the Moon
Cherokee · deity · mythic · deity
The Moon, a male being in Cherokee myth and the brother of the female Sun (Unelanuhi). He lives in the west and is fond of humankind, his younger brothers, because they smile pleasantly at his mild night-light, whereas they squint and grimace at his fierce sister by day. In The Daughter of the Sun the Sun secret midnight lover, whose face she marks with ashes, proves at the next morning meal to be her own brother the Moon, which is why the moon carries its dark markings. The priestly name recorded by Mooney is Geyaguga, of unknown meaning. Authored as the brother of the Sun; the sibling-edge is recorded here for the maintainer to mirror on cherokee_unelanuhi.
Domains
- moon
- night
Powers
- Cross the night sky in the west with mild light that does not make people squint
- Bear on his face the ash-marks his sister rubbed on her secret lover
- Shed the mild light that humans smile upon
Relations
- sibling: Unelanuhi