THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONS:
THE GREAT BINDING LAW, GAYANASHAGOWA
(See end of file for source)
1. I am Dekanawidah and
with the Five Nations’ Confederate Lords I plant the Tree of Great Peace.
I plant it in your territory, Adodarhoh, and the Onondaga Nation, in the territory
of you who are Firekeepers.
I name the tree the Tree of the Great Long Leaves. Under the shade of
this Tree of the Great Peace we spread the soft white feathery down of the globe
thistle as seats for you, Adodarhoh, and your cousin Lords.
We place you upon those seats, spread soft with the feathery down of the globe
thistle, there beneath the shade of the spreading branches of the Tree of Peace.
There shall you sit and watch the Council Fire of the Confederacy of the Five
Nations, and all the affairs of the Five Nations shall be transacted at this
place before you, Adodarhoh, and your cousin Lords, by the Confederate Lords
of the Five Nations.
2. Roots have spread out from the Tree of the Great Peace, one to the north,
one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. The name of these
roots is The Great White Roots and their nature is Peace and Strength.
If any man or any nation outside the Five Nations shall obey the laws of the
Great Peace and make known their disposition
to the Lords of the Confederacy, they may trace the Roots to the Tree and if
their minds are clean and they are obedient and promise to obey the wishes of
the Confederate Council, they shall be welcomed to take shelter beneath the
Tree of the Long Leaves.
We place at the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves an Eagle who is able to see
afar. If he sees in the distance any evil approaching or any danger threatening
he will at once warn the people of the Confederacy.
3. To you Adodarhoh, the Onondaga cousin Lords, I and the other Confederate
Lords have entrusted the caretaking and the watching of the Five Nations Council
Fire.
When there is any business to be transacted and the Confederate Council is not
in session, a messenger shall be dispatched either to Adodarhoh, Hononwirehtonh
or Skanawatih, Fire Keepers, or to their War Chiefs with a full statement of
the case desired to be considered. Then shall Adodarhoh call his cousin
(associate) Lords together and consider whether or not the case is of sufficient
importance to demand the attention of the Confederate Council. If so,
Adodarhoh shall dispatch messengers to summon all the Confederate Lords to assemble
beneath the Tree of the Long Leaves.
When the Lords are assembled the Council Fire shall be kindled, but not with
chestnut wood, and Adodarhoh shall formally open the Council.
[ ed note: chestnut wood throws out sparks in burning,
thereby creating a disturbance in the council ]
Then shall Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords, the Fire Keepers, announce the subject
for discussion.
The Smoke of the Confederate Council Fire shall ever ascend and pierce the sky
so that other nations who may be allies may see the Council Fire of the Great
Peace.
Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords are entrusted with the Keeping of the Council
Fire.
4. You, Adodarhoh, and your thirteen cousin Lords, shall faithfully keep the
space about the Council Fire clean and you shall allow neither dust nor dirt
to accumulate. I lay a Long Wing before you as a broom. As a weapon
against a crawling creature I lay a staff with you so that you may thrust it
away from the Council Fire. If you fail to cast it out then call the rest
of the United Lords to your aid.
5. The Council of the Mohawk shall be divided into three parties as follows:
Tekarihoken, Ayonhwhathah and Shadekariwade are the first party; Sharenhowaneh,
Deyoenhegwenh and Oghrenghrehgowah are the second party, and Dehennakrineh,
Aghstawenserenthah and Shoskoharowaneh are the third party. The third
party is to listen only to the discussion of the first and second parties and
if an error is made or the proceeding is irregular they are to call attention
to it, and when the case is right and properly decided by the two parties they
shall confirm the decision of the two parties and refer the case to the Seneca
Lords for their decision. When the Seneca Lords have decided in accord
with the Mohawk Lords, the case or question shall be referred to the Cayuga
and Oneida Lords on the opposite side of the house.
6. I, Dekanawidah, appoint the Mohawk Lords the heads and the leaders of the
Five Nations Confederacy. The Mohawk Lords are the foundation of the Great
Peace and it shall, therefore, be against the Great Binding Law to pass measures
in the Confederate Council after the Mohawk Lords have protested against them.
No council of the Confederate Lords shall be legal unless all the Mohawk Lords
are present.
7. Whenever the Confederate Lords shall assemble for the purpose of holding
a council, the Onondaga Lords shall open it by expressing their gratitude to
their cousin Lords and greeting them, and they shall make an address and offer
thanks to the earth where men dwell, to the streams of water, the pools, the
springs and the lakes, to the maize and the fruits, to the medicinal herbs and
trees, to the forest trees for their usefulness, to the animals that serve as
food and give their pelts for clothing, to the great winds and the lesser winds,
to the Thunderers, to the Sun, the mighty warrior, to the moon, to the messengers
of the Creator who reveal his wishes and to the Great Creator who dwells in
the heavens above, who gives all the things useful to men, and who is the source
and the ruler of health and life.
Then shall the Onondaga Lords declare the council open.
The council shall not sit after darkness has set in.
8. The Firekeepers shall formally open and close all councils of the Confederate
Lords, and they shall pass upon all matters deliberated upon by the two sides
and render their decision.
Every Onondaga Lord (or his deputy) must be present at every Confederate Council
and must agree with the majority without unwarrantable dissent, so that a unanimous
decision may be rendered.
If Adodarhoh or any of his cousin Lords are absent from a Confederate Council,
any other Firekeeper may open and close the Council, but the Firekeepers present
may not give any decisions, unless the matter is of small importance.
9. All the business of the Five Nations Confederate Council shall be conducted
by the two combined bodies of Confederate Lords. First the question shall
be passed upon by the Mohawk and Seneca Lords, then it shall be discussed and
passed by the Oneida and Cayuga Lords. Their decisions shall then be referred
to the Onondaga Lords, (Fire Keepers) for final judgement.
The same process shall obtain when a question is brought before the council
by an individual or a War Chief.
10. In all cases the procedure must be as follows: when the Mohawk and Seneca
Lords have unanimously agreed upon a question, they shall report their decision
to the Cayuga and Oneida Lords who shall deliberate upon the question and report
a unanimous decision to the Mohawk Lords. The Mohawk Lords will then report
the standing of the case to the Firekeepers, who shall render a decision as
they see fit in case of a disagreement by the two bodies, or confirm the decisions
of the two bodies if they are identical. The Fire Keepers shall then report
their decision to the Mohawk Lords who shall announce it to the open council.
11. If through any misunderstanding or obstinacy on the part of the Fire Keepers,
they render a decision at variance with that of the Two Sides, the Two Sides
shall reconsider the matter and if their decisions are jointly the same as before
they shall report to the Fire Keepers who are then compelled to confirm their
joint decision.
12. When a case comes before the Onondaga Lords (Fire Keepers) for discussion
and decision, Adodarho shall introduce the matter to his comrade Lords who shall
then discuss it in their two bodies. Every Onondaga Lord except Hononwiretonh
shall deliberate and he shall listen only. When a unanimous decision shall
have been reached by the two bodies of Fire Keepers, Adodarho shall notify Hononwiretonh
of the fact when he shall confirm it. He shall refuse to confirm a decision
if it is not unanimously agreed upon by both sides of the Fire Keepers.
