THREE SISTERHOOD

Reprinted from Wampum Belts of the Iroquois by Tehanetorens

Long ago when the Mohawk People lived in the villages beside the Mohawk River in what is now New York State, the Mohawk Clans lived in separate villages: Bear Clan People lived in one village, Turtle Clan People in another, and Wolf Clan People had their own village where there lived three Mohawk girls. These girls could never meet without quarreling with each other. They quarreled so often that other people began to notice them. Finally, because of this constant friction, an old woman who was wise and who was greatly respected by her people decided to do something about it. This pious woman's name was Konwahtjonhontyon (Forsaken Fireside). One by one she approached each girl individually and said to each of them, "I want you to visit my home at a certain time because I have something to say to you. I also have something to show you." When each girl showed up at the old woman's house they were surprised to meet the other two girls there also. Before they had time to start quarreling with each other, Konwahtjonhontyon said to them, "I am pleased that you have come and I have something to show you." She took them to her garden and pointed to a hill of corn, showing them how corn, beans and squash were growing together in the same mound. She then said, "Look daughters, Our Creator gave us these foods. Our ancient Fathers learned that if these three plants are planted together in one hill, they will grow and thrive without hurting one another, yet each will maintain its own character. They – corn, beans and squash – are three sisters and they grow together in harmony. You three sisters should note this. You must live together in the same way. I now want you to go home and I want you to think about what you have seen and what I have told you. In three days I want you to come back to my house. In three days I will explain the meaning of a wampum string that I am making."

In three days the girls returned to the house of Konwahtjonhontyon. She then showed them the wampum strings that she had completed. She said, "The five dark strings in this wampum stand for the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Three of the six white strings at the end of this wampum represent you three girls. Now if any of you three sisters quarrel or break the rules that I am laying down for your behavior, I will replace a white bead with a dark bead in the white string that hangs beside the string that stands for you. Then you will be shamed before the whole village."

When Konwahtjonhontyon finished speaking, the three girls were silent. One by one they left and returned to their homes. Konwahtjonhontyon kept these wampum strings in her possession. Since that time other groups of three formed similar sisterhoods. These sisterhoods spread throughout the Five Nations Confederacy. At some ceremonial festival or council, three girls who had decided to form such a sisterhood would stand before the people. They would join hands before Konwahtjonhontyon and hear her explain the rules of the sisterhood, that each girl must live in peace, love, and good will with her two special sisters, that she must help them at all times, and must do the same with other sisterhood groups of three. Each girl then pledged her vow before all of the people.

These voluntary groups of three, all separate, yet all bound by the same rules, had a good influence on the young people of the Iroquois. Throughout its history there was never an occasion when the rules were broken in a sisterhood. This wampum record remains the same as it was when it was first put together by the wise old Mohawk lady who lived in the old Mohawk Country long ago with no dark beads mixed with the white.