There are a lot of people out there who attend sweat lodges and here are some terms that you would use at sweat lodge if you were speaking in Cherokee.
Sweat lodge (good house)
o-si
All my relations (we are all related)
hi-da-da-tse-li
Open the door
Ga-lo-hi-s-di hi-s-du-gi
Close the door
Ga-lo-hi-s-di hi-s-du-hv-ga
rock
nv-ya
Bring me the rocks (di) is the plural form
nv-ya (di)-s-gv-si
East
Di-ka-lv-gv-i
West
Wu-de-li-gv-i
North
Tsu-yv-tsv-i
South
Tsu-ga-na-wv-i
Creator
U-ne-hla-nv-hi
Come in
ki-ya-ha-ga
pipe
ga-nv-na-wa
Hand me the pipe
ga-nv-na-wa s-gi-di-si
Water
a-ma
Give me the water
a-ma s-gi-ne-hv-si
help me
s-gi-s-de-la
Help him
hi-s-de-la
Let us pray
hi-da-do-li-s-da
Thank you
S-gi
Amen (Let it be that way)
Na-s-gi-gwo wi-ni-ga-l-s-da
About the Author:
Bo Taylor serves as Archivist for the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. He is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian. Mr. Taylor has a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology with a minor in Cherokee Studies from Western Carolina University. He can read and write in the Cherokee language. Mr. Taylor gives lectures on the history of the Cherokee Indian, performs traditional Cherokee dances, and dances at Native American Pow-wows.
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