13. No Lord shall ask a question of the body of Confederate
Lords when they are discussing a case, question or proposition. He may
only deliberate in a low tone with the separate body of which he is a member.
14. When the Council of the Five Nation Lords shall convene they shall appoint
a speaker for the day. He shall be a Lord of either the Mohawk, Onondaga
or Seneca Nation.
The next day the Council shall appoint another speaker, but the first speaker
may be reappointed if there is no objection, but a speaker’s term shall not
be regarded more than for the day.
15. No individual or foreign nation interested in a case, question or proposition
shall have any voice in the Confederate Council except to answer a question
put to him or them by the speaker for the Lords.
16. If the conditions which shall arise at any future time call for an addition
to or change of this law, the case shall be carefully considered and if a new
beam seems necessary or beneficial, the proposed change shall be voted upon
and if adopted it shall be called, “Added to the Rafters”.
Rights, Duties and Qualifications
of Lords
17. A bunch of a certain number of shell (wampum) strings each two spans in
length shall be given to each of the female families in which the Lordship titles
are vested. The right of bestowing the title shall be hereditary in the
family of the females legally possessing the bunch of shell strings and the
strings shall be the token that the females of the family have the proprietary
right to the Lordship title for all time to come, subject to certain restrictions
hereinafter mentioned.
18. If any Confederate Lord neglects or refuses to attend the Confederate Council,
the other Lords of the Nation of which he is a member shall require their War
Chief to request the female sponsors of the Lord so guilty of defection to demand
his attendance of the Council. If he refuses, the women holding the title
shall immediately select another candidate for the title.
No Lord shall be asked more than once to attend the Confederate Council.
19. If at any time it shall be manifest that a Confederate Lord has not in mind
the welfare of the people or disobeys the rules of this Great Law, the men or
women of the Confederacy, or both jointly, shall come to the Council and upbraid
the erring Lord through his War Chief. If the complaint of the people
through the War Chief is not heeded the first time it shall be uttered again
and then if no attention is given a third complaint and warning shall be given.
If the Lord is contumacious the matter shall go to the council of War Chiefs.
The War Chiefs shall then divest the erring Lord of his title by order of the
women in whom the titleship is vested. When the Lord is deposed the women
shall notify the Confederate Lords through their War Chief, and the Confederate
Lords shall sanction the act. The women will then select another of their
sons as a candidate and the Lords shall elect him. Then shall the chosen
one be installed by the Installation Ceremony.
When a Lord is to be deposed, his War Chief shall address him as follows:
“So you, __________, disregard and set at naught the warnings of your women
relatives. So you fling the warnings over your shoulder to cast them behind
you.
“Behold the brightness of the Sun and in the brightness of the Sun’s light I
depose you of your title and remove the sacred emblem of your Lordship title.
I remove from your brow the deer’s antlers, which was the emblem of your position
and token of your nobility. I now depose you and return the antlers to
the women whose heritage they are.”
The War Chief shall now address the women of the deposed
Lord and say:
“Mothers, as I have now deposed your Lord, I now return to you the emblem and
the title of Lordship, therefore repossess them.”
Again addressing himself to the deposed Lord he shall say:
“As I have now deposed and discharged you so you are now no longer Lord.
You shall now go your way alone, the rest of the people of the Confederacy will
not go with you, for we know not the kind of mind that possesses you.
As the Creator has nothing to do with wrong so he will not come to rescue you
from the precipice of destruction in which you have cast yourself. You
shall never be restored to the position which you once occupied.”
Then shall the War Chief address himself to the Lords of the Nation to which
the deposed Lord belongs and say:
“Know you, my Lords, that I have taken the deer’s antlers from the brow of ___________,
the emblem of his position and token of his greatness.”
The Lords of the Confederacy shall then have no other alternative than to sanction
the discharge of the offending Lord.
20. If a Lord of the Confederacy of the Five Nations should commit murder the
other Lords of the Nation shall assemble at the place where the corpse lies
and prepare to depose the criminal Lord. If it is impossible to meet at
the scene of the crime the Lords shall discuss the matter at the next Council
of their Nation and request their War Chief to depose the Lord guilty of crime,
to “bury” his women relatives and to transfer the Lordship title to a sister
family.
The War Chief shall address the Lord guilty of murder and say:
“So you, __________ (giving his name) did kill __________ (naming the slain
man), with your own hands! You have committed a grave sin in the eyes
of the Creator. Behold the bright light of the Sun, and in the brightness
of the Sun’s light I depose you of your title and remove the horns, the sacred
emblems of your Lordship title. I remove from your brow the deer’s antlers,
which was the emblem of your position and token of your nobility. I now
depose you and expel you and you shall depart at once from the territory of
the Five Nations Confederacy and nevermore return again. We, the Five
Nations Confederacy, moreover, bury your women relatives because the ancient
Lordship title was never intended to have any union with bloodshed. Henceforth
it shall not be their heritage. By the evil deed that you have done they
have forfeited it forever..”
The War Chief shall then hand the title to a sister family and he shall address
it and say:
“Our mothers, ____________, listen attentively while I address you on a solemn
and important subject. I hereby transfer to you an ancient Lordship title
for a great calamity has befallen it in the hands of the family of a former
Lord. We trust that you, our mothers, will always guard it, and that you
will warn your Lord always to be dutiful and to advise his people to ever live
in love, peace and harmony that a great calamity may never happen again.”
21. Certain physical defects in a Confederate Lord make him ineligible to sit
in the Confederate Council. Such defects are infancy, idiocy, blindness,
deafness, dumbness and impotency. When a Confederate Lord is restricted
by any of these condition, a deputy shall be appointed by his sponsors to act
for him, but in case of extreme necessity the restricted Lord may exercise his
rights.
22. If a Confederate Lord desires to resign his title he shall notify the Lords of the Nation of which he is a member of his intention. If his coactive Lords refuse to accept his resignation he may not resign his title. A Lord in proposing to resign may recommend any proper candidate which recommendation shall be received by the Lords, but unless confirmed and nominated by the women who hold the title the candidate so named shall not be considered.
23. Any Lord of the Five
Nations Confederacy may construct shell strings (or wampum belts) of any size
or length as pledges or records of matters of national or international importance.
When it is necessary to dispatch a shell string by a War Chief or other messenger
as the token of a summons, the messenger shall recite the contents of the string
to the party to whom it is sent. That party shall repeat the message and
return the shell string and if there has been a summons he shall make ready
for the journey.
Any of the people of the Five Nations may use shells (or wampum) as the record
of a pledge, contract or an agreement entered into and the same shall be binding
as soon as shell strings shall have been exchanged by both parties.
24. The Lords of the Confederacy of the Five Nations shall be mentors
of the people for all time. The thickness of their skin shall be seven
spans—which is to say that they shall be proof against anger, offensive actions
and criticism. Their hearts shall be full of peace and good will and their
minds filled with a yearning for the welfare of the people of the Confederacy.
