SAN FRANCISCO - It started as a summer project in 2004. Now there are hundreds of them: laminated cards, each with a Cherokee word and picture. Adanhdo: ''heart,'' nvnohi: ''path,'' atseluhisdi: ''saxophone.'' They travel with bicycle messengers all over the world, a mobile international exhibition that Cherokee/Swedish artist America Meredith calls ''Cherokee Spokespeople.''

Meredith, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, began the project because she wanted to do something that was both educational and ''uniquely Cherokee.''

''The most tribally specific art that we have is definitely our syllabary,'' she said.

The Cherokee sylabary was created by Sequoyah in the late 18th century.

''According to Cherokee Nation tribal leadership, our current generation, the fourteenth since European contact with the Cherokees, is said to be the generation that decides whether the language grows or dies,'' Meredith wrote on the Web site www.ahalenia.com.

Meredith, 35, worked as a bicycle messenger for 10 years. She gives away her illustrated cards to members of the close-knit international bicycle messenger community who send her back a photo or video of the card in the spokes of their bicycle in their city. In this way, Cherokee words have spread to Tokyo, London, Zurich, Tapei, Aukland and other cities.

Originally from Oklahoma but now living in San Francisco, Meredith is not a fluent Cherokee speaker herself, but relies on her friends and acquaintances who are fluent. Some of the words on the cards are traditional Cherokee words. Others are created by Cherokee speakers for modern ideas or objects. That's how nuhlisdi gynisdisgi (microwave) and galuyidohi (chopper) came to be a part of her international exhibit.

Though she was a good artist from childhood, Meredith said she was never a good student. In high school, she had a 1.0 grade point average. At the Institute for American Indian Arts, that shot up to a 4.0.

''Oh, I thought, maybe I can make this artist thing work,'' she laughed.

Meredith laughed a lot when she talked, reflecting the wry humor infusing much of her artwork, which ranges from the spokecards to paintings which portray specific moments in American Indian history, sometimes mixing Disney cartoon images with real people.

Choosing specific historical incidents in her paintings, she believes, helps combat the spread of gross generalizations about Native cultures.

In ''Heavens to Murgatroid! Charles Curtis,'' for example, a cartoon Pink Panther stands next to Charles Curtis, the controversial vice president under Herbert Hoover of Kaw, Osage and Potawatomi descent who authored the Curtis Act, which disbanded the governments of the Five Civilized Tribes and broke their land into individual allotments.

In other work, she focuses on incidents of collaboration between Indians and whites, like the Choctaw aid to the Irish people during the 1840s potato famine or the assistance of the longshoreman's union during the occupation of Alcatraz by Indian activists in 1969.

In 2006, she shared an award for Best Painter of San Francisco with Mitsy Avila Ovalles, given by the San Francisco Weekly.

Currently, she is working on using found street signs in a series of portraits of Native bicycle messengers, as well as giving talks on Cherokee artwork.

In all of her work, she balances traditional knowledge and history with the realities of postmodern culture.

The most intimidating talk she had to give was to a group from the United Keetoowah people and the Cherokee Nation, she said. The other two people at the panel discussion didn't show up, and she hadn't brought any slides.

She ended up handing out spokecards and having a conversation.

''Presenting my artwork back to very traditional people in my tribe, it's like very intimidating; do I pass or fail? But they liked the project. I was really happy.''

She recently helped create the Web site for Intertribal Wordpath, an organization that works to preserve Native languages in Oklahoma.

The Cheyenne in that state have 400 fluent speakers left; the Comanche, 100; the Osage, one.

''We are fortunate that we still have a lot of Native speakers,'' Meredith said of the Cherokee, who have about 10,000 speakers in the United States.

She hopes her ''Cherokee Spokespeople'' will help make this generation the one in which the language grows stronger.

''It's all about connection,'' she said.

