cold weather he folded it over his body to keep himself warm.

         Rabbit was very jealous of Opossum's tail. He, too, had once had a long bushy tail but,
during the course of a a fight with Bear, he had lost most of it and now had only a short fluffy
tuft. The sight of Opossum strutting before the other animals and swirling his tail ostentatiously,
filled Rabbit with rage and he made up his mind to play a trick on him at the first opportunity.

         At this time, when the animals still lived harmoniously together, each had his appointed
station and duty. Thus, Frog was leader in the council and Rabbit, because of his speed, was
employed to carry messages and announcements to the others.

        As was their custom from time to time, the animals decided to hold a great council to
discuss important matters and Rabbit, as usual, was given the task of arranging the gathering and
delivering the invitations. Councils were also occasions for feasting and dancing and Rabbit saw
a way of bringing about Opossum's downfall.

        When Rabbit arrived with the news of the meeting, Opossum was sitting by the door of
his lodge engaged in his favourite occupation - grooming his tail. 'I come to call you to the great
council tomorrow, brother Opossum,' said Rabbit. 'Will you attend and join in the dance ?'

        'Only if I am given a special seat,' replied the conceited Opossum, carefully smoothing
some untidy hairs at the tip of his tail. 'After all,' he went on, grinning maliciously at Rabbit, 'I
have such a beautiful long tail that I ought to sit where everyone can see and admire it.'

         Rabbit was almost beside himself with fury, but he pretended not to notice the jibe and
said, 'But of course, brother Opossum! I will personally see to it that you have the best seat in the
council lodge, and I will also send someone to dress your tail specially for the dance.'

         Opossum was delighted by this suggestion and Rabbit left him singing the praises of his
tail even more loudly than usual.
         Next, Rabbit called on the cricket, whom Indians call the barber, because of his fame as
an expert hair-cutter. Cricket listened with growing amazement as Rabbit recounted his
conversation with Opossum. Like all the other animals, he found Opossum's vanity and arrogance
very tiresome.

        He began to protest, but Rabbit held up a paw and said, 'Wait a moment. I have a plan
and I need your help. Listen...', and he dropped his voice as he told Cricket what he wanted him
to do.

        Early next morning Cricket presented himself at Opossum's door and said that he had
been sent by Rabbit to prepare the famous tail for the council that evening. Opossum made
himself comfortable on the floor and stretched out his tail. Cricket began to comb it gently.

         'I will wrap this red cord round your tail as I comb it,' he explained, 'so that it will remain
smooth and neat for the dance tonight.' Opossum found Cricket's ministrations so soothing that
he fell asleep, awakening just as Cricket was tying the final knot in the red cord which now
completely swathed his tail.

         'I will keep it bound up until the very last moment,' thought Opossum gleefully. 'How
envious the others will be when I finally reveal it in all its beauty!' That evening, his tail still
tightly wrapped in the red cord, Opossum marched into the council lodge and was led to his
special seat by a strangely obsequious Rabbit.

        Soon it was time for the dancing to take place. The drums and rattles began to sound.
Opossum stood up, loosened the cord from his tail and stepped proudly into the centre of the
dance floor. He began to sing. 'Look at my beautiful tail!' he sang as he circled the floor. 'See
how it sweeps the ground!'

        There was a great shout from the audience and some of the animals began to applaud.
'How they admire me!' though Opossum and he continued dancing and singing loudly. 'See how
my tail gleams in the firelight!'

         Again everyone shouted and cheered. Opossum began to have just the merest suspicion
that all was not quite as it should be. Was there possibly a hint of mockery in their voices ? He
dismissed such an absurd idea and continued dancing. 'My tail is stronger than the eagle's, more
lustrous than the raven's!'

        At this the animals shrieked so loudly that Opossum stopped in his tracks and looked at
them. To his astonishment and chagrin they were all convulsed with laughter, some leaning
weakly on their neighbour's shoulders, others rolling on the ground in their mirth. Several were
pointing at his tail.

        Bewildered, Opossum looked down and saw to his horror that his tail, his beautiful, thick,
glossy tail, was now balk and scaly like that of a lizard. Nothing remained of its former glory.
While pretending to comb it, the wily Cricket had snipped off every single lair.

