![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/2309116.jpg)
RELIGION
The Iroquois believed the Creator or the Great spirit created
the world, and that all natural living things such as plants and animals were
cared for by spirits. They believed at a mans death, his spirit departed for the
afterlife, and the body would be turned to ashes. A death meant that the
collective power of the clan would be reduced, so when anyone died their name
and duties would be transferred over to a successor, or at some point would be
replaced with someone outside of the village.
The Iroquois believed the Creator or the Great spirit created
the world, and that all natural living things such as plants and animals were
cared for by spirits. They believed at a mans death, his spirit departed for the
afterlife, and the body would be turned to ashes. A death meant that the
collective power of the clan would be reduced, so when anyone died their name
and duties would be transferred over to a successor, or at some point would be
replaced with someone outside of the village.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/3070662.jpg?316)
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Long before there were human beings, there were Sky People. In
those days there was no sun. All light came from the large white blossoms on the
celestial tree that grew in front of the Lodge of the Sky Chief. This Sky Chief
had married a young woman. The Sky Woman, soon began to show signs that she was going to have a child. There were also bad people, in the Sky World. Firedragon was always spreading rumors. One day he told the Sky Chief that the child who was about to be born was not his. In a fit of anger and jealousy, the Sky Chief dug the great celestial tree in front of his lodge. He pushed his wife through
the hole where the tree had once stood. The Sky Woman fell rapidly down toward
the deep dark waters below. The birds, feeling sorry for her, flew underneath
and carrying her slowly downwards. At the same time, the water animals hurried
to make a place for her to rest. The Turtle told her that he would support a
world on his back just for her. The sea animals plunged down into the water
looking for some earth. Muskrat succeeded and came up with a large mouthful of
earth, which he placed on Turtle's back. The light from the blossoms of the
fallen celestial tree shone through the hole where it had stood and became the
sun. When the Sky Woman landed, everything was ready for her. The Sky Woman
finally gave birth to a daughter. When this daughter grew into a woman, she
began to be with child. No one knows whether her husband was Turtle or West
Wind, but she gave birth to two remarkable twin boys, one good and one evil.
When both of the twins were born the good twin was born easily and pleasantly
but the Evil Twin was in a hurry and pushed through his mother's side. In doing
so, he killed her. The Sky Woman buried her daughter, and plants began to grow
from different parts of the daughter's body, a tobacco plant, a cornstalk, a
bean bush, and a squash vine. This was the origin of all the plants that would
be most important to the human beings who would come later. The Good Twin and
the Evil Twin quickly grew to become men. As soon as they were grown, they
proved true to their names. The Good Twin began creating all sorts of good
things on earth like plants, animals, medicinal herbs, rivers, and streams. The
Evil Twin began to spoil his brother's work, putting rapids and boulders in the
rivers, creating poisonous plants, thorns and briars, diseases, and monsters.
The Good and Evil Twins fought against each other to see who would dominate in
creation, but Evil could never overcome Good. Finally the Good Twin created
human beings to enjoy all the good things he had made for them.
Long before there were human beings, there were Sky People. In
those days there was no sun. All light came from the large white blossoms on the
celestial tree that grew in front of the Lodge of the Sky Chief. This Sky Chief
had married a young woman. The Sky Woman, soon began to show signs that she was going to have a child. There were also bad people, in the Sky World. Firedragon was always spreading rumors. One day he told the Sky Chief that the child who was about to be born was not his. In a fit of anger and jealousy, the Sky Chief dug the great celestial tree in front of his lodge. He pushed his wife through
the hole where the tree had once stood. The Sky Woman fell rapidly down toward
the deep dark waters below. The birds, feeling sorry for her, flew underneath
and carrying her slowly downwards. At the same time, the water animals hurried
to make a place for her to rest. The Turtle told her that he would support a
world on his back just for her. The sea animals plunged down into the water
looking for some earth. Muskrat succeeded and came up with a large mouthful of
earth, which he placed on Turtle's back. The light from the blossoms of the
fallen celestial tree shone through the hole where it had stood and became the
sun. When the Sky Woman landed, everything was ready for her. The Sky Woman
finally gave birth to a daughter. When this daughter grew into a woman, she
began to be with child. No one knows whether her husband was Turtle or West
Wind, but she gave birth to two remarkable twin boys, one good and one evil.
