Nyx in the House of Night

storytelling, artwork, music, and traditional medicine, but women were the landowners. In short, women were in charge of farming, property, and family. And while men made political decisions for the tribe, women made social decisions for their clans.
    In Cherokee society, there can be many clans within the larger context of a tribe. Today, the Cherokee Nation’s seven clans are purely bureaucratic artifacts of ancient Cherokee culture, but even now, family lines are still determined by the mother’s clan. Children automatically become members of the mother’s clan at birth. (Consequently, if a non-Cherokee woman marries a Cherokee man, the children of that union would not have a clan and traditionally would not be considered Cherokee.)
    In the past, each matrilineal clan was run by its own Council of Women, a group of Clan Grandmothers led by a Beloved Woman (or Ghigua ). Ghigua were chosen on an annual basis and were picked for many reasons: for bravery in battle, or for some other noteworthy quality, such as a knowledge of healing or an ability to make fair and just decisions for the clan. This recognition was the greatest honor a Cherokee woman could receive. In addition to acting as the head of her clan’s Council of Women, every Ghigua held a prestigious voting seat in the tribe’s main political body, the Council of Chiefs. The Cherokee Council of Chiefs was historically comprised of the clans’ male chiefs, but anyone could attend and speak at a council meeting, including women. The Chiefs listened to discussion on issues brought to the council before recommending a course of action and waiting for a consensus, which would then become their final ruling. And women had considerable influence in these debates.
    If an individual broke ancient Cherokee laws, they were brought before the appropriate Clan Grandmothers for judgment. These women were strict and would show no mercy to those who had committed serious breaches of social conduct. The decisions and rulings of these Grandmothers were not questioned. They also acted as their people’s advisors and guides and served as ambassadors and peace negotiators between the clans. Grandmothers of one clan would also join with the Grandmothers of other clans when important decisions needed to be made for the whole village or tribe.
    Clan Grandmothers are still highly respected, obeyed, and honored today. Because of the Council of Women and the role of the Ghigua , respect for women in Cherokee society has been passed down through the generations. Today, Cherokee women can be Chiefs and have full votes in all councils. (The first woman to serve on the Council of Chiefs as a Chief herself was Wilma P. Mankiller, who was Principal Chief—the head of the Council—from 1985–1995.)
    Ghigua no longer exist in our world—the last official Cherokee Ghigua was Nancy Ward, who died in 1822. But in the House of Night series, Kalona uses the term to refer to Sylvia Redbird in Hunted . And when Sylvia tells Zoey the legend of Kalona and A-ya in Untamed , she says it’s the Ghigua Women of the Cherokee that created A-ya and trapped Kalona underground. The duties of the Ghigua in the House of Night may be a little different than in the real world, but their job was the same: to protect their clan and tribe. With Zoey Redbird coming from such a strong lineage of empowered women, it isn’t a stretch to believe she can be the most powerful High Priestess the House of Night has ever seen.
    TRADITIONAL CHEROKEE RITUAL AND BELIEF
    Respect for women isn’t the only thing the Cherokee and the House of Night’s vampyre society have in common. Cherokee spiritual beliefs contain a similar idea of the sacred. They respect nature, revere the earth and its animals, and honor their elders and ancestors. These basic tenets are reflected in Zoey, but they came from Sylvia Redbird and the teachings of her people—teachings that, while they have their origins in an ancient beliefs system, have evolved and are integrated into day-to-day life of many Cherokee today. For instance, certain numbers still play a fundamental role in Cherokee ceremonies, like the numbers four and seven, which repeatedly occur in myths, stories, and rituals. Four represents the four basic directions of east, west, north, and south. The number seven refers to the seven Cherokee clans.
The Seven Clans of the Cherokee
T he names of the seven clans of the Cherokee people represent the spiritual forces that shape and