With endless patience they shall carry out their duty and their firmness shall
be tempered with a tenderness for their people. Neither anger nor fury
shall find lodgment in their minds and all their words and actions shall be
marked by calm deliberation.
25. If a Lord of the Confederacy should seek to establish any authority independent of the jurisdiction of the Confederacy of the Great Peace, which is the Five Nations, he shall be warned three times in open council, first by the women relatives, second by the men relatives and finally by the Lords of the Confederacy of the Nation to which he belongs. If the offending Lord is still obdurate he shall be dismissed by the War Chief of his nation for refusing to conform to the laws of the Great Peace. His nation shall then install the candidate nominated by the female name holders of his family.
26. It shall be the duty
of all of the Five Nations
Confederate Lords, from time to time as occasion demands, to act as mentors
and spiritual guides of their people and remind them of their Creator’s will
and words. They shall say:
“Hearken, that peace may continue unto future days!
“Always listen to the words of the Great Creator, for he
has spoken.
“United people, let not evil find lodging in your minds.
“For the Great Creator has spoken and the cause of Peace
shall not become old.
“The cause of peace shall not die if you remember the Great Creator.”
Every Confederate Lord shall speak words such as these to promote peace.
27. All Lords of the Five Nations Confederacy must be honest in all things.
They must not idle or gossip, but be men possessing those honorable qualities
that make true royaneh. It shall be a serious wrong for anyone to lead
a Lord into trivial affairs, for the people must ever hold their Lords high
in estimation out of respect to their honorable positions.
28. When a candidate Lord is to be installed he shall furnish four strings of
shells (or wampum) one span in length bound together at one end. Such
will constitute the evidence of his pledge to the Confederate Lords that he
will live according to the constitution of the Great Peace and exercise justice
in all affairs.
When the pledge is furnished the Speaker of the Council must hold the shell
strings in his hand and address the opposite side of the Council Fire and he
shall commence his address saying: “Now behold him. He has now become
a Confederate Lord. See how splendid he looks.” An address may then
follow. At the end of it he shall send the bunch of shell strings to the
opposite side and they shall be received as evidence of the pledge. Then
shall the opposite side say:
“We now do crown you with the sacred emblem of the deer’s antlers, the emblem
of your Lordship. You shall now become a mentor of the people of the Five
Nations. The thickness of your skin shall be seven spans—which is to say
that you shall be proof against anger, offensive actions and criticism.
Your heart shall be filled with peace and good will and your mind filled with
a yearning for the welfare of the people of the Confederacy. With endless
patience you shall carry out your duty and your firmness shall be tempered with
tenderness for your people. Neither anger nor fury shall find lodgment
in your mind and all your words and actions shall be marked with calm deliberation.
In all of your deliberations in the Confederate Council, in your efforts at
law making, in all your official acts, self interest shall be cast into oblivion.
Cast not over your shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces
should they chide you for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way
of the Great Law which is just and right. Look and listen for the welfare
of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the
coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the
ground—the unborn of the future Nation.”
29. When a Lordship title is to be conferred, the candidate Lord shall furnish
the cooked venison, the corn bread and the corn soup, together with other necessary
things and the labor for the Conferring of Titles Festival.
30. The Lords of the Confederacy may confer the Lordship title upon a candidate
whenever the Great Law is recited, if there be a candidate, for the Great Law
speaks all the rules.
31. If a Lord of the Confederacy should become seriously ill and be thought
near death, the women who are heirs of his title shall go to his house and lift
his crown of deer antlers, the emblem of his Lordship, and place them at one
side. If the Creator spares him and he rises from his bed of sickness
he may rise with the antlers on his brow.
The following words shall be used to temporarily remove the antlers:
“Now our comrade Lord (or our relative Lord) the time has come when we must
approach you in your illness. We remove for a time the deer’s antlers
from your brow, we remove the emblem of your Lordship title. The Great
Law has decreed that no Lord should end his life with the antlers on his brow.
We therefore lay them aside in the room. If the Creator spares you and
you recover from your illness you shall rise from your bed with the antlers
on your brow as before and you shall resume your duties as Lord of the Confederacy
and you may labor again for the Confederate people.”
32. If a Lord of the Confederacy should die while the Council of the Five Nations
is in session the Council shall adjourn for ten days. No Confederate Council
shall sit within ten days of the death of a Lord of the Confederacy.
If the Three Brothers (the Mohawk, the Onondaga and the Seneca) should lose
one of their Lords by death, the Younger Brothers (the Oneida and the Cayuga)
shall come to the surviving Lords of the Three Brothers on the tenth day and
console them. If the Younger Brothers lose one of their Lords then the
Three Brothers shall come to them and console them. And the consolation
shall be the reading of the contents of the thirteen shell (wampum) strings
of Ayonhwhathah. At the termination of this rite
a successor shall be appointed, to be appointed by the women heirs of the Lordship
title. If the women are not yet ready to place their nominee before the
Lords the Speaker shall say, “Come let us go out.” All shall leave the
Council or the place of gathering. The installation shall then wait until
such a time as the women are ready. The Speaker shall lead the way from
the house by saying, “Let us depart to the edge of the woods and lie in waiting
on our bellies.”
When the women title holders shall have chosen one of their sons the Confederate
Lords will assemble in two places, the Younger Brothers in one place and the
Three Older Brothers in another. The Lords who are to console the mourning
Lords shall choose one of their number to sing the Pacification Hymn as they
journey to the sorrowing Lords. The singer shall lead the way and the
Lords and the people shall follow. When they reach the sorrowing Lords
they shall hail the candidate Lord and perform the rite of Conferring the Lordship
Title.
33. When a Confederate Lord dies, the surviving relatives shall immediately
dispatch a messenger, a member of another clan, to the Lords in another locality.
When the runner comes within hailing distance of the locality he shall utter
a sad wail, thus: “Kwa-ah, Kwa-ah, Kwa-ah!” The sound shall be repeated
three times and then again and again at intervals as many times as the distance
may require. When the runner arrives at the settlement the people shall
assemble and one must ask him the nature of his sad message. He shall
then say, “Let us consider.” Then he shall tell them of the death of the
Lord. He shall deliver to them a string of shells (wampum) and say “Here
is the testimony, you have heard the message.” He may then return home.
It now becomes the duty of the Lords of the locality to send runners to other
localities and each locality shall send other messengers until all Lords are
notified. Runners shall travel day and night.
34. If a Lord dies and there is no candidate qualified for the office in the
family of the women title holders, the Lords of the Nation shall give the title
into the hands of a sister family in the clan until such a time as the original
family produces a candidate, when the title shall be restored to the rightful
owners.
No Lordship title may be carried into the grave. The Lords of the Confederacy
may dispossess a dead Lord of his title even at the grave.
