Living stories of the Cherokee cover

Living stories of the Cherokee

by Barbara R. Duncan

This book, the first major new collection of Cherokee stories published in nearly a hundred years, presents seventy-two traditional and contemporary tales from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. It features stories told by Davey Arch, Robert Bushyhead, Edna Chekelelee, Kathi Smith Littlejohn, and Freeman Owle - five Cherokee storytellers who learned their art and their stories from family and community. The collection also includes a story presented in the Cherokee language and syllabary, translated by tribal interpreter Marie Junaluska. The tales gathered here include animal stories, creation myths, legends, and ghost stories as well as family tales and stories about events in Cherokee history. The stories in this collection not only reflect Cherokee beliefs and values, they also show that Cherokee culture is alive and strong in the hearts of the people.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?