Week 11 Reading Notes: The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'tï, Part B

The Uktena
Link to story.

Title: The Uktena and the Ulûñsû'tï

Publication: Myths of the Cherokee, 1900

Author: James Mooney

Notes: James Mooney (February 10, 1861–December 22, 1921) was an American ethnographer and author who studied Native American groups, particularly Cherokee. He published Myths of the Cherokee during Ghost Dance, a 19-century religious movement that incorporated Native American belief systems.

Cherokee IPA:
Uktena [noun]: “ook-teh-nah”
Ulûñsû'tî [noun]: “oo-lune-soo-tee”
Agän-uni'tsï [noun]: “ah-gen-oo-neat-see”
Gälûñ'lätï [noun]: “gah-lune-lah-tee”

Characters:
Sun, who plagues the earth after seeing people’s misdeeds
Little Men, vengeful of Sun’s actions
Uktena, “The Keen-Eyed” monster snake (with a diamond crest called a Ulûñsû'tî)
Rattlesnake, who was sent to bring vengeance instead of Uktena
Agän-uni'tsï, a Cherokee warrior

Places:
North America

Events:
Sun becomes angry with the people and sends a plague
Little Men is mad at Sun and plans to kill her
Little Men transforms a man into a monstrous snake called Uktena
Uktena fails to kill Sun and Little Men sends Rattlesnake instead
Uktena is jealous and becomes a threat to the Cherokee nation
The Uktena can be recognized by its diamond-shaped crest (Ulûñsû'tî)
The only warrior to bring back Uktena’s crest was Agän-uni'tsï
Whoever owns a Ulûñsû'tî is destined for good fortune and can see prophecies
The Uktena(s) are said to reside in the mountains of Gälûñ'lätï

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