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Iroquois

Settings/location/Physical Geography
Since 1200
Quebec, Ontario, new York, St. Lawrence river
Fertile land, lakes, rivers, flat plains, rolling hills, dry

grasslands, steep cliffs, deep river valleys


Northwest region= rocky and rough
Eastern region =forest range
Southern region= very dry

Climate
Harsh winters/summers
Blizzards, storms
Generally moist weather because of great lakes
Winter can go to -30c w/ 80cm snow
Can recive 100cm of rain each year, high humidity in

summer

Language
Used to be 5 different nations/language
6th nation/language join at early 1700s
Mohawk-official language
The languages, Seneca & Oneida are very

endangered(mostly gone)
The languages, Cayuga & Onondaga are fading(still
some around, but not much)
The language, Tuscarora(the 6th one) is very
endangered(mostly gone)

Daily Life
Hunt
Fish
Farm
Clothing
Transportation
trade/economy

Hunting
Hunting was done by men
Bows and arrows and spears
Black bear, elk, wolves, deer's, rabbits
Trap wild turkeys, ducks, etc
Also hunted turtles for meat/ shell
The Iroquois didnt waste any parts of animal(ate

meat, make tools out of bones, etc)


Cooked by women & shared with whole village

Fishing
At the end of winter, spring(fishing season)
Done by men
Used huge nets to catch fish
If the tribe was desperate for food, men went out at

night with torches(light attracted fish)


If they catch fish, everyone in the village helped
drying the fish over fires

Farming
The Iroquois mainly relied on farming for food.
The people called corn, squash, beans the three

sisters
Men clear field while women plant seeds
One of the first to tap Maple trees for Maple syrup
Loved Maple sugar in foods. E.g. heated nuts rolled
in maple sugar

Gathering
Done by women and children
Wild nuts, fruits, veggies, mushrooms,

eggs(birds/turtles)
Stuff from gathering were eaten when they were
short on meat/ harvest(corn/squash/bean)
Sunflower- sunflower oils-fry food, treat wounds,
body lotion(protect from heat/cold)

Storing
Iroquois were really good at storing food
Meat/fish smoked at home(has fire at the center, has

chimneys)
Veggies/beans dried, kept in dark containers w/thick
lids
Dried food in clay pots buried in bark lined(to keep
away mice) storage pits in/near home
Corn, squash braided and hung from ceiling

Shelter
Primarily lived in Longhouses and huts
The houses had Chimneys and fire at the centre

Clothing
Very unique even among other tribes
Use furs from animals-hides of elk, deer, etc(winter)
Wove plant an tree fiber or no shirt(summer)
Both protection and decorative purposes
Usually decorated with Iroquoian symbols/clan animal sometimes

flowers/leaves/vines(materials usually porcupine quills/wampum or


glass beads)
Different for women & men except for moccasins(shoes)
Headdresses
Sash
Breech cloths
Leggings
Dresses

Transportation
Something simple and quick
Usually prefer land-travel
Snowshoes, sleds(pulled by dogs until Europeans

came w/horses) b/c lots of snow


Canoes usually dugout canoes(elm bark) also for
fishing

Trade/Economy
Beaver pelts(valuable) helped a lot to open trade for Iroquois.

As they traded beaver pelts with Europe, Trade got stronger.


Earned money and economic power
Clay pipes- imp. Trade item. Reached native groups all along
east coast of north America
But not for furs(what the Europeans wanted for trade) so got
jealous of the groups who had furs and fought them for what
they traded with the Europeans.(The Mohawks wiped out the
St. Lawrence Iroquoians who spoke laurentian languages.
They were a branch of Iroquoian family)
Early days of fur trade- very imp. Middle man between
Europe and northern forest tribes

