Historical Background of the Iroquois A Union of

Historical Background of the Iroquois

A Union of five • The Iroquois (Haudenosacnee) was a union between tribes • The Iroquois were originally made up of five tribes • These tribes were the Caguga, Mohawk, Onedia, Onodaga, and the Seneca

A sixth tribe • A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora joined the Iroquois to make it six tribes • The Iroquois was formed before European contact • The Iroquois had a consitution known as Gayunashagowa (The Great Peace)

Spirits • Had a concept that life is a struggle between Good and Evil • Believed that spirits animated all of nature and caused the seasons to change • Festivals happened during important parts of the year (harvesting, planting, etc. . . )

Gods themselves • The Iroquois had many Deities • Hahgwohdiyu (Creator God) • Yosheka (Creator God) • Athahensic (Sky Goddess) out of her corpse grew the gift of humans. Represents: pregnancy, fertility, feminine skills • Onatha (Patron of Farmers) Represents: fertility of soil, harvesting • Tarhuhgiaawhku (Giant who held up the Sky)

Culture

How things were • The Iroquois laws were decided by a Council of Chiefs • Council worked in a democracy • Spoke the Wendat language

Housing • They Lived in Longhouses • Longhouses sometimes were over 100 meters long and 5 -7 meters wide • Longhouse were made to hold extended families • Held 20 or more families per longhouse

Travel • Walked, Jogged, Ran, Swam anything using there two legs • Preferred to traveled in water with Dugout canoes

How things were run • The women owned the soil and the land • Men and women followed the status of their mother • Clan Mothers and their sisters selected Chiefs and removed them

What they said • No written language • Spoke the Wendat Language Susquehannock Tadadaho Deganawidah Onayotekaono Guyohkohnyoh Onondowahgah Ska-Ruh-Reh Kanien'kéhaka Onundagaono

What they wore • Raw Hide (Before European contact) • Combination of raw hide and European garb actual fashion changed from person to person

• • • • Wikipedia Books Five/Six nations map Sky Women Nature Spirit Totems Iroquois Flag Council of Chiefs Longhouse Dugout Canoe Family Clothes Iroquois Clothes