Redbird Smith

Redbird Smith believed the greatest danger to the survival of the Cherokee as a culture was ‘acculturation.’ He feared the people would be absorbed into the ways of the white people around them and forget their own ways. Many of the ceremonials were already forgotten during Redbird’s childhood. He was born July 19, 1850; his father was Pig Smith, a fullblood Cherokee of a very conservative family which always had a sense of mission regarding the preservation of the ancient Cherokee religion. Pig also served in the Cherokee government as a Senator. The name ‘Smith’ was acquired because he was a blacksmith by trade.

Pig Smith settled in an area of the Cherokee Nation that was mingled with traditional Muscogee (Creek) Indians as well as remnants of the Natchez tribe. The latter were well known for their knowledge of the old religious practices of the Southeastern Indians before contact as well as Removal (Trail of Tears). These religious beliefs and practices brought these groups together, particularly during the dangerous and conflicting times of the Civil War. The conditions for the Cherokee after the Civil War were far worse than when they first arrived after Removal. Approximately eight thousand were refugees in camps and the Nation was flattened with buildings burned, and crops and pastures destroyed. Reconstruction was started when the Treaty of 1866 was signed.

About the same time as the Treaty was signed, there was an important meeting of the Keetowahs in the Saline District near present-day Salina, Oklahoma. John Smith, one of Redbird’s sons, relayed this story as it had been told to him.

". . . All the people camped up there. All the old men were seers. They kept themselves clean with medicine. They could see a long ways ahead. The medicine men investigated the future of the Keetowahs. They saw that Pig Smith’s seed would be the leader of the Keetowahs in the time of their greatest trouble. Pig Smith saw that his life was short and his son was just a boy. He looked for a man to teach his son the ways of the Keetowah and to guide him spiritually. He decided on Creek Sam, a Notchee Indian. He told him he could leave his son in his care and teaching and that he would be his advisor even to the time of his (Pig Smith’s) grandchildren."

Redbird married Lucie Fields, who originated from present-day Braggs, Oklahoma. Her father was Richard Fields who died in Washington, D.C. while serving the Cherokee Nation as Attorney General. The family is of Cherokee / Natchez ancestry. They had ten children named John, Sam, Richard, Thomas, George, Mose, Kiah, Stoke, Ella and Susie.

Since the Keetowah Society had been organized before the Civil War, it had largely been a political organization. Many of the spiritual Keetowahs never became interested or involved with this group. They decided to change the direction of the Society. Because of the two developing factions, the similarities of the old Cherokee White Chief (peace) and Red Chief (war) system began to resurface. The White faction had a meeting at Long Valley, located in the Goingsnake District of the Cherokee Nation in 1859. They drew up an amendment to the Keetowah Society constitution which stated that the Keetowah Society would be religious, as well as political. A church was built at Long Valley so that services could be held during future conventions which were planned for Long Valley.

Redbird was a "Little Captain’ of the Keetowah Society prior to 1889, but after these changes were made and factionalism became more evident, he became more active. Within several years time, he was made ‘Head Captain’ for the Illinois District. The following year, he was elected a member of the Cherokee National Council. He came to develop his spiritual beliefs, which followed the White philosophy. This later became known as the "White Path." During the years that many political changes were happening in the Cherokee Nation, the Keetowahs were still meeting and observing the old ways. Redbird’s sympathetic nature and extensive knowledge of the old ways made him a very influential man among the fullbloods and traditional Cherokees. At Sulphur Springs, in the Illinois District, the Four Mothers Society was formed. Much like the Keetowahs, the society was based on the ancient Southeastern religion. Largely made up of Natchez people, the group also consisted of members of the Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) nations. These people banded together to fight assimilation into the non-Indian world as well as the breaking up of tribal lands. They turned to the Sacred Fire. Redbird Smith was one of the Keetowah Cherokee who became involved with the Four Mothers. Redbird continued to develop his philosophy and coupled with the Natchez-Creek traditions with the Keetowah. He was active in the Four Mothers for some time, and agreed with their politics but later broke with them because of a disagreement over procedures. The Four Mothers are still active as a religious organization, with their main ceremonial grounds in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. By this time, Stomp Dancing had basically ceased. The ceremonies of the ancient religion, such as the Green Corn Ceremony, the Friends Made Ceremony, and all the New Moon ceremonies had become extinct. By the middle of the 1890’s, a Stomp Dance was held in the Illinois District with a group of Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek) and Natchez traditionalists. Redbird had often attended ceremonies at the Notchee Town fire on Greenleaf Mountain, near Sulphur Springs. The knowledgeable elders today maintain that the original fire used by Redbird had come from the East during Removal and never died. It was tended by the people of Notchee Town.

