On the banks of Brasstown Creek as it flows through the western North Carolina town of Brasstown (on the grounds of John C. Campbell Folk School) you will find RIVERCANE WALK. The trail winds among the canebreaks, leading into an exhibit of Cherokee history and art work. This is one of my favorite places. I have walked here many times.
Totem of Cherokee Clans
Corn Maiden, Fire Ring
There is an error in the naming of Brasstown. Information here says the community was Aquohee, English translation "Big Place". In recent years, Cherokee Scholar Bret Riggs PHD of UNC Chapel Hill has discovered an error in translation of two Cherokee words, It-se-yi and unt-se-yi with unt-se-yi meaning "the place where brass is found" and It-se-yi meaning "Green Place."
Green Place
It-se-yi: fresh, green place
stretches from Brasstown Bald Mountain
to Brasstown village in North Carolina,
the old home of Chief Settawiga,
From Brasstown Bald Mountain in Georgia,
Cherokee people walked
to the home of Settawiga,
led by federal troops.
Cherokee People walked
through cold rain and snow,
led by federal troops
on The Trail of Tears.
Through cold rain and snow,
they cried for It-se-yi, not Unt-se-yi
on their Trail of Tears.
Truth was lost in translation.
They cried for It-se-yi, not Unt-se-yi.
The scholar was mistaken,
truth lost in his translation.
It is not the place where there is brass.
The scholar was mistaken
Settawiga taught his people, saying:
“It is not the place where there is brass
that we carry in us as we go.”
Settawiga led his people to Oklahoma
teaching them, saying:
“We carry in us
It-se-yi, Green Place.”
poem by Nancy Simpson
from LIVING ABOVE THE FROST LINE
New and Selected Poems, Carolina Wren Press
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