A Glossary
of
Cherokee Riverwords

with Especial Emphasis on
The Tennessee River
and its Many Tributaries and Upper Branches,
containing Some Notations related to
The Travels of Asteck Dak-wa

compiled by
R. J. Thornton
(c) 1984, 1998

---

ACANSEAPI: a place name for the Upper Tennessee River; a collective name for the
Upper Tennessee and its many tributaries; the geographic area within that
watershed. Ani-Acanseapi: the people who lived there.

ADAWEHI: a Conjuror, a Holy Person (also dadu neski), Adawehi-yu: a very great
magician. Ani-adawehi: the Snake Family of Supernatural People.

ADANTA: the Soul.

AHALI: the mouth (also to "holler" or yell loudly).

AHALI TSISKWA: also known as Holly Tsiskwa, Holly Birdwoman, and Birdsong.

AGAWELA: "Old Woman," one of the formulistic names for corn or the spirit of corn.

AGISEGWA: Great Woman.

AHALUNA: the ambush. Also the lookout place (what we now call a deer stand) for deer hunters. I am watching.

AHANULAHI: he is bearded; one of the names vfor the catfish.

ALKINI: the last Natchee woman of the remant of that nation that lived in Tennessee.
She died around 1890.

AMA/AMO: a prefix signifying water.

AMAYEHI: living in the water.

AMAYE: island.

AMAYELEGWA: Great Island (Big Island), a Cherokee Town on the Tennessee River
located downstream from the mouth of the Tellico. This was Dragging Canoe's
Town. It has been underwater since TVA's dams were built.

AMAYELIGUNAHITA: Long Island Town, one of the Five Towns of the Chickamauga.
Located near the present town of Bridgeport, Alabama, it was near The Ancient
Cave (now Russell's Cave National Historical Park), a place with some of the
earliest evidence of humans in the Southeast U.S.

AMO AMOYEE: water place; also the name of an Old Town near where the Ocoee River
runs into the Hiwassee River.

AMOASKAGAHI: a water fall.

AMOTUGWALUNYI: water rolling over rocks, a riffle or shoals. Riffles appear along a
waterway every seven-measures of it's width. This is called amotugwalunyu.

AMO ATSILA: firewater, whiskey.

AMOYA STUNI: the river or creek bank.

ANAGAHUNSHU: The Green Corn Dance.

ANETSA or ANETSAGI: The Ballplay.

ANI: a prefix signifying "the people (of)." [Please note: the names of The Seven Clans
(e.g.; Ani-Tsiskwa, The Bird Clan; Ani-Waya, The Wolf Clan, etc.) have been
omitted from this Glossary as that information appears elsewhere].

ANI-HYUNTIKWALASKI: The Thunderers. Also the name of the Western Marker of The
Lost Island Stonecircle.

ANI-KUSA or ANI-GUSA: The Creek Nation (Coosa).

ANI-KUSATIYI: Nickajack Town, one of the Five Towns of the Chickamaugas, located at
Nickajack Cave on the Tennessee River, another one of The Old Places. Also known
as: Ani-Kusegi, Nikusegi, and Nickusat.

ANI-KUTANI: an ancient clan of spiritual leaders who were all (?) slain by the early
Tsalagis because of their abuse of power. Kanachayek (The Breast) was a
secretive descendant of this clan.

ANI-KUWANKI: the Lenne Lenapi (because of ethno-centricity corrupted into the
"Delaware Indians" by the Europeans). The ancient Tsalagis dis-banded from these
People and came South to establish The Seven Mother Towns.

ANI-NATSI: The Natchez, or Natchees.

ANI-SAWANUGI: The Shawanoes (the Shwanees), bitter enemies of the Tsalagis.

ANI-SGAYA TSUNDI: The Little Thunder Boys.

ANI-TSATA: The Choctaws.

ANI-TSIKSU: The Chickasaws.

ANI-YUNWIYA: The Principle People (or The Real People). The Tsalagis. The Cherokees.

ASGAYA GIGAGE: The Lightning Spirit.

ASGINA: the ghost.

ASI: The Sweat Lodge, The Hot House, The Winter Sleeping Place.

ASIYU: I Am Good, Hello, Greetings To You!

ASUNTLI: a footlog or bridge.

ATSILA: Fire. Tusti got it for us. Ayataski, old fire; Gataw, new fire, Atsila Galunkweti
Yu, The Sacred Fire.

ATSULA: the Bluegill Bream fish.

ATA: wood.

ATALI: mountain.

AWI: deer.

AWI AKTA: known as Deer Eyes, one of Asteck's lovers.

AYUHWASI: the Hiwassee River.

AYUNINI: The Swimmer.

PLEASE NOTE: This web version of this glossary is still under construction. Please
return here later for more Riverwords and more information about The Travels Of
Asteck Dak-wah.


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