Election of Pine Tree Chiefs
35. Should any man of the Nation assist with special ability or show great interest
in the affairs of the Nation, if he proves himself wise, honest and worthy of
confidence, the Confederate Lords may elect him to a seat with them and he may
sit in the Confederate Council. He shall be proclaimed a ‘Pine Tree sprung
up for the Nation’ and shall be installed as such at the next assembly for the
installation of Lords. Should he ever do anything contrary to the rules
of the Great Peace, he may not be deposed from office—no one shall cut him down—
but thereafter everyone shall be deaf to his voice and his advice. Should
he resign his seat and title no one shall prevent him. A Pine Tree chief
has no authority to name a successor nor is his title hereditary.
Names, Duties and Rights
of War Chiefs
36. The title names of the Chief Confederate Lords’ War Chiefs shall be:
Ayonwaehs, War Chief under
Lord Takarihoken (Mohawk)
Kahonwahdironh, War Chief under Lord Odatshedeh (Oneida)
Ayendes, War Chief under Lord Adodarhoh (Onondaga)
Wenenhs, War Chief under Lord Dekaenyonh (Cayuga)
Shoneradowaneh, War Chief under Lord Skanyadariyo (Seneca)
The women heirs of each head Lord’s title shall be the heirs of the War Chief’s
title of their respective Lord.
The War Chiefs shall be selected from the eligible sons of the female families
holding the head Lordship titles.
37. There shall be one War Chief for each Nation and their duties shall be to
carry messages for their Lords and to take up the arms of war in case of emergency.
They shall not participate in the proceedings of the Confederate Council but
shall watch its progress and in case of an erroneous action by a Lord they shall
receive the complaints of the people and convey the warnings of the women to
him. The people who wish to convey messages to the Lords in the Confederate
Council shall do so through the War Chief of their Nation. It shall ever
be his duty to lay the cases, questions and propositions of the people before
the Confederate Council.
38. When a War Chief dies another shall be installed by the same rite as that
by which a Lord is installed.
39. If a War Chief acts contrary to instructions or against the provisions of
the Laws of the Great Peace, doing so in the capacity of his office, he shall
be deposed by his women relatives and by his men relatives. Either the
women or the men alone or jointly may act in such a case. The women title
holders shall then choose another candidate.
40. When the Lords of the Confederacy take occasion to dispatch a messenger
in behalf of the Confederate Council, they shall wrap up any matter they may
send and instruct the messenger to remember his errand, to turn not aside but
to proceed faithfully to his destination and deliver his message according to
every instruction.
41. If a message borne by a runner is the warning of an invasion he shall whoop,
“Kwa-ah, Kwa-ah,” twice and repeat at short intervals; then again at a longer
interval.
If a human being is found dead, the finder shall not touch the body but return
home immediately shouting at short intervals, “Koo-weh!”
Clans and consanguinity
42. Among the Five Nations and their posterity there shall be the following
original clans: Great Name Bearer, Ancient Name Bearer, Great Bear, Ancient
Bear, Turtle, Painted Turtle, Standing Rock, Large Plover, Deer, Pigeon Hawk,
Eel, Ball, Opposite-Side-of-the-Hand, and Wild Potatoes. These clans distributed
through their respective Nations, shall be the sole owners and holders of the
soil of the country and in them is it vested
as a birthright.
43. People of the Five Nations members of a certain clan shall recognize every
other member of that clan, irrespective of the Nation, as relatives. Men
and women, therefore, members of the same clan are forbidden to marry.
44. The lineal descent of the people of the Five Nations shall run in the female
line. Women shall be considered the progenitors of the Nation. They
shall own the land and the soil. Men and women shall follow the status
of the mother.
45. The women heirs of the Confederated Lordship titles shall be called Royaneh
(Noble) for all time to come.
46. The women of the Forty Eight (now fifty) Royaneh families shall be the heirs
of the Authorized Names for all time to come.
When an infant of the Five Nations is given an Authorized Name at the Midwinter
Festival or at the Ripe Corn Festival, one in the cousinhood of which the infant
is a member shall be appointed a speaker. He shall then announce to the
opposite cousinhood the names of the father and the mother of the child together
with the clan of the mother. Then the speaker shall announce the child’s
name twice. The uncle of the child shall then take the child in his arms
and walking up and down the room shall sing: “My head is firm, I am of the Confederacy.”
As he sings the opposite cousinhood shall respond by chanting, “Hyenh, Hyenh,
Hyenh, Hyenh,” until the song is ended.
47. If the female heirs of a Confederate Lord’s title become extinct, the title
right shall be given by the Lords of the Confederacy to the sister family whom
they shall elect and that family shall hold the name and transmit it to their
(female) heirs, but they shall not appoint any of their sons as a candidate
for a title until all the eligible men of the former family shall have died
or otherwise have become ineligible.
48. If all the heirs of a Lordship title become extinct, and all the families
in the clan, then the title shall be given by the Lords of the Confederacy to
the family in a sister clan whom they shall elect.
49. If any of the Royaneh women, heirs of a titleship, shall willfully withhold
a Lordship or other title and refuse to bestow it, or if such heirs abandon,
forsake or despise their heritage, then shall such women be deemed buried and
their family extinct. The titleship shall then revert to a sister family
or clan upon application and complaint. The Lords of the Confederacy shall
elect the family or clan which shall in future hold the title.
50. The Royaneh women of the Confederacy heirs of the Lordship titles shall
elect two women of their family as cooks for the Lord when the people shall
assemble at his house for business or other purposes.
It is not good nor honorable for a Confederate Lord to allow his people whom
he has called to go hungry.
51. When a Lord holds a conference in his home, his wife, if she wishes, may
prepare the food for the Union Lords who assemble with him. This is an
honorable right which she may exercise and an expression of her esteem.
52. The Royaneh women, heirs of the Lordship titles, shall, should it be necessary,
correct and admonish the holders
of their titles. Those only who attend the Council may do this and those
who do not shall not object to what has been said nor strive to undo the action.
53. When the Royaneh women, holders of a Lordship title, select one of their
sons as a candidate, they shall select one who is trustworthy, of good character,
of honest disposition, one who manages his own affairs, supports his own family,
if any, and who has proven a faithful man to his Nation.
54. When a Lordship title becomes vacant through death or other cause, the Royaneh
women of the clan in which the title is hereditary shall hold a council and
shall choose one from among their sons to fill the office made vacant.
Such a candidate shall not be the father of any Confederate Lord. If the
choice is unanimous the name is referred to the men relatives of the clan.
If they should disapprove it shall be their duty to select a candidate from
among their own number. If then the men and women are unable to decide
which of the two candidates shall be named, then the matter shall be referred
to the Confederate Lords in the Clan. They shall decide which candidate
shall be named. If the men and the women agree to a candidate his name
shall be referred to the sister clans for confirmation. If the sister
clans confirm the choice, they shall refer their action to their Confederate
Lords who shall ratify the choice and present it to their cousin Lords, and
if the cousin Lords confirm the name then the candidate shall be installed by
the proper ceremony for the conferring of Lordship titles.
