WEDDINGS AND CLANS

A young man of the Bear Clan and a

young woman of the Wolf Clan plan to

get married. This is proper, and their

children will become good candidates

to become Faithkeepers, Clan Mothers,

or Rotiianehson. A couple cannot marry

unless they have the consent of both

their mothers. In traditional marriages,

you can be forty years old, but you

would still need the consent of your

mother.

A couple desiring to get married must

make a request to the Council of Chiefs

and together set a date for the wedding.

When the Council of Chiefs and the

couple agree to the date, the Rotiianehson

will publicly announce the date and

the whole community is welcomed to

participate. There are usually no individual

invitations sent unless the couple

has relatives and friends living far

away.

For a wedding, the man and woman

and their families dress up from head to

foot in the most beautiful and elaborate

Mohawk clothes. In the middle of the

Longhouse a wooden bench is placed

for the couple to sit.

At the side of the groom-to-be sits his

mother. At the side of the bride-to be

sits her mother. The Rotiianehson will

choose one of their own or a Faithkeeper

to conduct the actual wedding

on behalf of the entire council. The

person chosen to perform the wedding

will begin by doing the opening address

holding the nation’s wampum. Now the

woman must promise to her husband

that she will fulfill and honor all the

commitments of marriage.

The man chosen to conduct the marriage

speaks at great length to the couple.

He explains the duties and formula

for a healthy stable marriage. Now all

the Rotiianehson address the newly

married couple with their encouragement

and advice.

The couple now takes our nation’s

wampum and agree to pledge to one

another and to our Creator that they

will honor and embrace for the duration

of their lives the sacredness of all the

pledges of marriage.

Now, they are almost solidly married.

The Chiefs, Clan Mothers, Faithkeepers,

the elders and all people form a single

file line in a counter clockwise direction

and shake hands with the newly

married couple. Now, the first duty of

the married couple will be to feed all

their people and they will, in a counter

clockwise direction, give every person

a small piece of the Kanatarakhon:we.

The next step calls for the bride and

groom to lead the people in the Great

Feather Dance which finally sanctions

and seals the marriage. In all traditional

marriages there is absolutely no alcohol

or drugs of any kind permitted. The entire

marriage ceremony takes about two

hours and sometimes longer.

Now, there will be a big feast for the

wedding. Generally gifts for the married

couple are now opened and viewed.

The couple thank the people for each

gift. In the evening there will be a social

wedding dance. Traditionally, there

is no such thing as a honeymoon.