Hebrew
Root Words in Cherokee
The
similarities in ancient Hebrew and the Cherokee language is interesting and
intriguing. When a Cherokee asks where someone lives they ask it in the same
way a Hebrew asks which, when interpreted into English the question would be
"Where do you sit?" In both languages, it is said as Katemuke Ishbeneele
(chuak?).
When
the Cherokee thought about people as being anti-religious they called them
"no-nothings," and as being "airless" as if having no
contents to them at all, not even small air particles. This is because they use
the Hebrew word of describing this called Namacrna U-bat. This same word was
translated many times in the bible passages; one area was when Paul described
the false idol of Baalim, once translated into English it now reads as "We
know that an idol is nothing."
It
is easier to understand the Cherokees use of waving eagle tail feathers during
ceremonial dances when you realize the word in their language called
"phale" which means "to wave and invoke" is a root word from
the Hebrew word "phelac" which means "to pray or invoke the
deity."
In
English when we describe the best part of something, we usually say "the
heart" of it, but in Cherokee, they say that the most excellent part is
"the fat." "Neeha" is a Cherokee adjective signifying
"the Fat" and "Neeta" means bear. It was bear grease that
they used very often in cooking and to anoint their hair. The early Hebrews
also spoke about the best part of something as being the fat part of it.
