Brothers and Sisters, this next prophecy was told by the Tsalagi (Cherokee)"Peace Maker" who spoke this before the great inter tribal peace council held at Tahlequah in 1843. Some ten thousand Natives representing seventeen Nations attended.
Please remember, there is much spiritual symbolism in this prophecy, do not see certain things in its literal sense when spoken.
NOTE: The Peace maker speaking....
"My Brothers, you will now hear what our forefathers said to us.
"In the first place, the Seneca's, a great many years ago, devised a plan for us to become friends. When the plan was first laid, the Seneca rose up and said, I fear the Cherokee, because the tomahawk is struck in several parts of his head. The Seneca afterwards remarked, that he saw the tomahawk still sticking in all parts of the Cherokee's head, and heard him hooping and hollering say that he was too strong to die. The Seneca further said, Our warriors in old times used to go to war; when they did go, they always went to fight the Cherokees; sometimes one or two would come home--sometimes none. He further said, the Great Spirit must love the Cherokees, and we must be wrong, going to war with them. The Seneca then said, suppose we make friends with the Cherokee, and wash his wounds and cause them to heal up, that he may grow larger than he was before. The Seneca, after thus speaking sat down. The Wyandot then rose and said, You have done right, and let it be. I am your youngest brother, and you our oldest. This word was told to the Shawnees; They replied, We are glad, let it be; you are our elder brothers. The Seneca's then said, they would go about and pray to the Great Spirit for four years to assist them in making peace, and that they would take the cover off of the sacred vessel, and examine the water, which they did; every time they opened it they found it was changed; at the the end of four years they uncovered the vessel once again and found that the water had changed to a colour that suited them. The Seneca then said, The Great Spirit has had mercy upon us, and the thing has taken place just as we wished it.
"The Shawnee then said, We will make straight paths; but let us make peace among our neighbouring tribes first, before we make this path to those afar off.
"The Seneca then said, Before we make peace, we must give our neighbouring tribes some fire; for it will not do to make peace without it, --they might be travelling about, and run against each other, and probably cause them to hurt each other. These three tribes said, before making peace, that this fire which was to be given to them should be kindled in order that a big light may be raised, so they may see each other at a long distance; this is to last so long as the earth stands; They said further, that this law of peace shall last from generation to generation--so long as there shall be a red man living on this earth: They also said, that the fire shall continue among us and shall never be extinguished as long as one remains. The Seneca further said to the Shawnees, I have put a belt around you, and have tied up the talk in a bundle, and placed it on your backs; we will now make a path on which we will pass to the Sioux. The Seneca said further, You shall continue your path until it shall reach the lodge of the Osage. When the talk was brought to the Sioux, they replied, we feel thankful to you and will take your talk; we can see a light through the path you have made for us.
"When the Shawnees brought the talk to the Osage's, they replied, By to-morrow, by the middle of the day, we shall have finished our business. The Osage said further, The Great Spirit has been kind to me. He has brought something to me, I being fatigued hunting for it. When the Shawnees returned to the lodge of the Osage's, they were informed that they were to be killed, and they immediately made their escape.
"When the Shawnees returned to their homes whence they came, they said they had been near being killed.
"The Seneca then said to the Shawnees, that the Osage's must be mistaken. The Shawnees went again to see the Osages--they told them their business. The Osage's remarked, The Great Spirit has been good to us,--to-morrow by the middle of the day he will give us something without fatigue. When the Shawnees arrived at the lodge, an old man of the Osage's told them that they had better make their escape; that if they did not, by the middle of the following day, they would all be destroyed, and directed them to the nearest point of the woods. The Shawnees made their escape about midday. They discovered the Osage's following them, and threw away their packs, reserving the bag their talk was in, and arrived at their camp safe. When the Shawnees arrived home, they said they had come near being killed, and the Osage's refused to receive their talk. The Seneca then said, If the Osage's will not take our talk, let them remain as they are; and when the rising generation shall become as one, the Osage shall be like some herb standing alone. The Seneca further said, The Osage's shall be like a lone cherry-tree, standing in the prairies, where the birds of all kinds shall light upon it at pleasure. The reason this talk was made about the Osage's was, that they prided themselves upon their warriors and manhood, and did not wish to make peace.
