CONDOLENCE STRINGS

Reprinted from Wampum Belts of the Iroquois by Tehanetorens

It is provided thus: if a chief of the League should die while the Council of the Five Nations is in session, the Council shall adjourn for ten days. No Council of the League shall sit within ten days of the death of a chief of the League.

If the three Brothers, Ashennihontatakenah, (the Mohawks, the Onondagas and the Senecas) should lose one of their chiefs by death, the Younger Brothers, Iatatekanah, (the Cayugas, the Oneidas and the Tuscaroras) shall come to the surviving chiefs of the Three Brothers on the tenth day and console them. If the Younger Brothers lose one of their chiefs, then the Three Elder Brothers shall come to them and console them. And the consolation shall be the reading of the contents of the thirteen strings of wampum used by Ayonwatha (Hiawatha). At the termination of this rite, a successor shall be appointed by the women heirs of the chieftainship title. If the women are not ready to place their nominee before the chiefs, the speaker shall say, "Come let us go out." All shall then leave the council or place of gathering. The speaker shall lead the way from the house by saying, "Let us depart to the edge of the woods and lie in wait on our bellies (Tenshakonathioswentarhese)."

CONDOLENCE STRINGS

Our Uncles, give us your ears, hear us. We have come to you to lament together, to console with you over your great loss, your bereavement. We now meet in great sorrow to mourn together over the death of our Brother Chief. We mourn your loss. In our grief we will sit together and mingle our tears.

WAMPUM STRING ONE

We now take you by the hand and wipe the tears from off your eyes so that you may see clearly. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING TWO

Now hear us again, this occurs when one of our number is removed by death. When a person is in great sorrow, his throat is stopped with grief and sadness. We now take you by the hand and remove the sorrow and obstruction out of your throat so that you may enjoy perfect breathing and speech.

WAMPUM STRING THREE

Now hear us again, this occurs when one of your number is removed by death: it stops your ears. You cannot hear clearly. Such is your case now. So now we remove the grief from your ears. We un-pluck and clean out your ears, so that you may hear distinctly when anyone addresses you.

WAMPUM STRING FOUR

Continue to hear the expression of us, your brothers. Ja-we-ka-ro-den is the liquid, the medicine; we now give you to drink. It will wash away the bitterness, the gall spots in your stomach. It will pervade your whole body and strengthen you. It will restore you to a perfect form of man. Your mind will become more easy. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING FIVE

Thus it occurs when one of your number is removed by death:

Your sight becomes dark. You cannot see clearly. You are blinded by grief. You lose sight of the sky and are crushed by sorrow. So now we brighten your eyes again. We remove the mist from your eyes that you may see the sun rising above the forest. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING SIX

Thus it occurs when one of your number is removed by death:

Dark clouds cover the sky above you and there is no light around you. We place you where there is light so that you will see the people clearly and you will not lose the sight of heaven. We remove the dark clouds from above you that you will see your duties and perform for your people as usual. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING SEVEN

Thus it occurs when one of your number is removed by death:

The sun is displaced in the sky. So now we restore the Sun in his place.

You will now see the Sun rising over the trees in the east. When Sun arrives in mid-sky, He will shine forth his rays around you and you will again see your duties. Your mind will again become easy and you will perform for your people. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING EIGHT

Continue to hear the expression of us, your brothers. Now when a person is brought to grief by death, such person's seat seems stained with human blood. Death has scattered dead bodies around you. The ashes of your fire are scattered. Therefore we now remove the dead bodies around you. We wipe off the blood stains with soft cloth so that your seat may be clean. The sticks of wood from your fire are scattered, caused by death. We your brothers will gather up sticks of wood. We will rekindle the Council Fire. We now restore you to your seat so that your mind will now become easy and you will enjoy peace again. Now you again will labor freely for the people. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING NINE

Thus it occurs when one of your members is removed by death: one is in deep grief caused by the death of one of your Leaders. The head is bowed down in deep sorrow. As your heads are hanging down with sorrow, grief and sadness, we lift up your heads. We therefore cause you to stand upright again to resume your duties.

WAMPUM STRING TEN

Now my Uncle Chiefs, you have two relations, a Nephew and a Niece. They are watching your actions. They may see that you are doing wrong and taking a course that will cause your people, your children, to suffer ruin. Your Nephew or Niece (your people) will warn you if you go astray from your duty, the right course. They will tell you to return again and labor and legislate for the interest of the people. This we say and do, we your brothers.

WAMPUM STRING ELEVEN

Now the remains of your chief is laid in the earth and a mound of clay covers the grave. We now level the grave and cover it up with nice grass and bushes. We place a good board over it so that the body may lie quietly in its resting place. When the scorching heat of the sun shines on the grave, the board will protect it and the heat will not go through to the body. The body will also be protected from the heavy rains so that it will not spoil. It will be preserved and protected. Nothing will disturb the body and it will rest in peace.

WAMPUM STRING TWELVE

Continue to listen, our brothers. We have hung up a pouch on a slanting pole. We put a short string of wampum in the pouch. This is to be used by someone who has lost one of their number by death. It is to encourage and cheer up their downcast spirits.

WAMPUM STRING THIRTEEN

It is said that it is bad for one to allow his mind to be troubled too greatly with sorrow. Because of this one may be led to think of destroying himself. We now put two poles together. We place a torch or light upon this. We all have an equal share in this light. If you see anything that will tend to our destruction, you will take that light and go and warn the Confederate People without delay. You will call all of the Confederate Chiefs to their places, and they will each perform the duties conferred upon each of them. This we say and do, we your brothers.

Now we return to you the wampum which we received from you when you suffered loss by death. We now conclude our speeches. Now show us the man whom we are to proclaim as Chief in place of the deceased.