When both of the twins were born the good twin was born easily and pleasantly
but the Evil Twin was in a hurry and pushed through his mother's side. In doing
so, he killed her. The Sky Woman buried her daughter, and plants began to grow
from different parts of the daughter's body, a tobacco plant, a cornstalk, a
bean bush, and a squash vine. This was the origin of all the plants that would
be most important to the human beings who would come later. The Good Twin and
the Evil Twin quickly grew to become men. As soon as they were grown, they
proved true to their names. The Good Twin began creating all sorts of good
things on earth like plants, animals, medicinal herbs, rivers, and streams. The
Evil Twin began to spoil his brother's work, putting rapids and boulders in the
rivers, creating poisonous plants, thorns and briars, diseases, and monsters.
The Good and Evil Twins fought against each other to see who would dominate in
creation, but Evil could never overcome Good. Finally the Good Twin created
human beings to enjoy all the good things he had made for them.
|
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/7030805.jpg)
CEREMONIES
The Midwinter Ceremony is a celebration of new beginnings and a
new spiritual year and is also the main ceremony. It dose not have a set date
but is either in January or February depending on the lunar cycle. It is a
ceremony that last for a duration of nine days and consists of 9 events and is
filled with rituals and customs.
The Big Heads & Stirring of The Ashes
The big heads symbolize hunting and harvesting. The people
wearing the big heads went into different households to stir the burning ashes
in the fire pits.The Iroquois beloved this showed gratitude to the
Creator.
Tobacco Invocation
After the stirring of the ashes the big heads sprinkle tobacco
on the embers that were left over from the stirring of ashes. By doing this the
smoke rises up to the Creator and was beloved to be an offering of peace and
thanks.
Dream Sharing Ritual
The people of the tribe would all come together in a meeting and
tell their dreams out loud. After words people would tell the person sharing
what his or her dream meant and if there was a problem they would offer
suggestions on how to fix and resolve that problem.
False Face Society
The people involved in society were said to posses spiritual
powers that scared of evil spirits and illnesses. The false face society would
have meeting in long houses and performed rituals to people who were deemed ill
during the dream sharing ritual. Rituals included: reaching into the hot ashes
of the fire and rubbing or blowing the ashes onto the people in need of curing.
Bear Dance
Dancers would dance like bears, lumbering and thumping around
counter clockwise to the music. The dance could be performed ether publicly or privately for an
ill person, because it was believed to cure peoples problems and misfortunes
Peach Stone Game
This game symbolized the game played by the Creator and his
brother during the creation of earth. The game started if with 6 burnt peach stones (burnt on one side
only) and then were put into a bowl and shaken. Afterwards you would try to
guess how many stones had the black side up without looking
White Dog Sacrifice
The Iroquois would sacrifice a white dog which would symbolizes
purity among their tribe. The dog was killed by strangling it to death.
Afterwards the dog was then decorated with red paint, feathers, beads, wampum
and ribbon. The dog would be placed on the fire with a basket of tobacco so the
smoke of the sacrifice would be sent up to the creator and the
heavens.
The Great Feather Dance
This dance was created to gives thanks to the Creator. The
dancers dress in traditional tribal clothes and dance to two singers that used
rattles made of turtle shell to make music. ( this event is held on the eighth
night out of the nine days)
Closing Event (ninth day)
The town speaker presents the village a summary of the events
that took place. The speaker also addresses thanksgiving with the tribe. Finally
the new tribal counsel members are announced and introduced to the crowd for the
last event if the MidWinters Ceremony
The Midwinter Ceremony is a celebration of new beginnings and a
new spiritual year and is also the main ceremony. It dose not have a set date
but is either in January or February depending on the lunar cycle. It is a
ceremony that last for a duration of nine days and consists of 9 events and is
filled with rituals and customs.
The Big Heads & Stirring of The Ashes
The big heads symbolize hunting and harvesting. The people
wearing the big heads went into different households to stir the burning ashes
in the fire pits.The Iroquois beloved this showed gratitude to the
Creator.
Tobacco Invocation
After the stirring of the ashes the big heads sprinkle tobacco
on the embers that were left over from the stirring of ashes. By doing this the
smoke rises up to the Creator and was beloved to be an offering of peace and
thanks.
Dream Sharing Ritual
The people of the tribe would all come together in a meeting and
tell their dreams out loud. After words people would tell the person sharing
what his or her dream meant and if there was a problem they would offer
suggestions on how to fix and resolve that problem.
False Face Society
The people involved in society were said to posses spiritual
powers that scared of evil spirits and illnesses. The false face society would
have meeting in long houses and performed rituals to people who were deemed ill
during the dream sharing ritual. Rituals included: reaching into the hot ashes
of the fire and rubbing or blowing the ashes onto the people in need of curing.
