CHEROKEE ADAWEHI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREAMBLE
FOREWARD
Adawehi Society - [the stewards of our beliefs, our traditions, and our people] Addresses selection, training, responsibilities, ethics and oversight
==
The Constitutional Cherokee recognize many orders of Adawehi serving our members in various capacities. Some of our Adawehi are visionaries, some teachers, some healers, others defend the hearts and souls of our people.
Some Adawehi serve only their own clan. Others serve the clan and the community as well. Service within these categories qualifies as being an "assigned adawehi". Training and confirmation by the community is required for these positions.
The clan mothers are responsible for the training of the Adawehi, as are other Adawehi.
.1 All persons assigned to a particular role shall file a report each year to the regional assembly.
.2 all persons assigned to a particular role may request and obtain each year from the assigning region, a certificate of their role of service, signed by the regional chief and the regional secretary.
.3 all persons assigned to a particular role of ministry when placed on disability by approved medical authority, may be listed as "assigned: disabled".
.4 Adawehi in any capacity are to be seen as fulfilling the role of clergy and are to work together for the good of the community they serve. All assigned Adawehi shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
.5 Adawehi are only to conduct those ceremonies that are approved and authorized by the Handbook and the National Assembly. Any person who pretends to be an Adawehi, or otherwise engages in the Activities that only an Adawehi should fulfill but they themselves are neither licensed nor anointed as an elder Adawehi, shall be disciplined by the National Council and publicly rebuked.
.6 Adawehi are to remain in agreement and in accord with the HANDBOOK and the Constitution and ByLaws of the Constitutional Cherokee and if they ever find themselves no longer in agreement with the Handbook, Constitution and bylaws, they are to resign or be removed from service.
.7 Adawehi may speak on behalf of the Constitutional Cherokee as long as their statements are in accord with the Handbook, the Constitution and Bylaws, and with the policies of the National Council.
.8 No Adawehi may be licensed until after reaching the reqiured age. For men, they must be at least 28 years of age. Women must be post menopausal. After attaining the age whereby one might be considered to be licensed as an Adawehi one can only be licensed for a maximum of 14 years. Anyone who has been licensed for at least 14 years but is not approved to be anointed as an Elder Adawehi, or is not in an assigned role at any time during that period of 14 years after age attained may not continue to be licensed.
ROLES OF MINISTRY
.9 It is preferred that all elder Adawehi be fluent speakers of the Cherokee language, however all Adawehi, whether apprentice, license or elder Adawehi are required to speak Cherokee and at least speak at an intermediate level of fluency.
ADAWEHI ROLES:
AMBASSADOR: An anointed elder Adawehi who has been chosen to represent our people to the Creator as our Ugu. The Ambassador is also authorized to implore other governments and agencies on behalf of the Constitutional Cherokee but she is not authorized to sign documents or contracts or to bind the Constitutional Cherokee in any agreement in any manner. The Ambassador is to report directly to the National Council annually and to the National Assembly when convened.
CHAPLAIN The Adawehi who serves as a Chaplain is one who feels Creator has led her to specialized ministry in community, military, industrial, or institutional chaplaincy. Persons to be a chaplain in any area must be recommended by their community council and must appear before the National Council for an interview and an approval process. The chaplain who gives full time to this service shall be considered an assigned Adawehi and shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council. Chaplains have full authority to oversee ceremonies in harmony with our traditions, give counseling, comfort the greiving, reprove, encourage, and seek by all means the betterment of our people, build up the faith of our people and to encourage all to live in duyugodv.
Dutites of the Community Chaplain include speaking to the people at the weekly prayer circles and or Gatiyo grounds, to speak with and guide new and prospective members, to oversee the administration of the spiritual medicine at ceremonies, to care for the people through visitation, to comfort the grieving, to correct, rebuke, and to encourage and facilitate our people through patient and careful instruction, to seek that all our people understand Duyugodv; to over see the appointment of mentors for those training to be Adawehi, to offer counsel and advice to the council and elected officials, to submit a report to the community council including a report on the status of the community and all its endeavors, to report on future needs, to request study and prayer and to call for special times of prayer.