To the Cherokee, the Sacred Fire is much more than a fire. It is a physical, living manifestation of the Creator. The smoke of the Fire carries prayers to heaven and it is the smoke that carries spiritual messages from place to place around the world. The fire and its smoke can do good or evil, based on how the fire is built and how it is used. The Keetowah have always used the force for good and peace. Redbird taught, "If you are following the White Path, God will give you protection. If you are following the White Path and a man strikes you in the back, do not turn around. If you do, you will be off in the black."

Redbird made a pledge to return to the old ways, and decided that the first step was to locate the Sacred Wampum Belts, which were woven of wampum shells to record the history, tradition and laws of the Keetowah and Cherokees in general. The Wampums are believed to have a special power within themselves, and are guarded very carefully to this day by the Keetowah Society.

Between 1891 and 1901, factionalism once again surfaced amongst the Keetowah Society. The Curtis Act, and the impending allotment of Cherokee land by the Dawes Commission were feverishly spoke against by traditionalists and Keetowahs. These government acts threatened to cease tribal governments for both the Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek). The Keetowahs held another meeting, this one at Moody’s Spring, near present-day Tahlequah. They decided that allotment was the only option they had. Redbird would not give in, so he and his followers withdrew from the Keetowah Society and formed the Nighthawk Keetowah. The Nighthawk Keetowah were determined to not only hold onto what culture and religion remained, but now what land and government, as well. In 1905, the split was even more defined, as the Keetowah Society officially incorporated without the Nighthawks. By 1902, some 5,000 Cherokee had succeeded in resisting enrollment with the U.S. government, and the Indian agents began making arrests of the leaders. Redbird Smith was arrested and taken to Federal jail in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Although he finally enrolled, many others did not. The Dawes Commission took the names of those Cherokee who appeared on the Census of 1896 and enroll them without their knowledge or permission.

Later in 1902, the Nighthawk Keetowah broke from ceremonial affiliation with the Four Mothers. Redbird wanted the Nighthawks to be more Cherokee in tradition, and less Natchez. The main fire of the Nighthawk was first established at Long Valley. Because Long Valley had been the convention ground of the Keetowah before the political schisms started, it was maintained for some time. It was the main fire of the Nighthawk Keetowah until 1906. However, because Long Valley Ceremonial Ground was also affiliated with the Long Valley Baptist Church at that time, Redbird desired to slowly move. He was convinced that it was important for the Cherokee to worship in their traditional way and not the way of the white man. A ceremonial ground on Blackgum Mountain, near Redbird’s home, was slowly designed and laid out in 1902. The fire mound was built, a stickball pole erected, and four arbors placed around the dance ground. Later, Redbird changed the number to seven, one for each Cherokee clan. The council became based on advisors from each of the seven clans, as well.

By 1905, there were 22 fires established within the Cherokee Nation. The fire keepers and spiritual leaders of each ground assembled at a meeting at Sulphur Springs to learn more about the customs and rules pertaining to the fire. They were instructed by Charley Sam, son of Creek Sam.

The following year, a convention was held at Long Valley, and Redbird Smith was named Chief of the Nighthawk Keetowah. Shortly after this, the fire on Blackgum Mountain became the main fire of the Nighthawk. Redbird began traveling back and forth between all 22 grounds in the Cherokee Nation to give teachings of the old ways from the Wampum Belts.