Bear Dance
Dancers would dance like bears, lumbering and thumping around
counter clockwise to the music. The dance could be performed ether publicly or privately for an
ill person, because it was believed to cure peoples problems and misfortunes
Peach Stone Game
This game symbolized the game played by the Creator and his
brother during the creation of earth. The game started if with 6 burnt peach stones (burnt on one side
only) and then were put into a bowl and shaken. Afterwards you would try to
guess how many stones had the black side up without looking
White Dog Sacrifice
The Iroquois would sacrifice a white dog which would symbolizes
purity among their tribe. The dog was killed by strangling it to death.
Afterwards the dog was then decorated with red paint, feathers, beads, wampum
and ribbon. The dog would be placed on the fire with a basket of tobacco so the
smoke of the sacrifice would be sent up to the creator and the
heavens.
The Great Feather Dance
This dance was created to gives thanks to the Creator. The
dancers dress in traditional tribal clothes and dance to two singers that used
rattles made of turtle shell to make music. ( this event is held on the eighth
night out of the nine days)
Closing Event (ninth day)
The town speaker presents the village a summary of the events
that took place. The speaker also addresses thanksgiving with the tribe. Finally
the new tribal counsel members are announced and introduced to the crowd for the
last event if the MidWinters Ceremony
BEAR DANCE FEATHER DANCE
|
|
Various Types of Corn, Squash and Beans
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/901448.jpg?341)
HUNTING FARMING GATHERING
Farming was the main source of food for the Iroquois. The rich, fertile soil made it
easy to grow different crops such as, fruits and vegetables. To the Iroquois
people corn, beans, and squash were the Three Sisters, the physical and
spiritual substainers of life. The fields were always cleared by the men but, the woman were the people who owned and maintained them. The woman and children did not only work in the field but also worked in the forest gathering wild nuts, fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, and eggs laid by birds and turtles. While the woman and children were busy at work in the fields and forests the men spent most of their time hunting animals such as bear, beaver, elk, muskrat, rabbit, moose, and different types of dear,
which they ether shot with an arrow or captured in snares. On certain occasions
the men would travail to the Great Lakes and ether use spears or big nets to
capture the fish for their next meal.
Farming was the main source of food for the Iroquois. The rich, fertile soil made it
easy to grow different crops such as, fruits and vegetables. To the Iroquois
people corn, beans, and squash were the Three Sisters, the physical and
spiritual substainers of life. The fields were always cleared by the men but, the woman were the people who owned and maintained them. The woman and children did not only work in the field but also worked in the forest gathering wild nuts, fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, and eggs laid by birds and turtles. While the woman and children were busy at work in the fields and forests the men spent most of their time hunting animals such as bear, beaver, elk, muskrat, rabbit, moose, and different types of dear,
which they ether shot with an arrow or captured in snares. On certain occasions
the men would travail to the Great Lakes and ether use spears or big nets to
capture the fish for their next meal.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/4248387.jpg?207)
GENDER ROLES
Traditionally,
the responsibilities for the men included hunting, fishing, and building, but
they were also in charge of trade with other tribes and trade amongst the
villagers. Men had more visible roles in tribal and confederacy politics. The
responsibilities for farming and gathering fell upon the woman and children. The
woman were also responsible for cooking meals, cleaning and sewing clothing for
the husband and children and baskets to help with work in the field.
Traditionally,
the responsibilities for the men included hunting, fishing, and building, but
they were also in charge of trade with other tribes and trade amongst the
villagers. Men had more visible roles in tribal and confederacy politics. The
responsibilities for farming and gathering fell upon the woman and children. The
woman were also responsible for cooking meals, cleaning and sewing clothing for
the husband and children and baskets to help with work in the field.
Traditional Clay Smoking Pipes
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/8/23786397/5547630.jpg?302)
ECONOMY
The Iroquois were involved in an intricate trade network with
different native groups. The most valuable things to trade were fur, beaver
pelts and clay pipes. Clay pipes were a very important trading item that were
popular with different native groups all up and down the east coast and were very well known and produced by the Iroquois native group. The Iroquois also traded things like corn, tobacco and furs with other tribes living in the northern parts.
The tribe owned the whole territory but however the they shared the land and gave
it to different clans. The Iroquois used the land for farming different crops and they also used the land as place to build their long houses.
The Iroquois were involved in an intricate trade network with
different native groups. The most valuable things to trade were fur, beaver
pelts and clay pipes. Clay pipes were a very important trading item that were
popular with different native groups all up and down the east coast and were very well known and produced by the Iroquois native group. The Iroquois also traded things like corn, tobacco and furs with other tribes living in the northern parts.
The tribe owned the whole territory but however the they shared the land and gave
it to different clans. The Iroquois used the land for farming different crops and they also used the land as place to build their long houses.