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Title: Kaianere’kó:wa Author: Haudenosaunee Date: 12th Century Language: en Topics: indigenous, Indigenous Anarchist Federation, proto-anarchism Source: Retrieved on 2021-09-28 from [[https://iaf-fai.org/2021/01/06/kaianerekowa-the-great-law-of-peace/]]
Originally from ganienkeh.net/thelaw, retrieved from the Internet
Archive after the site went out of service in December 2020. These are
published with original commentary from the website after some of the
Wampums.
These texts provide an insight into only a fraction of the political
thought and structures that Indigenous people have developed over
thousands of years of shifting political landscapes. Some things
resonate today with us Indigenous anarchics, while some things don’t.
What can be said is that we all stand to benefit from reading and
considering the Great Law of Peace.
I am Deganawida. With the statesmen of the League of Five Nations, I
plant the Tree of Great Peace. I plant it in your territory. Atotarho
and the Onondaga Nation: in the territory of you who are the
Firekeepers. I name the tree Tsioneratasekowa, the Great White Pine.
Under the shade of this Tree of Great Peace, we spread the soft, white
feathery down of the Globe Thistle as seats for you, Atotarho and your
cousin statesmen. We place you upon those seats, spread soft with the
feathery down.of the Globe Thistle, there beneath the shade of the
spreading branches of the Tree of Great Peace. There shall you sit and
watch the Fire of the League of Five Nations. All the affairs of the
League shall be transacted at this place before you, Atotarho and your
cousin statesmen, by the statesmen of the League of Five Nations
Note: The term Five Nations makes it evident that all the laws were made
before 1714 at which time the Tuscarora Nation was admitted into the
Confederacy, but without an equal voice, contrary to the Plan of
Deganawida. Apparently, the first Grand Councils of the Iroquois
Confederacy were held under the evergreen white pine, the largest tree
in Eastern North America, more than 250 feet high. All cut down 200
years ago by the white men who afterwards never let the great tree grow
to full size again in their haste and eagerness to exploit it.
Roots have spread out from the Tree of Great Peace: one to the north,
one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. These are the
Great White Roots and their nature is Peace and Strength. If any man or
any nation outside of the Five Nations shall obey the laws of the Great
Peace (Gayanerekowa) and shall make this known to the statesmen of the
League, they may trace back the roots to the Tree. If their minds are
clean and if they are obedient and promise to obey the wishes of the
Council of the League, they shall be welcomed to take shelter beneath
the Tree of the Long Leaves.
We place at the top of the Tree of Great Peace an eagle who is able to
see afar. If he sees in the distance any danger threatening, he will at
once warn the people of the League. Note: The translator from the Indian
to English got his tree mixed up. Tioneratasekowa does not mean a Tree
of Long Leaves, but a Great Tree with ever fresh leaves meaning
evergreen or the Great White Pine. The Tree of Long Leaves could not be
the White Pine. Unless they had domesticated the eagles, it is an
allegory meaning that the people must be very watchful.
FIRE
To you, Atotarho, and the Onondaga statesmen, I and the other statesmen
of the League have entrusted the care taking and watching of the Five
Nations Council Fire. When there is any business to be transacted and
the Council is not in session, a messenger shall be sent to either
Atotarho, Honowirehton or Skanawati, firekeepers or their War Chief,
with a full statement of the business to be considered. Then Atotarho
shall call his cousin chiefs together and consider whether the business
is of sufficient importance to call the attention of the Council of the
League: If so, Atotarho shall send messengers to summon all the chiefs
of the League and to assemble beneath the Tree of Great Peace. When the
statesmen are assembled, the Council fire shall be kindled but not with
chestnut wood and Atotarho will formally open the Council. Then shall
Atotarho and his cousin statesmen, the Firekeepers announce the subject
for discussion. The smoke of the Council Fire of the League shall ever
ascend and pierce the sky so that the other nations who may be allies
may see the council fire of the Great Peace.
Note: Chestnut wood throws out angry sparks. The inference here is not
to inspire angry moods. Seeing “The smoke of the Council Fire ascend the
sky” is to induce friendly neighbors to drop in and sit a spell.
You, Atotarho, and your thirteen cousin statesmen shall faithfully keep
the space about the Council Fire clean and you shall allow neither dust,
nor dirt to accumulate. I lay along seagull wing (Tiowatatekowa
Onerahontsa) before you as a broom.
As a weapon against a crawling creature, I lay a stick with you so that
you may thrust it away from the Council Fire. If you fail to cast it
out, then call the rest of the united statesmen to your aid.
Note: Keeping the space around the council fire clean may also mean that
a well conducted council is being recommended and the crawling creature
may be a disrespectful person or persons seeking to disrupt the council.
The Council of the Mohawks shall be divided into three parts:
Tehanakarine, Ostawenserentah and Soskoharowane are the first.
Tekarihoken, Ayonwatha and Satekariwate are the second. Sarenkowane,
Teyonhekwen and Orenrekowa are the third.
The first party is to listen only to the discussion of the second and
third parties and if an error is made or the proceeding irregular, they
are to call attention to it and when the case is right and properly
decided by the two parties, they shall confirm the decision of the two
parties and refer the case to the Seneca statesmen for their decision.
When the Seneca statesmen have decided, in accord with the Mohawk
statesmen, the case or question shall be referred to the Cayuga and
Oneida statesmen on the opposite side of the house.
Note: The above is the procedure when the Grand Council of the Iroquois
Confederacy is in session.
CONFEDERACY
I, Deganawida, appoint the Mohawk statesmen the head and the leaders of
the Five Nations League. The Mohawk statesmen are the foundation of the
Great Peace and it shall therefore be against the Great Binding Law to
pass measures in the Council of the League after the Mohawk statesmen
have protested against them.
No Council of the League shall be legal unless all of the statesmen of
the Mohawks are present.
Note: The Mohawks were the first to accept the Great Law. They helped
the Founder, Deganawida, to gather the other nations together.
Missionaries admit they went all over America and spread propaganda
among the Indians against the Iroquois Confederacy, especially against
the Mohawks because they were the “most militant and great organizers.”
The missionaries felt certain they checked the spread of the Great Law
which “would have made it impossible for the white men to conquer.
America.”
FIRE OF THE IROQUOIS
Whenever the statesmen of the League shall assemble for the purpose of
holding a council, the Onondaga Rotiyaner shall open it by expressing
their gratitude to their cousin statesmen and greeting them and they
shall make and address and offer thanks to the Earth where men dwell, to
the streams of water, the pools and the lakes, to the maize and the
fruits, to the medicinal herbs and trees, to the forest trees for their
usefulness, and to the animals that serve as food and give their pelts
for clothing, to the great winds and the lesser winds, to the
thunderers; to the Sun, the mighty warrior, to the moon; to the
messengers of the Creator who reveals his wishes and to the Great
Creator who dwells in the heavens above who gives all the things useful
to men, and who is the source and the ruler of health and life.
Then shall the Onondaga Rotiyaner declare the council open. The Council
shall not sit after darkness has set in.
Note: The above opening thanksgiving ritual is done at every gathering
of the people. The orator gives thanks to all that help human life.
Giving thanks to the trees, water, winds, etc., does not mean that the
people worship all these useful gifts but thank the power that produces
them. The word Royaner means “he makes a good path for the people to
follow.” Rotiyaner is in the plural.
The Firekeepers shall formally open and close all councils of the
statesmen of the League, they shall pass upon all matters deliberated
upon by the two sides and render their decision. Every Onondaga
statesman (or his deputy) must be present at every Council of the League
and must agree with the majority without unwarrantable dissent, so that
a unanimous decision may be rendered.
If Atotarho or any of his cousin statesmen are absent from a Council of
the League, any other Firekeeper may open and close the Council, but the
Firekeepers present may not give any decisions, unless the matter is of
small importance.
Note: No chief may start any unnecessary arguments or unjustifiably
delay the progress of the Council.
All the business of the Five Nations League Council shall be conducted
by the two combined bodies of Confederate statesmen. First, the question
shall be passed upon by the Mohawk and Seneca statesmen, then it shall
be discussed and passed by the Oneida and Cayuga statesmen. Their
decision shall then be referred to the Onondaga statesmen, the
Firekeepers, for final judgment.
The same process shall be followed when a question is brought before the
Council by an individual or a War Chief.
