Apparently... Circle Hymns

I admit that I have struggled with churches and religion all of my life. Yet, when I stumbled upon Cherokee hymns books, I was deeply moved. They were old Cherokee song lyrics, set to classic Christian tunes. Some of the songs were sung on the Trail of Tears to comfort them and carry them through difficult times. Some of the songs were sung in choirs as they adapted to the Christian religion which was pushed onto them. Regardless, The Chreokee saw it was a way to preserve their language and culture. These songs are still celebrated in Cherokee homes and churches, as a way to preserve the language.

The discovery of these hymns inspired me to approach a talented friend who is a voice coach. I asked her to train me to be able to sing these songs in public (without embarrassing myself) when asked. Little by little, I have expanded my repertoire. Let me be clear: I am not a professional singer. However, to this day, these songs still emotionally move me. I've also included a few prayers and prases in Cherokee on this page. They compiment each other well.