Today, we are once again staying in the Appalachian region and exploring another Cherokee legend: the Tlanuwa. The Tlanuwa were said to be giant birds with impenetrable metal feathers that made them almost impossible to kill. According to the legend, when the Cherokee attempted to defend themselves against the giant birds, arrows would deflect off their feathers.
The Tlanuwa were said to live in caves along the rocky cliffs of the Tennessee River. According to the story, the birds would fly over Cherokee settlements, attack villages and carry away livestock, pets and even children. One story involving the Tlanuwa also features another creature from Cherokee legend: the Uktena.
The Uktena is described as a fearsome serpent-like creature. According to the legend, it had supernatural characteristics that made it dangerous to those who encountered it.
The story tells of a pair of Tlanuwa that nested in a cave and had young. As the birds continued attacking settlements, the villagers sought help from a medicine man. Because the Tlanuwa’s feathers protected them from attack, the medicine man devised another plan: He would turn the creatures against each other.
According to the story, villagers tied a long rope around the medicine man and lowered him to the Tlanuwa’s nest, where he took the young birds. He then went to a cliff above the river, where the Uktena emerged from the water and devoured them.
When the Tlanuwa returned and discovered their nest empty, they circled the river until the Uktena appeared again. One of the Tlanuwa attacked the serpent, caught it in its talons and carried it into the sky. A battle between the creatures followed, and according to the legend, neither the Tlanuwa nor the Uktena was seen again.
Like many traditional stories, the legend of the Tlanuwa and Uktena has been passed down through generations. Whether told as entertainment, a warning or a story carrying a deeper cultural meaning, the tale remains an intriguing part of Cherokee storytelling, depicting a community finding an unusual way to defend itself against two powerful creatures.
