Iroquois

The society of the Iroquois Indians was a democracy, probably the first in human history, and women were actively involved in domestic and political decisions. The Constitution of the United States of America was written by Benjamin Franklin on the basis of the democratic principles of the Iroquois people.

These refined traditions wereined in the Mississippi culture, which emerged after that of Hopewell in the year 700. The northeastern agricultural societies outside the Mississippi Valley did not practice ritual life on such a large scale. In the inner forests stretching east and south, from Lake Huron to the Apalachian Mountains, a group of peoples with a distinctive language, the Iroquois, formed in the midst of the Algonquin culture that surrounded them. The Iroquois were farmers who used very advanced grinding techniques. Despite their number disadvantage, by the end of the 17th century they had control of the northeast. Most Iroquois-speaking people lived south of the San Lorenzo River, in the present-day north of the state of New York. Another group lived in the lowlands separating the Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario. The life of the Iroquois was based on villages with long, rectangular houses with cobbled roofs, and in the nearby clear areas they planted mainly corn. Several related families lived in each long house.

Prior to the 15th century, the League or confederation of the five nations of the haudenosaunee was established by five Iroquois tribes: the cayugas, the mohawks, the oneidas, the onondagas and the senecas. The Tuscany nation joined the league in 1714, which extended from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. All six nations dominated the leather trade throughout the 18th century. They conquered the heart of the northeast, sent the Hurons to the north, and forced the Algonquins to relocate to the east and west. The League, as the main Indian power, participated in the colonial conflicts between France and England. Since 1783, he has served as an example to the leaders of the newly established United States thanks to their political cunning, diplomatic skill and domination of a vast and complex territory.

The Seven Dancers of the Iroquois.

A long time ago, a group of seven children established a secret organization: they gathered around the fire at night and danced to the sound of the drums. One day, the little boss proposed to eat at the next meeting in front of the fire. Each one had to ask his mother for some food to bring to the banquet (maize, veal meat, sausages...), but the mothers did not accept it.

The children felt very unhappy because they could not get the food for the night banquet. The little chief told his warriors to dance as loudly as they could and to look into the sky as they did as they gathered by the lake, in their secret place. Furthermore, he ordered them never to look back, even if their parents were shouting to them to go home. He took his drum and played a magical melody. So the youths continued dancing until they felt their bodies ascending to heaven.

Their parents saw them dancing on the trees and told them to come back. One of the young men looked back and became a small, flashing star in the sky, just like the others who were transformed too. Therefore, it is said that small warriors are the stars that creep at night during the cold winter.

Hiawatha, the snake depilator

Conscious of the wars which were slowly destroying his earthly children, the great spirit convened a council to which he convened the bravest of all the tribes. He insulted them for their conflicts and promised that he would send a healer to teach them peace.

Over the years, a boy from the Mohawk tribe had a dream of the Great Spirit one night. The young man had the expectation of a world without war conflicts.

The Iroquois were convinced and formed a tribal league (Ho-de-no-sau-nee) when the boy grew older and tried to share his vision with others. Only the Onondaga, guided by the evil Atotarho, their healer, remained outside the league.

The young man travelled to the territory of the onondaga and sat in front of the camp fire to celebrate the meeting. Despite the agitated snakes covering Atotarho's head, the tribe agreed that the young man would be the leader and the onondaga would be in charge of protecting the sacred fire.

He lifted up the cornamenta of the sacred deer and placed it on Atotarho's head. The snakes fell to the ground, dead, at the astonishment of all. The young man became known as Hy-ent-wat-ha, the Snake Painter, ever since.