          Opossum was so overcome with shame and confusion that he could not utter a sound.
Instead he rolled over helplessly on his back, grimmacing with embarrasment, just as opossums
still do today, when taken by surprise.
                              Thunder Gods
 North America is rich in thunder-gods. Of these a typical example is Haokah,
 the god of the Siox. The countenance of this divinity was divided into halves,
 one of which expressed grief and the other cheerfulness---than is, on occasion
 he could either weep with the rain or smile with the sun. Heat affected him as
cold, and cold was to him as heat. He beat the tattoo of the thunder on his great
    drum, using the wind as a drum-stick. In some phases he is reminiscent of
    Jupiter, for he hurls the lightning to earth in the shape of thunderbolts. He
wears a pair of horns, perhaps to typify his connexion with the lightning, or else
    with the chase, for many American thunder-gods are mighty hunters. This
double conception arises from their possession of the lightning-spear, or arrow,
    which also gives them in some cases the character of a war-god. Strangely
enough, such gods of the chase often resembled in appearance the animals they
  hunted. For example, Tsul 'Kalu (Slanting Eyes), a hunter-god the Cherokee
  Indians, seems to resemble a deer. He is of giant proportions, and dwells in a
     great mountain of the Blue Ridge Range, in North-western Virginia. He
appears to have possessed all the game in the district as his private property. A
     Cherokee thunder-god is Asgaya Gigagei (Red Man). The facts that he is
    described as being of a red colour, thus typifying the lightning and that the
 Cherokees were originally a mountain people, leave little room for doubt that
he is a thunder-god, for it is around the mountain peaks that the heavy thunder-
   clouds gather, and the red lightning flashing from their depths looks like the
moving limbs of the half-hidden deity. We also find occasionlly invoked in the
Cherokee religious formulae a pair of twin deities known as the 'Little Men, or
   'Thunder-boys.' This reminds us that in Peru twins were always regarded as
      sacred to the lightning, since they were emblematic of the thunder-and-
       lightning twins, Apacatequil and Piguerao. All these thunder-gods are
 analogous to the Aztec Tlaloc, the Kiche Hurakan, and the Otomi Mixcoatl. A
     well-known instance of the thunder- or hunter-god who possesses animal
characteristics will occur to those who are familiar with the old English Legend
               of Herne the Hunter, with his deer's head and antlers.

  The Dakota Indians worshipped a deity whom they addressed as Waukheon
 (Thunder-bird). This being was engaged in constant strife with the water-god
     Unktahe, was was a cunning sorcerer, and a controller of dreams and
witchcraft. Their conflict probably symbolizes the atmosphereic changes which
                        accompany the different seasons.

          "Myths of the North American Indians".. by Lewis Spence.
                           Traditional Talking Stick
          Traditional Talking Stick The Talking Stick is a tool used in many Native American
Traditions when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Sacred Point of
View. The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person
holding the stick is allowed to talk during that time period. The Answering Feather is also held by
the person speaking unless the speaker address a question to another council member. At that
time, the Answering Feather is passed to the person asked to answer the query. Every member of
the meeting must listen closely to the words being spoken, so when their turn comes, they do not
repeat unneeded information or ask impertinent, questions. Indian children are taught to listen
from age three forward; they are also taught to respect another's viewpoint. This is not to say that
they may not disagree, but rather they are bound by their personal honor to allow everyone their
Sacred Point of View. People responsible for holding any type council meeting are required to
make their own Talking Stick. The Talking Stick may be used when they teach children, hold
council, make decisions regarding disputes, hold Pow-Wow gatherings, have storytelling circles,
or conduct a ceremony where more then one person will speak. Since each piece of material used
in the Talking Stick speaks of the personal Medicine of the stick owner, each Talking Stick will
be different. The Qualities of each type of Standing Person (Tree) brings specific Medicine.
White Pine is the Peace Tree, Birch symbolizes truth, Evergreens represent the continued growth
of all things. Cedar symbolizes cleansing. Aspen is the symbol for seeing clearly since there are
many eye shapes on the truth. Maple represents gentleness. Elm is used for wisdom; Mountain
Ash for protection; Oak for strength; Cherry for expression, high emotion, or love. Fruit woods
are for abundance and walnut or pecan for gathering of energy or beginning new projects. Each
person making a Talking Stick must decide which type of Standing Person (Tree) will assist their
needs and add needed medicine to the Councils held. The ornamentation of each stick all have
meaning. In the Lakotah Tradition, red is for life, yellow is for knowledge, blue is for prayer and
wisdom, white is for spirit, purple is for healing, orange is for feeling kinship with all living
things, black is for clarity and focus. The type of feathers and hide used on a Talking Stick are
very important as well. The Answering Feather is usually an Eagle Feather, which represents high
ideals, truth as viewed from the expansive eye of the eagle, and the freedom that comes from
speaking total truth to the best of one's ability. The Answering Feather can also be the feather of a
Turkey, the Peace Eagle of the south, which brings peaceful attitudes as well as the give and take
necessary in successful completion of disputes. In the Tribe that see Owl as good Medicine, the
Owl feather may also be used to stop deception from entering the Sacred Space of the Council.
The skins, hair or hides used in making a Talking Stick brings the abilities, talents, gifts and
medicine of those creatures-beings to council in a variety of ways. Buffalo brings abundance; Elk
brings physical fitness and stamina; deer brings gentleness; rabbit brings the ability to listen with
big ears; the hair from a horse's tail or mane brings perseverance and adds connection to the earth
and to the spirits of the wind. If an illness of heart, mind, spirit, or body has affected the group
gathering, snake skin may be wrapped around the Talking Stick so that healing and transmuting
of those poisons can occur. The Talking Stick is the tool that teaches each of us to honor the
Sacred Point of View of every living creature. ----Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians ---
enrollment # 1009
                                Cherokee Recipes

