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<<< THE IROQUOIS CONSTITUTION >>>
ABOUT THE IROQUOIS CONSTITUTION
During the bi-centennial year of The Constitution of the United States,
a number of books were written concerning the origin of that long-re-
vered document. One of these, The Genius of the People, alleged that
after the many weeks of debate a committee sat to combine the many
agreements into one formal document. The chairman of the committee
was John Rutledge of South Carolina. He had served in an earlier time,
along with Ben Franklin and others, at the Stamp Act Congress, held in
Albany, New York. This Committee of Detail was having trouble deciding
just how to formalize the many items of discussion into one document
that would satisfy one and all. Rutledge proposed they model the new
government they were forming into something along the lines of the
Iroquois League of Nations, which had been functioning as a democratic
government for hundreds of years, and which he had observed in Albany.
While there were many desirable, as well as undesirable, models from
ancient and modern histories in Europe and what we know now as the
Middle East, only the Iroquois had a system that seemed to meet most of
the demands espoused by the many parties to the debates. The Genius of
the People alleged that the Iroquois had a Constitution which began:
"We the people, to form a union. . ."
That one sentence was enough to light a fire under me, and cause me to
do some deep research into ancient Iroquoian lore. I never did find
that one sentence backed up in what writings there are concerning the
ancient Iroquois. But I DID find sufficient data and evidence to
convince me that the Iroquois most certainly did have a considerable
influence on the drafting of our own Constitution, and we present-day
Americans owe them a very large debt. At the time of the founding of
the Iroquois League of Nations, no written language existed; we have
only the early stories which were passed down from generation to
generation, until such time as there was a written language, and
interpreters available, to record that early history. One such
document is listed below.
There are several other documents now available in various places which
refer to the original founding of the Iroquois, and they seem to
substantiate this document as probably truthful and accurate. This
version was prepared by Arthur C. Parker, Archeologist of the State
Museum in New York in 1915, and published by the University of the
State of New York as Bulletin 184 on April 1, 1916. It is entitled:
The Constitution of the Five Nations - or - The Iroquois Book of the
Great Law. In it, you will find close parallels to our Executive,
Legislative and Judiciary branches of government as originally des-
cribed in our U. S. Constitution.
You will find it very difficult to keep in mind that it survives after
some 500 or 600 years, and was originated by people that our ancestors
mistakenly considered as "savages". Some sources place the origin of
the Five Nation Confederacy as early as 1390 AD, but others insist it
was prepared about 1450-1500 AD; in any case, it was well before any
possible contamination by European invaders. Early explorers and
colonists found the Iroquois well established, as they had been for
many generations: with a democratic government; with a form of religion
that acknowledged a Creator in heaven; with a strong sense of family
which was based on, and controlled by, their women; and many other
surprises you will soon discover.
It must also be pointed out that this document refers to to the "Five"
Nations, while other references to the Confederacy speak of the "Six"
nations. From the inception, there were the Five Nations discussed in
this Constitution. In about 1715, the Tuscarora Nation, once part of
the Iroquois peoples in a much earlier period of their history, moved
up from North Carolina to avoid warfare with the invading white
settlers, and were adopted into the Confederacy. At this point in
time, the Iroquois controlled many parts of our now eastern states from
their homelands in what is now New York state. The original Five
Nations were:
Mohawk: People Possessors of the Flint
Onondaga: People on the Hills
Seneca: Great Hill People
Oneida: Granite People
Cayuga: People at the Mucky Land
Tuscarora: Shirt Wearing People became the Sixth Nation.
The founder of the Confederacy of the Five Nations is generally ack-
nowledged to be Dekanawida, born near the Bay of Quinte, in south-
eastern Ontario, Canada. During his travels, he associated himself
with a Mohawk tribal lord in what is now New York, and named him
Hahyonhwatha (Hiawatha) (He who has misplaced something, but knows
where to find it). Hiawatha left his family and friends, and joined
Dekanawida in his travels, becoming his chief spokesman. One legend
has it that Dekanawida, while brilliant, had a speech impediment, and
depended on Hiawatha to do his public speaking for him. Together, they
traveled the length and breadth of the lands on the south shores of
Lakes Erie and Ontario, as well as the river to the sea, now known as
the St. Lawrence. These were the homelands of tribes with a common
heritage, but who had been warring with one another for many years.
Dekanawida united them into a League of Nations that we now call the
Iroquois League. Centuries later, Longfellow "borrowed" the name of
Hiawatha to be his hero in a fictional legend; there is no other
connection between the two Hiawathas nor their stories.
Here is their original Constitution, as best it can be recontructed
from legend and spoken history. Read it and be amazed...keep in mind
it is over 500 years old!
------------------------------------
Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
------------------------------------
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONS
THE GREAT BINDING LAW, GAYANASHAGOWA
1. I am Dekanawidah and with the Five Nations' Confederate Lords I
plant the Tree of Great Peace. I plant it in your territory, Adodar-
hoh, and the Onondaga Nation, in the territory of you who are Fire-
keepers.
I name the tree the Tree of the Great Long Leaves. Under the shade of
this Tree of the Great Peace we spread the soft white feathery down of
the globe thistle as seats for you, Adodarhoh, and your cousin Lords.
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 Peace. There shall you sit and watch the Council Fire of
the Confederacy of the Five Nations, and all the affairs of the Five
Nations shall be transacted at this place before you, Adodarhoh, and
your cousin Lords, by the Confederate Lords of the Five Nations.
2. Roots have spread out from the Tree of the Great Peace, one to
the north, one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. The
name of these roots is The Great White Roots and their nature is Peace
and Strength.
