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The Haudenosaunee: Six Nations Confederacy Ten Important Points to Remember About the Haudenosaunee Who Are the Haudenosaunee? What is the Role of the Chiefs? What is the Role of the Clan Mother? What are the Clans? What is the Grand Council? What are the Underlying Values of Haudenosaunee Culture? What is the Seventh Generation? What is the Haudenosaunee World View? What is the Haudenosaunee Concept of Creation? What is the Annual Cycle of Thanksgiving? The following text is mirrored from www.sixnations.org, which is currently unavailable. Ten Important Points to Remember About the Haudenosaunee: We exist as distinct peoples in the 20th century. The Haudenosaunee are unique in that we maintain one of the very few traditional governments in North America, free from the oppression of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and free from the lunacy of tribal elections. Our leaders are selected according to the oldest constitutional democratic systems. We live a contemporary lifestyle and are not frozen in the past. While we still maintain practices that are rooted in the past, we apply those practices to define our place in the modern world. Our traditional culture is forward thinking, to assure our long-term survival. Our culture allows us to deal with the realities of the modern world, not by embracing any new fad, but continuing to absorb new traditions on our own terms. We, like other peoples, continue to maintain our culture. Culture is not just the relics of the past, but patterns of thought and cycles of behavior that form the basic building blocks of our lives. We, like other peoples, have our own world view. To say we are Haudenosaunee means that we have deep seated beliefs in our traditions and are committed to their survival. We are connected to a living earth and a spiritual universe. We have sacred duties to fulfill. We continue to live on portions of our original territories. Our lands were never conquered by outsiders. We never consented to American or Canadian authority over our territories. Our lands were never placed in trust with the United States, as are most other Indian reservations. Our current territories were defined by four federal treaties. We maintain our distinct laws and customs. Within our territories, where the Council of Chiefs are the sole governing authority, our own laws are in place, not the laws of the United States or Canada. We operate the Grand Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations under the Great Law of Peace which promotes peace, power and righteousness. We have made many contributions to world culture. The Haudenosaunee have been instrumental in colonial history. After two hundred years of contact, the emerging American settlers adopted many Iroquoian ideas and practices in order to survive in our land. We have a unique relationship to the United States and other nations. The federal treaties we have are very distinctive and provide the Haudenosaunee with a special status in Indian law. We maintain a government to government relations. We are not wards of the United States. We are independent nations, sovereign and free in our own territories. The portrayal of Indians in the media perpetuates stereotypes that effect our relationships to non-Indians. Most people are seriously uniformed about the Haudenosaunee because of distorted textbooks, misguided movies and biased history books. Seldom have people been able to hear directly from the recognized traditional people of the Haudenosaunee to counteract the negative racial and cultural stereotypes perpetuated by American popular culture. We are committed to maintaining our survival as distinct peoples. We believe that the lessons from Creation; the guidance of the Original Instructions; the unity of the Great Law of Peace, and the moral imperatives of the Gaiwiio provide the roadmap to our future.

Who Are the Haudenosaunee? Haudenosaunee is the general term we use to refer to ourselves, instead of "Iroquois." The word "Iroquois" is not a Haudenosaunee word. It is derived from a French version of a Huron Indian name that was applied to our ancestors and it was considered derogatory, meaning "Black Snakes." Haudenosaunee means "People building an extended house" or more commonly referred to as "People of the Long House." The longhouse was a metaphor introduced by the Peace Maker at the time of the formation of the Confederacy meaning that the people are meant to live together as families in the same house. Today, this means that those who support the traditions, beliefs, values and authority of the Confederacy are to be known as Haudenosaunee. The founding constitution of the Confederacy that brought the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk nations under one law. Together they were called the Five Nations by the English, and Iroquois by the French. The Tuscarora joined around 1720, and collectively they are now called the Six Nations. We also refer to ourselves as "Ongwehonweh," meaning that we are the "Original People" or "First People" of this land. The Haudenosaunee is actually six separate nations of people who have agreed to live under the traditional law of governance that we call the Great Law of Peace. Each of these nations have their own identity. In one sense, this is our "nationalities." Many of the names that we have come to know the tribes by are not even Indian words, such as Tuscarora or Iroquois. The original member nations are: Seneca: "Onondowahgah" meaning The People of the Great Hill (also called the Large Dark Door). Cayuga: "Guyohkohnyoh" meaning The People of the Great Swamp. Onondaga: "Onundagaono" meaning The People of the Hills. Oneida: "Onayotekaono" meaning The People of the Upright Stone. Mohawk: "Kanienkahagen" meaning The People of the Flint. Tuscarora known as "Ska-Ruh-Reh" meaning the Shirt Wearing People.

