The Cherokee calendar is traditionally defined as a Lunar calendar marked by 13 moon cycles of 28 days.This traditional definition of a moon cycle, however, is shorter than the synodic month by approximately one and a half days. Each cycle was accompanied by a ceremony. In order to rectify the Cherokee calendar with that of the Julian calendar, these cycles were reduced to 12. The seasonal round of ceremonies was integral to Cherokee society. It was considered an important spiritual element for social cohesion and a way to bring all the Cherokee clans together.
The Cherokee, like many other Native tribes, used the number of scutes on the backs of certain species of turtles to determine their calendar cycle. The scutes around the edge added up to 28, the same number of days as in a lunar cycle, while the center contained 13 larger scutes, representing the 13 moon cycles of a year.
Thirteen seasonal moon ceremonies Cherokee priests, known as (A-ni-ku-ta-ni), defined the 13 ceremonies as listed below. The common names in English are listed followed by their names in Cherokee syllabics, the Cherokee name's transcription in the Latin alphabet in parentheses, and a literal translation of the Cherokee name for some of the moons. Cold Moon – (Nv-da Ka-na-wo-ga) Bone Moon – (Nv-da Ko-la); Wind Moon – (Nv-da U-no-le); Flower Moon – (Nv-da A-tsi-lu-s-gi); Planting Moon – (Nv-da Ga-hlv-sga); Green Corn Moon – (Nv-da Se-lu-i-tse-i-yu-s-di); Corn in Tassel Moon – (Nv-da U-tsi-dsa-ta); Ripe Corn Moon – (Nv-da Se-lu-u-wa-nv-sa) End of Fruit Moon – (Nv-da U-da-ta-nv-a-gi-s-di U-li-s-dv) Nut Moon – (Nv-da U-da-ta-nv) Harvest Moon – (Nv-da Tsi-yah-lo-ha) Hunting Moon – (Nv-da Ga-no-ha-li-do-ha) Snow Moon – (Nv-da Gu-ti-ha);
Cherokee names for Julian calendar months With the expansion of Euro-American influences in North America, the Cherokee adapted their calendar to the widely accepted Julian calendar. As such the 13-moon phase calendar was gradually replaced by a 12-month calendar. However, the months were still associated with ceremonies and are still practiced by traditional Cherokee today.
Below is a list of months according to the Julian calendar followed by their Latin transliterated Kituwah and Overhill dialect name and then Cherokee syllabics for each dialect.
MonthKituwah Name 1Kituwah SyllabicsOverhill Name1Overhill SyllabicsJanuaryU-no-lv-ta-naᎤᏃᎸᏔᎾU-no-lv-ta-niᎤᏃᎸᏔᏂFebruaryKa-ga-liᎧᎦᎵKa-ga-liᎧᎦᎵMarchA-nvh-yiᎠᏅᏱA-na-yi-li-svᎠᎾᏱᎵᏒAprilKa-woh-niᎧᏬᏂGu-wo-niᎫᏬᏂMayA-n(i)-s-gv-tiᎠᏂᏍᎨᏘA-na-s-gv-tiᎠᎾᏍᎬᏘJuneDe-ha-lu-yiᏕᎭᎷᏱDe-ha-lu-yiᏕᎭᎷᏱJulyKu-ye-gwo-naᎫᏰᏉᎾGu-ye-quo-niᎫᏰᏉᏂAugustGa-lo-ne-eᎦᎶᏁᎡGa-lo-niᎦᎶᏂSeptemberDu-li-s-diᏚᎵᏍᏗDu-li-s-diᏚᎵᏍᏗOctoberDu-ni-n(i)h-diᏚᏂᏂᏗDu-ni-no-diᏚᏂᏃᏗNovemberNv-da-de-gwaᏅᏓᏕᏆNv-da-de-quaᏅᏓᏕᏆDecemberU-s-ki-yaᎤᏍᎩᏯV-s-gi-yiᎥᏍᎩᏱ
Below is a list of months as they appeared in ethnological studies and books of the Cherokee people from 1894 into the late 20th century, with Julian calendar name followed by Cherokee names and finally the meanings and associations: MonthCherokee NameMeanings/AssociationsJanuaryUnolvtana or UnâlatŭniFeeling 234"windblown"Dubin 193FebruaryKagaʔli or Gŭgăli"month when the stars and moon are fixed in the heavens"MarchAnvhyireferring to strawberries (anŭ)AprilKawohni or Kùwáni"duck" as in "when the ducks return", "ducks swim in ponds month"MayAnisgvti, Ansgvti,month of strawberries or making pottery (ŭntĭ),JuneDehaluyi,Green Corn ceremony, blackberry monthJulyKuyegwona,huckleberry monthAugustGaʔloni,wild grapes month, refers to drying up of the streamsSeptemberDulisdi,translation unknown, Bounding Bush FeastOctoberDunihidi, Duninhdi,harvestime month, Great New Moon CeremonyNovemberNvdadequa, Nvdadeqwa,big moon month DecemberVsdgiyi, Vskihyi,translation unknown
Seasons Below are the seasons of the year with relatable names from Mooney in 1894, the Kituwah and Overhill dialects and their respective Syllabics. SeasonName and Meaning per MooneyKituwah Name (Syllabics)Overhill Name (Syllabics)SpringGagéyl, "near the summer"Go-ge-yi (ᎪᎨᏱ)Go-ge-yi (ᎪᎨᏱ)SummerGagi,Go-gi (ᎪᎩ)Go-gi (ᎪᎩ)AutumnUlăgăhûstû (refers to falling of the leaves)U-la-go-ho-s-di (ᎤᎳᎪᎰᏍᏗ)U-la-go-hv-s-di (ᎤᎳᎪᎲᏍᏗ)WinterGâlûGo-la (ᎪᎳ)Go-la (ᎪᎳ)
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