"The Seneca further said, we have succeeded in making peace with all the Northern and neighbouring tribes. The Seneca then said to the Shawnees, You must now turn your course to the South: you must take your path to the Cherokees, and even make it into their houses. When the Shawnees started at night they took up their camp and sat up all night, praying to the Great Spirit to enable them to arrive in peace and safety among the Cherokees. The Shawnees still kept their course, until they reached a place called Tah-le-quah, where they arrived in safety, as they wished, and there met chiefs and warriors of the Cherokees. When they arrived near Tah-le-quah, they went to a house and sent two men to the head chiefs. The chief's daughter was the only person in the house. As soon as she saw them, she went out and met them, and shook them by the hand and asked them into the house to sit down. The men were all in the field at work--the girl's father was with them. She ran and told him that they were two men in the house, and that they were enemies. The chief immediately ran to the house and shook them by the hand, and stood at the door. The Cherokees all assembled around the house, and said, Let us kill them, for they are enemies. Some of the men said, No, the Chief's daughter has taken them by the hand; so also has our chief. The men then became better satisfied. The chief asked the two men if they were alone. They answered, No; that there was some more with them. He told them to go after them and bring them to his house. When these two men returned with the rest of their people, the chief asked them what their business was. They then opened this valuable bundle, and told him that it contained a talk for peace. The chief told them, I cannot do business alone; all the chiefs are assembled at a place called Cho-qua-ta [for E-cho-ta], where I will attend to your business in general council. When the messengers of peace arrived at Cho-qua-ta, they were kindly received by the chiefs, who told them they would gladly receive their talk of peace. The messengers of peace then said to the Cherokees, We will make a path for you to travel in, and the rising generations may do the same,--we also will keep it swept clean and white, so that the rising generation may travel in peace. The Shawnee further said, We will keep the doors of our houses open, so that when the rising generation come among us they shall be welcome. He further said, This talk is intended for all the different tribes of our red brothers, and is to the last to the end of time. He further said, I have made a fire out of the dry elm--this fire is for all the different tribes to see by. I have put one chunk toward the rising sun, one toward the north, and one toward the south. This fire is not to be extinguished so long as time lasts. I shall stick up a stick close by the fire, in order that it may frequently be stirred, and raise a light for the rising generations to see by; if any one should turn in the dark, you must catch him by the hand, and lead him to the light, so that he can see that he was wrong.
"I have made you a fire-light, I have stripped some white hickory bark and set it up agonist the tree, in order that when you wish to remove this fire, you can take it and put it on the bark; when you kindle this fire it will be seen rising up toward the heavens. I will see it and know it; I am your oldest brother. The messenger of peace further said, I have prepared white benches for you, and leaned the white pipe agonist them, and when you eat you shall have one dish and one spoon. We have done everything that was good, but our warriors still hold their tomahawks in their hands, as if they wish to fight each other. We will now take their tomahawks from them and bury them; we must bury them deep under the earth where there is water; and there must be winds, which we wish to blow them so far that our warriors may never see them again.
"The messenger further said, Where there is blood spilt I will wipe it up clean--wherever bones have been scattered, I have taken them and buried them, and covered them with white hickory bark and a white cloth--there must be no more blood spilt; our warriors must not recollect it any more. Our warriors said that the Cherokees were working for the rising generation by themselves; we must take hold and help them.
"The messengers then said that you Cherokees are placed now under the centre of the sun; this talk I leave you for the different tribes, and when you talk it, our voice shall be loud enough to be heard over this island. This is all I have to say."
