Article XIX - The Adawehi
The Constitutional Cherokee recognize and insist that all members have committed themselves to living in Duyvktv and to seek healing of themselves, of other Cherokee, and of our homeland and we are to seek to seek remedy for each.
We also recognize and believe that Unelvnvhi has given some women and men gifts and temperaments suitable to this work and uniting that with a call to the more official and public work of healing and service, sets apart certain women and men as Adawehi.
Unelvnvhi anointed Cherokee in our history to particular service and today continues to call and gift our Cherokee women and men.
The clan, community chapter, state chapter and national assembly will be guided by Unelvnvhi to recognize the annointing of Creator upon our people.
Some are called to serve our people as healers of body, some as healers of hearts and souls, some as singers and musicians of the old songs, some as teachers.
We call these healing persons "ADAWEHI".
When the organization discovers this divine gifting, the proper steps should be taken for its recognition, cultivation, training, and endorsement and all suitable help should be given to our people to open the way for the candidate to enter into a lifetime of service.
The perpetuity and the honor of the Constitutional Cherokee depends largely upon the spiritual qualifications, the character, and the manner of lifestyle of its Adawehi.
The Adawehi is to be in all things an example of ᏚᏳᎪᏛ du-yu-go-dv to the Cherokee people - in humility, in faithfulness, in discretion, in honor, in diligence, in sincerity, in devotion, in love, patience, kindness, truthfulness, and in the Power of Unelvnvhi.
The Adawehi in the Constitutional Cherokee must be in harmony with the teachings given to us by Unelvnvhi, participate in daily going to water, have a deep concern for the Cherokee people, customs, language, and homeland. The Adawehi must also have a deep sense of the certainty that she has been called by Unelvnvhi to minister to our people.
The Adawehi must have a deep sense of the necessity of ᏚᏳᎪᏛ du-yu-go-dv for all people and must live in ᏚᏳᎪᏛ du-yu-go-dv herself.
The Adawehi must have gifts and blessings for the work she endeavors to accomplish. She will display a thirst for wisdom and increased knowledge and understanding, especially of the oral and recorded tradtions of our people. She must demonstrate sound judgment, good understanding, and clear views concerning the traditions of our Cherokee people prior to contact and in the period between contact and the removal era. She must be thoroughly familiar with the history of our people and continue to add to this knowledge throughout her lifetime.
The Adawehi will demonstrate evidence of the gifts and blessings of Unelvnvhi. People will be blessed under the ministrations of the Adawehi. The words of the Adawehi will never prove to be false or misleading.
The Adawehi, no matter what ministry or service to the people she is engaged in, will serve as an example of prayer and ᏚᏳᎪᏛ du-yu-go-dv in all things.
At no time shall any political officer hold an office as an Adawehi. Any person who wishes to engage in service as an Adawehi must renounce political ties. Any Adawehi who wishes to serve in a political office must step down from their duties as an Adawehi for the duration of their tenure in political office and must be reapproved as an Adawehi after the conclusion of at least one year after leaving the office of their political life before resuming any office in the capacity of an Adawehi.
The Constitutional Cherokee affirm that the Adawehi are to be treated as any other organization would respect and honor a member of clergy.
The Constitutional Cherokee reserve the right to confirm an Adawehi for service, as well as the right to remove an Adawehi from a position for cause.
The Community Chapter shall record the commissioning of any Adawehi within their membership and report their commission to the Regional Chapter who shall also report to the National Council and the National Assembly.
An up to date roster is to be kept of all living confirmed and commissioned Adawehi.
Each level of government of the Constitutional Cherokee- Community, Regional, Nationa- shall have oversight of the Adawehi holding them accountable to ᏚᏳᎪᏛ du-yu-go-dv.
We affirm that the Adawehi who have been duly recognized by the Constitutional Cherokee may perform marriages and marriage counseling, may oversee dedication services and may officiate at funerals. We further affirm that any Adawehi be recognized as a pastoral type minister in regard to tax matters. We affirm the right of the Adawehi to serve as Chaplains in any capacity.
We further affirm the right of the Adawehi to refrain from warfare or weaponry as their conscience dictates.
Both Men and Women may be commissioned and recognized as Adawehi.
However, no woman may be commissioned as Adawehi until she has passed completely through menopause (We make no distiction whether she becomes post menopausal by natural aging, or other reason unless it be through surgical or chemical means and then the menopause must not have been induced for the purpose of seeking this office but must have been of medical necessity and at least 7 years must have passed from the time of the artificial inducement of menopause).
No man may be fully confirmed or commissioned as Adawehi until he has passed his 28th birthday (7 units of 4 years). There are however, to be apprentices to the Adawehi who will be trained and will then be confirmed once they reach the appropriate age.
The Adawehi are to be credentialed and overseen in agreement with their constitution as found in the HANDBOOK Part 8 Section #, Dealing with the Adawehi.
All adults assisting or teaching anyone under the age of 21 years old will need to comply with a federal background test at their own expense, for working with children. No adult shall ever be alone with children at any time and an assistant must always be present when working with youth.
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