A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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From the legends of the Iroquois by Tehanetorens (Ray Fadden) This story was told to me by De-ha-we-is-he-ie (David Hill), a Mohawk of Six Nations country, Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada. In ancient days three brothers were camped beside a mountain in what is now New York State. They were on a hunting trip and had left their main village on the Mohawk River. One morning the oldest brother took his bow and quiver of arrows and, stepping into the forest said that he was going to hunt for deer. He told his two brothers to remain in camp until his...
From the Legends of the Iroquois by Tehanetorens (Ray Fadden) After Sat-kon-se-ri-io, the Good Spirit, had created the creatures of the earth, he decided to inspect his work. As he walked over the earth, he saw a stranger who was a giant with a very large ugly face. Good Spirit asked the strange being, who he was. The creature answered with a roaring voice, "I am master of the earth and all things on it." "If you are master of the earth, then the things of this earth should obey you. Let me see...
This legend happened long ago on an island in the St. Lawrence River. The island is called by the Akwesasne Mohawks, Jo-ka-ta-ren-re, and lies opposite St. Regis Point on the St. Regis Reservation. The story happened many summers in the past. Long ago, a man and woman their daughter lived alone on this island. They had a garden where they raised corn, beans and squashes. One day, as the three were working in their garden, the sky became very dark. Glancing up at the dark clouds, the father said that they had better run quickly to their house...
By Tehanetorens (Ray Fadden) Many winters in the past, the Mohawk Nation (People of the Flint) were camped on the lake Keniatiio (pronounced Kahnyah-DEE-yo) (Lake Ontario). At that time, a group of children, seven in number, formed a secret organization among themselves. In the night they would gather around their little council fire in the forest near the lake. There they would dance to the beat of their leader's water drum. One day, their little chief suggested that they hold a feast at their...
Long ago the birds had no songs. Only man could sing and every morning man would greet the rising sun with a song. The birds, as they were flying by, would often stop and listen to the beautiful songs of the man. In their hearts they wished that they too could sing. One day the Good Spirit visited the earth. The Good Spirit walked over the earth inspecting the various things that he had created. As he walked through the forest, he noticed that there was a great silence. Something seemed to be missing. As the Good Spirit pondered, the sun sank...
One day, an old man came to an Iroquois village. He appeared very tired and hungry. As he walked through the village, he looked above the doors of each house for the clan symbol. He came upon a house in which a turtle shell hung. The old man pulled the door open and asked for food and a place to rest for the night. The young woman took one look at the old man and immediately sent him away. As he continued walking, he came to a house of the snipe clan. At this house, he was called a beggar and the woman closed the door on him. The old man tried...
Continued from last week Reprinted from Kakhwakon Cookbook-Recipes, produced by Mohawk Indian Housing Corporation. ASH WATER Put 14 quarts of water in a canner pot of 21-quart size, 2/3 full. The canner has three rings. Bring water level to second ring. Use two scoops of a one-pound coffee can or clean wood ashes, where no paper is burned or mixed in the fire to contaminate it. Favorite hardwood for ashes is green hickory ash mixed with dry maple ashes. In the old days, hickory was always used when it was green and it made good ashes. Place...
Continued from last week Reprinted from Kakhwakon Cookbook Recipes, sponsored by Mohawk Indian Housing Corporation GREEN CORN During the last days of August, the corn will reach milk state. “Green Corn” is a name to denote the time before the corn is ripe. When the tassels turn brown, watch the ears. You will know when this is by checking the kernels on the stalk, Break the kernel with your thumbnail by pressure and a burst of white corn milk will run. Recover husk or birds will notice. The other sign is given by the birds that will des...
From Kakhwakon Cookbook Recipes, sponsored by Mohawk Indian Housing Corporation Reprinted from Indian Time Vol. 27 #21-2009 A BRIEF HISTORY OF CORN Ancient corn was began by Native Americans who developed the founding species. Two plants were grafted together. One plant was a grass for the stem and leaves and the other of another origin for the ears. It is believed this took place in Central America developing over a 2,500-year period to bring corn to its recognizable stages, as we know it today. It is a tropical variety known strictly as a...
(Cultural Anthropology, Nancy Bonvillain Pearson, Education, Inc., 2006) From Vol. 27 # 20 The Mohawks were, and are, one of the member nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Organized on kinship principles of lineage, clan, and moiety (Bonvillain, 2001:69-70), Mohawk descent is reckoned matrilineally so that children belong to the lineage and clan of their mothers. In former times (until about 200 years age), residence was based on the ideal that members of matrilineage live together. Therefore, a household typically consisted of an elder woman,...
Continued from last week 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 every ready to take part in battles for the Five Nations’ Confederacy. The United Pe...
Continued from last week Religious Ceremonies Protected 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...
Continued from last week. 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, 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,...
Continued from last week 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 persuade 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...
Official Symbolism 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. 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...
Continued from last week 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, Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga and the Seneca, that are all 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. And the Lord...
Continued from last week Clans and Consanguinity 42. Along 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...
Continued from last week 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 sh...
Continued from last week 28. When a candidate Lord is to be installed he shall furnish four strings of shells (or wampum) one span length bound together at one end. Such will constitute the evidence of his pledge to the Confederate 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, H...
Continued from last week 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 considered and if a new beamseems necessary or beneficial, the proposed change shall be voted upon and if adopted it shall be called, “Added to the Rafters”. Right, 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 bes...
Continued from last week. From Indian Time Vol. 27 #7 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...
From Indian Time Vol.27 #6 1. I am Dekanawidah and with the Five Nations’ Confederate Lords, I plant the Tree of Great Peace. I plant it in your territory, Adodarhoh, and the Onondaga Nation, in the territory of you who are Firekeepers. 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 b...
Continued from last week. Each Haudenosaunee reservation has a medicine mask society that has authority over the use of masks for individual and community needs. Each society is charged with the protection of their sacred masks and to assure their proper use. The Grand Council of Chiefs has authority over all medicine societies and shall appoint individual leaders or medicine societies as necessary. However, no individual can speak or make decisions for medicine societies or displacement of medicine masks. No institution has authority over...
An injured or ill Iroquois Indian would sometimes ask the False Face Society to drive away the spirit of the illness or injury. The False Face Society wore masks carved from wood. After a new member joined the False Face Society he had to make his own mask. To make the mask the Iroquois walked through the woods until he found a tree whose spirit talked to him. After talking to the tree, the Indian built a fire. He sprinkled tobacco. then stripped bark from the tree. Next the Indian outlined a face and cut out the section to the tree he had o...
Author Unknown Reprint from Indian Time Vol. 26 #44 Submitted by Tom Porter Rise with our Elder Brother, the Sun. Pray often. The Creator will listen if you only speak. Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. Treat the guest in your home with much consideration. Serve them t...