If any man or any nation outside the Five Nations shall obey the laws
of the Great Peace and make known their disposition to the Lords of the
Confederacy, they may trace the Roots to the Tree and if their minds
are clean and they are obedient and promise to obey the wishes of the
Confederate Council, they shall be welcomed to take shelter beneath the
Tree of the Long Leaves.
We place at the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves an Eagle who is able
to see afar. If he sees in the distance any evil approaching or any
danger threatening he will at once warn the people of the Confederacy.
3. To you Adodarhoh, the Onondaga cousin Lords, I and the other
Confederate Lords have entrusted the caretaking and the watching of the
Five Nations Council Fire.
When there is any business to be transacted and the Confederate Council
is not in session, a messenger shall be dispatched either to Adodarhoh,
Hononwirehtonh or Skanawatih, Fire Keepers, or to their War Chiefs with
a full statement of the case desired to be considered. Then shall
Adodarhoh call his cousin (associate) Lords together and consider
whether or not the case is of sufficient importance to demand the
attention of the Confederate Council. If so, Adodarhoh shall dispatch
messengers to summon all the Confederate Lords to assemble beneath the
Tree of the Long Leaves.
When the Lords are assembled the Council Fire shall be kindled, but not
with chestnut wood, and Adodarhoh shall formally open the Council.
[ed note: chestnut wood throws out sparks in burning, thereby creating
a disturbance in the council ]
Then shall Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords, the Fire Keepers, announce
the subject for discussion.
The Smoke of the Confederate Council Fire shall ever ascend and pierce
the sky so that other nations who may be allies may see the Council
Fire of the Great Peace.
Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords are entrusted with the Keeping of the
Council Fire.
4. You, Adodarhoh, and your thirteen cousin Lords, shall faithfully
keep the space about the Council Fire clean and you shall allow neither
dust nor dirt to accumulate. I lay a Long Wing before you as a broom.
As a weapon against a crawling creature I lay a staff 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 Lords to your aid.
5. The Council of the Mohawk shall be divided into three parties as
follows: Tekarihoken, Ayonhwhathah and Shadekariwade are the first
party; Sharenhowaneh, Deyoenhegwenh and Oghrenghrehgowah are the second
party, and Dehennakrineh, Aghstawenserenthah and Shoskoharowaneh are
the third party. The third party is to listen only to the discussion
of the first and second parties and if an error is made or the proceed-
ing is 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 Lords for
their decision. When the Seneca Lords have decided in accord with the
Mohawk Lords, the case or question shall be referred to the Cayuga and
Oneida Lords on the opposite side of the house.
6. I, Dekanawidah, appoint the Mohawk Lords the heads and the leaders
of the Five Nations Confederacy. The Mohawk Lords are the foundation
of the Great Peace and it shall, therefore, be against the Great
Binding Law to pass measures in the Confederate Council after the
Mohawk Lords have protested against them.
No council of the Confederate Lords shall be legal unless all the
Mohawk Lords are present.
7. Whenever the Confederate Lords shall assemble for the purpose of
holding a council, the Onondaga Lords shall open it by expressing their
gratitude to their cousin Lords and greeting them, and they shall make
an address and offer thanks to the earth where men dwell, to the
streams of water, the pools, the springs and the lakes, to the maize
and the fruits, to the medicinal herbs and trees, to the forest trees
for their usefulness, 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 reveal 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 Lords declare the council open.
The council shall not sit after darkness has set in.
8. The Firekeepers shall formally open and close all councils of the
Confederate Lords, and they shall pass upon all matters deliberated
upon by the two sides and render their decision.
Every Onondaga Lord (or his deputy) must be present at every Con-
federate Council and must agree with the majority without unwarrantable
dissent, so that a unanimous decision may be rendered.
If Adodarhoh or any of his cousin Lords are absent from a Confederate
Council, 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.
9. All the business of the Five Nations Confederate Council shall be
conducted by the two combined bodies of Confederate Lords. First the
question shall be passed upon by the Mohawk and Seneca Lords, then it
shall be discussed and passed by the Oneida and Cayuga Lords. Their
decisions shall then be referred to the Onondaga Lords, (Fire Keepers)
for final judgement.
The same process shall obtain when a question is brought before the
council by an individual or a War Chief.
10. In all cases the procedure must be as follows: when the Mohawk and
Seneca Lords have unanimously agreed upon a question, they shall report
their decision to the Cayuga and Oneida Lords who shall deliberate upon
the question and report a unanimous decision to the Mohawk Lords. The
Mohawk Lords will then report the standing of the case to the Fire-
keepers, 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 Fire Keepers shall then report their
decision to the Mohawk Lords who shall announce it to the open council.
11. If through any misunderstanding or obstinacy on the part of the
Fire Keepers, they render 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 Fire Keepers
who are then compelled to confirm their joint decision.
12. When a case comes before the Onondaga Lords (Fire Keepers) for
discussion and decsion, Adodarho shall introduce the matter to his
comrade Lords who shall then discuss it in their two bodies. Every
Onondaga Lord except Hononwiretonh shall deliberate and he shall listen
only. When a unanimous decision shall have been reached by the two
bodies of Fire Keepers, Adodarho shall notify Hononwiretonh of the fact
when he shall confirm it. He shall refuse to confirm a decision if it
is not unanimously agreed upon by both sides of the Fire Keepers.
13. No Lord shall ask a question of the body of Confederate Lords 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.
14. When the Council of the Five Nation Lords shall convene they shall
appoint a speaker for the day. He shall be a Lord of either the
Mohawk, Onondaga or Seneca Nation.
The next day the Council shall appoint another speaker, but the first
speaker may be reappointed if there is no objection, but a speaker's
term shall not be regarded more than for the day.
