Wampum Belts

Continued from last week

As wampum became more plentiful it was used more and more until it came to be regarded as something sacred. Wampum strings served a credentials or as a certificate of authority. No Hotinonhshon:ni official put through information and/or pay attention to a report until he received official information through a runner who carried the proper wampum string or belt. Wampum guaranteed a message or a promise. Treaties meant nothing unless they were accompanied by wampum. Belts were given and received at treaties as seals of friendship. No Hotinonhshon: ni individual or nation would think of breaking a work or treaty that was made over a sacred wampum belt. With every important treaty, wampum belts were exchanged. Sometimes as many as forty belts were exchanged at a single council. Likewise, every law passed by the Hotinonhshon:ni Council was recorded with certain string or belt of wampum. Certain trained individuals memorized the treaty or law that went with the wampum.

The Onondaga Nation whose country was situated in the center of Hotinonhshon:ni Territory was chosen, not only the Keepers of the sacred fire (Capital) of the Hotinonhshon:ni, but Onondaga Nation was likewise the Keepers of the Wampum or records.

Twice a year the Wampum Keepers, at a special council, would gather the people and taking each wampum belt or string and would hold it aloft so that all could see. He would then recite the message or law that went with the particular wampum that he held. After reciting its meaning the belt or string was passed from hand to hand, among the entire gathering that its meaning design and meaning would always be remembered. At that time, younger warriors who had been selected, because of their keen minds were given special training and instruction by the older wampum keepers. These young men would some day become Keepers of the Wampum and it was necessary that their training started early. It has been recorded by early settlers, that a wampum keeper even after several years had elapsed since a treaty was made), would hold the belt that went with the treaty and repeat word for word, without error, the entire message even though some of the treaties and promises were quite lengthy.

It is said that before wampum was introduced the wing of an eagle was given to sanction a treaty. In historical times beaver skins and painted sticks have been used to replace wampum when it was scarce.

Six strings of purple wampum united at one end stand for the Hotinonshon:ni. When it is laid in a circle the council was open. When it was taken up it meant that the council was over. Each nation of the Hotinonshon:ni had a special string of wampum that represented their people. These are as follows:

Mohawks – six strings tied together, two purple beads to one white.

Oneidas – seven strings tied together, almost all purple beads.

Onondagas – four strings tied together, two purple beads to one white.

Senecas – four strings tied together, two purple alternated with two whites.

Cayugas-six strings tied together, all purple beads.

When a speaker at a Hotinonshon:ni Council address a particular nation, he picks up and holds in his hand that particular nation’s wampum strings.

Note: While reading a wampum belt special care was made to hold the belt correctly. Usually when the message or speech was half finished the speaker would turn the belt over.

A certain amount of wampum could ransom a murder or a captured prisoner.

A clan, one of whose members had been killed, could hand a wampum belt to a noted warrior. If the warrior accepted the belt it meant that he would take over the responsibility of getting revenge for the clan and thus uphold their honor, the honor of the members. If the warrior let the belt fall it meant that he would not accept the responsibility.

White wampum was the emblem of something good, of peace and purity. Purple wampum meant more important affairs of a civic nature.

A belt painted red was a war belt. If such a belt was sent to a nation it was an invitation for them to join in the war. If the belt was taken, it meant that the nation would accept the invitation. If at the council it was thrown to the ground it meant that the nation would not join in the war.

Wampum is still used in the ceremony of raising up a new Chief and in the Hotinonhshon:ni Thanksgivings and Kariwiio Ceremonies.

Every Chief of the Confederacy and every clan Mother has a certain string or strings of wampum that is their certificate of office.

Invitation wampum for a civil or religious council is still used. A small stick attached to the wampum strings and covered with notches tells the number of days before the council is to be held.

When a Head Chief or lesser chief of the Confederacy dies, a runner is sent to each nation carrying proper wampum strings. He walks from one end of the reservation to the other and every once in a while he will give a certain call (Kwee!). If he gives the call three times, one call after another, it tells the people that a Head Chief has died. If he gives the call once at certain intervals it means that a War Chief has died. His walk ends at the Council House and there he tells the Chiefs the sad news, showing proper wampum strings.

Because of the scarcity of wampum only wampum strings are used today. Most of the old belts are lost. Many, through one way or another, have found their way to the showcases of museums. A few individual Aboriginals still have hidden away some of the old wampum belts.

Continued