What is the Role of the Chiefs? The common name of the male leaders of the clans that serve as representatives of the clan in council is referred to as "chief" in english, but this term does not say enough. The Haudenosaunee call the male leaders "Hoyaneh," meaning "Caretakers of the Peace." Each nation has a different number of Chiefs, but all of the Hoyaneh have the same power and authority. The chief is the "voice" of the family clan. Some clans have more than one chief. There is no "head" chief. They were also called "sachems" in some documents. There are other traditional leaders, appointed because of their special skills and are referred to as "Pine Tree Chiefs." Each chief would also have a sub-chief to help him with his duties. The chief's title's rest within the clan and the Clan Mother can remove a delinquent Chief from his position as a fail safe mechanism, but generally a Chief is installed for life. In looking for man to become the chief of the clan, a Clan Mother would look for some one who could be trusted to look after the welfare of the people. It is said that the Chief holds the law, the people and the religion in the palm of their hand. It is a sacred trust and duty to assure the safety of all of that for the generations to come. The following qualities would be make a man a good candidate to become a chief: Pleasant personality Honest Not committed any crimes Must have ability to reason, not acting foolishly Knowledge of what the Confederacy laws represent Knowledge of the ceremonies Must have never left his family Must be able to uphold the Great Law Must be able to represent the people fairly Must be kind hearted Must be able to withstand criticism

What is the Role of the Clan Mother? The Peace Maker selected Chiefs and Clan Mothers to represent the clans. The oldest woman of the clan is called the Clan Mother. The clan mother, whose position is hereditary, is responsible for the welfare of the clan. She names all the people of the clan; she holds a position in nominating, installing and removing the male chief, called Hoyaneh, meaning Caretakers of the Peace. She also monitors his actions and counsels the people of her clan. Her job in the past was to arrange marriages, counsel members, select the male candidate for chief, monitor his actions and remove him from office if necessary. The Clan Mother's title rests within the clan and it is usually passed on to her female relatives, looking first at her eldest sisters, other sisters, then her eldest daughter and other daughters to find the one deemed most appropriate to become the next Clan Mother. The rights of the women within a clan include the following: Descent of blood that determines citizenship. Possession of official titles for clan mothers, chiefs, faithkeepers, pine tree chiefs and war chiefs. Own the home and all of the furnishings. Children belong to her family. Use of clan lands. Food distribution. Right to nominate, confirm, and depose male chiefs. Right to adopt foreigners or prisoners. Power to forbid brothers and sons from going to war. Power to grant life or death of prisoners. Power to maintain the national resources. Right to burial grounds for sons, brothers, daughters and sons.