In all cases, the procedure must be as follows: when the Mohawk and
Seneca statesmen have unanimously agreed upon a question, they shall
report their decision to the Cayuga and Oneida statesmen, who shall
deliberate upon the question and report a unanimous decision to the
Mohawk statesmen. The Mohawk Rotiyaner will then report the standing of
the case to the Firekeepers, who shall render a decision as they see fit
in case of a disagreement by the two bodies or confirm the decisions of
the two bodies, if they are identical. The Firekeepers shall then report
their decision to the Mohawk statesmen who shall announce it to the open
Council.
Note: This means that in case of a disagreement between the two parties,
Mohawk-Seneca and Oneida-Cayuga, the Onondaga statesmen shall cast their
“vote” on one or the other, making it a two thirds majority, making it
necessary for the one third minority to go along with the decision of
the majority and it becomes a unanimous decision.
If, through any misunderstanding or obstinacy on the part of the
Firekeepers, they reach a decision at variance with that of the two
sides, the Two Sides shall reconsider the matter and if their decisions
are jointly the same as before, they shall report to the Firekeepers,
who are then compelled to confirm their joint decision.
When a case comes before the Onondaga, the Firekeepers, for discussion
and decision, Atotarho shall introduce the matter to his comrade
statesmen, who shall then discuss it in their two bodies. Every Onondaga
statesmen except Hononwireton shall deliberate and he shall listen only.
When a unanimous decision shall have been reached by the two bodies of
Firekeepers, Atotarho shall notify Hononwireton of the fact, then he
shall confirm it. He shall refuse to confirm a decision if it is not
unanimously agreed upon by both sides of the Firekeepers.
Note: In the Onondaga national council, the party for the final decision
is comprised of only one individual, Hononwireton; who however has to
follow the rule which is simply to confirm a unanimous decision or to
refuse to confirm a decision which was not agreed upon by the two sides.
He does not have to take part in the deliberation. It’s already taken
care of.
No chief shall ask a question of the body of chiefs of the League when
they are discussing a case, question or proposition. He may only
deliberate in a low tone with the separate body of which he is a member.
Note: Such an action by a chief may result in disorder and delay the
progress of the council.
When the Council of the Five Nations chiefs shall convene, they shall
appoint a speaker for the day. He shall be a chief of either the Mohawk,
Onondaga or Seneca nations.
The next day, the Council shall appoint another, but the first speaker
may be reappointed if there is no objection, but a speaker’s term shall
not be regarded more than a day.
No individual or foreign nation interested in a case, question, or
proposition shall have any voice in the Council of the League except to
answer a question put to him by the Speaker of the chiefs.
Note: This rule precludes hecklers and rowdy disruptions.
If the conditions which shall arise at any future time call for an
addition or change of this law, the case shall be carefully considered
and if a new beam seems necessary or beneficial, the proposed change
shall be decided upon and if adopted, shall be called, “Added to the
Rafters.”
Note: This points out the law-making privileges of the Rotiyaner.
STRINGS
A bunch of certain shell (wampum) strings, each two spans in length,
shall be given to each of the female families in which the.
chieftainship titles are vested. The right of bestowing the titles shall
be hereditary in the family of females legally possessing the bunch of
shell strings and the strings shall be the token that the females of the
family have the ownership to the chieftainship title for all time to
come, subject to certain restrictions mentioned here
Note: The families mentioned are political families called the “Clan.”
The women in possession of the Chieftainship -title wampum strings are
Clan Mothers. Like the Rotiyaner (Chiefs), the Clan Mother can be
deposed if she does a serious wrong at which time another woman will be
installed in her place as the Clan Mother.
If any chief of the League neglects or refuses to attend the Council of
the League, the other Chiefs of the nation of which he is a member shall
require their War Chief to request the female sponsors of the Chief so
guilty of neglecting his duties to demand his attendance at the Council.
If he refuses, the women holding the title shall immediately select
another candidate for the title. No chief shall be asked more than once
to attend the Council of the League.
Note: The Clan Mother deposes the errant. chief. The War Chief delivers
the order by reciting the words of deposition to the errant chief. The
three Clan mothers of the Clan of the deposed chief immediately choose
another Royaner.
CHIEF
If at any time it shall be apparent that a chief of the League has not
in mind the welfare of the people or disobeys the rules of the Great
Law, the men or women of the League, or both jointly, shall come to the
Council and scold the erring chief through his War Chief. If the
complaint of the people through the War Chief is not heeded on the first
occasion, it shall be uttered again and then if no attention is given, a
third complaint and a warning shall be given. If the chief is still
disobedient, the matter shall go to the Council of War Chiefs. The War
Chiefs shall then take away the title of the erring chief by order of
the women in whom the title is. vested. When the chief is deposed, the
women shall notify the chiefs of the League through their War Chief and
the Chiefs of the League shall sanction the act. The women will then
select another of their sons as a candidate and the chiefs shall elect
him. Then the chosen one shall be installed by the Installation
Ceremony.
When a chief is deposed, his War Chief shall address him as follows:
“So you, …, disregard and set at naught the warnings of your women
relatives. You fling the warnings over your shoulder to cast them
behind. Behold the brightness of the Sun, and in the brightness of the
Sun’s light, I depose you of your tide and remove the emblem of your
chieftainship title. I remove from your brow the deer’s antlers which
was the emblem of your position and token of your nobility. I now depose
you and return the antlers to the women whose heritage they are.”
The War Chief shall now address the women of the deposed Chief and say:
“Mothers as I have deposed your chief, I now return to you the emblem
and the title of chieftainship; therefore, repossess them.”
Again addressing the deposed chief, he shall say:
“As I have deposed and discharged you, so you are no longer chief. The
rest of the people of the League shall not go with you, for we know not
the kind of mind you possess. As the Creator has nothing to do with
wrong, so he will not come to rescue you from the precipice of
destruction in which you have cast yourself. You shall never be restored
to the position you once occupied.”
Then shall the War Chief address himself to the Chiefs of the nation to
which the deposed chief belongs and say:
“Know you, my chiefs, that I have taken the deer’s antlers from the brow
of …, the emblem of his position and token of his greatness:”
The chiefs of the League shall have no other alternative than to
sanction the discharge of the offending chief.
If a chief of the League of Five Nations should commit murder, the other
chiefs of the nation shall assemble at the place where the corpse lies
and prepare to depose the criminal chief. If it is impossible to meet at
the scene of the crime, the chiefs shall discuss the matter at the next
Council of their nation and request their War Chief to depose the chief
guilty of the crime, to “bury his women relatives” and to transfer the
chieftainship title to a sister family.
The War Chief shall address the chief guilty of murder and say:
“So you,…, did kill … with your own hands! You have committed a grave
crime in the eyes of the Creator. Behold the bright light of the Sun and
in the brightness of the Sun’s light, I depose you of your title and
remove the horns, the sacred emblems of your chieftainship title. I
remove from your brow the deer’s antlers which was the emblem of your
position and token of your nobility. I now depose you and expel you and
you shall depart at once from the territory of the League of the Five
Nations and never more return again. We, the League of Five Nations,
moreover, bury your women relatives because the ancient chieftainship
title was never intended to have any union with bloodshed. Henceforth,
it shall not be their heritage. By the evil deed that you have done they
have forfeited it forever.”
The War Chief shall then hand the title to a sister family and he shall
address it and say:
“Our Mothers, …, Listen attentively while I address you on a solemn and
important subject. I hereby transfer to you an ancient chieftainship
title for a great calamity has befallen it in the hands of the family of
a former chief. We trust that you, our Mothers, will always guard it and
that you will warn your chief always to be dutiful and to advise his
people to ever live in love, peace and harmony that a great calamity may
never happen again.”
Note: “Bury his women relatives” means political relatives. “Sister
Family” is a part of a clan which is composed of three parts with a
Chief and a Clan Mother in each part. The Chieftainship Title is lost by
the involved part and transferred to another part of the clan. “His
women relatives” is that one third part of the clan associated with the
deposed killer chief. “Family of a former chief’; political family of
the,deposed chief, a third part of the clan.
Certain physical defects in a statesman of the League makes him
ineligible to sit in the League Council. Such defects as infancy,
idiocy, blindness, deafness, dumbness and impotency. When a statesman of
the League is restricted by any of these conditions, a deputy shall be
appointed by his sponsors to act for him, but in cases of extreme
necessity, the restricted statesman may exercise his rights.
ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION
If a statesman of the League desires to resign his title, he shall
notify the statesmen of the nation of which he is a member of his
intentions.. If his co-active statesmen refuse to accept his
resignation, he may not resign his title.
A statesman, in proposing to resign, may recommend any proper candidate
which recommendation shall be received by the statesman but unless
confirmed and nominated by the women who hold the title, the candidate
shall not be considered.
Any chief of the League of Five Nations may construct shell strings or
wampum belts of any size of length as pledges or records of matters of
national and international importance.
When it is necessary to dispatch a shell string by a War Chief or other
messenger as a token of summons, the messenger shall recite the contents
of the string to whom it is sent. That party shall’ repeat the message
and if there has been a summons, he shall make ready for his journey.
Any of the people of the Five Nations may use shells or wampum as the
record of a pledge, contract or an agreement entered into and the same
shall be binding as soon as shell strings have been exchanged by both
parties.
The chiefs of the League of Five Nations shall be mentors of the people
for all time. The thickness of their skin shall be seven spans nine
(tsatahniioronkarakeh), which is to say that they shall be proof against
anger; offensive ‘action and criticism. Their hearts hall be full of
peace and good will, and their minds filled with a yearning for the
people of the League. With endless patience, they shall carry out their
duty. Their firmness shall be tempered with a tenderness for their
people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodging in their minds and all
their words and actions shall be marked by calm deliberation.
If a chief of the League should seek to establish any authority
independent of the jurisdiction of the League of the Great Peace, which
is the Five Nations, he shall be warned three times in open Council:
first by the women relatives, second by the men relatives, and finally
by the chiefs of the Nation to which he belongs.
If the offending chief is still persistent, he shall be dismissed by the
War Chief of his Nation for refusing to conform to the laws of the Great
Peace. His Nation shall then install the candidate nominated by the
female name holders of his family.
Note: Again, the “relatives” are the people of the Clan. Political
relatives. The ‘female name holders of his family” are the Clan Mothers
of the Clan. The “name” is the title given to each Royaner while he is
going through the ceremony of becoming a Royaner. The title he gets is
the name of the original Chief whose place he assumes when installed as
a Royaner.
It shall be the duty of all the chiefs of the League of Five Nations
from time to time as occasion demands to act as teachers and spiritual
guides of their people and remind them of their Creator’s will and
words.
They shall say:
“Listen, that peace may continue unto future days! “Always listen to the
words of the Great Creator, for he has spoken. “United People, let no
evil find lodging in your minds. “For the Great Creator has spoken and
the Cause of Peace shall not become old. “The cause of Peace shall not
die if you remember the Great Creator.”
Note: Great faith shown here.
All chiefs of the League of Five Nations must be honest in all things.
They must not idle and gossip, but be men possessing those honorable
qualities that make true leaders. It shall be a serious wrong for anyone
to lead a chief into trivial affairs for the people must ever hold their
chiefs high in estimation out of respect to their honorable positions.
When a candidate Chief is to be installed, he shall furnish four strings
of shells or wampum one span in length bound together at one end. Such
will constitute the evidence of his pledge to the chiefs of the League
that he will live according to the Constitution of the Great Peace and
exercise justice in all affairs.
When the pledge is furnished, the Speaker of the Council must hold the
shell strings in his hand and address the opposite side of the Council
Fire and he shall begin his address saying:
“Now behold him. He has now become a chief of the League. See how
splendid he looks.”
An address may then follow. At the end of it, he shall send the bunch of
shell strings to the opposite side and they shall be received as
evidence of the pledge. Then shall the opposite side say:
“We now do crown you with the sacred emblem of the deer’s antlers, the
emblem of your chieftainship. You shall now become a mentor of the
people of the Five Nations. The thickness of your skin shall be seven
spans, which is to say that you shall be proof against anger, offensive
actions and criticism. Your heart shall be filled with peace and good
will. Your mind shall be filled with a yearning for the welfare of the
people of the League. With endless patience you shall carry out your
duty and your firmness shall be tempered with tenderness for your
people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodging in your mind. All your
words and actions shall be marked with calm deliberation. In all your
deliberations in the Council of the League, in your efforts at
law-making, in all your official acts, self-interest shall be cast away.
Do not cast over your shoulder behind you the warnings of your nephews
and nieces should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do, but
return to the Great Law which is right and just. Look and listen for the
welfare of the whole people, and have always in view not only the
present, but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet
beneath the surface of the ground – the unborn of the future Nation.”
Note: A condolence ceremony is performed when a chief dies and a new one
is installed. The candidate Chief shall make or buy the required string
wampum, four strings of one span (four inches) in length tied together
at one end. The Clan Mother keeps the string wampum after the
Installation Ceremony. In the address, the Royaner holds the string
pledge wampum in his hand. The Rotiyaner of the opposite side of the
Council Fire from the Candidate Chief shall do the Installation
Ceremony. That is, the Mohawk, Seneca and Onondaga Rotiyaner shall be
installed by the Oneida and Cayuga Rotiyaner and vice versa.
When a chieftainship title is to be conferred, the candidate chief shall
furnish the cooked venison, the corn bread and the corn soup, together
with other necessary things and the labor for the Conferring of Titles
Festival.
IS RECITED
The chiefs of the League may confer the Chieftainship title whenever the
Great Law is recited, if there is a candidate, for the Great Law speaks
all the rules.
If a chief of the League should become seriously ill and be thought near
death, the women who are the heirs of his title shall go to his house
and lift his crown of deer antlers, the emblem of his Chieftainship, and
place them at one side. If the Creator spares him and he rises from his
bed of sickness, he may rise with the antlers on his brow.
The following words shall be used to temporarily remove the antlers:
“Now our comrade chief, the time has come when we must approach you in
your illness. We remove for a time the deer’s antlers from your brow. We
remove the emblem of your Chieftainship title. The Great Law has decreed
that no chief should end his life with the antlers on his brow. We,
therefore, lay them aside in the room. If the Creator spares you and you
recover from your illness, you shall resume your duties as chief of the
League and you may again labor for the people of the League.”
Note: The Clan Mothers depose a chief before he dies. He must not take
the title with him to the grave. The title will be inherited by his
successor.
If a chief of the League should die while the Council of the Five
Nations is in session, the Council shall adjourn for ten days. No
Council of the League shall sit within ten days of the death of a Chief
of the League.
If the Three Brothers (ahsennihontatehkenah) (the Mohawks, the Onondaga
and the Seneca) should lose one of their chiefs by death, the Younger
Brother (iatatehkenah) (the Cayuga and the Oneida) shall come to the
surviving chiefs of the Three Brothers on the tenth day and console
them. If the Younger Brothers lose one of their chiefs, then the Three
Brothers shall come to them and console them. And the consolation shall
be the reading of the contents of the thirteenth shell wampum of
Ayonwatha. At the termination of this rite, a successor shall be
appointed by the women heirs of the chieftainship title. If the women
are not ready to place their nominee before the chiefs, the Speaker
shall say:
“Come let us go out.”
All shall then leave the Council or place of gathering. The Speaker
shall lead the way from the house by saying:
“Let us depart to the edge of the woods and lie in wait on our bellies.”
(Tenshakonatioswentarese).
When the women title holders shall have chosen one of.their sons, the
chiefs of the League will assemble in two places, the Younger Brothers
in one place and the three Older Brothers in another. The chiefs who are
to console the mourning chiefs shall choose one of their number to sing
the Song of Peace as they journey to the sorrowing chiefs. The singer
shall lead the way and the chiefs and the people shall follow. When they
reach the sorrowing chiefs, they shall hail the candidate chief and
perform the rite of Conferring the Chieftainship title.
(Ohkeiontentshera)
Note: “Women’ heirs of the Chieftainship Title” means that the Clan
Mothers are keepers of the Chiefs string wampum which he turns over to
his Clan Mother before he is given the title at the Conferring of
Chieftainship rite. The title is the name of the original Chief in whose
position the Candidate Royaner is inheriting. “When the women title
holders shall have chosen one of the sons,” means political sons or men
of the particular Clan concerned, not necessarily any of their natural
sons.
When a chief of the League dies, the surviving relatives shall
immediately dispatch a messenger, a mentor of another clan, to the
chiefs in another locality. When the runner comes within hailing
distance of the locality, he shall utter a sad wail, thusly: “Kwa-ah!