15. No individual or foreign nation interested in a case, question or
proposition shall have any voice in the Confederate Council except to
answer a question put to him or them by the speaker for the Lords.
16. If the conditions which shall arise at any future time call for an
addition to or change of this law, the case shall be carefully con-
sidered and if a new beam seems necessary or beneficial, the proposed
change shall be voted upon and if adopted it shall be called, "Added to
the Rafters".
RIGHTS, DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF LORDS
17. A bunch of a certain number of shell (wampum) strings each two
spans in length shall be given to each of the female families in which
the Lordship titles are vested. The right of bestowing the title shall
be hereditary in the family of the females legally possessing the bunch
of shell strings and the strings shall be the token that the females of
the family have the proprietary right to the Lordship title for all
time to come, subject to certain restrictions hereinafter mentioned.
18. If any Confederate Lord neglects or refuses to attend the Con-
federate Council, the other Lords of the Nation of which he is a member
shall require their War Chief to request the female sponsors of the
Lord so guilty of defection to demand his attendance of the Council.
If he refuses, the women holding the title shall immediately select
another candidate for the title.
No Lord shall be asked more than once to attend the Confederate
Council.
19. If at any time it shall be manifest that a Confederate Lord has
not in mind the welfare of the people or disobeys the rules of this
Great Law, the men or women of the Confederacy, or both jointly, shall
come to the Council and upbraid the erring Lord through his War Chief.
If the complaint of the people through the War Chief is not heeded the
first time it shall be uttered again and then if no attention is given
a third complaint and warning shall be given. If the Lord is contuma-
cious the matter shall go to the council of War Chiefs. The War Chiefs
shall then divest the erring Lord of his title by order of the women in
whom the titleship is vested. When the Lord is deposed the women shall
notify the Confederate Lords through their War Chief, and the Con-
federate Lords shall sanction the act. The women will then select
another of their sons as a candidate and the Lords shall elect him.
Then shall the chosen one be installed by the Installation Ceremony.
When a Lord is to be deposed, his War Chief shall address him as
follows:
"So you, __________, disregard and set at naught the warnings
of your women relatives. So you fling the warnings over your
shoulder to cast them behind you.
"Behold the brightness of the Sun and in the brightness of
the Sun's light I depose you of your title and remove the
sacred emblem of your Lordship 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 Lord and say:
"Mothers, as I have now deposed your Lord, I now return to
you the emblem and the title of Lordship, therefore repossess
them."
Again addressing himself to the deposed Lord he shall say:
"As I have now deposed and discharged you so you are now no
longer Lord. You shall now go your way alone, the rest of
the people of the Confederacy will not go with you, for we
know not the kind of mind that possesses you. 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 which
you once occupied."
Then shall the War Chief address himself to the Lords of the Nation to
which the deposed Lord belongs and say:
"Know you, my Lords, that I have taken the deer's antlers
from the brow of ___________, the emblem of his position and
token of his greatness."
The Lords of the Confederacy shall then have no other alternative than
to sanction the discharge of the offending Lord.
20. If a Lord of the Confederacy of the Five Nations should commit
murder the other Lords of the Nation shall assemble at the place where
the corpse lies and prepare to depose the criminal Lord. If it is
impossible to meet at the scene of the crime the Lords shall discuss
the matter at the next Council of their Nation and request their War
Chief to depose the Lord guilty of crime, to "bury" his women relatives
and to transfer the Lordship title to a sister family.
The War Chief shall address the Lord guilty of murder and say:
"So you, __________ (giving his name) did kill __________
(naming the slain man), with your own hands! You have
comitted a grave sin 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 Lordship 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 Five Nations Confederacy and nevermore return again. We,
the Five Nations Confederacy, moreover, bury your women
relatives because the ancient Lordship 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 Lordship title for a great
calamity has befallen it in the hands of the family of a
former Lord. We trust that you, our mothers, will always
guard it, and that you will warn your Lord always to be
dutiful and to advise his people to ever live in love, poeace
and harmony that a great calamity may never happen again."
21. Certain physical defects in a Confederate Lord make him ineligible
to sit in the Confederate Council. Such defects are infancy, idiocy,
blindness, deafness, dumbness and impotency. When a Confederate Lord
is restricted by any of these condition, a deputy shall be appointed by
his sponsors to act for him, but in case of extreme necessity the
restricted Lord may exercise his rights.
22. If a Confederate Lord desires to resign his title he shall notify
the Lords of the Nation of which he is a member of his intention. If
his coactive Lords refuse to accept his resignation he may not resign
his title.
A Lord in proposing to resign may recommend any proper candidate which
recommendation shall be received by the Lords, but unless confirmed and
nominated by the women who hold the title the candidate so named shall
not be considered.
23. Any Lord of the Five Nations Confederacy may construct shell
strings (or wampum belts) of any size or length as pledges or records
of matters of national or international importance.
When it is necessary to dispatch a shell string by a War Chief or other
messenger as the token of a summons, the messenger shall recite the
contents of the string to the party to whom it is sent. That party
shall repeat the message and there has been a sumons he shall make
ready for the 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 shall have been exchanged by
both parties.
24. The Lords of the Confederacy of the Five Nations shall be mentors
of the people for all time. The thickness of their skin shall be seven
spans -- which is to say that they shall be proof against anger,
offensive actions and criticism. Their hearts shall be full of peace
and good will and their minds filled with a yearning for the welfare of
the people of the Confederacy. With endless patience they shall carry
out their duty and their firmness shall be tempered with a tenderness
for their people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgement in their
minds and all their words and actions shall be marked by calm delibera-
tion.
25. If a Lord of the Confederacy should seek to establish any author-
ity independent of the jurisdiction of the Confederacy 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 Lords of the Confederacy of the Nation to which he
belongs. If the offending Lord is still obdurate 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.
