Oconaluftee - Walking Along the Cherokee River - by James E Green

Oconaluftee
Walking Along the Cherokee River
by James E Green
First Nations Choral Festival © 2024
Lincoln, NE
March 5, 2024
Egwanulti was once used to refer to the Cherokee communities who lived "by the river." The
direct translation of Egwanulti is in fact, “by the river”. These communities include the
settlement and mound in present day Birdtown. Birdtown is located on the banks of the
Oconaluftee River in Cherokee, North Carolina. In planning settlements years and years ago,
Egwanulti was a great place to live. It had access to the river and protection from the
surrounding mountains plus great scenery and wildlife. The term Oconaluftee comes from
the Cherokee village name Egwanulti, which means by the river. The European settlers
misheard the spoken name of the Egwanulti village as Oconaluftee. Just as they misheard
what the native people called themselves: Tsalagi (Jah la ghee), but the settlers heard that as
“Cherokee”. Cherokee and Oconauftee were European given names.
The composer writes, "Oconaluftee (Walking by the Cherokee River) is my way of giving
praise to the great Oconaluftee river. When personally spending time enjoying the
Oconaluftee river (wading, sitting bank side or tubing), I feel at peace. The river is still a focal
point for Tsalagi (Cherokee) people to meet and spend time with family and friends.” I
wanted to create this original Cherokee piece that is secular so that it can easily be
performed in schools. This will allow for schools to incorporate the Cherokee Language with
the hope of helping to keep the Language alive.”
Ocanaluftee Cherokee River
Walking by the river
Finding peace
Walking by the river
Great Ocanaluftee
Always free
Flowing Waters