To be present in any investigation of accusations filed against a member of the community to which they are assigned, to oversee the nomination of persons to serve or be employed by the community. Neither the community chaplain nor any member of her immediate family (living in the same household) shall have the authority to engage in any contract or to create bills, financial obligations, count moneys or receive funds or disburse funds for the community unless authorized by the council after a majority vote for each specific instance and this must be approved in writing by the regional council and regional chief.
CLAN MOTHERS AND PRINCIPAL CLAN MOTHERS: All clan mothers and principal clan mothers must have undergone training as Adawehi to fulfill their duties in accord with the Handbook for Clan Mothers and must meet the qualifications of an anointed ELDER Adawehi in every way. Additionally only women can be clan mothers or principal clan mothers.
EDUCATORS/ TEACHERS - these are those who have studied extensively and have learned of our history, culture, traditional medicines and can teach our youth to become all that we as Cherokee have been and can be. Educators working in any educational institution of the Constitutional Cherokee shall be designated as as assigned Adawehi. Adawehi serving as Educators shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
FIREKEEPER The Firekeeper of each grounds shall be qualified as an assigned Adawehi. The Fire Keeper shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
HEALERS- Healers may be either those who doctor through medicine and treatments to the body as well as counselors who listen and give guidance. Healers may combine both of these or one or the other. Often they speak of what is good for us and what to avoid. Healers shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
Healers who treat the body must in addition to traditional teachings and trainings, be educated and trained and certified by whatever National Boards exist to confirm their expertise and competency. This includes training as nurses, doctors and as any other medical personnel that requires such oversight and certification. NO ONE MAY PRACTICE MEDICINE without the appropriate, required license and training. Having a medical license does not automatically qualify a person to be designated as a healing Adawehi, but no designation as a Healing Adawehi may be given without a medical license.
MUSICIANS - musicians playing our traditional tunes and songs on traditional instruments are engaging in spiritual warfare against enemies. Historical records and accounts show that this was a tactic our people employed at any encounter with unknown forces or superior numbers. Accounts abound of the courageousness of our flute players who armed only with their songs and flutes, met the invaders who came wearing steel and iron, riding horses, and shooting canons.
Musicians also played when escorting our leaders and during council meetings, prior to and during ceremonies, and at other occasions as necessary.
Our songs are prayers and our flutes, drums and rattles express our prayers to Creator, aid in worship, and accompany us in ceremonies. Both women and men may participate in the playing and use of any traditional Cherokee instrument with the exception of the Dagsi leg shackles which may only be worn by women in accord with the tradition of that instrument of worship.
Musicians shall report each year to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
SPECIAL SERVICE Any adawehi in active service not otherwise provided for in the HANDBOOK shall be appointed to special service, if such service is appoved by the regional assembly after recommendation by both the community council and the regional council and shall be listed by the region as an assigned Adawehi and shall report each year while so assigned to the regional assembly and give due regard to the advice and counsel of the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
TRAINING
Training of the Adawehi is to be administered by other assigned licensed and Elder Adawehi and overseen by the clan mothers. Reports of the training are to be given to the Regional Council annually. Reports should include names of those training and being trained and progress made.
RETIREMENT
A retired Adawehi is one who has been listed in the retired relationship by the regional assembly in which she holds membership, upon recommendation by the Regional Council. Any change in status must be approved by the regional assembly upon recommendation by the regional council.
Retirement shall not compel cessation from Adawehi activities or in itself deprive of membership in the regional assembly. An Adawehi who was serving in an "assigned" role may be in a "retired assign" relation. However, an Adawehi in an "unassigned" status at retirement will be in a "retired unassigned" relationship.
REMOVAL
An Adawehi may be removed from the category of Assigned by action of the community council, to be reviewed by the regional council in accordance with the policies and guidelines of the HANDBOOK. Adawehi who are not classified as assigned may not serve in any capacity until they are assigned and they may not officiate at weddings, funerals or any other ceremony until and unless they are assigned to do so by the regional chief, regional council or assembly.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
ADAWEHI: a person, whether apprenticed, licensed or anointed elder, recognized by the community, regional and national assemblies as a person with a spirit of healing and anointing from Creator. All adawehi at any level are required to speak Cherokee at least at an intermediate level of fluency and they are to remain students of the language and culture throughout their lifetimes. All licensed and elder Adawehi [but not apprentice], despite their role or status as assigned or as unassigned or as retired, are to be seen as ministers and clergy of the Constitutional Cherokee. Any Adawehi, with the exception of clan mothers or other roles traditionally only held by a woman, may be held by either a woman or a man.
