CHEROKEES OF NORTH CAROLINA — GILBERT 537 



The Bird Clan people were always fond of birds and kept captive 

 crows and chicken hawks. They were also noted for their successful 

 use of snares and blowguns in bird hunting. Birdtown, near Qualla, 

 is named after this clan. 



Possession of magic was the principal characteristic of the Red 

 Paint Clan who employed iron oxide or hematite for the purpose 

 of securing success in love and protection in war. In fact these people 

 were the great conjurers of the old days and Painttown, to the east 

 of the Qualla Agency, was named after them. 



The Blue Clan was named after a wild plant of bluish color which 

 was gathered by them in the low swampy grounds along streams and 

 used for food and medicine. The plant is described as being narrow- 

 leafed, like grass, and with berries resembling a young cucumber, 

 but it is explained that only the roots were used by the Indians. At 

 each new moon, in the old days, children were bathed in a decoction 

 of this plant to protect them from all diseases. 



The Wild Potato Clan was also named after a plant of the swamps 

 along the streams which was gathered and eaten by this clan. No 

 tradition of any ceremony connected with this plant survives. 



The Twister Clan was so named because of the haughty manner in 

 which they formerly conducted themselves, twisting their shoulders as 

 they walked. They were accounted a rather vain people who grew 

 their hair long and adorned it with elaborate coiffures and decorations. 



In order of numbers the most numerous is probably the Wolf Clan, 

 followed at a distance by the Bird. These two clans, in fact, accounted 

 for over 50 percent of all Indians in the reservation in 1932. Some- 

 what less numerous were members of the Twister and Deer Clans, with 

 the Red Paint, Wild Potato, and Blue trailing at the bottom of the 

 list. 



The clan is an institution of fundamental importance in Cherokee 

 tradition and way of life. It is symbolized in blood and is associated 

 with descent from and through the mother. According to the myths 

 the clan was derived, along with songs, dances, and magical formu- 

 las, from the great giant "Old Stonecoat," who was slain by the In- 

 dians at the beginning of time by being burnt at the stake. As he died 

 he sang, as was the Cherokee custom, his "death song." In this song, 

 uttered as the spirit of Old Stonecoat ascended into Heaven, was the 

 entire Cherokee tradition. Included in it were the rules and regula- 

 tions which governed the clan membership and the rituals associated 

 therewith. 



One such ritual was called "going to the water." This involved a 

 group of brothers and sisters of the same clan ceremonially bathing 

 in a stream and the conjuror prayed for the clan by name, prognosti- 

 cating the future fortunes of the individual members present. 



