The 13 Moons of the Native Calender

The 13 moons, or the Legend of the Great Turtle, was essentially an  early Native American calender. Each tribe had it's own legend and names for the thirteen moons. This particular legend comes from a southern state where the Cherokee trail of Tears began.

During the great flood of Biblical times there was a great turtle swimming through the waters. Many Cherokee weathered the storm by riding on the great turtles back.

When the waters began to recede the giant turtle came to rest on Brastown Bald Mountain and Cherokee heritage began in the North Georgia mountains. Because the great turtle had saved their people from the flood, the turtle became very sacred to the Cherokee.

Eventually the Cherokee would be herded away from their land and made to walk what has become know as the Cherokee Trail of Tears because many Natives died along the way.

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