Kwa-ah!” The sound shall be repeated three times, and then again and
again at intervals as many times as the distance may require. When the
runner arrives at the settlement, the people shall assemble and one must
ask the nature of his sad message.
He shall then say:
“Let us consider.” (rakwennikonriak).
Then he shall tell them of the death of the chief. He shall deliver to
them a string of shells or wampum and say:
“Here is the testimony, you have heard the message.”
He then may return home.
It now becomes the duty of the chiefs of the locality to send runners to
other localities and each locality shall send messengers until all
chiefs are notified. Runners shall travel day and night.
Note: The mourning relatives (members of the same clan) are consoled by
the members of the clan that sits opposite to them at the Council Fire.
They also do the running to distant chiefs. When their own chief dies,
then the favor is returned.
If a chief dies and there is no candidate qualified for the office in
the family of the women title holders, the chief of the Nation shall
give the title into the hands of a sister family (Kentennonteron) in the
clan until such time as the original family produces a candidate, when
the title shall be restored to the rightful owners.
No chieftainship title may be carried into the grave. The chiefs of the
League may dispossess a dead chief of his title even at the grave.
Note: “Sister family in the clan.” There are three chiefs and three Clan
Mothers in each Clan. Each chief and each clan mother represent a
‘family” or a political family in the Clan. Makes it easy to reach
decisions in Clan Councils. The Chieftainship Titles have been in
existence since the Confederacy was founded and must not be buried.
Should any man of the Nation assist with special ability or show great
interest in the affairs of the Nation, if he proves himself wise and
honest and worthy of confidence, the Chiefs of the League may elect him
to a seat among them and he may sit in the Council of the League. He
shall be proclaimed a Pine Tree, sprung up for the Nation, and be
installed as such at the next assembly for the installation of chiefs.
Should he ever do anything contrary to the rules of the Great Peace, he
may not be deposed from office – no one shall cut him down – but
thereafter every one shall be deaf to his voice and his advice. Should
he resign from his seat and title, no one shall prevent it. A Pine Tree
Chief has no authority to name a successor, nor is his title hereditary.
The title names of the War Chiefs of the League shall be:
The women heirs of each head chiefs title shall be the heirs of war
chiefs title of their respective chief.
The war chiefs shall be selected from the eligible sons of the female
families holding the chieftainship title.
Note: War Chiefs ruled absolutely over the nations when the Iroquois
Confederacy was formed. The ruling war chiefs were Tekarihoken for the
Mohawks, Atateheteh for the Oneidas, Atotarho for the Onondagas,
Dekaenyon for the Cayugas and Skanyatariio for the Senecas. They all
became part of the 49 Chiefs in the new order devised by Deganawida,
Founder of the Iroquois Confederacy. They became Peace Chiefs and anew
order for protection and defense was devised and the new category of War
Chiefs established and they included Ayonwehs for the Mohawks,
Kahonwaitiron for the Oneidas, Ayentes for the Onondagas, Wenens for the
Cayugas and Shoreratowaneh for the Senecas and these new War Chiefs took
instructions and directions from the former rulers of the Nations.
The Gayanerekowa has definite functions for the War Chief and his men
(Warrior Society). They are charged with the protection, defense and
welfare of the people. These duties may take many forms, such as keeping
the peace, teaching, speaking to the people, repossessing lost lands,
maintaining human rights, diplomatic relations with other nations, and
any other work that promotes the welfare of the people.
There shall be one War Chief for each Nation and their duties shall be
to carry messages for their chiefs and to take up arms in case of
emergency. They shall not participate in the proceedings of the Council,
but shall watch its progress and in case of an erroneous action by a
chief, the War. Chiefs shall receive the complaints of the people and
convey the warnings of the women to him. The people who wish to convey
messages to the Chiefs of the League shall do so through the War Chief
of their Nation. It shall always be his duty to lay the cases, questions
and propositions of the people before the Council of the League.
When a War Chief dies, another shall be installed by the same rite as
that by which a Chief (of the Council) is installed.
If a War Chief acts contrary to instructions or against the provisions
of the Laws of the Great Peace; doing so in the capacity of his office,
he shall be deposed by his women relatives and by his men relatives.
Either the women alone or the men alone or jointly may act in such a
case. The women title holders shall then choose another candidate.
Note: The people of the Clans here show their power. The women title
holders are, of course, the Clan Mothers.
When the chiefs of the League take occasion to dispatch a messenger on
behalf of the Council of the League, they shall wrap up any matter they
may send and instruct the messenger to remember his errand to turn not
aside, but to proceed faithfully to his destination and deliver his
message according to every instruction.
If a message borne by a runner is the warning of an invasion, he shall
whoop: “Kwa-ah, Kwa-ah!” twice and repeat at short intervals, then again
at a longer interval.
If a human is found dead, the finder shall not touch the body, but
return home immediately shouting at short intervals “Koo-weh!”
Among the Five Nations and their descendants there shall be the
following Clans:
Bear, Eel, Snipe, Beaver, Hawk, Turtle, Deer, Heron, Wolf
These Clans distributed through their respected nations shall be the.
sole owners and holders of the soil of the country and in them is
vested, as a birthright.
Note: There are clans other than these among the S Nations.The
Europeans, not being members of any of these Clans, have no right to own
any land in this part of the world.
People of the Five Nations who are members of a certain clan shall
recognize every member of the Clan no matter what Nation, as relatives.
Men and women, therefore, who are members of the same Clan are forbidden
to marry.
The lineal descent of the people of the Five Nations shall run in the
female line. Women shall be considered the Progenitors of the Nation.
They shall own the land and the soil. Men and women shall follow the
status of their mothers.
The women heirs of the chieftainship titles of the League shall be
called Oyaner or Otiyaner for all time to come.
Note: The Clan Mothers shall be called Oyaner. Oyaner is derived from
the word Oyana meaning “path “. Oyaner is the female “good path maker.”
Otiyaner is in the plural. Royaner means, “He makes a good path for
people to follow.” Rotiyaner is in the plural.
The women of the 48 (now 50) noble families shall be the heirs of the
authorized names for all time to come.
When an infant of the Five Nations is given an Authorized Name at the
Midwinter Festival or at the Green Corn and Strawberry and Harvest
Festival, one in the cousinhood of which the infant is a member shall be
appointed a speaker. He shall announce to the opposite cousinhood the
names of the father and mother of the child together with the clan of
the mother. Then the speaker shall announce the child’s name twice. The
uncle of the child shall then take the child in his arms and walking up
and down the room shall sing, “My head is firm; I am of the League.” As
he sings, the opposite cousinhood shall respond by chanting: “Hyen,
Hyen, Hyen, Hyen…”, until the song is ended.
Note: The “cousinhood” is the other Clan. The purpose of announcing the
Clan of the mother is to point out the Clan of the child. A child is
born a Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, etc., but when he is named in the Great
Law ceremony, the child becomes an Iroquois or Rotinonsonni. He is a
Mohawk by blood and an Iroquois by law, for Gayanerekowa is also known
as the Great. Law, is the Constitution of the Kanonsonnionwe or the
Iroquois Confederacy. By the same token, if an individual or a whole
Nation leaves the Iroquois Confederacy and in time realizes their great
error and decide to be reinstated, then would be required to go. through
the Naming Ceremony or in their case, a re-naming ceremony and hold the
Pledge Wampum and re-accept the Great Law and this act could be called
the Iroquois Pledge of Allegiance.
If the female heirs of a title of a chief of the League becomes extinct,
the title shall be given by the chiefs of the League to a sister family
whom they shall elect, and that family shall hold the name and transmit
it to their female heirs, but they shall not appoint any of their sons
as a candidate for a title until all the eligible men of the former
family shall have died, or otherwise have become ineligible.
Note: If the Clan Mothers who hold a Royaner Title become extinct, the
Chiefs of the Confederacy shall give the Royaner title to another of the
three parties making up the clan, but they will not appoint a Royaner
until all the eligible men in the former clan (family) have died. Which
means that the Chiefs of the Confederacy can institute a new clan if
necessary.
If all the heirs of a chieftainship become extinct, and so all the
families in the Clan, then the title shall be given by the chiefs of the
League to a family of a sister Clan whom they shall elect.
Note: The chiefs shall take from a large clan and make a new clan or
keep up the extinct clan so that the title shall not be lost.