26. It shall be the duty of all of the Five Nations Confederate Lords,
from time to time as occasion demands, to act as mentors and spiritual
guides of their people and remind them of their Creator's will and
words. They shall say:
"Hearken, that peace may continue unto future days!
"Always listen to the words of the Great Creator, for he has
spoken.
"United people, let not 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."
Every Confederate Lord shall speak words such as these to promote
peace.
27. All Lords of the Five Nations Confederacy must be honest in all
things. They must not idle or gossip, but be men possessing those
honorable qualities that make true royaneh. It shall be a serious wrong
for anyone to lead a Lord into trivial affairs, for the people must
ever hold their Lords high in estimation out of respect to their
honorable positions.
28. When a candidate Lord 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 Con-
federate Lords 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 commence his address saying: "Now behold him. He has
now become a Confederate Lord. 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 oposite 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 Lordship. 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 criti-
cism. Your heart shall be filled with peace and good will
and your mind filled with a yearning for the welfare of the
people of the Confederacy. 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 lodgement in your mind and all your words and actions
shall be marked with calm deliberation. In all of your
deliberations in the Confederate Council, in your efforts at
law making, in all your official acts, self interest shall be
cast into oblivion. Cast not over your shoulder behind you
the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you
for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way of
the Great Law which is just and right. 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."
29. When a Lordship title is to be conferred, the candidate Lord 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.
30. The Lords of the Confederacy may confer the Lordship title upon a
candidate whenever the Great Law is recited, if there be a candidate,
for the Great Law speaks all the rules.
31. If a Lord of the Confederacy should become seriously ill and be
thought near death, the women who are heirs of his title shall go to
his house and lift his crown of deer antlers, the emblem of his
Lordship, 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 Lord (or our relative Lord) 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
Lordship title. The Great Law has decreed that no
Lord 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 rise from your bed with the
antlers on your brow as before and you shall resume
your duties as Lord of the Confederacy and you may
labor again for the Confederate people."
32. If a Lord of the Confederacy should die while the Council of the
Five Nations is in session the Council shall adjourn for ten days. No
Confederate Council shall sit within ten days of the death of a Lord of
the Confederacy.
If the Three Brothers (the Mohawk, the Onondaga and the Seneca) should
lose one of their Lords by death, the Younger Brothers (the Oneida and
the Cayuga) shall come to the surviving Lords of the Three Brothers on
the tenth day and console them. If the Younger Brothers lose one of
their Lords then the Three Brothers shall come to them and console
them. And the consolation shall be the reading of the contents of the
thirteen shell (wampum) strings of Ayonhwhathah. At the termination of
this rite a successor shall be appointed, to be appointed by the women
heirs of the Lordship title. If the women are not yet ready to place
their nominee before the Lords the Speaker shall say, "Come let us go
out." All shall leave the Council or the place of gathering. The
installation shall then wait until such a time as the women are ready.
The Speaker shall lead the way from the house by saying, "Let us depart
to the edge of the woods and lie in waiting on our bellies."
When the women title holders shall have chosen one of their sons the
Confederate Lords will assemble in two places, the Younger Brothers in
one place and the Three Older Brothers in another. The Lords who are
to console the mourning Lords shall choose one of their number to sing
the Pacification Hymn as they journey to the sorrowing Lords. The
singer shall lead the way and the Lords and the people shall follow.
When they reach the sorrowing Lords they shall hail the candidate Lord
and perform the rite of Conferring the Lordship Title.
33. When a Confederate Lord dies, the surviving relatives shall
immediately dispatch a messenger, a member of another clan, to the
Lords in another locality. When the runner comes within hailing
distance of the locality he shall utter a sad wail, thus: "Kwa-ah,
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 him the nature of his sad message. He shall then say,
"Let us consider." Then he shall tell them of the death of the Lord.
He shall deliver to them a string of shells (wampum) and say "Here is
the testimony, you have heard the message." He may then return home.
It now becomes the duty of the Lords of the locality to send runners to
other localities and each locality shall send other messengers until
all Lords are notified. Runners shall travel day and night.
34. If a Lord dies and there is no candidate qualified for the office
in the family of the women title holders, the Lords ofthe Nation shall
give the title into the hands of a sister family in the clan until such
a time as the original family produces a candidate, when the title
shall be restored to the rightful owners.
No Lordship title may be carried into the grave. The Lords of the
Confederacy may dispossess a dead Lord of his title even at the grave.
ELECTION OF PINE TREE CHIEFS
35. 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,
honest and worthy of confidence, the Confederate Lords may elect him to
a seat with them and he may sit in the Confederate Council. He shall
be proclaimed a 'Pine Tree sprung up for the Nation' and shall be
installed as such at the next assembly for the installation of Lords.
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 everyone shall be deaf to his voice and his advice. Should
he resign his seat and title no one shall prevent him. A Pine Tree
chief has no authority to name a successor nor is his title hereditary.
NAMES, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF WAR CHIEFS
36. The title names of the Chief Confederate Lords' War Chiefs
shall be:
Ayonwaehs, War Chief under Lord Takarihoken (Mohawk)
Kahonwahdironh, War Chief under Lord Odatshedeh (Oneida)
Ayendes, War Chief under Lord Adodarhoh (Onondaga)
Wenenhs, War Chief under Lord Dekaenyonh (Cayuga)
Shoneradowaneh, War Chief under Lord Skanyadariyo (Seneca)
The women heirs of each head Lord's title shall be the heirs of the War
Chief's title of their respective Lord.
The War Chiefs shall be selected from the eligible sons of the female
families holding the head Lordship titles.