Official Symbolism
55. A large bunch of shell
strings, in the making of which the
Five Nations Confederate Lords have equally contributed, shall symbolize the
completeness of the union and certify the pledge of the nations represented
by the Confederate Lords of the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga
and the Senecca, that all are united and formed into one body or union called
the Union of the Great Law, which they have established.
A bunch of shell strings is to be the symbol of the council fire of the Five
Nations Confederacy. And the Lord whom the council of Fire Keepers shall
appoint to speak for them in opening the council shall hold the strands of shells
in his hands when speaking. When he finishes speaking he shall deposit
the strings on an elevated place (or pole) so that all the assembled Lords and
the people may see it and know that the council is open and in progress.
When the council adjourns the Lord who has been appointed by his comrade Lords
to close it shall take the strands of shells in his hands and address the assembled
Lords. Thus will the council adjourn until such time and place as appointed
by the council. Then shall the shell strings be placed in a place for
safekeeping.
Every five years the Five Nations Confederate Lords and the people shall assemble
together and shall ask one another if their minds are still in the same spirit
of unity for the Great Binding Law and if any of the Five Nations shall not
pledge continuance and steadfastness to the pledge of unity then the Great Binding
Law shall dissolve.
56. Five strings of shell tied together as one shall represent the Five Nations.
Each string shall represent one territory and the whole a completely united
territory known as the Five Nations Confederate territory.
57. Five arrows shall be bound together very strong and each arrow shall represent
one nation. As the five arrows are strongly bound this shall symbolize
the complete union of the nations. Thus are the Five Nations united completely
and enfolded together, united into one head, one body and one mind. Therefore
they shall labor, legislate and council together for the interest of future
generations.
The Lords of the Confederacy shall eat together from one bowl the feast of cooked
beaver’s tail. While they are eating they are to use no sharp utensils
for if they should they might accidentally cut one another and bloodshed would
follow. All measures must be taken to prevent the spilling of blood in
any way.
58. There are now the Five Nations Confederate Lords standing with joined hands
in a circle. This signifies and provides that should any one of the Confederate
Lords leave the council and this Confederacy his crown of deer’s horns, the
emblem of his Lordship title, together with his birthright, shall lodge on the
arms of the Union Lords whose hands are so joined. He forfeits his title
and the crown falls from his brow but it shall remain in the Confederacy.
A further meaning of this is that if any time any one of the Confederate Lords
choose to submit to the law of a foreign people he is no longer in but out of
the Confederacy, and persons of this class shall be called “They have alienated
themselves.” Likewise such persons who submit to laws of foreign nations
shall forfeit all birthrights and claims on the Five Nations Confederacy and
territory.
You, the Five Nations Confederate Lords, be firm so that if a tree falls on
your joined arms it shall not separate or weaken your hold. So shall the
strength of the union be preserved.
59. A bunch of wampum shells on strings,
three spans of the hand in length, the upper half of the bunch being white and
the lower half black, and formed from equal contributions of the men of the
Five Nations, shall be a token that the men have combined themselves into one
head, one body and one thought, and it shall also symbolize their ratification
of the peace pact of the Confederacy, whereby the Lords of the Five Nations
have established the Great Peace.
The white portion of the shell strings represent the women and the black portion
the men. The black portion, furthermore, is a token of power and authority
vested in the men of the Five Nations.
This string of wampum vests the people with the right to correct their erring
Lords. In case a part or all the Lords pursue a course not vouched for
by the people and heed not the third warning of their women relatives, then
the matter shall be taken to the General Council of the women of the Five Nations.
If the Lords notified and warned three times fail to heed, then the case falls
into the hands of the men of the Five Nations. The War Chiefs shall then,
by right of such power and authority, enter the open council to warn the Lord
or Lords to return from the wrong course. If the Lords heed the warning
they shall say, “we will reply tomorrow.” If then an answer is returned
in favor of justice and in accord with this Great Law, then the Lords shall
individually pledge themselves again by again furnishing the necessary shells
for the pledge. Then shall the War Chief or Chiefs exhort the Lords urging
them to be just and true.
Should it happen that the Lords refuse to heed the third warning, then two courses
are open: either the men may decide in their council to depose the Lord or Lords
or to club them to death with war clubs. Should they in their council
decide to take the first course the War Chief shall address the Lord or Lords,
saying: “Since you the Lords of the Five Nations have refused to return
to the procedure of the Constitution, we now declare your seats vacant, we take
off your horns, the token of your Lordship, and others shall be chosen and installed
in your seats, therefore vacate your seats.”
Should the men in their council adopt the second course, the War Chief shall
order his men to enter the council, to take positions beside the Lords, sitting
between them wherever possible. When this is accomplished the War Chief
holding in his outstretched hand a bunch of black wampum strings shall say to
the erring Lords: “So now, Lords of the Five United Nations, harken to these
last words from your men. You have not heeded the warnings of the women
relatives, you have not heeded the warnings of the General Council of women
and you have not heeded the warnings of the men of the nations, all urging you
to return to the right course of action. Since you are determined to resist
and to withhold justice from your people there is only one course for us to
adopt.” At this point the War Chief shall let drop the bunch of black
wampum and the men shall spring to their feet and club the erring Lords to death.
Any erring Lord may submit before the War Chief lets fall the black wampum.
Then his execution is withheld.
The black wampum here used symbolizes that the power to execute is buried but
that it may be raised up again by the men. It is buried but when occasion
arises they may pull it up and derive their power and authority to act as here
described.
60. A broad dark belt of wampum of thirty-eight rows, having a white heart in
the center, on either side of which are two white squares all connected with
the heart by white rows of beads shall be the emblem of the unity of the Five
Nations.
[ Ed note: This is the Hiawatha Belt, now in the
Congressional Library. ]
The first of the squares on the left represents the Mohawk nation and its territory;
the second square on the left and the one near the heart, represents the Oneida
nation and its territory; the white heart in the middle represents the Onondaga
nation and its territory, and it also means that the heart of the Five Nations
is single in its loyalty to the Great Peace, that the Great Peace is lodged
in the heart (meaning the Onondaga Lords), and that the Council Fire is to burn
there for the Five Nations, and further, it means that the authority is given
to advance the cause of peace whereby hostile nations out of the Confederacy
shall cease warfare; the white square to the right of the heart represents the
Cayuga nation and its territory and the fourth and last white square represents
the Seneca nation and its territory.
White shall here symbolize that no evil or jealous thoughts shall creep into
the minds of the Lords while in Council under the Great Peace. White,
the emblem of peace, love, charity and equity surrounds and guards the Five
Nations.
61. Should a great calamity threaten
the generations rising and living of the Five United Nations, then he who is
able to climb to the top of the Tree of the Great Long Leaves may do so.
When, then, he reaches the top of the tree he shall look about in all directions,
and, should he see that evil things indeed are approaching, then he shall call
to the people of the Five United Nations assembled beneath the Tree of the Great
Long Leaves and say: “A calamity threatens your happiness.”
Then shall the Lords convene in council and discuss the impending evil.