         Bean Bread or Tsu-Ya-Ga - This is a favorite basic Cherokee food.

Boil some beans, Have a second pot of plain water boiling

See below to make wood ash lye.

Add some wood ash lye to fine corn meal till it turns yellow. We are talking small
amounts of the lye here. DO NOT add any salt. You are making corn meal hominy here.
You might be able to use hominy grits or ground up hominy instead.

When the beans are tender add the beans and some of the soup ( the water the beans were
boiled in) to fine cornmeal and mix.

Make dumplings of the mix in your hand and drop in the boiling water. Salt in the
dumplings will make them fall apart.

Boil till done. Experiment with the first few of them to see how long your size dumplings
take to cook.

Serve with butter, or meat grease.

To make wood ashes lye take any kind of container with holes in the bottom. DO NOT
USE ANY ALUMINUM. Pottery works best. Fill the container with hard wood ashes.
Pour water into the ashes and let the water soak through them ashes and out the holes in
the bottom. This is hard wood lye. Lye is strong stuff like an acid and should be handled
with care. Avoid getting in on your skin or in your eyes. Let an adult do this. When
mixed with corn meal in small amounts it is OK. Hominy is made by soaking corn
kernels in lye and then washing the lye out. You are basically making hominy meal by
adding lye to corn meal. You could use ground up hominy for this recipe.

                       Corn and Beans or Se-Lu A-Su-Li Tu-Ya

Mix hominy and cooked colored beans together and cook some more

Add pieces of pumpkin (optional) cook until pumpkins are soft

Add cornmeal, ground walnuts and ground hickory nuts. The nuts can be pounded to
smushed up.

Add enough molasses to sweeten

Cook until done.
                                     Squirrel or Sa-Lo-Li

Throw a fresh killed squirrel into a fire and burn the hair off. Scrape with a knife or sharp
rock. Repeat until all the fur is gone.

Wash with water and wood ashes till the skin turns white.

Clean out the insides ( The guts )

Put on a stick over a fire till brown.

Cut up and use for a stew or fry till done.



                        Yellow Jacket Stew or S-Ka-V Oo-Ga-Ma

Gather yellow jacket combs (nests)

Pick out the grubs. Be careful to keep them intact.

Put the grubs in the oven on a pan to brown.

Make a soup of the browned grubs by adding them to water with some grease and a little
salt.

                                         Bear or Yo-Na

Cut the meat into strips and dry in front of a fire.

Hang the dried strips from the rafters of the house. Cover with cloth

Take strips down as you need them

Pound a strip until it turns to a meal like corn meal

Mix in a pot with water and boil to make a soup.

You can add some corn meal if you want.