37. There shall be one War Chief for each Nation and their duties
shall be to carry messages for their Lords and to take up the arms of
war in case of emergency. They shall not participate in the proceed-
ings of the Confederate Council but shall watch its progress and in
case of an erroneous action by a Lord they 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 Lords in the Confederate Council
shall do so through the War Chief of their Nation. It shall ever be
his duty to lay the cases, questions and propositions of the people
before the Confederate Council.
38. When a War Chief dies another shall be installed by the same rite
as that by which a Lord is installed.
39. 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 or the men alone or jointly may act in
such a case. The women title holders shall then choose another
candidate.
40. When the Lords of the Confederacy take occasion to dispatch a
messenger in behalf of the Confederate Council, 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.
41. 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 being is found dead, the finder shall not touch the body but
return home immediately shouting at short intervals, "Koo-weh!"
CLANS AND CONSANGUINITY
42. Among the Five Nations and their posterity there shall be the
following original clans: Great Name Bearer, Ancient Name Bearer, Great
Bear, Ancient Bear, Turtle, Painted Turtle, Standing Rock, Large
Plover, Deer, Pigeon Hawk, Eel, Ball, Opposite-Side-of-the-Hand, and
Wild Potatoes. These clans distributed through their respective
Nations, shall be the sole owners and holders of the soil of the
country and in them is it vested as a birthright.
43. People of the Five Nations members of a certain clan shall
recognize every other member of that clan, irrespective of the Nation,
as relatives. Men and women, therefore, members of the same clan are
forbidden to marry.
44. 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 the mother.
45. The women heirs of the Confederated Lordship titles shall be
called Royaneh (Noble) for all time to come.
46. The women of the Forty Eight (now fifty) Royaneh 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 Ripe Corn Festival, one in the cousinhood
of which the infant is a member shall be appointed a speaker. He shall
then announce to the opposite cousinhood the names of the father and
the 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 Confederacy." As he sings
the opposite cousinhood shall respond by chanting, "Hyenh, Hyenh,
Hyenh, Hyenh," until the song is ended.
47. If the female heirs of a Confederate Lord's title become extinct,
the title right shall be given by the Lords of the Confederacy to the
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.
48. If all the heirs of a Lordship title become extinct, and all the
families in the clan, then the title shall be given by the Lords of the
Confederacy to the family in a sister clan whom they shall elect.
49. If any of the Royaneh women, heirs of a titleship, shall wilfully
withhold a Lordship 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
Lords of the Confederacy shall elect the family or clan which shall in
future hold the title.
50. The Royaneh women of the Confederacy heirs of the Lordship titles
shall elect two women of their family as cooks for the Lord when the
people shall assemble at his house for business or other purposes.
It is not good nor honorable for a Confederate Lord to allow his people
whom he has called to go hungry.
51. When a Lord holds a conference in his home, his wife, if she
wishes, may prepare the food for the Union Lords who assemble with him.
This is an honorable right which she may exercise and an expression of
her esteem.
52. The Royaneh women, heirs of the Lordship titles, shall,should it
be necessary, correct and admonish the holders oftheir titles. Those
only who attend the Council may do thisand those who do not shall not
object to what has been said norstrive to undo the action.
53. When the Royaneh women, holders of a Lordship 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,
supports his own family, if any, and who has proven a faithful man to
his Nation.
54. When a Lordship title becomes vacant through death or other cause,
the Royaneh women of the clan in which the title is hereditary shall
hold a council and shall choose one from among their sons to fill the
office made vacant. Such a candidate shall not be the father of any
Confederate Lord.
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 Confederate
Lords in the Clan. They shall decide which candidate shall be named.
If the men and the women agree to a candidate his name shall be
referred to the sister clans for confirmation. If the sister clans
confirm the choice, they shall refer their action to their Confederate
Lords who shall ratify the choice and present it to their cousin Lords,
and if the cousin Lords confirm the name then the candidate shall be
installed by the proper ceremony for the conferring of Lordship titles.
OFFICIAL SYMBOLISM
55. A large bunch of shell strings, in the making of which the Five
Nations Confederate Lords have equally contributed, shall symbolize the
completeness of the union and certify the pledge of the nations
represented by the Confederate Lords of the Mohawk, the Oneida, the
Onondaga, the Cayuga and the Senecca, 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
Five Nations Confederacy. And the Lord whom the council of Fire
Keepers shall appoint to speak for them in opening the council shall
hold the strands of shells in his hands when speaking. When he
finishes speaking he shall deposit the strings on an elevated place (or
pole) so that all the assembled Lords and the people may see it and
know that the council is open and in progress.
When the council adjourns the Lord who has been appointed by his
comrade Lords to close it shall take the strands of shells in his hands
and address the assembled Lords. Thus will the council adjourn until
such time and place as appointed by the council. Then shall the shell
strings be placed in a place for safekeeping.
Every five years the Five Nations Confederate Lords andthe people shall
assemble together and shall ask one another iftheir minds are still in
the same spirit of unity for the Great
Binding Law and if any of the Five
Nations shall not pledge continuance and steadfastness to the pledge of
unity then the Great Binding Law shall dissolve.
56. Five strings of shell tied together as one shall represent the
Five Nations. Each string shall represent one territory and the whole
a completely united territory known as the Five Nations Confederate
territory.
57. Five arrows shall be bound together very strong and each arrow
shall represent one nation. As the five arrows are strongly bound this
shall symbolize the complete union of the nations. Thus are the Five
Nations united completely and enfolded together, united into one head,
one body and one mind. Therefore they shall labor, legislate and
council together for the interest of future generations.