By 1910, Redbird delivered the following speech to the Council of the Nighthawk Keetowahs.

"After my selection as chief, I awakened to the grave and great responsibilities of the leader of men. I looked about and saw that I had led my people down a long and steep mountainside, now it was my duty to turn and lead them back upward to save them. The unfortunate thing in the mistakes and errors of leaders or of governments is the penalty the innocent and loyal followers have to pay. My greatest ambition has always been to think right and do right. It is my belief that this is the law of the Great Creator. In the upbuilding of my people, it is my purpose that we shall be spiritually right and industriously strong.

"Our pride in our ancestral heritage is our great incentive for handing something worthwhile to our posterity. It is this pride in ancestry that makes men strong and loyal for their principle in life. It is this same pride that makes men give up their all for their government."

In July, 1914 Redbird traveled to Washington, D.C. with his son John and a Nighthawk officer, Ocie Hogshooter. They appealed to President Woodrow Wilson. Senator Lane advised Redbird, through his interpreter, that the fullbloods and traditionalists must accept their allotments and learn to be happy in the system. Redbird was understandably disappointed, and returned home where he turned to the Sacred Fire. Medicine men from each of the clans met with him, and they prayed for spiritual information. The enlightenment they received was that the Nighthawk Keetowah should only be a religious organization, and they should leave political matters alone. A Nighthawk Constitution was drawn which was based on the ancient forms of the Keetowah. At a convention in 1915, the rule was adopted that all members must know their clans. This was as important of an event as the reinstatement of the Stomp Dance. Many Cherokees did not know their clans, and had to ask the elders if they could recall the clan of the grandmothers. This became known as "The time we found our clans." The ceremonial fires began to flourish within the Cherokee Nation. Stomp Dances at individual fires were held every two weeks, and the lighting as well as feeding (sacrifice made to) the fire was carefully observed by all grounds. In addition, two general meetings were held during the year. In September, a three- or four-day meeting was held at Long Valley Ceremonial Grounds and the Keetowah business was transacted there. There was a bar-b-cue, hog fry, stickball games, and general fellowship. People came from miles around and each night of the meeting a Stomp Dance was held around the ceremonial Fire.

On Redbird’s birthday, July 19, people would come from miles to Redbird’s home and bring food and pay their respects. The celebration eventually became so large that it was moved to the ceremonial grounds near his home. This tradition continues today.

Around 1916, membership in the Nighthawks and Keetowah societies began to decline. With the loss of tribal land and attempted loss of tribal government, people became more and more disenchanted and acculturated with non-Indian society. However, those Keetowahs who gained spiritual strength from the Fire remained faithful As World War I progressed, many young Cherokees enlisted. A special ceremony was held each month for the protection of the young soldiers, and all of them came home. In 1917, the Nighthawk Keetowahs made a first of several community investments for their membership. Two hundred head of Aberdeen Angus cattle were bought.

The following year, in November of 1918, Redbird Smith passed away. He was buried with the death ceremony of the Keetowah. About a year earlier, he had wrote the following words, "I have endeavored in my efforts. . . for my people to remember that any religion must be an unselfish one. That even though condemned, falsely accused and misunderstood by both officials and my own people, I must press on and do the work of my convictions. This religion as revealed to me is larger than any man. It is beyond man’s understanding. It shall prevail after I am gone. It is growth like the child, it is growth eternal. This religion does not teach me to concern myself of the life that shall be after this, but it does teach me to be concerned with what my everyday life should be. The Fires kept burning are merely the greater Fire, the greater Light, the Great Spirit. I realize now as never before it is not only for the Cherokees but for all mankind. . ."

The History of Sequoyah
"And the Sequoyan Syllabary
for the Cherokee Language"

Information provided by the
Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center
E-mail: cultural@cherokee.org

[**Note: Cultural information may vary from clan
to clan, location to location, family to family,
and from differing opinions and experiences.
Information provided is not 'etched in stone'.]