APPRENTICE ADAWEHI: A person recognized by the community council as having gifts, abilities and a calling to serve as an Adawehi but who is not yet old enough to be licensed. An Apprentice Adawehi does not have the same privleges as either a licensed or an anointed elder Adawehi but may participate in ceremonies overseen by either a licensed or an elder Adawehi. An Apprentice may not officiate at weddings, funerals, or dedications or naming ceremonies, and may not be in a role of leadership as the sole Adawehi at any level, nor may they lead ceremonies themselves but only under the direction and supervision of either a licensed or an elder Adawehi. Apprentice Adawehi must be at least 14 years of age.
LICENSE: A licensed Adawehi is one who has reached the age of service and whose calling and gifts have been formally recognized not only in prior years as an apprentice but now have been formally recognized by the regional assembly through the granting of an Adawehi license, authorizing the Adawehi for and appointing her to a larger sphere of service and to greater rights and responsibilities than those pertaining to an apprentice, as a step toward anointing as an Elder Adawehi. A licensed Adawehi must be at least 28 years of age, and attainment of age may not be a sole reason for granting a license.
ELDER ADAWEHI: An Adawehi who has previously been licensed and in an active role of service as an assigned Adawehi for at least 4 years of the 7 in the cycle immediately prior to the National Assembly, their anointing must first be recommended by the Regional Assembly and then must be approved by the National Council and ratified by the National Assembly. A special ceremony is required at the National Assembly that will anoint those to be appointed as Elder Adawehi and this ceremony will occur during the National Assembly. Elder Adawehi must make a report to the National Assembly every seven years as convened.
ASSIGNED: A licensed Adawehi who is active in one of the roles of that office and approved by the regional assembly for that role.
UNASSIGNED: a licensed Adawehi in good standing who is not currently assigned to an active full time role in a recognized assignment.
FILED LICENSE: An Adawehi in good standing who becuase of inactivity in that role, has filed her license with the national secretary.
SURRENDERED LICENSE: an Adawehi who because of misconduct, accusations, confessions, result of action by a council of discipline or voluntary action because of any of the above, has turned in her license.
RETURN OF LICENSE: refers to an Adawehi who has filed her license.
RESTORATION OF LICENSE: refers to an Adawehi who has surrendered her license but received it back
RESIGNED: An Adawehi in good standing who for personal reasons, has decided she no longer wishes to be considered as an Adawehi but instead resume regular membership status. This has the result of being permanent, however one who has resigned may at some future time apply to be reinstated after waiting the requisite waiting period after application.
RETIRED ASSIGNED: Refers to an Adawehi who was in an assigned role at the time retirement was requested.
RETIRED UNASSIGNED: Refers to an Adawehi who was not in an assigned role at the time retirement was requested.
ADDITIONAL EXPLANATIONS
An Adawehi who has filed her license is still an Adawehi with full rights and privileges.
An Adawehi who has surrendered her license is still an Adawehi but is denied the privileges of an Adawehi since she has been suspended or expelled.
In case a licensed Adawehi shall, without written approval of the Regional Council in which she holds membership or the written approval of the National Council shall regularly conduct independent ceremonies or community meetings that are not under the direction of the Constitutional Cherokee or are connected with the operating staff of any other nation or tribe or band other than the Constitutional Cherokee or other group she shall be subject to trial under the law dealing with the discipline of an Adawehi.
The licensed Adawehi shall always show due respect and regard for the advice of the clan mothers, the regional Chief and the regional advisory council.
The Adawehi society, under the direction of the clan mothers, is obligated for and responsible for the training of the young boys in A-Ne-Tso-Di and to make certain that this is played at every national festival.
