The Green Corn Ceremony was an annual renewal and thanksgiving festival performed by the Cherokee, Creek, and other Southeast tribes. It was held in mid- to late summer, when the corn was ready for roasting. The ceremony lasted from four to eight days and included ritual fasting, dancing, and feasting. Old fires were extinguished, and a new sacred fire was lit from which every household obtained fire. New tools, weapons, and clothing were made. Wrongdoers were forgiven for most crimes except murder. A beverage known as the Black Drink — so named by English traders because of its dark color — was believed to purify spiritually all those who imbibed it. Different tribes had different recipes for this ritual tea, made from varying species of holly, tobacco, and other plants.
- renewal [riˈnjuəl] n. 更新
- festival [ˈfestəvəl] adj. 节日的
- Cherokee [ˌtʃerəˈki:] n.切罗基族(北美易洛魁人的一支)人
- Creek [kri:k] n. 美国克里克族印第安人
- roast [rəust] v. 烘烤
- ceremony [ˈseriməni] n. 仪式
- ritual [ˈritʃuəl] adj. (宗教)仪式的
- feast [fi:st] n. 宴会
- extinguish [iksˈtiŋɡwiʃ] adj. 熄(灯)，灭(火)，熄灭
- sacred fire [ˈseikrid - ˈfaiə] n. 祭祀的火焰
- wrongdoer [ˈrɔ:ŋˌdu:ə, ˈrɔŋ-] n.做坏事的人
- beverage [ˈbevəridʒ] n.饮料
- purify [ˈpjuərifai] v. 净化
- imbibe [imˈbaib] v.喝
- recipe [ˈresəpi] n. 秘方
- holly [ˈhɔli] n.冬青树
