Voices in Democracy: Action and Participation

“Haudenosaunee” is the name that the people of the Six Nations called themselves. We are more familiar with the term “Iroquois”. “Haudenosaunee” is a word which means “people who build” and is the proper traditional name of the people of the Longhouse.

Coming of the PeacemakerDuring times of war and hardships, the Peacemaker came to the people with the following message:

Humans should not abuse/hurt one another

Humans are capable of reason (thinking logically)

All men desire peace People need to come together to ensure

that peace is possible on Earth Laws were originally made to prevent the abuse of humans by other humans. The Peacemaker travelled among the people, going from nation to nation. He journeyed first among the Mohawk, then the Oneida, the Onondaga, the

Cayuga, and the Seneca. These five nations were the first to take up the offer of peace. These five nations gathered together in council, and there they set down the principles of what is called “The Great Law of Peace” also known as the “Gayaneshakgowa”. A confederacy of the five nations had been created. A confederacy is a partnership that is agreed on by nations or groups of people. Eventually, a sixth nation, the Tuscarora, accepted the Peacemaker’s message and the Six nations or Iroquois confederacy was complete.

Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy-People of the Flint Stone (Mohawk)

-People of the Standing Stone (Oneida)-People of the Hills (Onondaga) -People of the Swamp (Cayuga)

-People of the Great Hills (Seneca) -TuscaroraPresent

Today most Haudenosaunee live in the north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. Although some of them still follow the ways of governing set by the Peacemaker, their way of life is much different than it was in the past.

Past Before the coming of the Peacemaker, the nations that formed the Confederacy had been at war with one another for a long time. However, the five Iroquois nations actually had a lot in common with one another. Clans

Nations were divided into 9 clansClan: a large group of families who are related

to one another. Each clan is associated with a different animal

Each clan was lead by a clan mother

The Longhouse

At the center of Iroquois society All the people who lived in the same longhouse

were descendants of the same clan mother When families got larger, they would extend

the rear of the building Small Iroquois villages had 4 or 5 longhouses Large Iroquois villages could have had up to 50

or more

Role of Iroquois Women Held position of respect Husband would live in wife’s family longhouse Children belonged to the mother’s clan

Raised crops (corn, beans, and squash) which were main food supply

Crops were known as “Three Sisters”

Clan Mothers

Leaders of the clan Title was passed on to female relatives The Great Law of Peace gave her

ownership of the chieftainship title meaning she had responsibility to choose chiefs for her own clan

Still respected today

Role of Iroquois Men

Served as chiefs on the Grand Council (the government)

Organized cooperative hunting and fishing to provide meat for village

Cut down trees for longhouses and canoes Organized team sports such as lacrosse

(built leadership skills, endurance, strength and speed)

Fought wars (woman decided if war was to be declared)

Once the confederacy was formed, there was no fighting among the Iroquois but warfare continued with nations who were not part of the Great Peace

Wampum/Great Law of Peace Strings or belts made up of white and purple

beads Each string or belt holds a different message

The Great Law of Peace is the constitution for the Iroquois

It describes principles of good living and tells how confederacy should be run

Is so long it would take days to recite To remember the Great Law, the Iroquois used

wampum belts Wampum keepers read the belts by

remembering what events or treaties the beads represented

Women made the wampum belts Today, the Great Law of Peace exists as a

written document

Structure of the Iroquois ConfederacyChiefs

Leaders in Iroquois society Teachers and spiritual guides

This belt is known as the “Hiawatha Wampum”. It is a primary source of information about the Iroquois and describes the Great Law.

Were treated with great respect due to their wisdom and other special qualities

Were not considered better or above anyone else in society

Caretakers of the Great Law and had many responsibilities

Looked after the welfare of people Ran the affairs of the clan, the nation, and the

confederacy Upheld the rule of law in their society

(everyone must obey laws) The Grand Council

Made up of 50 chiefs who represent the nations of the confederacy

The clan mother could remove a chief who was not doing is job properly

New chiefs chosen by clan mothers Clan mother ensured that all decisions made

by the Grand Council agreed with the Great Law of Peace

Clan mother watched over discussions and made sure all voices were heard and treated respectfully and pointed out any mistakes to the chiefs

The Seventh Generation

Chiefs had to always keep in mind how the decisions they made would affect the lives of their people for seven generations (200 years into the future)

The Tree of Peace(Taken from Voices in Democracy: Action

The Tree of Peace is an important symbol of the Iroquois. The roots of the Tree spread out to the north, south, east and west so that other nations could find the pathways to the

Decision-Making in the ConfederacyWays that democratic principles were built into decision making under the Great Law:

Equality among chiefs (all had same level of authority)

Authority was shared between men and women

The Tree of Peace is an important symbol of the Iroquois. The roots of the Tree spread out to the north, south, east and west so that other nations could find the pathways to the

Clan system helped make sure no one nation would be able to take over confederacy

Consensus

Consulting the Clans

Everyone-men, women, children, and Elders- had a say in the decision-making process

Minority Rights The Great Law states that the nations will

keep their own festivals and laws, and that the chiefs of the nations continue to have the right to settle the affairs of their nations.

Clan meeting gives everyone in the clan a chance to speak.

Clan mother informs clan chief of the decision the clan reached by consensus.

Clan chief carries decision to the Council of Chiefs of the nation.

Council of Chiefs of the nation comes to a consensus and brings that decision to the Grand Council.