If any of the Otiyaner women, heirs of a titleship, shall willfully
withhold a chieftainship or other title and refuse to bestow it, or if
such heirs abandon, forsake or despise their heritage, then shall such
women be deemed buried, and their family extinct. The titleship shall
then revert to a sister family or Clan, upon application and complaint.
The chiefs of the League shall elect the family or Clan which shall in
future hold the title.
Note: How political rights are lost by one of the three parties of a
Clan when it’s Clan Mother refuses to follow the rules of her position.
HOME
The Otiyaner women of the League, heirs of the chieftainship titles,
shall elect two women of their family as cooks for the chief when the
people shall assemble at his house for business or other purposes.
HOME
When a chief holds a conference in his home, his wife, if she wishes,
may prepare the food for the union chiefs who assemble with him. This is
an honorable right which she may exercise and an expression of her
esteem.
The Otiyaner women, heirs of the chieftainship titles, shall, should it
be necessary, correct and admonish the holders of the titles. Those only
who attend the Council may do this and those who do not shall not object
to what has been said nor strive to undo the action.
Note: The Clan Mothers (Otiyaner) may correct and give friendly advice
to the Rotiyaner (Chiefs).
When the Otiyaner women, holders of a chieftainship title, select one of
their sons as a candidate, they shall select one who is trustworthy, of
good character, of honest disposition, one who manages his own affairs,
and supports his own family, if any, and who has proven a faithful man
to his nation.
Note: When the Clan Mothers “select one of their sons” it means one of
the men in the Clan who has the proper qualifications. It does not
necessarily mean one of their own natural sons, the Clan being a
political family.
When a chieftainship title becomes vacant through death or other cause,
the Otiyaner women of the Clan in which the title is hereditary shall
hold a council and shall choose one of their sons to fill the office
made vacant. Such a candidate shall not be the father of any chief of
the League. If the choice is unanimous, the name is referred to the men
relatives of the Clan. If they should disapprove, it shall be their duty
to select a candidate from among their own number. If then the men and
women are unable to decide which of the two candidates shall be named,
then the matter shall be referred to the chiefs of the League in the
Clan. They shall decide which candidate shall be named. If the men and
women agree to a candidate, then his. name shall be referred to the
sister clan for confirmation. If the sister clans confirm the choice,
they shall refer their action to the chiefs of the League who shall
ratify the choice and present it to their cousin chiefs, and if the
cousin chiefs confirm the name, then the candidate shall be installed by
the proper ceremony for the conferring of chieftainship titles.
Note: Again, “one of their sons” means the eligible men of the Clan.
The. new chief shall have to meet with the approval of all the men,
women, Clan Mothers and other Chiefs.
WAMPUM STRINGS
A large bunch of shell strings, in the making of which the Five Nations
League Chiefs have equally contributed, shall symbolize the completeness
of the unions, and certify the pledge of the Nations, represented by the
chiefs of the League of the Mohawk, the Oneida, The Onondaga, the
Cayuga, and the Seneca, that all are united and formed into one body, or
union, called the Union of the Great Law which they have established.
A bunch of shell strings is to be the symbol of the Council Fire of the
League of Five Nations. And the chief whom the Council of Firekeepers
shall appoint to speak for them in opening the Council shall hold the
strands of shell in his hands when speaking. When he finishes speaking,
he shall place the strings on an elevated place or pole so that all the
assembled chiefs and the people may see it and know that the Council is
open and in progress.
MAY EITHER BE DEPOSED OR EXECUTED BY THE WAR CHIEF AND HIS MEN
A bunch of wampum strings, three spans of the hand in length, the upper
half of the bunch being white and the lower half black, and formed from
equal contributions of the men of the Five Nations, shall be the token
that the men have combined themselves into one head, one body and one
thought, and it shall symbolize their ratification of the peace pact of
the League, whereby the Chiefs of the Five Nations have established the
Great Peace. The white portion of the shell strings represent the women
and the black portion of men. The black portion, furthermore, is a token
of power and authority vested in the men of the Five Nations.
This string of wampum vests the people with the right to correct their
erring chiefs. In case a part of the chiefs or all of them pursue a
course not vouched for by the people and heed not the third warning of
their women relatives (Wasenensawenrate). Then the matter shall be taken
to the general council of the Women of the Five Nations. If the chiefs
notified and warned three times fail to heed, then the case falls into
the hands of the men of the Five Nations. The War Chiefs shall then by
right of such power and authority, enter the open Council to warn the
chief or chiefs to return from their wrong course.
If the chiefs heed the warning, they shall say:
“We shall reply tomorrow.”
If then an answer is returned in favor of justice and in accord with the
Great Law, then the Chiefs shall individually pledge themselves again,
by again furnishing the necessary shells for the pledge. Then shall the
War Chief or Chiefs exhort the chiefs, urging them to be just and true.
Should it happen that the chiefs refuse to heed the third warning, then
two courses are open: either the men may decide in their council to
depose the chief or chiefs, or to club them to death with war clubs.
Should they in their council decide to take the first course, the War
Chief shall address the chief or chiefs saying:
“Since you, the chiefs of the Five Nations, have refused to return to
the procedure of the Constitution, we now declare your seats vacant and
we take off your horns, the token of your chieftainship, and others
shall be chosen and installed in your seats. Therefore, vacate your
seats.”
Should the men in their council adopt the second course, the War Chief
shall order his men to enter the Council, to take positions beside the
errant chiefs sitting between them wherever possible. When this is
accomplished, the War Chief holding in his outstretched hand a bunch of
black wampum strings shall say to the erring chiefs:
“So now, Chiefs of the Five Nations, harken to these last words from
your men. You have not heeded the warnings of the General Council of
Women and you have not heeded the warnings of the Men of the Nations,
all during you to the right course of action. Since you are determined
to resist and to withhold justice from you people, there is only one
course for us to adopt.”
At this point, the War Chiefs shall drop the bunch of black wampum and
the men shall spring to their feet and club the erring chiefs to death.
Any erring chief may become submissive before the War Chief lets fall
the Black Wampum. The Black Wampum here used symbolizes that the power
to execute is buried, but it may be raised up again by the men. It is
buried, but when the occasion arises, they may pull it up and derive
their power and authority to act as here described.
Note: The right to decide on execution is held by both the General
Council of the Men of the Five Nations and the General Council of the
Women of the Five Nations. So is the right to decide on war. The “War
Chief shall order his men.” In the present century a new title has been
given to the War Chief and his men: “The Warrior Society.”
A broad belt of wampum of thirty-eight rows, having a white heart in the
center, on either side of which are two white squares all connected with
the heart by white rows of beads shall be the emblem of the Five
Nations.
The first of the squares on the left represents the Mohawk Nation and
its territory, the second square on the left and near the heart
represents the Oneida Nation and its territory, and the white heart in
the middle represents the Onondaga Nation and its territory. It also
means that the heart of the Five Nations is single in its loyalty to the
Great Peace, and that the Great Peace is lodged in the hear (meaning
with Onondaga League Chiefs) and that the Council Fire is to bum there
for the Five Nations. Further it means that the authority is given to
advance the cause of peace whereby hostile nations out of the League
shall cease warfare. The white square to the right of the heart
represents the Cayuga Nation and its territory and the fourth and last
square represents the Seneca Nation and its territory. White here
symbolizes that no evil nor jealous thoughts shall creep into the minds
of the chiefs while in Council under the Great Peace, White the emblem
of peace, love, charity, and equity surrounds and guards the Five
Nations.
Ayonwatha Belt
Note: The above Wampum Belt was made by Ayonwatha (Hiawatha to the white
man) to commemorate the making of the Great Law.
Should a great calamity threaten the generations rising and living of
the Five Nations, then he who is able to climb to the top of the Tree of
the Great Long Leaves (White Pine) may do so. When he reaches the top of
the Tree, he shall look about in all directions and should he see evil
things indeed approaching, then he shall call to the people of the Five
United Nations assembled beneath the Tree of the Great Peace and say:
“A calamity threatens your happiness.”
Then shall the Chiefs convene in Council and discuss the impending evil.
When all the truths relating to the trouble shall be fully known and
found to be truths, then shall the people seek a tree of Kahnonkaahkona,
the great swamp elm tree and when they shall find it they shall assemble
their heads together and lodge for a time between its roots. Then, their
labors being finished, they may hope for happiness for many more days
after.
Note: This is ancient man’s way of warning the people to be ever on the
alert to danger, discuss it and do something about it.
