Anetso, a centuries-old Cherokee ball game still played today, is a vigorous, sometimes violent activity that rewards speed, strength, and agility. At the same time, it is the focus of several linked ritual activities. Is it a sport? Is it a religious ritual? Could it possibly be both? Why has it lasted so long, surviving through centuries of upheaval and change? Based on his work in the field and in the archives, Michael J. Zogry argues that members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation continue to perform selected aspects of their cultural identity by engaging in anetso, itself the hub of an extended ceremonial complex, or cycle. A precursor to lacrosse, anetso appears in all manner of Cherokee cultural narratives and has figured prominently in the written accounts of non-Cherokee observers for almost three hundred years. The anetso ceremonial complex incorporates a variety of activities which, taken together, complicate standard scholarly distinctions such as game versus ritual, public display versus private performance, and tradition versus innovation. Zogry's examination provides a striking opportunity for rethinking the understanding of ritual and performance as well as their relationship to cultural identity. It also offers a sharp reappraisal of scholarly discourse on the Cherokee religious system, with particular focus on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation.

An ancient Cherokee legend, retold with lively dialogue and intriguing illustrations.

"Before the Trail of Tears, a rapidly growing Anglo-American tidal wave swept across a centuries-old Cherokee nation in the Southeastern United States. From 1800-1838, the Cherokees were victimized by an extraordinary number of land seizures and attacks on their cultural traditions. Through the detailed study of Anetso, a violent sport that closely resembles present-day lacrosse in the United States, one can better understand how the Cherokees managed to preserve their way of life despite growing pressures during the period. The research focuses on both the details of the game and the many rites and rituals that were associated with Anetso. Together, these practices provide insight into a cultural core that the Cherokees succeeded in retaining during four decades of unprecedented cultural stress"--Introduction, leaf 1.

Explore the rich cultural heritage of the Cherokee people with this fascinating study of their traditional ball game. With detailed descriptions of the game and its spiritual significance, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Native American history and culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

In the Winter 2012 issue of Southern Cultures… The Great Debate: NASCAR vs. College Football Undercover: Inside the World of the Debutante On the Backroads: Country Stores and the Days of Yore A Look at the Numbers: Race and Region in the American South and Beyond Autobiography: Cotton Milling in Alabama and Understanding Personal Identity in the South . . . and more. Southern Cultures is published quarterly (spring, summer, fall, winter) by the University of North Carolina Press. The journal is sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Center for the Study of the American South.

"According to Cherokee tradition, the place of creation is Kituwah, located at the center of the world and home of the most sacred and oldest of all beloved or mother towns. Just by entering Kituwah, or indeed any village site, Cherokees reexperience the creation of the world, when the water beetle first surfaced with a piece of mud that later became the island on which they lived. People of Kituwah is a comprehensive account of the spiritual worldview and lifeways of the Eastern Cherokee people, from the creation of the world to today. Building on vast primary and secondary materials, native and non-native, this book provides an in-depth look not only at what the Cherokees perceive and understand--their notions of space and time, marriage and love, death and the afterlife, healing and traditional medicine, and rites and ceremonies--but also at how their religious life evolved both before and after the calamitous coming of colonialism and Christianity. Through the collaborative efforts of John D. Loftin and Benjamin E. Frey, this book offers an in-depth understanding of Cherokee culture and society"--