Dori Zook wrote:
> I wonder; did early humans "go nuts" during the full moon or is that a
> modern problem?  Maybe things got all warm and fuzzy during a full moon back
> then.  I wonder...

Traditional Cherokee count their days from sunset to sunset
and their months from new moon to new moon (new being the
first visible light following the time of dark moon).  The
woman's cycle was referred to as her "moon time," and she
was considered to have a great surge of power during this
time which often corresponded to the full moon.  During her
moon time, the woman lived apart and did not participate in
any of the usual village functions either religious or more
common.  One big prohibition for her during this time was
handling food - she did not prepare or even serve food, she
was served and waited upon and supposed to be spending her
time concentrating on her spiritual side.  Often she also
changed her regular diet, eating only a hominy gruel while
she remained apart.  The only thing I have ever heard about
how the men behaved during these times was that there were
certain restrictions in re: ceremonies for a man whose wife
was "in her moon."  There is even one old story about how
seven women in their moons killed a nearly invincible
monster merely by showing themselves to him.  While he lay
dying, he is said to have passed on much wisdom about the
workings of Creation and how to cope with them.  The
connection between moon cycles and foods is curious, is it
not?
--
   Elisi Tsayonah, AniWodi, ghigau,
   St Francis River Band of Cherokee