When the League of the Five Nations Council declares for a reading of
the belts of shell to mind these laws, they shall provide for the reader
a specially made mat woven of the fibers of wild hemp. The mat shall not
be used again, for such formality is called “honoring the importance of
the law.”
Note: The reading of the Great Law from the Wampum is very important and
honorable. Some Indians won’t read the Great Law in its written form
because it says it should be recited every five years from the Wampum
records. That’s the way it had to be done originally because there was
no written language. Now that there is a written language, Deganawida
would have certainly recommended and urged that the people read the
Great Law often. There are chiefs who don’t even know when they are
violating the law because they refuse to read it in its written form.
Should two sons of opposite sides of the Council Fire agree (istawa) in
a desire to hear the reciting of the laws of the Great Peace and so
refresh their memories in a way specified by the Founder of the League,
they shall notify Atotarho. He shall consult with five of his cousin
chiefs and they in turn shall consult with their eight brethren. Then
should they decide to accede to the request of the two sons from the
opposite sides of the Council Fire, Atotarho shall send messengers to
notify the chiefs of each of the Five Nations. Then they. shall dispatch
their War Chief to notify their brother and cousin chiefs of the meeting
and its time and place.
When all have come and have assembled, Atotarho, in conjunction with his
cousin chiefs, shall appoint one chief who shall repeat the laws of the
Great Peace to the two sons. Then the chosen one shall repeat the laws
of the Great Peace.
Note: “Two sons of opposite sides of the Council Fire” means two
ordinary men, non-chiefs who are members of different clans who sit
opposite each other across the Council Fire. Atotarho’s “five cousin
chiefs” means those who sit opposite him in the Onondaga Council. “Their
eight brethren” means brother Chiefs who sit on the same side of the
Council Fire. It would seem that the Wampum reader repeats, that is,
reads the Great Law twice, once to the two sons and then to everybody.
RITES
At the ceremony of the installation of chiefs, if there is only one
expert speaker and singer of the Law and the Song of Peace to stand at
the Council Fire, then when this speaker and singer has finished
addressing one side of the Fire, he shall go to the opposite side and
reply to his own speech and song. He shall act for both sides of the
Fire until the entire ceremony has been completed. Such a speaker and
singer shall be termed “Two-faced” because he speaks and sings for both
sides of the Fire.
Note: People can become lax and negligent and suddenly find themselves
without the right kind of speakers and singers.
I, Deganawida, and the United Chiefs, now uproot the tallest tree
(skarenhesekowa) and into the hole thereby made, we case all weapons of
war. Into the depths of the earth, down into the deep underneath
currents of water (Tionswatetsien) flowing to unknown regions we cast
all the weapons of strife. We bury them.from sight and we plant again
the tree. Thus, shall the Great Peace be established and hostilities
shall no longer be known between the Five Nations, but peace to the
United People.
Note: The Five Nations buried their weapons of war so they’ll never
fight and kill each other again and they haven’t. They only unbury the
war club to execute a traitor. However, they did not bury the hatchet to
all their enemies for they fought numerous wars and battles after the
Iroquois Confederacy was founded and the Great Law was established.
The father of a child of great comeliness, learning, ability or
specially loved because of some circumstance may, at the will of the
child’s Clan, select a name from his own (the father’s) Clan and bestow
it by ceremony, such as is provided. The naming is only temporary and
shall be called, “A name hung about the neck
Note: A given name can be only temporary.
NATION
Should any person, a member of the League of the Five Nations,
especially esteem a man or a woman of another Clan or of a foreign
nation, he may choose a name, bestow it upon that person so esteemed.
The naming shall be in accord with the ceremony of bestowing names. Such
a name is only temporary and shall be called, “A name hung about the
neck”. A short string of shells shall be delivered with the name as a
record and a pledge.
Note: This type of name giving is more serious as a string wampum and a
pledge are involved.
Should any member of the Five Nations, a family or a person belonging to
a foreign nation submit a proposal for adoption into a clan or one of
the Five Nations, he or she shall furnish a string of shells, a span in
length, as a pledge to the Clan into which he or they wish to be
adopted. The Chiefs of the Nation shall then consider the proposal and
submit a decision.
Note: Adoption is how the Clans are kept at full strength.
FAMILIES
Any member of the Five Nations, who through esteem or other feelings,
wishes to adopt an individual, a family, or a number of families, may
offer adoption to him or them, and if accepted, the matter shall be
brought to the attention of the Chiefs for confirmation and the Chiefs
must confirm the adoption.
Note: Anyone may adopt a person or many persons but must get official
sanction by the Rotiyaner in Council.
When the adoption of anyone shall have been confirmed by the Chiefs of
the Nation, the chiefs shall address the people of the Nation and say:
“Now you of our Nation, be informed that, … (such a person, such a
family, or such families), have ceased forever to bear their birth
nation’s name and have buried it in the depth of the earth. Henceforth
let no one of our Nation ever mention the original name or nation of
their birth. To do so will hasten the end of our peace.”
Note: The name of the adopted person’s nation or birthplace must never
be mentioned as it causes trouble or end of the peace.
When a person or family belonging to the Five Nations desires to abandon
their Nation and the territory of the Five Nations they shall inform the
chiefs of their Nation and the Council of the League of Five Nations
shall take notice of it.
When a person or any of the people of the Five Nations emigrate and
reside in a distant region away from the territory of the League of Five
Nations, the chiefs of the Five Nations at will may send a messenger
carrying a broad belt of black shells and when the messenger arrives, he
shall call the people together or address them personally, displaying
the belt of black shells and they shall know that this is an order for
them to return to their original homes and to their Council Fires.
Note: The Rotiyaner may or may not recall an emigrant depending on the
circumstances.
The soil of the earth from one end to the other is the property of
people who inhabit it. By birthright, the Onkwehonwe, the original
beings, are the owners of the soil which they own and occupy and non
other may hold it. The same law has been held from the oldest times.
Note: The Onkwehonwe legal opinion is that the natives of America were
the first humans on this land. The originated in the land they live on
and occupy and no foreigners have the right to take over the land. The
so-called “conquest of America” is simply a bare-faced robbery of Indian
land.
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
The Great Creator has made us of one blood and of the same soil he made
us, and as only different tongues constitute different nations, he
established different hunting grounds and territories and made boundary
lines between them.
Note: Each nation has a boundary line to stay within. Also no race of
people has a “God given” right to invade other races.
When any alien nation of individual is admitted into the League, the
admission shall be understood only to be a temporary one. Should the
person or nation create loss or do wrong, cause suffering of any kind to
endanger the peace of the League, the League statesmen shall order one
of their War Chiefs to reprimand him or them. If a similar offense is
committee, the offending party shall be expelled from the League.
When a member of an alien nation comes to the territory of the League
and seeks refuge and permanent residence, the Statesman of the Nation to
which he comes shall extend hospitality and make him a member of the
Nation. Then he shall be accorded equal rights and privileges in all
matters except as mentioned here.
No body of alien people who have been adopted temporarily shall have a
vote in the Council of the Chiefs of the League, for only they who have
been invested with chieftainship titles may vote in the Council. Aliens
have nothing by blood to make claim to a vote and should they have it,
not knowing all the traditions of the League, might go against the Great
Peace. In this manner, the Great Peace would be endangered and perhaps
be destroyed.
Note: The word “vote” is used here to mean “voice” as there is no voting
or balloting in the National or Grand Councils of the Five Nations. Only
the Rotiyaner have a voice in the Councils unless an individual is asked
to speak by the Rotiyaner.
When the chiefs of the League decide to admit a foreign nation and an
adoption is made, the chiefs shall inform the adopted nation that its
admission is only temporary. They shall also say to the nation that it
must never try to control; interfere with, or injure the Five Nations,
nor disregard the Great Peace or any of its rules or customs. In no way
should they cause disturbance or injury. Then shall the adopted nation
disregard these injunctions, their adoption will be annulled and they
will be expelled.
The expulsion shall be in the following manner. The Council shall
appoint one of their War Chiefs to convey the message of annulment and
he shall say:
“You,… (naming the nation), Listen to me while I speak. I am here to
inform you again of the will of the Five Nations Council. It was clearly
made known to you at a former time. Now. the chiefs of the Five Nations
have decided to expel you and cast you out. We disown you now and annul
your adoption. Therefore you must look for a path in which to go and
lead away all your people. It was you, not we, who committed wrong and
caused this sentence of annulment., -So then go your way and depart from
the territory of the Five Nations and away from the League.”
