Cherokee children were groomed to take the reigns of their society just as any child in other cultures was. Children usually traced their heritage through their maternal side, and the mother's brothers and other male relatives were the "father figures" to these children. Mothers were even discouraged from disciplining their children, especially boys. This task was left to the mother's most influential male relative.1 Babies were dipped into cold water and washed every morning for the first two years of life.2 Baby boys were wrapped in cougar skins, while girls were wrapped in deer or bison skins—leading some to theorize this as symbolic to the male pursuit of women.3 Young children were allowed the unrestrained freedom of playtime just as in any other civilization.4
Children were always raised to respect the sacred traditions and taboos of the Cherokee culture. The children were well disciplined and taught not to misbehave, particularly with respect to hallowed tribal matters. Disobedience resulted in punishment by dousing in cold water or scratching with a snake tooth comb.5 This was referred to as "dry scratching" and was more than simply physical pain. The child was subject to intense ridicule and humiliation because of the lasting scar and was discouraged from repeating the behavior. When the boys became of age to begin wearing clothes (around age ten), they acquired roles in the hunt with the men. The girls learned their future roles by assisting women with the garden, housework, pottery, basketry and keeping the fire going.6 Boys were very competitive and vied to see who could withstand the most pain, such as bee stings, or raced to see who was the fastest—a virtue in war. The children of the ruling family were schooled by elders who taught them their duties and knowledge. Children of shamans became apprentices to the medicine men. In general children were loved and given playful nicknames, such as Pretty One, Little War Captain, and Tree Climber.7
Because they believed in extreme local precedence and personal control over matters, a strong central government of any form was not present in the Cherokee nations.8 The Cherokee executive officer of the chieftain council was called the uku. The uku received great deference from their people, leading the Europeans to refer to them as kings. The council chose this leader, and he always conferred with the council before any important decision. Generally, the chiefs appointed assistants, or lower ukus, and they all occupied seats of honor in the town house or on the grounds. The uku usually had to be persuaded because of the responsibility of the role, but then was inaugurated on unsmoked deerskin. The uku received all ambassadors and other visitors and also was the representative of his cheiftdom in negotiations with others.9 He held public feasts after a successful hunt, supervised the public granary, and presided over daily council functions.10 While the uku led more than they commanded, there was a "Great War Chief" who lead all war chiefs. This Great War Chief had relatively little political power, but took his place next to the chief in times of crisis.11