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History of Sequoyah, and the Sequoyan Syllabary for the Cherokee Language

"Your invention of the alphabet is worth more to your people than two bags full of gold in the hands of every Cherokee." -Sam Houston

Family tradition tells us that Sequoyah (S-si-qua-ya) was born west of Chillhowee Mountain, which is approximately one and a half miles east of Tasgigi, Monroe County, Tennessee. This location is only about 8 miles from Echota, the capital of the old Cherokee Nation. As far as his birth year, the best estimation is from 1760 to 1765. Sequoyah stated that when an Iroquoian Peace Delegation visited at New Echota in 1770, he was living with his mother as a small boy and remembered the events. While in Washington in 1828, he told Samuel Knapp he was about 65.

Although each signature of Sequoyah, which has been located, is in the Cherokee syllabary, which he invented, as S-si-qua-ya, an annotation on the Treaty of 1828 states his English name was George Guess.

As the traditional Cherokee society is matrilineal, and one’s clan is obtained through the mother, this information is of most relevance when researching the man’s history and background. Her name was Wu-te-he, and she belonged to the Red Paint Clan. She had two brothers, Tahlonteeska and Tahnoyanteehee. The only certain information regarding his father is a statement made during Sequoyah’s lifetime about his father, which appeared in the Cherokee Phoenix (August 13, 1828). This stated his paternal grandfather was a white man. Sequoyah’s father was half Cherokee and his mother a full blood. His father’s name has been identified as either George Gist, a German peddler, or Nathaniel Gist, a friend of George Washington’s and ancestor of the Blair family of Washington, D.C.

Sequoyah also had at least two brothers; one was named Tobacco Will who was a blacksmith in Arkansas and also a signer of the Cherokee Constitution. The Old Settler Chief, Dutch (U-ge-we-le-dv), was another brother.

While many historians have mentioned Sequoyah’s lameness, much speculation has been made regarding the origin of his condition. The Cherokee Advocate (June 26, 1845), gives the following information, "He was the victim of hydro arthritic trouble of the knee joint, commonly called ‘white swelling,’ and this affliction caused a lameness that characterized him during life." Because of this physical limitation, he worked for many years as a trader. His mother was of the same industry, and after her death in 1800, he carried on her business. He also later became a silversmith as well as a blacksmith. Making his own tools, such as hammers and drills, he also constructed his own bellows and forge.

In approximately 1809, Sequoyah gathered with some friends in his shop, and the conversation led to a discussion regarding the non-Indian’s method of communicating through writing. Many thought that it was some sort of witchcraft, but Sequoyah seemed to understand that the writing stood for words. He pondered devising a way for the Cherokee to be able to do the same thing, although many of those around him were skeptical.

Sequoyah's plans were interrupted by the War of 1812. He volunteered at Turkeytown on October 7, 1813, and a month later was involved in the battle of Tallaschatche. His total length of service was three months, but three weeks after the term ended, he reenlisted. On March 27, 1814, he fought in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Just 15 days later, he was discharged and was paid $66.80 for 147 days of service.

In 1815, Sequoyah was married to Sally Waters of the Bird Clan. He parents were Robert and Lydia Otterlifter and her brother was Michael Waters, whose family later settled near the Sallisaw area. After his marriage, he continued to study the idea of a way to write the Cherokee language. The first attempts were to make a symbol for each word in the language, but very quickly the number of symbols was becoming astronomical. This caused him to become more selective in the form of writing the language, and he began listening more intently to the individual sounds that made up the words. After a long study, he realized that there were 85 individual syllables, which were used to make up the many words of the Cherokee language. He was then able to limit the symbols to a much smaller number than he originally developed and they could be used in combinations to form any word. His first student was his brother-in-law, Michael Waters, and the first to read and write with the invention was his daughter, A-Yo-Ka.