I could use some more recipes here. Please send us some if you have any good ones.
Georgia Capital Dome
                         Prehistoric Mound Builders
        The last pre-historic cultural development in North America was the
Mississippian Culture, thriving from approximately 800 AD until the arrival of European
explorers. The Mississippian Culture spanned from Wisconsin and Minnesota in the
north, through Georgia to the south, and westward into the Great Plains. These people
enjoyed an intricate system of trading, were accomplished craftsmen, and practiced
sophisticated religious beliefs.

        The mound builders here in Georgia arrived at the Etowah Indian Mounds site
(near Cartersville) about 950 AD. These chiefdoms probably moved east from the
Mississippi and featured advanced agricultural techniques, a form of lineal government
(the rulers belonged to the same family), religion, and commerce. The village at Etowah
established relations with nearby Woodland Indians as well as Mound Builders from
Ocmulgee. The 54 acre site includes 7 mounds, borrow pits, plaza, portions of the
original village and a museum.

        Chief Priests governed their fortified towns. These leaders lived in temples atop
large earthen mounds overlooking a central ceremonial plaza. Lesser leaders might also
live on mounds, but the tallest would be for the temple of the Chief Priest. Upon the
death of the Chief Priest, his temple would be destroyed and another layer of earth would
be added for his successor. Ones social standing would be reflected in how close his
home was to the plaza.

        As the civilizations further south and west encountered problems the Etowah site
flourished. Artwork on pottery (both commercial and ceremonial ) showed incredible
attention to detail with patterns becoming more elaborate. Satellite villages became
smaller and more numerous and apparently began to construct defensive perimeters.

        "It is altogether unknown to us what could have induced the Indians to raise such
a heap of earth in this place . . . It is reasonable to suppose, however, that they were to
serve some important purpose in those days, as they were public works, and would have
required the united labor and attention of a whole nation." --William Bartram,
writer/naturalist, 1775
                            Naitive Americans In Georgia
       Prior to the early 18th Century, most of Georgia was home to American Indians
belonging to a southeastern alliance known as the Creek Confederacy. Today's Creek
Nation, also known as the Muskogee, were the major tribe in that alliance.

        According to Creek traditions, the Confederacy migrated to the southeastern
United States from the Southwest. The confederacy was probably formed as a defense
against other large groups to the north. The name "Creek" came from the shortening of
"Ocheese Creek" Indians -- a name given by the English to the native people living along
the Ocheese Creek (or Ocmulgee River). In time, the name was applied to all groups of
the confederacy.

        Most of the groups of the confederacy shared the same language (Muskogean),
types of ceremonies, and village lay-out. The Creek people lived in large permanent
towns or italwa with smaller outlying villages or talofa that were associated with the
larger town. Italwa were centered around plazas(pascova) used for dancing, religious
ceremonies and games. It was here that the Sacred Fire was rekindled annually at the
Green Corn Festival (Busk). Plazas in the towns also contained a rotunda -- a round
building made of poles and mud used for council meetings -- and an open-air summer
council house. The people in the villages attended ceremonies in the towns with which
they were associated. Surrounding the plaza area were the family homes. Towns were
governed by a Chief, or "Mico", an assistant chief, and a "Mico Apokta", who acted as
speaker for the Chief, announcing his decisions to the people.

        These characteristics are very similar to what is known about the prehistoric
Mississippian Culture who occupied the Etowah Mounds village. The people of the
Etowah Mounds are believed to be the ancestors of the Creeks who controlled the area
until the early 1500's.

        When a Creek town reached a population of about 400-600 people they would
split, with about half moving to a new, nearby site. The new town would build its
ceremonial center and develop its own villages, but would also retain a "mother-
daughter" relationship with its original town. This is how the confederacies were formed.
Creek legends tell of palisaded, compact towns. By the 1700's Creek towns began to
spread out, reflecting a move to an agrarian lifestyle. At the end of this century it was not
uncommon for each town to have outlying homes separated by a mile or more of crops.
The Creek adopted the plow and ax and raised livestock. While most Creek still lived in
traditional huts (not teepees) roofed with wood shingles or grass some began to build log
homes with chimneys. By the end of the century Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins
described the Creek towns as being "well fenced with fine stocks of cattle, horses and
hogs surrounded by fields of corn, rice and pototoes(sic)."