When all the truths relating to the trouble shall be fully known and found to
be truths, then shall the people seek out a Tree of Ka-hon-ka-ah-go-nah, [ a
great swamp Elm ], and when they shall find it they shall assemble their heads
together and lodge for a time between its roots. Then, their labors being
finished, they may hope for happiness for many days after.
62. When the Confederate Council of the Five Nations declares for a reading
of the belts of shell calling to mind these laws, they shall provide for the
reader a specially made mat woven of the fibers of wild hemp. The mat
shall not be used again, for such formality is called the honoring of the importance
of the law.
63. Should two sons of opposite sides of the council fire agree in a desire
to hear the reciting of the laws of the Great Peace and so refresh their memories
in the way ordained by the founder of the Confederacy, they shall notify Adodarho.
He then shall consult with five of his coactive Lords and they in turn shall
consult with their eight brethren. Then should they decide to accede to
the request of the two sons from opposite sides of the Council Fire, Adodarho
shall send messengers to notify the Chief Lords of each of the Five Nations.
Then they shall dispatch their War Chiefs to notify their brother and cousin
Lords of the meeting and its time and place.
When all have come and have assembled, Adodarhoh, in conjunction with his cousin
Lords, shall appoint one Lord who shall repeat the laws of the Great Peace.
Then shall they announce who they have chosen to repeat the laws of the Great
Peace to the two sons. Then shall the chosen one repeat the laws of the
Great Peace.
64. At the ceremony of the installation of Lords if there is only one expert
speaker and singer of the law and the Pacification Hymn to stand at the council
fire, then when this speaker and singer has finished addressing one side of
the fire he shall go to the opposite side and reply to his own speech and song.
He shall thus act for both sides of the fire until the entire ceremony has been
completed. Such a speaker and singer shall be termed the “Two Faced” because
he speaks and sings for both sides of the fire.
65. I, Dekanawida, and the Union Lords, now uproot the tallest pine tree and
into the cavity thereby made we cast all weapons of war. Into the depths
of the earth, down into the deep underearth currents of water flowing to unknown
regions we cast all the weapons of strife. We bury them from sight and
we plant again the tree. Thus shall the Great Peace be established and
hostilities shall no longer be known between the Five Nations but peace to the
United People.
Laws of Adoption
66. The father of a child of great comeliness, learning, ability or specially
loved because of some circumstance may, at the will of the child’s clan, select
a name from his own (the father’s) clan and bestow it by ceremony, such as is
provided. This naming shall be only temporary and shall be called, “A
name hung about the neck.”
67. Should any person, a member of the Five Nations’
Confederacy, specially esteem a man or woman of another clan or of a foreign
nation, he may choose a name and bestow it upon that person so esteemed.
The naming shall be in accord with the ceremony of bestowing names. Such
a name is only a temporary one and shall be called “A name hung about the neck.”
A short string of shells shall be delivered with the name as a record and a
pledge.
68. Should any member of the Five Nations, a family or person belonging to a
foreign nation submit a proposal for adoption into a clan of one of the Five
Nations, he or they shall furnish a string of shells, a span in length, as a
pledge to the clan into which he or they wish to be adopted. The Lords
of the nation shall then consider the proposal and submit a decision.
69. Any member of the Five Nations who through esteem or other feeling wishes
to adopt an individual, a family or number of families may offer adoption to
him or them and if accepted the matter shall be brought to the attention of
the Lords for confirmation and the Lords must confirm adoption.
70. When the adoption of anyone shall have been confirmed by the Lords of the
Nation, the Lords shall address the people of their nation and say: “Now you
of our nation, be informed that such a person, such a family or such families
have ceased forever to bear their birth nation’s name and have buried it in
the depths of the earth. Henceforth let no one of our nation ever mention
the original name or nation of their birth. To do so will be to hasten
the end of our peace.
Laws of emigration
71. When any person or family belonging to the Five Nations desires to abandon
their birth nation and the territory of the Five Nations, they shall inform
the Lords of their nation and the Confederate Council of the Five Nations shall
take cognizance of it.
72. When any person or any of the people of the Five Nations emigrate and reside
in a region distant from the territory of the Five Nations Confederacy, the
Lords of the Five Nations at will may send a messenger carrying a broad belt
of black shells and when the messenger arrives he shall call the people together
or address them personally displaying the belt of shells and they shall know
that this is an order for them to return to their original homes and to their
council fires.
Rights of Foreign Nations
73. The soil of the earth from one end of the land to the other is the property
of the people who inhabit it. By birthright the Ongwehonweh (Original
beings) are the owners of the soil which they own and occupy and none other
may hold it. The same law has been held from the oldest times.
The Great Creator has made us of the one blood and of the same soil he made
us and as only different tongues constitute different nations he established
different hunting grounds and territories and made boundary lines between them.
74. When any alien nation or individual is admitted into the
Five Nations the admission shall be understood only to be a temporary one.
Should the person or nation create loss, do wrong or cause suffering of any
kind to endanger the peace of the Confederacy, the Confederate Lords shall order
one of their war chiefs to reprimand him or them and if a similar offense is
again committed the offending party or parties shall be expelled from the territory
of the Five United Nations.
75. When a member of an alien nation comes to the territory of the Five Nations
and seeks refuge and permanent residence, the Lords of the Nation to which he
comes shall extend hospitality and make him a member of the nation. Then
shall he be accorded equal rights and privileges in all matters except as after
mentioned.
76. No body of alien people who have been adopted temporarily shall have a vote
in the council of the Lords of the Confederacy, for only they who have been
invested with Lordship titles may vote in the Council. Aliens have nothing
by blood to make claim to a vote and should they have it, not knowing all the
traditions of the Confederacy, might go against its Great Peace. In this
manner the Great Peace would be endangered and perhaps be destroyed.
77. When the Lords of the Confederacy decide to admit a foreign nation and an
adoption is made, the Lords shall inform the adopted nation that its admission
is only temporary. They shall also say to the nation that it must never
try to control, to interfere with or to injure the Five Nations nor disregard
the Great Peace or any of its rules or customs. That in no way should
they cause disturbance or injury. Then should the adopted nation disregard
these injunctions, their adoption
shall be annulled and they shall be expelled.
The expulsion shall be in the following manner: The council shall appoint
one of their War Chiefs to convey the message of annulment
and he shall say, “You (naming the nation) listen to me while I speak.
I am here to inform you again of the will of the Five Nations’ Council.
It was clearly made known to you at a former time. Now the Lords of the
Five Nations have decided to expel you and cast you out. We disown you
now and annul your adoption. Therefore you must look for a path in which
to go and lead away all your people. It was you, not we, who committed
wrong and caused this sentence of annulment. So then go your way and depart
from the territory of the Five Nations and from the Confederacy.”
78. Whenever a foreign nation enters the Confederacy or accepts the Great Peace,
the Five Nations and the foreign nation shall enter into an agreement and compact
by which the foreign nation shall endeavor to persuade other nations to accept
the Great Peace.
Rights and Powers of War
79. Skanawatih shall be vested with a double office, duty and with double authority.
One-half of his being shall hold the Lordship title and the other half shall
hold the title of War Chief. In the event of war he shall notify the five
War Chiefs of the Confederacy and command them to prepare for war and have their
men ready at the appointed time and place for engagement with the enemy of the
Great Peace.