The Lords of the Confederacy shall eat together from one bowl the feast
of cooked beaver's tail. While they are eating they are to use no
sharp utensils for if they should they might accidentally cut one
another and bloodshed would follow. All measures must be taken to
prevent the spilling of blood in any way.
58. There are now the Five Nations Confederate Lords standing with
joined hands in a circle. This signifies and provides that should any
one of the Confederate Lords leave the council and this Confederacy his
crown of deer's horns, the emblem of his Lordship title, together with
his birthright, shall lodge on the arms of the Union Lords whose hands
are so joined. He forfeits his title and the crown falls from his brow
but it shall remain in the Confederacy.
A further meaning of this is that if any time any one of the Con-
federate Lords choose to submit to the law of a foreign people he is no
longer in but out of the Confederacy, and persons of this class shall
be called "They have alienated themselves." Likewise such persons who
submit to laws of foreign nations shall forfeit all birthrights and
claims on the Five Nations Confederacy and territory.
You, the Five Nations Confederate Lords, be firm so that if a tree
falls on your joined arms it shall not separate or weaken your hold.
So shall the strength of the union be preserved.
59. A bunch of wampum shells on 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 a token that the men have combined themselves into
one head, one body and one thought, and it shall also symbolize their
ratification of the peace pact of the Confederacy, whereby the Lords of
the Five Nations have established the Great Peace.
The white portion of the shell strings represent the women and the
black portion the 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 Lords. In case a part or all the Lords pursue a course not
vouched for by the people and heed not the third warning of their women
relatives, then the matter shall be taken to the General Council of the
women of the Five Nations. If the Lords 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 concil to warn the Lord or Lords to
return from the wrong course. If the Lords heed the warning they shall
say, "we will reply tomorrow." If then an answer is returned in favor
of justice and in accord with this Great Law, then the Lords shall
individualy pledge themselves again by again furnishing the necessary
shells for the pledge. Then shall the War Chief or Chiefs exhort the
Lords urging them to be just and true.
Should it happen that the Lords refuse to heed the third warning,
then two courses are open: either the men may decide in their council
to depose the Lord or Lords 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 Lord or Lords, saying: "Since you the Lords of
the Five Nations have refused to return to the procedure of the
Constitution, we now declare your seats vacant, we take off your horns,
the token of your Lordship, 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
Lords, sitting bewteen them wherever possible. When this is ac-
complished the War Chief holding in his outstretched hand a bunch of
black wampum strings shall say to the erring Lords: "So now, Lords of
the Five United Nations, harken to these last words from your men. You
have not heeded the warnings of the women relatives, 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 urging you to return
to the right course of action. Since you are determined to resist and
to withhold justice from your people there is only one course for us to
adopt." At this point the War Chief shall let drop the bunch of black
wampum and the men shall spring to their feet and club the erring Lords
to death. Any erring Lord may submit before the War Chief lets fall
the black wampum. Then his execution is withheld.
The black wampum here used symbolizes that the power to execute is
buried but that it may be raised up again by the men. It is buried but
when occasion arises they may pull it up and derive their power and
authority to act as here described.
60. A broad dark 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 unity of the Five Nations.
[ed note: This is the Hiawatha Belt now in the Congressional Library.]
The first of the squares on the left represents the Mohawk nation and
its territory; the second square on the left and the one near the
heart, represents the Oneida nation and its territory; the white heart
in the middle represents the Onondaga nation and its territory, and it
also means that the heart of the Five Nations is single in its loyalty
to the Great Peace, that the Great Peace is lodged in the heart
(meaning the Onondaga Lords), and that the Council Fire is to burn
there for the Five Nations, and further, it means that the authority is
given to advance the cause of peace whereby hostile nations out of the
Confederacy shall cease warfare; the white square to the right of the
heart represents the Cayuga nation and its territory and the fourth and
last white square represents the Seneca nation and its territory.
White shall here symbolize that no evil or jealous thoughts shall creep
into the minds of the Lords while in Council under the Great Peace.
White, the emblem of peace, love, charity and equity surrounds and
guards the Five Nations.
61. Should a great calamity threaten the generations rising and living
of the Five United Nations, then he who is able to climb to the top of
the Tree of the Great Long Leaves may do so. When, then, he reaches
the top of the tree he shall look about in all directions, and, should
he see that evil things indeed are approaching, then he shall call to
the people of the Five United Nations assembled beneath the Tree of the
Great Long Leaves and say: "A calamity threatens your happiness."
Then shall the Lords 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 out a Tree of Ka--
hon-ka-ah-go-nah, [ a great swamp Elm ], 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 days after.
62. When the Confederate Council of the Five Nations declares for a
reading of the belts of shell calling 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
the honoring of the importance of the law.
63. Should two sons of opposite sides of the council fire agree in a
desire to hear the reciting of the laws of the Great Peace and so
refresh their memories in the way ordained by the founder of the
Confederacy, they shall notify Adodarho. He then shall consult with
five of his coactive Lords and they in turn shall consult with their
eight brethern. Then should they decide to accede to the request of
the two sons from opposite sides of the Council Fire, Adodarho shall
send messengers to notify the Chief Lords of each of the Five Nations.
Then they shall despatch their War Chiefs to notify their brother and
cousin Lords of the meeting and its time and place.
When all have come and have assembled, Adodarhoh, in conjunction with
his cousin Lords, shall appoint one Lord who shall repeat the laws of
the Great Peace. Then shall they anneat Peace to the two sons. Then
shall the chosen one repeat the laws of the Great Peace.
64. At the ceremony of the installation of Lords if there is only one
expert speaker and singer of the law and the Pacification Hymn 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 oposite side and
reply to his own speech and song. He shall thus act for both sides of
the fire until the entire ceremony has been completed. Such a speaker
and singer shall be termed the "Two Faced" because he speaks and sings
for both sides of the fire.
