Symbolic Numbers Of The Cherokee Calendar
While most Cherokees support the modern Gregorian calendar, substituting Cherokee names for the days and months, a few tranquil retain an older, multi-layered calendar clearly derived from Mayan and Aztec timekeeping systems. The influence of calendar’s symbolic and its interlocking cycles can be seen in the earliest historical records of Cherokee legends and ceremonies.
This calendar concentrates on the 260-day calendar, sometimes called the human or personal calendar because it relates to human life. There are 13 Influences envisioned as the winds from the beating wings of 13 different birds in the heavens.
Each day is also seen as coming under the authority of one of 20 deities/ angels/ nature spirits, who is the “commanding officer” for that day. The ruler of the first day of a 13-day week is also considered the “executive officer” for that entire week.
Primitive? Superstitious? The days of the English calendar were once considered to be under the rule of the Germanic deities Sun, Moon, Tiu, Woden, Thor, Freya, and Samat. If you speak French, Spanish or Italian, the days are ruled by Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Each of the seven days was rules by a deity/planet, and each of the 24 hours was also ruled by a deity/planet. The concept of day lords and hour lords goes support at least to the Egyptians. Meanwhile, the English month (moon) names consider Roman deities, including the deified Julius and Augustus, and a few Roman seasonal holidays.
English Months and Meanings
January, dedicated to Janus, god of doorways
February, from Febril, “worn”
March, dedicated toMars, god of war
April, dedicated to Aprhodite, goddess of fertility
May, dedicated toMaiores, the elders and their annual holiday, which continues as Mother’s Day
June, dedicated to Juniores, children’s holiday
July, dedicated to Julius Caesar
August, dedicated toAugustus Caesar
September, seventh month
October, eighth month
November, ninth month
December, tenth month
While the Maya and Aztec seem to have been obsessed with performing ceremonies at precisely the good hour to avoid offending the presiding deity, the Cherokee leaning to monotheism seems to have fostered an attitude of “close enough,” and has led, in recent decades, to scheduling around weekends and Monday holidays.
Twenty is the ‘human’ number in many ancient cultures; it is the sum of fingers and toes. Since it also represents totality, it is said that human life can be divided into 20 stages. We are more familiar with the natural progression of four cycles in human life, linked to the four directions and the four seasons. East is morning, springtime, and youth. South is midday, summer, and adulthood. West is evening, autumn, and old age. North is midnight, winter, and the time between death and new birth. This is the natural course of things, and is therefore depicted in a sunward or clockwise direction. The twenty-stage cycle, in contrast, requires the addition of will and perception, and is depicted counterclockwise. The ‘heroic journey’ of life will not unbiased happen ‘as surely as night follows day;’ we must work at it.
Thirteen is the ‘earthly’ number, the number of major plates on the back of the turtle. As thirteen is the number of lunar months in a solar year (minus one day), it represents the ideal harmony of earth, moon, and sun.
364 = 13 x 28 (Earth x Moon) = 7 x 52 (sacred directions x Pleiades cycle)
(The Seven Sacred Directions are a accepted ceremonial element, and are east, south, west, north, upward, downward, and the center.)
These two cycles, 13 and 20, run simultaneously, so that, for example, a “Turtle of the Hummingbird Wind” or “One Turtle” day occurs every 260 days. This cycle has no staunch corollary in celestial movements, but can be considered a biorhythm based on solar days. It is approximately the growth cycle of corn in both the Guatemalan and Carolina highlands, and is approximately the human gestation period. Thus, if you arrived in this world pretty much on schedule, your birth day is considered to be the same as your thought day.
You can also glance the 260 days as 260 roles in a play, for “all the world is but a stage.” Who chose your role? Was it God, the ancestors, the spirits, or was it you in pre-incarnate form? Did you volunteer for the role, and then forget your lines? If you were born premature or postmature, was that so you could take a different role than originally planned? Not everyone can grow up to be an astronaut; somebody has to make those French fries.
The imagery of the day signs also contains memory cues for the Cherokee oral teachings that form the core of the ceremonial cycle, and refer back with amazing consistency to the Mayan culture.
The good side? If you follow the Cherokee calendar, your birthday can come up twice in any Gregorian year, so grab all the presents and cake you can!
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