Although the system was foolproof and easy to learn, Sequoyah and A-Yo-Ka were charged with witchcraft, and were brought before George Lowery, their town chief, for trial. Due to a Cherokee law enacted in 1811, it was mandated to have a civil trial before an execution was allowed to take place. Lowery brought in a group of warriors to judge what was termed a 'sorcery trial'. For evidence of the literacy claims, the warriors separated Sequoyah and his daughter to have them send messages between each other until they were finally convinced that the symbols on paper really represented talking. At the end of the trial, the warriors asked Sequoyah to teach them. Within a week, all were able to read and write their own language. The warriors are known historically as a fierce war group of Cherokees, but with their protection, literacy spread throughout the Cherokee Nation. Within a very few months, a large part of the Nation had achieved literacy. This gift benefited not only the teachers and missionaries, but helped preserve history, culture and spiritual practices.

Dr. Samuel Worcester urged that type and a press be furnished to his mission so that scriptures could be translated into the native language, and the press evolved into a business which produced a newspaper, hymn books, hand bills and most other printing needs. The type, which was cast by Baker and Greene of Boston, was not identical to the designs Sequoyah originally developed, but were modified. Michael Waters had stated that "Sequoyah was studying for characters to make use of in printing and that he copied some of the letters from the Waters family Bible and said these would do for print and the old ones for writing."

The completion of the syllabary was accomplished after his arrival in present-day Polk County, Arkansas. He returned east in 1821 to present it to the tribe, and then returned to Indian Territory in 1822, where he first taught the written language in the west.

In 1824, the General Council of the Cherokee Nation voted to give Sequoyah a large silver medal as an honor for his creation of the syllabary. Because he did not return east for many years, Chief Path Killer and John Ross had it sent to him.

In January 1828, Sequoyah traveled with a group of "Old Settler" Arkansas Cherokees to Washington, D.C. to sign a treaty. Article Five was for the benefit of Sequoyah, "It is further agreed that the United States will pay five hundred dollars for the use of George Guess, a Cherokee, for the great benefit he has conferred upon the Cherokee people in the beneficial results they are now experiencing from the use of the alphabet discovered by him, to whom also in consideration of his relinquishing a valuable saline, the privilege is hereby given to locate and occupy another saline on Lee’s Creek." Lee’s Creek is located in present-day Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. Sequoyah received only $300 of this money.

In 1829, Sequoyah and 2500 other Cherokees were moved to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma by the United States government. The land was exchanged for the land they had been occupying in what was later to become Arkansas. The Osage Nation, however, occupied the land. Sequoyah settled near present-day Sallisaw, Oklahoma, where he built a log cabin, which is still standing and open to the public.

The Cherokee Advocate, June 26, 1845, gives a report of Sequoyah’s last travels as given by a Cherokee called "The Worm" who had traveled with him. In the spring of 1842, Sequoyah, his son Teesey, The Worm, and six others left Park Hill. They crossed the Arkansas River near Fort Gibson, passed the present town of Holdenville, then Edwards Settlement, and then traveled down the road laid out by Lt. Levensworth. Fifteen days further into their journey, they crossed the Red River near the present town of Sherman, Texas. For approximately 35 days, they traveled among the Wichita villages along the Red River. During this time, Sequoyah became very ill from a lack of food. After purchasing 3 bushels of corn from the Wichitas, his health improved. At that time, all of the party except The Worm and Teesey returned to the Cherokee Nation. The three continued on south to about 80 miles north of San Antonio, Texas, where all their horses were stolen. Instead of attempting to recover them, Sequoyah sent The Worm and Teesey on to San Antonio to see if they could obtain more horses as well as supplies. When they arrived, they were questioned and finally given supplies. However, no horses were to be spared, as they were in use by the U.S. Army. The Worm and Teesey returned to Sequoyah, and he told them he wished to stay where he was while they went on to find Mexican settlements to try and obtain horses. They found a cave where he could have shelter, gathering honey and venison to nourish him while they were on their journey. Their journey south took then nineteen days, at which time they came to a large river. They started working on a raft in order to cross it, and a Mexican on the other side called to them that there was a ferry further downstream. When they arrived at the ferry, The Worm and Teesey were taken to a town six miles away where they were presented to the head man. The next morning, "an officer came and requested us to walk about the town with him, we complied and followed him about for some time. . . . It being after the hour of 12 o’clock, there was but little business doing so nearly all the shops were closed. While yet rambling about the place, a soldier came to request us to go back to our lodgings, upon reaching which we found the soldiers on parade, ready to march off a short distance. By invitation, we joined them and kept along with them until we came to a kind of public square, where there were a number of large kettles containing soup, beef and bread. . . . From these large pots the waiters served the officers, ourselves, and the soldiers in order by taking up pieces of meat with a fork and giving it to us in our hands. What was given me I ate through politeness, but with some difficulty, so highly seasoned was it with pepper, some of which I was so unfortunate as to get in my eyes."