Note: The Tuscaroras were admitted into the Iroquois Confederacy in 1714
and given apiece of Oneida territory. It was too close to white
settlements and they asked for land further away and were given land in
Seneca territory. They are not a foreign Indian nation. They had found
their way back to their own people. A different situation would exist if
an alien Indian nation living in their own territory asked to join the
Iroquois Confederacy which was the original plan of Deganawida, to have
all Indian nations unite in one big alliance. They never got beyond Five
Nations. The Tuscaroras were not given a voice in the Grand Council and
all other Indian nations seeking admission were given protectorate
Indian nation status with no voice nor power in the Confederacy. This is
not what Deganawida had in mind. Had his plan been followed, there would
now be a mighty Iroquois Confederacy of more than 200 nations with a
country of its own. The missionaries take the credit for this failure to
create a pan American Confederacy. They say they went all over America
to all Indian nations and spread propaganda against the Iroquois
Confederacy, especially against the Mohawks whom they consider the most
militant and most able organizers. Actually, it was the elitist Five
Nations Chiefs who are responsible for the weakness of the Confederacy
today.
Whenever a foreign nation enters the League or accepts the Great Peace,
the Five Nations and the foreign nation shall enter into an agreement
and compact by which the foreign nation shall endeavor to persuade the
other nations to accept the Great Peace.
Note: They asked other nations to help spread peace among mankind.
Skanawati shall be vested with a double office, duty and double
authority.: One half of his being shall hold the statesman title and the
other half shall hold the title of War Chief. In the event of war, he
shall notify the five War Chiefs of the League and command them to
prepare for war and have the men ready at the appointed time and place
for engagement with the enemy of the Great Peace.
Note: At the time the Confederacy was formed, all chiefs were war chiefs
and this included Skanawati, Tekarihoken, etc. After the new order of
things, the War Chiefs became apart of the National and Grand Council
until they died and afterwards, the War Chiefs became a separate entity.
FORCE
When the Council of the League has for its object the establishment of
the Great Peace among the people of an outside nation and that nation
refuses to accept the Great Peace, then by such refusal they bring a
declaration of war upon themselves from the Five Nations. Then shall the
Five Nations seek to establish the Great Peace by a conquest of the
rebellious nation.
Note: There have been times when people were made good by force. No
doubt the rebellious nation was acting aggressively.
THE WAR CHIEFS TO LEAD THEM IN BATTLE
When the men of the League, now called forth to become warriors, are
ready for battle with an obstinate opposing nation that has refused to
accept the Great Peace, then one of the five War Chiefs shall be chosen
by the warriors of the League to lead the army into battle. It shall be
the duty of the War Chief so chosen to come before his warriors and
address them. His aim shall be to impress upon them the necessity of
good behavior and strict obedience to the commands of the War Chiefs.
He shall deliver an oration exhorting them with great zeal to be brave
and courageous and never to be guilty of cowardice. At the conclusion of
his oration, he shall march forward and commence a War Song and he shall
sing:
Note: The warriors choose the War Chief and they also choose which of
the War Chiefs to lead them in the war.
When the warriors of the Five Nations are on an expedition against the
enemy, the War Chief shall sing the War Song as he approaches the
country of the enemy and not cease until his scouts have reported that
the army is near the enemy lines when the War Chief shall approach with
great caution and prepare for the attack.
Note: An Indian war is not all work and no play. There is entertainment
before the action and after.
When peace shall have been established by the termination of the war
against a foreign nation, then the War Chief shall cause all the weapons
of war to be taken from the nation. Then shall the Great Peace be
established and that nation shall observe all the rules of the Great
Peace for all time to come.
GOVERNMENT
Whenever a foreign nation has been conquered or has by their own will
accepted the Great Peace, their own system of internal government may
continue, but they must cease all warfare against other nations.
Note: All wars must cease! If necessary by force.
Whenever a war against a foreign nation is pushed until the nation is
about exterminated because of its refusal to accept the Great Peace and
if that nation shall by its obstinacy become exterminated, all their
rights, property and territory shall become the property of the Five
Nations.
Note: This is what happens when a nation fights to the death of all.
Whenever a foreign nation is conquered and the survivors are brought
into the territory of the League of Five Nations and placed under the
Great Peace, the two shall be known as the Conqueror and the Conquered.
A symbolic relationship shall be devised and be placed in some symbolic
position. The conquered nation shall have no voice in the councils of
the League in the body of chiefs.
When the war of the Five Nations on a foreign rebellious nation is
ended, peace shall be restored to that nation by a withdrawal of all
their weapons of war by the War Chief of the Five Nations. When all the
terms of peace shall have been agreed upon, a state of friendship shall
be established.
Note: After the war, the enemies shall become friends.
BY FORCE
When the proposition to establish the Great Peace is made to a foreign
nation, it shall be done in mutual council. The foreign nation is to be
persuaded by reason and urged to come into the Great Peace. If the Five
Nations fail to get the consent of the nation at the first council, a
second council shall be held and upon a second failure; a third council
shall be held and this third council shall end the peaceful methods of
persuasion. At the third council, the War Chief of the Five Nations
shall address the chief of the foreign nation and request him three
times to accept the Great Peace. If refusal steadfastly follows, the War
Chief shall let the bunch of white lake shells drop from his
outstretched hand to the ground and shall bound quickly forward and
club, the offending chief to death. War shall thereby be declared and
the War Chief shall have his warriors to back any emergency. War must
continue until the contest is won by the Five Nations.
WARRIORS
When the chiefs of the Five Nations propose to meet in conference with a
foreign nation with proposals for an acceptance of the Great Peace, a
large band of Warriors shall conceal themselves in a secure place safe
from the espionage of the foreign nation, but as near at hand as
possible. Two warriors shall accompany the Union Chief who. carries the
proposals, and these warriors shall be especially cunning. Should the
chief be attacked, these warriors shall hasten back to the army of
warriors with the news of the calamity which fell through the treachery
of the foreign nation.
When the Five Nations Council declares war, any chief of the League may
enlist with the warriors by temporarily renouncing his sacred
chieftainship title which he holds through the nomination of his women
relatives. The title then reverts to them and they may bestow it upon
another temporarily until the war is over, when the chief, if living,
may resume his title and seat in the council.
Note: The Royaner turned warrior cannot exert any authority in the field
of action and must take orders from the War Chief like any other
warrior.
WAR CHIEFS
A certain wampum belt of black beads shall be the emblem of the
authority of the five War Chiefs to take up the weapons of war and with
their men to resist invasion. This shall be called a War in the Defense
of the Territory.
NATION ENDEAVOR TO DESTROY THE GREAT PEACE BY VIOLATING THE LAWS, THEY
SHALL BE DRIVEN FROM THE TERRITORY BY THE WAR CHIEF AND HIS MEN (WARRIOR
SOCIETY)
If a nation, part of a nation, or more than one nation within the Five
Nations should in any way endeavor to destroy the Great Peace by neglect
or violating its laws and resolve to dissolve the League, such a nation
or nations shall be deemed guilty of treason and called enemies of the
League and the Great Peace.
It shall then be the duty of the chiefs of the League who remain
faithful to resolve to warn the offending people. They shall be warned
once and if a second warning is necessary, they shall be driven from the
territory of the League by the War Chief and his men.
MATTERS
Whenever an especially important matter or a great emergency is
presented before League Council and the nature of the matter effects the
entire body of Five Nations, threatening their utter ruin, then the
chiefs of the League must submit the matter to the decision of their
people and the decision of the people shall affect the decision of the
League Council. This decision shall be a confirmation of the voice of
the people.
Note: When the referendum (decision by the people) was first practiced.
AND THEIR DECISION SHALL BE CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS
The men of every Clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fire ever
burning in readiness for a Council of the clan. When it seems necessary
for the interest of the people, for a council to be held to discuss the
welfare of the Clan, then the men may gather about the fire. This
Council shall have the same rights as the Council of Women.
SAME RIGHTS AS THE COUNCILS OF THE MEN
The women of every Clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fire
ever burning in readiness for a council of the Clan. When in their
opinion it seems necessary for the interest of the people, they shall
hold a council, and their decision and recommendation shall be
introduced before the Council of Chiefs by the War Chief for its
consideration.
