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The Iroquois Confederacy formed as a result of fighting between Native tribes. The Peacemaker traveled to individual nations to invite them to join together. Only five nations, the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga came together at this time. The Great Law of Peace was established. Each nation kept its own territory, language and culture.
Most of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy live in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. The Seneca were the “Keepers of the Western Door”, the Mohawk were the “Keepers of the Eastern Doors”.
The Iroquois lived in longhouses. This society was matrilineal which meant clan members traced their family history through their mothers. When a couple married, they went to live in the wife’s mother’s longhouse. When children were born, they became part of the mother’s clan.
Clans were established within the Iroquois Confederacy nations. These were named after animals. Members of a clan were considered family. People in the same clan were not allowed to marry each other. The clan system was created as a way to balance loyalty in the confederacy and ensure that no one nation would ever be able to take over.
Women in the Iroquois Confederacy raised the children, looked after the home and tended the gardens. They grew the “Three Sisters”, a term used to describe the main food supply which consisted of corn, beans and squash. Iroquois women also owned the property and homes. Women were expected to reach consensus on important issues in Women’s Councils. They would then advise the Clan Mothers of their decisions.
Men in the Iroquois Confederacy hunted and fished, built longhouses and canoes, organized team sports and fought in wars. Like the women, men were expected to reach consensus on important issues in Men’s Councils. They would then advise the Clan Mothers of their decisions.
Children in the Iroquois Confederacy grew up listening to discussions using the process of consensus. They knew they would have the opportunity to take part in governing of their nation when they got older.
Clan Mothers were usually the oldest and most respected women as well as the leaders of the clans. They had the power of chieftainship which meant they had the job of choosing the chief of the clan. It was their job to advise the chief and ensure he was representing the wishes of the clan members. The Clan Mother had the power to remove a chief if he was not fulfilling his job.
Clan chiefs, or Hoyaneh, were chosen and advised by the Clan Mothers. There were several chiefs per clan. The chiefs represented their nation at Grand Council meetings. While chiefs were treated with great respect, they were not considered better than anyone else in the nation. They were considered teachers, spiritual guides, and caretakers of the Great Law of Peace.
The Iroquois used wampum to remind them of important events, ideas, pledges or treaties. They were a form of historical record. Wampum was made from shells woven into patterned strings or belts. Children from a young age would be trained to be wampum keepers and take care of and read the wampum. Wampum helped to preserve the collective identity of the Iroquois.
The Iroquois used the process of consensus to make decisions for the nation. Consensus ensured everyone had an equal voice and agreed on decisions. Decisions made represented the best interests of the group, not the individual. The Iroquois even tried to do what was best for the seventh generation; those who would live seven generations in the future.
The Grand Council made decisions that affected the entire Iroquois Confederacy. There were a total of 50 chiefs in the Grand Council; a set number from each nation. While larger nations had more chiefs, they were all equal to one another. There was a set order for making decisions. The Elder Brothers (Mohawk and Seneca) met and reached consensus on an issue. It was then discussed by the Younger Brothers (Oneida and Cayuga) using the same process. If they came to the same decision as the Elder Brothers, they presented their decision to the Fire Keepers (Onondaga) to see if they agreed. If at any time nations were not in agreement, the process had to begin again.