What are the Clans? The clan is the basic unit of social organization among the Iroquois, with the women holding primary responsibility for the function of the clans. . This system is still in place at Tonawanda, Tuscarora, Onondaga as the primary form of governance, and at Akwesasne and Oneida there are both a traditional council of chiefs which operate independently from the elected tribal council. At Cattaraugus and Allegheny, and the clans still exist, but the chiefs function in a religious way only, not as a form of government. At those to communities the form of government is called the Seneca Nation of Indians. A clan is a group of families that share a common female ancestry. Members of one clan are considered relatives and intermarriage in the same clan is forbidden. Clans are named after animals that have special assistance to the people - water (turtle, eel, beaver); land (bear, deer, wolf), sky (snipe, heron, hawk). Clanship identity is very important to the Haudenosaunee. Children inherit the clan of their mother. If a Mohawk woman of the Wolf Clan marries a Tuscarora man of the Beaver Clan, their children will be Mohawks of the Wolf Clan. If a Tuscarora woman marries a Tuscarora of the beaver clan, their children will be Tuscaroras of the Beaver clan. If a Indian man marries a non-Indian, their children will not have a Haudenosaunee nationality nor a clan. Identity can be seen as a series of concentric circles. In the center is the fireside family (your mother an father and sisters and brothers); next is the extended family (your clan); next is you nationality (the nation); then is union of nations (Haudenosaunee). Each nation has a different number of clans, with all having the turtle, bear and wolf clans. Each clan may have more than one Hoyaneh. As an example, among the Mohawk, there are three turtle Hoyaneh, three wolf Hoyaneh, and three bear Hoyaneh, making nine chiefs altogether that make up their national council of chiefs, who serve as the Mohawk delegates to the Grand Council of Chiefs. The Onondaga have 14 hoyaneh; the Seneca have 8; the Cayuga have 10; the Oneida have 9; and the Tuscarora have 6.   RIGHTS The rights and privileges of the clan were described by J.N.B. Hewitt, a Tuscarora scholar in 1918: The right to a distinctive name of the clan, named after guardian animal spirits. Representation by one of more chiefs in tribal council. An equitable share in community property of the tribe. The right and obligation to have its nominations for chief and subchief of the clan confirmed and installed by officers of the tribal council, and by officers of the Grand Council. The right of the protection of the tribe of which it is a constitute member. The right of the titles of the chieftainships and sub-chieftainships hereditary in its ohwachira (extended family). The right to certain songs, chants, dances, and religious observances. The right of its men and women, or both together, to meet in council. The right to use certain names of persons, which are given to its members. The right to adopt aliens through the action of a constituent ohwachira (extended family) The right of its members to a common burial ground. The right of the mothers of constituent ohwachira (s), in which the official titles are inherent, to nominate candidates for chief and subchief; some clans have more than one of each class of chiefs. The right of these same mothers to take the prescribed steps for impeaching and deposing their chiefs and subchiefs. The right to share in the religious rites, ceremonies, and public festivals of the tribe.   DUTIES Hewitt also defined the duties associated with clan membership: The obligation not to marry within a clan, previously not even within the sisterhood of clans to which one belonged. The joint obligation to purchase the life of a member of the clan which has been forfeited by homicide or the murder of a member of the tribe or an allied tribe. The duty and obligation to aid and to defend its members in supplying their wants, redressing wrongs and injuries through diplomacy or by force of arms, and in avenging death. The joint obligation to replace with prisoners or other persons other members who have been lost or killed, belonging to any ohwachira of a clan to which they may be related as father's brothers or father's clansmen, the matron of such ohwachira having the right to ask that this obligation be fulfilled.

What is the Grand Council? It is the assembly of the fifty chiefs of the Confederacy that represent all of the clans of all of the member nations. In the past, the Grand Council met yearly to resolve disputes between member nations and plan mutual strategies to protect the member nations and the welfare of the people. Today, the Grand Council still meets regularly at Onondaga, which is considered the capitol of the Confederacy. There is another Grand Council on the Canadian side at the Grand River Reserve that has been in operation from about 1784, when nearly half of the Haudenosaunee left their homelands to live in Canada after the Revolutionary War. Both councils agree that the central fire and the position of Tododaho rests within the Onondaga Nation, located near Syracuse, NY.

What are the Underlying Values of Haudenosaunee Culture? Our culture is a way of thinking, a way of feeling, but also an intuitive way of problem solving and a unique way to express ourselves in the world. The Haudenosaunee call all of this "Ongwehonweka" meaning all the things that pertain to the way of life of the Original People. Ongwehonweka includes all of the values, mores, ethics, philosophy and beliefs that we have inherited from our ancestors. Ten Important Points to Remember About the Haudenosaunee Who Are the Haudenosaunee? What is the Role of the Chiefs? What is the Role of the Clan Mother? What are the Clans? What is the Grand Council? What are the Underlying Values of Haudenosaunee Culture? What is the Seventh Generation? What is the Haudenosaunee World View? What is the Haudenosaunee Concept of Creation? What is the Annual Cycle of Thanksgiving?

NOTE: The informational text above is mirrored from the official Six Nations web site at Haudenosaunee: People Building A Long House. Please see www.sixnations.org for further information. Other topics covered at the Six Nations web site include: Great Law of Peace What are the values and traditions of the founding constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy? Lessons from History What are the important lessons learned from the history of contact between our nations? Grand Council What are the important statements issued by the Grand Council? Threats to Traditional Governments What current events threaten the sovereignty of traditional governments?

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