80. When the Confederate Council of the Five Nations has for its object the
establishment of the Great Peace among the people of an outside nation and that
nation refuses to accept the Great Peace, then by such refusal they bring a
declaration of war upon themselves from the Five Nations. Then shall the
Five Nations seek to establish the Great Peace by a conquest of the rebellious
nation.
81. When the men of the Five Nations, now called forth to become warriors, are
ready for battle with an obstinate opposing nation that has refused to accept
the Great Peace, then one of the five War Chiefs shall be chosen by the warriors
of the Five Nations to lead the army into battle. It shall be the duty
of the War Chief so chosen to come before his warriors and address them.
His aim shall be to impress upon them the necessity of good behavior and strict
obedience to all the commands of the War Chiefs. He shall deliver an oration
exhorting them with great zeal to be brave and courageous and never to be guilty
of cowardice. At the conclusion of his oration he shall march forward
and commence the War Song and he shall sing:
Now I am greatly surprised
And, therefore I shall use it— The power of my War Song.
I am of the Five Nations
And I shall make supplication
To the Almighty Creator.
He has furnished this army.
My warriors shall be mighty
In the strength of the Creator.
Between him and my song they are
For it was he who gave the song
This war song that I sing!
82. When the warriors of
the Five Nations are on an expedition against an enemy, the War Chief shall
sing the War Song as he approaches the country of the enemy and not cease until
his scouts have reported that the army is near the enemies’ lines when the War
Chief shall approach with great caution and prepare for the attack.
83. When peace shall have been established by the termination of the war against
a foreign nation, then the War Chief shall cause all the weapons of war to be
taken from the nation. Then shall the Great Peace be established and that
nation shall observe all the rules of the Great Peace for all time to come.
84. Whenever a foreign nation is conquered or has by their own will accepted
the Great Peace their own system of internal government may continue, but they
must cease all warfare against other nations.
85. Whenever a war against a foreign nation is pushed until that nation is about
exterminated because of its refusal to accept the Great Peace and if that nation
shall by its obstinacy become exterminated, all their rights, property and territory
shall become the property of the Five Nations.
86. Whenever a foreign nation is conquered and the survivors are brought into
the territory of the Five Nations’ Confederacy and placed under the Great Peace
the two shall be known as the Conqueror and the Conquered. A symbolic
relationship shall be devised and be placed in some symbolic position.
The conquered nation shall have no voice in the councils of the Confederacy
in the body of the Lords.
87. When the War of the Five Nations on a foreign rebellious nation is ended,
peace shall be restored to that nation by a withdrawal of all their weapons
of war by the War Chief of the Five Nations. When all the terms of peace
shall have been agreed upon a state of friendship shall be established.
88. When the proposition to establish the Great Peace is made to a foreign nation
it shall be done in mutual council. The foreign nation is to be persuaded
by reason and urged to come into the Great Peace. If the Five Nations
fail to obtain the consent of the nation at the first council a second council
shall be held and upon a second failure a third council shall be held and this
third council shall end the peaceful methods of persuasion. At the third
council the War Chief of the Five nations shall address the Chief of the foreign
nation and request him three times to accept the Great Peace. If refusal
steadfastly follows the War Chief shall let the bunch of white lake shells drop
from his outstretched hand to the ground and shall bound quickly forward and
club the offending chief to death. War shall thereby be declared and the
War Chief shall have his warriors at his back to meet any emergency. War
must continue until the contest is won by the Five Nations.
89. When the Lords of the Five Nations propose to meet in conference with a
foreign nation with proposals for an acceptance of the Great Peace, a large
band of warriors shall conceal themselves in a secure place safe from the espionage
of the foreign nation but as near at hand as possible. Two warriors shall
accompany the Union Lord who carries the proposals and these warriors shall
be especially cunning. Should the Lord be attacked, these warriors shall
hasten back to the army of warriors with the news of the calamity which fell
through the treachery of the foreign nation.
90. When the Five Nations’ Council declares war any Lord of the Confederacy
may enlist with the warriors by temporarily renouncing his sacred Lordship title
which he holds through the election of his women relatives. The title
then reverts to them and they may bestow it upon another temporarily until the
war is over when the Lord, if living, may resume his title and seat in the Council.
91. A certain wampum belt of black beads shall be the emblem of the authority
of the Five War Chiefs to take up the weapons of war and with their men to resist
invasion. This shall be called a war in defense of the territory.
Treason or secession
of a Nation
92. If a nation, part of a nation, or more than one nation within the Five Nations
should in any way endeavor to destroy the Great Peace by neglect or violating
its laws and resolve to dissolve the Confederacy, such a nation or such nations
shall be deemed guilty of treason and called enemies of the Confederacy and
the Great Peace.
It shall then be the duty of the Lords of the Confederacy who remain faithful
to resolve to warn the offending people. They shall be warned once and
if a second warning is necessary they shall be driven from the territory of
the Confederacy by the War Chiefs and his men.
Rights of the People of
the Five Nations
93. Whenever a specially important matter or a great emergency is presented
before the Confederate Council and the nature of the matter affects the entire
body of the Five Nations, threatening their utter ruin, then the Lords of the
Confederacy must submit the matter to the decision of their people and the decision
of the people shall affect the decision of the Confederate Council. This
decision shall be a confirmation
of the voice of the people.
94. The men of every clan of the Five Nations shall have a
Council Fire ever burning in readiness for a council of the clan. When
it seems necessary for a council to be held to discuss the welfare of the clans,
then the men may gather about the fire. This council shall have the same
rights as the council of the women.
95. The women of every clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fire ever
burning in readiness for a council of the clan. When in their opinion
it seems necessary for the interest of the people they shall hold a council
and their decisions and recommendations shall be introduced before the Council
of the Lords by the War Chief for its consideration.
96. All the Clan council fires of a nation or of the Five
Nations may unite into one general council fire, or delegates from all the council
fires may be appointed to unite in a general council for discussing the interests
of the people. The people shall have the right to make appointments and
to delegate their power to others
of their number. When their council shall have come to a conclusion on
any matter, their decision shall be reported to the Council of the Nation or
to the Confederate Council (as the case may require) by the War Chief or the
War Chiefs.
97. Before the real people united their nations, each nation had its council
fires. Before the Great Peace their councils were held. The five
Council Fires shall continue to burn as before and they are not quenched.
The Lords of each nation in future shall settle their nation’s affairs at this
council fire governed always by the laws and rules of the council of the Confederacy
and by the Great Peace.
98. If either a nephew or a niece see an irregularity in the performance of
the functions of the Great Peace and its laws, in the Confederate Council or
in the conferring of Lordship titles in an improper way, through their War Chief
they may demand that such actions become subject to correction and that the
matter conform to the ways prescribed by the laws of the Great Peace.
Religious Ceremonies Protected
99. The rites and festivals of each nation shall remain undisturbed and shall
continue as before because they were given by the people of old times as useful
and necessary for the good of men.
