RITUAL FESTIVAL 7 OF 7
This festival is only celebrated once every 7 years.
7. The Chief Dance when the Ambassador is chosen- To Occur immediately after the conclusion of the National Assembly [convening dates to be announced by the National Council of Chiefs in the at least 1 year prior) every 7th year and the Public ceremony is to be celebrated for 3 full days by all the Cherokee People.
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, including this one, following the traditions of the Adawehi, the game Anetsodi, and the HANDBOOK.
The Adawehi society, under the direction of the clan mothers and other council members, is obligated for and responsible for the selection and training of young men in Gatayusdi (or as Timberlake described it, Nettacawaw) and to make certain that this is played at every national festival, including this one, following the traditions of the Adawehi, the game itself, and the HANDBOOK.
There is also to be a society dedicated to the maintenance of the game ground for this purpose near to the official headquarters. It is to be a square piece of ground well cleared and smooth and strewn all over with fine white sand. A representative of one or at the most two persons will participate in this ancient game.
The game wheel is to be of smoot stone, about 2 fingers broad at the edge and about two spans round. Each participant is to have a pole of about 8 feet long, smooth, and tapering at each end, with flat points.
The game stones are to be kept in strict security at the headquarters, along with the game poles, although each participant may bring their own pole to use, as long as it is inspected by the supervisiong Adawehi and found to be acceptable.
The game is played to its conclusion, with gifts from the delegations presented to the winners by the losing delegation.
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS:
At no time shall any ritual or celebration taking place on the GATIYO grounds be videotaped or photographed.
Persons may not be photographed without their permission.
Photographs of person or events must not be published without the express written consent of the individual and the National Council.
However, the National Council may engage a photographer to take posed still shots of the anointing of Adawehi, chiefs, and ambassador to maintain them for the historical record. These shall be arranged for before the ceremony, to be the least intrusive as possible and shall be pre approved by the council before release. The photographer will retain the rights to the photographs taken including the right to publish, but may not publish without written council approval, and it is understood that permission to take the photographs by the council also gives the council the full right to freely use any and all of the photographs as they deem appropriate without further compensation.
At no time shall any photographs be taken inside the Gatiyo circle of clan arbors nor shall any shot include any portion of anything or anyone inside the circle of arbors.