65. I, Dekanawida, and the Union Lords, now uproot the tallest pine
tree and into the cavity thereby made we cast all weapons of war. Into
the depths of the earth, down into the deep underearth currents of
water 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.
LAWS OF ADOPTION
66. The father of a child of great comliness, 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. This naming shall be only
temporary and shall be called, "A name hung about the neck."
67. Should any person, a member of the Five Nations' Confederacy,
specially esteem a man or woman of another clan or of a foreign nation,
he may choose a name and bestow it upon that person so esteemed. The
naming shall be in accord with the ceremony of bestowing names. Such a
name is only a temporary one 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.
68. Should any member of the Five Nations, a family or person belong-
ing to a foreign nation submit a proposal for adoption into a clan of
one of the Five Nations, he or they 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 Lords of the nation shall then consider the proposal
and submit a decision.
69. Any member of the Five Nations who through esteem or other feeling
wishes to adopt an individual, a family or number of families may offer
adoption to him or them and if accepted the matter shall be brought to
the attention of the Lords for confirmation and the Lords must confirm
adoption.
70. When the adoption of anyone shall have been confirmed by the Lords
of the Nation, the Lords shall address the people of their 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 depths of the earth. Hence-
forth let no one of our nation ever mention the original name or nation
of their birth. To do so will be to hasten the end of our peace.
LAWS OF EMIGRATION
71. When any person or family belonging to the Five Nations desires to
abandon their birth nation and the territory of the Five Nations, they
shall inform the Lords of their nation and the Confederate Council of
the Five Nations shall take cognizance of it.
72. When any person or any of the people of the Five Nations emigrate
and reside in a region distant from the territory of the Five Nations
Confederacy, the Lords 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 shells and they shall know that this is an order for them
to return to their original homes and to their council fires.
RIGHTS OF FOREIGN NATIONS
73. The soil of the earth from one end of the land to the other is the
property of the people who inhabit it. By birthright the Ongwehonweh
(Original beings) are the owners of the soil which they own and occupy
and none other may hold it. The same law has been held from the oldest
times.
The Great Creator has made us of the 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.
74. When any alien nation or individual is admitted into the Five
Nations the admission shall be understood only to be a temporary one.
Should the person or nation create loss, do wrong or cause suffering of
any kind to endanger the peace of the Confederacy, the Confederate
Lords shall order one of their war chiefs to reprimand him or them and
if a similar offence is again committed the offending party or parties
shall be expelled from the territory of the Five United Nations.
75. When a member of an alien nation comes to the territory of the
Five Nations and seeks refuge and permanent residence, the Lords of the
Nation to which he comes shall extend hospitality and make him a member
of the nation. Then shall he be accorded equal rights and privileges
in all matters except as after mentioned.
76. No body of alien people who have been adopted temporarily shall
have a vote in the council of the Lords of the Confederacy, for only
they who have been invested with Lordship 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 Confederacy,
might go against its Great Peace. In this manner the Great Peace would
be endangered and perhaps be destroyed.
77. When the Lords of the Confederacy decide to admit a foreign nation
and an adoption is made, the Lords 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, to interfere with or to injure the
Five Nations nor disregard the Great Peace or any of its rules or
customs. That in no way should they cause disturbance or injury. Then
should the adopted nation disregard these injunctions, their adoption
shall be annuled and they shall 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 Lords 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 from the
Confederacy."
78. Whenever a foreign nation enters the Confederacy 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
pursuade other nations to accept the Great Peace.
RIGHTS AND POWERS OF WAR
79. Skanawatih shall be vested with a double office, duty and with
double authority. One-half of his being shall hold the Lordship 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 Confederacy and command
them to prepare for war and have their men ready at the appointed time
and place for engagement with the enemy of the Great Peace.
80. When the Confederate Council of the Five Nations 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.
81. When the men of the Five Nations, 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 Five Nations 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 all 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 the War Song and he shall sing:
Now I am greatly surprised
And, therefore I shall use it --
The powerr of my War Song.
I am of the Five Nations
And I shall make supplication
To the Almighty Creator.
He has furnished this army.
My warriors shall be mighty
In the strength of the Creator.
Between him and my song they are
For it was he who gave the song
This war song that I sing!
82. When the warriors of the Five Nations are on an expedition against
an 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 enemies' lines when the War Chief shall approach
with great caution and prepare for the attack.
83. 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.
84. Whenever a foreign nation is 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.
85. Whenever a war against a foreign nation is pushed until
that 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.
86. Whenever a foreign nation is conquered and the survivors are
brought into the territory of the Five Nations' Confederacy 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 Confederacy in the body of the Lords.
87. 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.
88. 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 obtain 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 stead-
fastly 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 at his back to meet
any emergency. War must continue until the contest is won by the Five
Nations.
89. When the Lords 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 Lord who carries
the proposals and these warriors shall be especially cunning. Should
the Lord 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.
90. When the Five Nations' Council declares war any Lord of the
Confederacy may enlist with the warriors by temporarily renouncing his
sacred Lordship title which he holds through the election 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 Lord, if living, may
resume his title and seat in the Council.
91. 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 defense
of the territory.
TREASON OR SECESSION OF A NATION
92. 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 Confederacy,
such a nation or such nations shall be deemed guilty of treason and
called enemies of the Confederacy and the Great Peace.
It shall then be the duty of the Lords of the Confederacy 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 Confederacy by the War Chiefs and his men.
RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FIVE NATIONS
93. Whenever a specially important matter or a great emergency is
presented before the Confederate Council and the nature of the matter
affects the entire body of the Five Nations, threatening their utter
ruin, then the Lords of the Confederacy must submit the matter to the
decision of their people and the decision of the people shall affect
the decision of the Confederate Council. This decision shall be a
confirmation of the voice of the people.
94. 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 a council to be held to discuss the welfare of the
clans, then the men may gather about the fire. This council shall have
the same rights as the council of the women.
95. 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 decisions and recommendations shall be
introduced before the Council of the Lords by the War Chief for its
consideration.
96. 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 appointeed to unite in a general council for discussing
the interests 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 or to the
Confederate Council (as the case may require) by the War Chief or the
War Chiefs.
97. Before the real people united their nations, each nation had its
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 Lords of each nation in future shall settle their
nation's affairs at this council fire governed always by the laws and
rules of the council of the Confederacy and by the Great Peace.
98. If either a nephew or a niece see an irregularity in the perfor-
mance of the functions of the Great Peace and its laws, in the Con-
federate Council or in the conferring of Lordship 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 pre-
scribed by the laws of the Great Peace.
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES PROTECTED
99. The rites and festivals of each nation shall remain undisturbed
and shall continue as before because they were given by the people of
old times as useful and necessary for the good of men.
100. It shall be the duty of the Lords of each brotherhood to confer at
the approach of the time of the Midwinter Thanksgiving and to notify
their people of the approaching festival. They shall hold a council
over the matter and arrange its details and begin the Thanksgiving five
days after the moon of Dis-ko-nah 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 Lords shall preside over
the Thanksgiving and address the people from time to time.
101. It shall be the duty of the appointed managers of the Thanksgiving
festivals to do all that is needed for carrying out the duties of the
occasions.
The recognized festivals of Thanksgiving shall be the Midwinter Thanks-
giving, the Maple or Sugar-making Thanksgiving, the Raspberry Thanks-
giving, the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting Thanksgiving, the
Corn Hoeing 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 Long Houses.
102. When the Thansgiving for the Green Corn comes the special man-
agers, both the men and women, shall give it careful attention and do
their duties properly.
103. When the Ripe Corn Thanksgiving is celebrated the Lords of the
Nation must give it the same attention as they give to the Midwinter
Thanksgiving.
104. Whenever any man proves himself by his good life and his knowledge
of good things, naturally fitted as a teacher of good things, he shall
be recognized by the Lords as a teacher of peace and religion and the
people shall hear him.
THE INSTALLATION SONG
105. The song used in installing the new Lord of the Confederacy shall
be sung by Adodarhoh and it shall be:
"Haii, haii Agwah wi-yoh
" " A-kon-he-watha
" " Ska-we-ye-se-go-wah
" " Yon-gwa-wih
" " Ya-kon-he-wa-tha
Haii, haii It is good indeed
" " (That) a broom, --
" " A great wing,
" " It is given me
" " For a sweeping instrument."
106. Whenever a person properly entitled desires to learn the Pacifica-
tion Song 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 on an occasion
when no chief is installed.
PROTECTION OF THE HOUSE
107. A certain sign shall be known to all the people of the Five Nat-
ions which shall denote that the owner or occupant of a house is absent
absent. A stick or pole in a slanting or leaning position shall indi-
cate this and be the sign. Every person not entitled to enter the
house by right of living within it upon seeing such a sign shall not
approach the house either by day or by night but shall keep as far away
as his business will permit.
FUNERAL ADDRESSES
108. At the funeral of a Lord of the Confederacy, say: Now we become
reconciled as you start away. You were once a Lord of the Five
Nations' Confederacy 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 yet you lived
hinder you. In hunting you once took delight; in the game of Lacrosse
you once took delight and in the feasts 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 were related to this 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 not idle talk
neither gossip. Be careful of this and speak not and do not give way
to evil behavior. One year is the time that you must abstain from
unseemly levity but if you can not do this for ceremony, ten days is
the time to regard these things for respect."
109. At the funeral of a War Chief, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a
War Chief of the Five Nations' Confederacy 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
Lord).
110. 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
ever ready to take part in battles for the Five Nations'
Confederacy. The United People trusted you." (The remainder
is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
111. At the funeral of a young man, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. In the beginn-
ing 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 Lord).
112. At the funeral of a chief woman, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a
chief woman in the Five Nations' Confederacy. 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 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. Looking after your
family was a sacred duty and you were faithful. You were one
of the many joint heirs of the Lordship titles. Feastings
were yours and you had pleasant occasions. . ." (The remain-
der is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
113. At the funeral of a woman of the people, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a
woman in the flower of life and the bloom is now withered
away. You once held a sacred position as a mother of the
nation. (Etc.) Looking after your family was a sacred duty
and you were faithful. Feastings . . . (etc.)" (The remain-
der is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
114. 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 a few days. Now
the bloom has withered away...(etc.) Let none of the things
that transpired on earth hinder you. Let nothing that
happened while you lived hinder you." (The remainder is the
same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
[Editors note: the above ellipses and 'etc.' remarks are transcribed
directly from the text I copied.]
115. 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 be happy once more, though by a death, gloom has
been cast over them. Then shall the black clouds roll away and the sky
shall show blue once more. Then shall the children be again in
sunshine.
116. 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
cheer their minds once again and rekindle their hearth 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 bright blue sky is visible once more. Therefore
shall they be in peace in the sunshine again.
117. 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 ten days hence for it is the
decree of the Creator that mourning shall cease when ten days
have expired. Then shall a feast 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 minds must now be freed of
sorrow as before the loss of a 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 to the one who did the cooking while the body was
lying in the house. Let her come forward and receive this
gift and be dismissed from the task."
In substance this shall be repeated for everyone who assisted in any
way until all have been remembered.
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Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)