". . . After the second morning, we left and went to a town called San Cranto, about thirty miles away, where we spent the night. Our luck was good and we found a Cherokee, whose name was Standing Rock. He answered many of our questions. We were then assured it would give the Cherokees in Mexico great pleasure to see Sequoyah." Standing Rock then went with Teesey and The Worm to "the Cherokee village, situated within a large prairie, in a grove of timber, held a mile wide, and some three miles long and watered by means of a ditch, from a large spring some two miles distant" which was about 10 miles from San Cranto. Although the Cherokees were glad to see them, they were not able to provide any horses, as all of theirs had perished after their arrival in Mexico.

The party then returned to San Cranto where they were able to borrow a horse from the Mexican Army, and was supplied with bread, meat, salt, sugar and coffee for their trip. There were nine in the party. After seventeen days, they reached the Mauluke River and noticed the tracks of a man after they crossed it. They recognized the characteristic tracks of Sequoyah because of his limp. They traveled on to the cave and confirmed that he was not there; he had left a not bound to a tree which said that the water had rose within the cave and had washed away his supplies. He had decided to come on the way and to set fire to the grass as a trail so they could find him. They followed his trail and tracks and found evidence that he acquired a horse and food. The next day, they found his camp because they happened to hear the neighing of a horse. There they found him sitting by a fire. He had suffered greatly. He told them that some Delawares had given the horse and fresh supplies to him.

They stayed for five days, long enough to gain a good supply of meat. They all then continued on their journey and reached the river near the Mexican village. Sequoyah stayed in the village while The Worm went to recover the stolen horses. After some time, a party of Caddos returned from Mexico reported that Sequoyah had died.

"His death was sudden, having been long confined to the house, he requested one day some food, and while it was preparing, breathed his last."

Sequoyah's death was not reported in the Cherokee Nation for almost two years, when some Cherokees returned from Mexico and gave the following statement to Cherokee agent Pierce M. Butler, "Warrens trading house, Red River, April 21, 1845. . . . We the undersigned Cherokees direct from the Spanish dominions, do hereby certify that George Guess, of the Cherokee Nation, Arkansas, departed this life in the town of San Fernando in the month of August 1843. Given under our hands, day and date above, written Standing Rock, by mark, Standing Bowles, by mark, Watch Justice, by mark, witness Daniel C. Watson and Jesse Chilsom."

Another report to agent P.M. Butler, Ou-No-Leh stated that he had met with Teesey, The Worm, Gah-Ne-Nes-Kee, the Standing Man and the Standing Rock.

"The Standing Rock. . . attended Sequoyah during his last sickness and also witnessed his death and burial." The statement was dated May 15, 1845, Bayou District.

Between the years of 1809 and 1821, he accomplished a feat, which no other person in history has done single-handedly. Through the development of the Cherokee Syllabary, he brought our people literacy and the gift of communicating through long distances and the ages. This one person brought to his people this great gift without hired educators, no books and no cost.

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