100. It shall be the duty of the Lords of each brotherhood to confer at the
approach of the time of the Midwinter Thanksgiving and to notify their people
of the approaching festival. They shall hold a council over the matter
and arrange its details and begin the Thanksgiving five days after the moon
of Dis-ko-nah is new. The people shall assemble at the appointed place
and the nephews shall notify the people of the time and place. From the
beginning to the end the Lords shall preside over the Thanksgiving and address
the people from time to time.
101. It shall be the duty of the appointed managers of the
Thanksgiving festivals to do all that is needed for carrying out the duties
of the occasions.
The recognized festivals of Thanksgiving shall be the Midwinter Thanksgiving,
the Maple or Sugar-making Thanksgiving, the Raspberry Thanksgiving, the Strawberry
Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting Thanksgiving, the Corn Hoeing Thanksgiving, the
Little Festival of Green Corn, the Great Festival of Ripe Corn and the complete
Thanksgiving for the Harvest.
Each nation’s festivals shall be held in their Long Houses.
102. When the Thanksgiving for the Green Corn comes the special managers, both
the men and women, shall give it careful attention and do their duties properly.
103. When the Ripe Corn Thanksgiving is celebrated the Lords of the Nation must
give it the same attention as they give to the Midwinter Thanksgiving.
104. Whenever any man proves himself by his good life and his knowledge of good
things, naturally fitted as a teacher of good things, he shall be recognized
by the Lords as a teacher of peace and religion and the people shall hear him.
The Installation Song
105. The song used in installing the new Lord of the
Confederacy shall be sung by Adodarhoh and it shall be:
“Haii, haii Agwah wi-yoh
“ “
A-kon-he-watha
“ “
Ska-we-ye-se-go-wah
“ “
Yon-gwa-wih
“ “
Ya-kon-he-wa-tha
Haii, haii It is good indeed
“ “
(That) a broom, --
“ “
A great wing,
“ “
It is given me
“ “
For a sweeping instrument.”
106. Whenever a person properly
entitled desires to learn the
pacification Song he is privileged
to do so but he must prepare a feast at which his teachers may sit with him
and sing. The feast is provided that no misfortune may befall them for
singing the song on an occasion when no chief is installed.
Protection of the House
107. A certain sign shall be known to all the people of the
Five Nations which shall denote that the owner or occupant of a house is absent.
A stick or pole in a slanting or leaning position shall indicate this and be
the sign. Every person not entitled to enter the house by right of living
within it upon seeing such a sign shall not approach the house either by day
or by night but shall keep as far away as his business will permit.
Funeral Addresses
108. At the funeral of a Lord of the Confederacy, say: Now we become reconciled
as you start away. You were once a Lord of the Five Nations’ Confederacy
and the United People trusted you. Now we release you for it is true that it
is no longer possible for us to walk about together on the earth. Now,
therefore, we lay it (the body) here. Here we lay it away. Now then
we say to you, ‘Persevere onward to the place where the Creator dwells in peace.
Let not the things of the earth hinder you. Let nothing that transpired
while yet you lived hinder you. In hunting you once took delight; in the
game of Lacrosse you once took delight and in the feasts and pleasant occasions
your mind was amused, but now do not allow thoughts of these things to give
you trouble. Let not your relatives hinder you and also let not your friends
and associates trouble your mind. Regard none of these things.’
“Now then, in turn, you here present who were related to this man and you who
were his friends and associates, behold the path that is yours also! Soon
we ourselves will be left in that place. For this reason hold yourselves
in restraint as you go from place to place. In your actions and in your
conversation do no idle thing. Speak not idle talk neither gossip.
Be careful of this and speak not and do not give way to evil behavior.
One year is the time that you must abstain from unseemly levity but if you can
not do this for ceremony, ten days is the time to regard these things for respect.”
109. At the funeral of a War Chief, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a War Chief
of the Five Nations’ Confederacy and the United People trusted you as their
guard from the enemy.” (The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral
of a Lord).
110. At the funeral of a Warrior, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. Once you were a devoted provider
and protector of your family and you were ever ready to take part in battles
for the Five Nations’ Confederacy. The United People trusted you.”
(The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
111. At the funeral of a young man, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. In the beginning of your
career you are taken away and the flower of your life is withered away.”
(The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
112. At the funeral of a chief woman, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a chief woman
in the Five Nations’ Confederacy. You once were a mother of the nations.
Now we release you for it is true that it is no longer possible for us to walk
about together on the earth. Now, therefore, we lay it (the body) here.
Here we lay it away. Now then we say to you, ‘Persevere onward to the
place where the Creator dwells in peace. Let not the things of the earth
hinder you. Let nothing that transpired while you lived hinder you.
Looking after your family was a sacred duty and you were faithful. You
were one of the many joint heirs of the Lordship titles. Feastings were
yours and you had pleasant occasions. . .” (The remainder is the same
as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
113. At the funeral of a woman of the people, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a woman in
the flower of life and the bloom is now withered away. You once held a
sacred position as a mother of the nation. (Etc.) Looking after your family
was a sacred duty and you were faithful. Feastings . . . (etc.)”
(The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
114. At the funeral of an infant or young woman, say:
“Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were a tender bud and
gladdened our hearts for only a few days. Now the bloom has withered away
. . . (etc.) Let none of the things that transpired on earth hinder you.
Let nothing that happened while you lived hinder you.” (The remainder
is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
[ Editors note: the above ellipsis
and ‘etc.’ remarks are
transcribed directly from the
text I copied. ]
115. When an infant dies within three days, mourning shall continue only five
days. Then shall you gather the little boys and girls at the house of
mourning and at the funeral feast a speaker shall address the children and bid
them be happy once more, though by a death, gloom has been cast over them.
Then shall the black clouds roll away and the sky shall show blue once more.
Then shall the children be again in sunshine.
116. When a dead person is brought to the burial place, the speaker on the opposite
side of the Council Fire shall bid the bereaved family cheer their minds once
again and rekindle their hearth fires in peace, to put their house in order
and once again be in brightness for darkness has covered them. He shall
say that the black clouds shall roll away and that the bright blue sky is visible
once more. Therefore shall they be in peace in the sunshine again.
117. Three strings of shell one span in length shall be employed in addressing
the assemblage at the burial of the dead. The speaker shall say:
“Hearken you who are here, this body is to be covered.
Assemble in this place again ten days hence for it is the decree of the Creator
that mourning shall cease when ten days have expired. Then shall a feast
be made.”
Then at the expiration of ten days the speaker shall say:
“Continue to listen you who are here. The ten days of mourning have expired
and your minds must now be freed of sorrow as before the loss of a relative.
The relatives have decided to make a little compensation to those who have assisted
at the funeral. It is a mere expression of thanks. This is to the
one who did the cooking while the body was lying in the house. Let her
come forward and receive this gift and be dismissed from the task.” In
substance this shall be repeated for every one who assisted in any way until
all have been remembered.
------------------------------------
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© 1 October 2001, Portland State University