Nûñnë'hï
Encyclopedia
The Nûñnë'hï are said to be a race of immortal
spirit
people found in Cherokee
legend
and folklore
(see http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc078.htm) known for their protection of the Cherokee people in times of trouble. They are said to have lived in areas of North Carolina
, Georgia
, and Tennessee
(see also http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc080.htm). According to Cherokee tales, they lived under the mountains and water
, and would come out when their help was needed.
In the tale of "The Removed Townhouses" the Nûñnë'hï warned a certain Cherokee tribe
on the Valley River and Hiwassee
that a time of war and hardship was coming, and invited them to come and live there with the Nûñnë'hï so as to escape the misfortune. The story says this occurred before the Cherokee left their homes in 1838. According to their legend, the tribe agreed and went to live with the immortal spirit people.
In the legend of "The Spirit Defenders Of Nïkwäsï" an unknown tribe invaded the country from the southeast. The legend takes place in the "old town of Nïkwäsï' on the head of Little Tennessee" and when the unknown tribe began to attack, it is said the Nûñnë'hï "poured out by the hundreds" and defended the people, winning the battle.
According to their tales (known as "Wonder Stories") these immortal Nûñnë'hï appeared many times to help and assist the people in times of need.
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
people found in Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
and folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
(see http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc078.htm) known for their protection of the Cherokee people in times of trouble. They are said to have lived in areas of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(see also http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc080.htm). According to Cherokee tales, they lived under the mountains and water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, and would come out when their help was needed.
In the tale of "The Removed Townhouses" the Nûñnë'hï warned a certain Cherokee tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
on the Valley River and Hiwassee
Hiwassee
Hiwassee is a small village in Cherokee County, North Carolina, which sits next to the Hiwassee Dam and the artificially created Hiwassee Reservoir, on Hiwassee River.- Hiwassee Dam :...
that a time of war and hardship was coming, and invited them to come and live there with the Nûñnë'hï so as to escape the misfortune. The story says this occurred before the Cherokee left their homes in 1838. According to their legend, the tribe agreed and went to live with the immortal spirit people.
In the legend of "The Spirit Defenders Of Nïkwäsï" an unknown tribe invaded the country from the southeast. The legend takes place in the "old town of Nïkwäsï' on the head of Little Tennessee" and when the unknown tribe began to attack, it is said the Nûñnë'hï "poured out by the hundreds" and defended the people, winning the battle.
According to their tales (known as "Wonder Stories") these immortal Nûñnë'hï appeared many times to help and assist the people in times of need.