NATIONS MAY UNITE INTO ONE GENERAL COUNCIL FIRE
All the Clan Council Fires of a Nation or of the Five Nations may unite
into one general Council Fire, or delegates from all the Council Fires
may be appointed to unite in a general Council for discussing the
interest of the people. The people shall have the right to make
appointments and to delegate their power to others of their number. When
their council shall have come to a conclusion on any matter, their
decision shall be reported to the Council of the Nation of the League
Council (as the case may require) by the War Chief or the War Chiefs.
Note: The League Council is also known as the Grand Council. When the
people in general of the Iroquois Confederacy hold a general council,
the Grand Council has to go along with their decision as the Confederacy
is a people’s government.
Before the real people united their nations, each nation had its own
Council Fires. Before the Great Peace. their councils were held. The
Five Council Fires shall continue to burn as before and they are not
quenched. The chiefs of each Nation in the future shall settle their
national affairs at the Council govemed always by the laws and rules of
the Council of the League and the Great Peace.
If either a nephew or a niece see an irregularity in the performance of
the functions of the Great Peace and its laws, in the League Council or
in the Conferring of Chief titles in an improper way, through their War
Chief, they may demand that such actions become subject to correction,
and that the matter conform to the ways of presented by the law of the
Great Peace.
Note: The “nephew” and “niece” means ordinary men and women who are not
Rotiyaner or Clan Mothers, showing that every one has the right to
correct any wrong being done. The Great Peace and the Great Law seem to
be interchangeable. Each is a product of the other.
The rites and festivals of each nation shall remain undisturbed and
continue as before, because they were given by the people of old times
as useful and necessary for the good of men.
Note: This law says not to disturb the rites and festivals, that is, not
to change it or add to it, such as a new religion, etc.
It shall be the duty of the chiefs of each brotherhood to confer at the
approach of the time of the Midwinter Thanksgiving and to notify the
people of the approaching festival. They shall hold a council over the
matter, arrange its details and begin the Thanksgiving five days after
the moon of Tiskonah is new. The people shall assemble at the appointed
place and the nephews shall notify the people of the time and place.
From the beginning to the end, the chiefs shall preside over the
Thanksgiving and address the people from time to time.
Note: The Midwinter Festival begins five days after the new moon
following the Winter Solstice. The “Nephews” are runners who go to
inform the people of the time of the Festival.
It shall be the duty of the appointed managers of the Thanksgiving
Festivals to do all that is needful for carrying out the duties ofthe
occasions.
The recognized festivals of Thanksgiving shall be the Midwinter
Thanksgiving, the Maple or Sugarmaking Thanksgiving, the. Raspberry
Thanksgiving, the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Little Festival of Green
Corn, the Great Festival of Ripe Corn and the Complete Thanksgiving for
the Harvest. Each nation’s festivals shall be held in their Longhouses.
When the Thanksgiving for the Green Corn comes, the special managers,
both men and women, shall give it special attention and do their duties
properly.
When the Ripe Corn Thanksgiving is celebrated, the chiefs of the Nation
must give it the same attention as they give to the Midwinter
Thanksgiving.
Whenever any man proves himself by his good life and his knowledge of
good things, he shall be recognized by the chiefs as a Teacher of Peace
and Kariwiyo and the people shall hear him.
The song used in installing a new chief of the League shall be sung by
Atotarho and it shall be:
WAMPUM #106
TO LEARN THE SONG OF PEACE
Whenever a person entitled properly desires to learn the Song of Peace,
he is privileged to do so, but he must prepare a feast at which his
teachers may sit with him and sing. The feast is provided that no
misfortune may befall them for singing the song when no Chief is
installed.
A certain sign shall be known to all the people of the Five Nations
which shall denote that the owner or occupant of a house is absent. A
stick or pole in a slanting or leaning position shall indicate this and
be the sign. Every person not entitled to enter the house by right of
living within, upon seeing such a sign shall not enter the house by day
or night, but shall keep as far away as his business will permit.
At the funeral of a chief of the League, these words are said:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a Chief of
the League of Five Nations, and the united people trusted you. Now we
release you, for it is true that it is no longer possible for us to walk
about together on the earth. Now, therefore, we lay it (the body) here.
Here we lay it away. Now then we say to you, persevere onward to the
place where the Creator dwells in peace. Let not the things of the earth
hinder you. Let nothing that transpired while you lived hinder you. In
hunting, you once delighted; in the game of lacrosse, you once took
delight, and in the feast and pleasant occasions, your mind was amused,
but now do not allow thoughts of these things to give you trouble.”
“Let not your relatives hinder you and also let not your friends and
associates trouble your mind. Regard none of these things.”
“Now then, in turn, you here present who are related to the man, and you
who were his friends and associates, behold the path that is yours also!
Soon we ourselves will be left in that place. For this reason, hold
yourselves in restraint as you go from place to place. In your actions
and in your conversation do no idle thing. Speak no idle talk, neither
gossip. Be careful of this and speak not and do not give away to evil
behavior. One year is the time that you must abstain from unseeming
levity, but if you cannot do this for ceremony, ten days is the time to
regard these things for respect.”
Note: The Handsome Lake religion wanted to impose the one year period of
mourning but according to the Great Law, a new Chief must be raised ten
days after the death of a Royaner when the Condolence Ceremony is
performed and a new Royaner is raised and the ten days of mourning is
lifted according to the Great Law.
There is a small condolence within three days of the death of a chief,
which is temporary until a full condolence is held with a candidate
selected by the clan.
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. Once you were a War Chief
of the Five Nations League and the United People trusted you as their
guard from the enemy.” (The remainder is the same as the address at the
funeral of a chief.)
At the funeral of a warrior, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. Once you were a devoted
provider and protector of your family and you were ready to take part in
battles for the Five Nations. The United People trusted you, …” (The
remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of ‘a chief.)
At the funeral of a young man, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. In the beginning of your
career you are taken away and the flower of your life is withered away…”
(The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a chief.)
At the funeral of a Chief Woman, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a Chief Woman
in the League of Five Nations. You once were a Mother of the Nations.
Now we release you for it is true that it is no longer possible for us
to walk about together on the earth. Now, therefore, we lay it (the
body) here. Here we lay it away. Now we say to you, persevere onward to
the place where the Creator dwells in peace. Let not the things of the
earth hinder you. Looking after your family was a sacred duty, and you
were faithful. You were one of the joint heirs of the chieftainship
titles. Feastings were yours and you had pleasant occasions…” (The
remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a chief)
At the funeral of a woman of the people, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a women in
the flower of life and the bloom is now withered away. You once held a
sacred position as mother of the Nation (etc.). Looking after your
family was a sacred duty and you were faithful. Feastings were yours and
you had pleasant occasions…” (The remainder is the same as the funeral
of a chief.)
At the funeral of an infant or young woman, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were a tender bud and
gladdened our hearts for only afew days. Now the bloom has withered away
…(etc.). Let none of these things that transpired on earth hinder you.
Let nothing that happened while you lived hinder you.” (The remainder is
the same as at the funeral of a chief.)
When an infant dies within three days, mourning shall continue only five
days. Then shall you gather the little boys and girls at the house of
mourning and at the funeral feast, a speaker shall address the children
and bid them to be happy once more, though by death, gloom has been cast
over them, then shall the children be again in the sunshine.
When a dead person is brought to the burial place, the speaker on the
opposite side of the Council Fire shall bid the bereaved family to cheer
up their minds once more and rekindle their fires in peace, to put their
house in order and once again be in brightness for darkness has covered
them. He shall say that the black clouds shall roll away and that the
blue sky is visible once more. Therefore, they shall be at peace in the
sunshine again.
Three strings of shell one span in length shall be employed in
addressing the assemblage at the- burial of the dead. The speaker shall
say:
“Hearken you who are here, this body is to be covered. Assemble in this
place again in ten days hence, for it is the decree of the Creator that
mourning shall cease when ten days have expired. Then a feast shall be
made.”
Then at the expiration of ten days, the Speaker shall say:
“Continue to listen you who are here. The ten days of mourning have
expired and your mind must now be freed of sorrow as before the loss of
your relative. The relatives have decided to make a little compensation
to those who have assisted at the funeral. It is a mere expression of
thanks. This is the one who did the cooking while the body was lying in
the house. Let her come forward and receive this gift and be released
from this task.” (In substance, this will be repeated for everyone who
assisted in any way until all have been remembered.)
So ends the words of the Great Law of Peace
passed down by Deganawida