Culture
Dance
Music
Beliefs and ceremonies
Burial practices

Dance
Encourage everyone to dance the traditional dances of the Earth Songs. Each song

varies in speed and complexity, but all dances are performed in a counter-clockwise
direction.
There are instruments, but rely mostly on the dancers feet stomping on the ground
in unison. These foot beats are divided in three categories: Stomp, side step shuffle,
Fish
Stomp - the feet shuffle across the floor with the right foot in the lead. The left foot is
brought up to rejoin the right as the dancer moves across the floor, and the feet hit
the floor hard enough to help carry the beat of the music to all dancers.
Side-Step Shuffle - this foot shuffle and stomp is performed only by female dancers.
The women alternate shuffling their right and left feet across the ground.
Fish - The fish dance step involves each foot hitting multiple beats. Instead of
alternating feet, the right foot may stomp two or three times to the music before
switching weight to the left foot.
All dances tell stories related to their title. Rabbit dance legend is one of the most
legendary

Rabbit dance
The story of the rabbit is set in ancient tribal times, telling the tale of a a group of hunters out looking for

game. Just when they thought they could not find any animals anywhere, they found a rabbit larger than
anything they had ever seen. Just as they were about to shoot the rabbit that was surely large enough to feed
the entire village, the leader of the hunters had them lower their weapons and wait to see what would happen
next. The legend maintains that the hunters watched as the large rabbit thumped its foot on the ground.
Other rabbits began to hop toward it, and they too came and thumped their feet in time, completely ignoring
the threat of the hunters. The rabbits formed a big circle and began to dance. The dance was so captivating
that the hunters ran back to their village and told the story to their Clan Mother, who listened carefully as
they reenacted the rhythm for her on water drums. She then proceeded to tell the hunters that the rabbits
knew that the Iroquois depended upon them for food and clothing. They had taught the hunters the dance
that day to show them a way to express gratitude and reverence toward the rabbits for all they continue to
give. To this very day, the Rabbit Dance is done as a sign of thankfulness to the rabbit people for all they have
brought to the lives of the villagers.

Music
Instruments- water drum, horn rattle, hard sticks,

flutes
Flutes-used to woo women. Men would play flute
music outside of the womens longhouse at night to
show her that he was thinking about her.
Most music's are very rhythmic and consists mostly
of drumming and lively singing

Beliefs and Ceremonies


Centered on an omniscient Great Spirit who they believe

is their creator
Many Iroquois are Christians
They believed humans can indirectly communicate with
the great spirit by burning tobacco
Dreams are regarded as important supernatural signs
which express the desire of soul
Six major ceremonies(Maple, Planting, Strawberry, Green
corn, Harvest, Mid winter or New years Festival) during
the year thanking the Gods for their harvests
Believed in afterlife and joining the Great Spirit

Burial Practices
Related closely to their beliefs.
Going back to the sky world to join the Great Spirit
Death is taken by the faceless one
When someone dies-returned home to be cleaned,

washed, dressed and dressed in traditional clothes.


Funeral at longhouse. Family remain with body until
burial. A speech made by chief at bedside to release spirit
from duties on Earth, and to provide sanction for them to
move on to the sky world. Burn tobacco, release spirit.
10 days duration

Social and political structure


Family and social organization
Government
warfare

Family and Social Organization


Chief at top(elected democratically).Wisest female

from the clan. Not allowed to marry from the same


clans to keep blood line diverse (is allowed in other
tribes)
Women in charge, not men
Chief is woman, child belong to wife, women take
care of house while men hunted, built, and fished.
Husband has no power over wife/child
Large families turn into clans
Subdivided families

Government
Female chief heads every league
Formed leagues to have peace with neighbors, to

have peace with trade, allies at war


League are like colonies
Have a great council similar to parliament in
Canada. Democratic, made laws, dealt with all
problems
Harsh punishments e.g.. Death to murderers.
Repeating offenders are banished

Warfare
Weapons(vary by tribe)-hide shields, flint knives,

tomahawks/axes, ball head war club, bow/arrow,


spears
Had many wars with neighboring colonies to gain
power over resources
Allowed war captives into the tribe. Many of them
were captured
1609 war against the French and neighboring tribes
because of lack of fur for fur trade

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