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Native People Before White Contact For educational purposes only. © Sandpiper Press, c/o Jake Thomas Learning Centre, Website: www.tuscaroras.com/jtlc
Native people lived on this "Turtle Island" from the time of creation. The people did not know at the time what it was to be good or bad. People practiced many evil things, like cannibalism, killing and warring among nations. Now at the time of creation, there came a prophet who told them that they must have clans and it would come from the animals like: the Deer, Bear, Hawk, Eel, Snipe, Beaver, Turtle, Wolf and Heron. Hence, this is where the clans originated called a "moiety". Now the clans themselves were also grouped into larger divisions. The Iroquois called each group "sisters and brothers," social scientists have adopted the Greek term "phratry" meaning a group related by families for grouping of clans. The function of the phratries was largely ceremonial; in the games, councils and in funerals, certain characteristics of the phratries grew out of those clans. You were not allowed to marry anyone within your own clan. It was preferred although not absolutely essential that you marry outside your own phratry. Therefore, the father and mother were always of different clans and usually of different phratries, as each nation had clans and the clans supported one another. Now another prophet came and told the people on this Turtle Island what wrong things they are doing that made the Creator sad. At times many young men were at war with other nations and the elders did not approve of this way. These nations of people lived along the shores of the Great Lakes and on the north shore, which is now called the Bay of Quinte where the Huron Nation had a settlement. During this time the Huron were at war with the Iroquois and other nations. A woman that lived in the Huron Village with her daughter feared that some day they would be killed by these young men--the people called them "Warriors". Many of these so-called "Warriors" were warring among other nations, which caused problems. So one day the old woman and her daughter moved away from their own village, they went far away, eventually they settled in a place called "Kahá:naien (Mohawk language), meaning the place where the river divides into a double current." They settled along the north side which is now called Lake Ontario where the girl grew up as she was "hidden under the husk", which means she was kept a virgin until she reached her womanhood, until her mother decided whom she may marry, so they stayed at this settlement. In the years that followed, until the girl grew up, they continued to live their simple way of life. Now this young girl began to show signs that she would be a mother someday. Her mother asked her daughter how she became pregnant her daughter replied that she did not know until the day came when the child was to be born and it was a boy child, a fatherless boy child. The grandmother tried three times to do away with the child, the child revealed his powers that he possessed. She tried to bury him, then to drown him and finally she threw him in the fire to burn. The grandmother was surprised that all her attempts failed. Later she had a dream that a man came to her and told her that she would never be able to do away with the child because he was sent by the Creator and he chose your daughter to bring this child into this world. Henceforth the grandmother began to love and respect the boy as he grew rapidly into a young man. At that point, he told his mother and grandmother that the time has come for him to go on a mission--journey to the east to bring about peace among all nations. And so it was that he brought peace and to each nation he traveled from east to west, from nation to nation.
From this he now established the Five Nations: he named the Mohawks "People of the Flint." Kanienkehá:ka` (Mohawk language), the Oneidas "People the Standing Stone," Oneniota:á:ka` (Mo.), the Onondagas "People of the Hills," Onontakehá:ka` (Mo.), the Cayugas "People of the Pipe or Canoe People," Kaiokwenhá:ka` (Mo.) and the Senecas were the last named "People of the Great Hill," Onontowá:ka` (Mo.). The formation of the "League" was established long before the coming of the Europeans. The Prophet told these "Five Nations" that now they must follow the "Great Laws of Peace", which are love, appreciation and to have respect for one another. The Great Law tells the people how they should behave and how to live as one family unit, called the "Longhouse". Native people never had prisons, jails, lawyers, judges or a police force. People lived in accordance to the Great Law. They respected each other, they respected nature and they taught this to their children. They were also taught to respect their elders. Because of the European contact came many things that affected native people such as alcohol, Christianity and education. Thus, native people began to accept a lot of European ways. As a result native people left behind their values such as: native ways of respect, language and culture because missionaries converted the majority of natives among different nations. Today our "Elders", are not respected as they were in the past. They are put into old age homes and the children are put in day-care centres under the care of someone else. Today this leads us to wonder why we have lost our culture, knowledge and language, as those elders are our teachers--they hold the knowledge. The Iroquois clan system was built on the Longhouse family as it reflects the women in its organization. An older woman or elder is the person called a "clan matron". The heart of the clan is the "Clan Mother" who is usually the eldest or most respected female member of one Longhouse family. One of the most important functions of the Clan Mother was to keep track of the names owned by the clan and the free names. Those names held by someone else could not be given to a newborn baby. At Midwinter Ceremonies or at Green Corn Ceremonies names are given at birth or to youngsters when they became adolescents, or someone adopted into the clan. When someone is given a name, that name is carried by the individual throughout his or her lifetime. Children were disciplined at an early age. As children grew up, they played by themselves or idly about the Longhouse, as there were few toys and little supervision. Cornhusk dolls were made for the girls, while the boys got a hoop and javelin along with a snowsnake. Bow and arrows were also made for the boys and they were taught everything they needed to know about hunting. Thus, they became highly skilled hunters and trappers. The girls were taught at an early age about cooking, making (native) clothes, how to care for their brothers and sisters and to be responsible for special chores around the Longhouse. At night the children would gather around and listen to stories told by the elders. The older women would tell the young girls what to be aware of when they reach their womanhood. This was very important for young girls to know about life in the "future". The general menstrual taboos arose out of the belief that during a women’s first three days of menstruating are poisonous and dangerous to be in contact with men, hunters, babies, pregnant women, medicines, and religious items. Therefore, menstruating women are secluded, and are encouraged to keep themselves from intimate contact with anyone or touch an item, which might be harmed, such as seeds for planting. She is forbidden to plant corn or even enter the garden during this time. In particular, a menstruating woman should not prepare, touch or look for medicine, for not only will the power of the medicine be spoiled or be killed instantly, but harm may be directed to the patient who takes the medicine, or even personally to bring herself harm. Stronger medicines, such as the "Little Water Society" are said to act on a woman who is not very strong (physically and/or mentally) and may induce menstruation a week prior to her cycle. Therefore, a woman who is considered to be sickly should not be around when medicine is being used. In fact, those who administer "Little Water" usually say that, preferably women of menstrual age should leave the lodge before the medicine is used. When a woman is admitted (and there are accounts according to which, it is the women who are custodians) it is claimed that she is strong enough to withstand the danger or has passed menopause. A menstruating woman should not be allowed at a society meeting which purports to cure, though there may not be an herbal or other tangible medicine present, the entire procedure is medicinal, and her presence would spoil the power of the religious items or foods used in rituals. A menstruating woman should not drink from the same container or bite the same bread or food as of the man, nor should she kiss, sleep with, breathe upon, touch, or cook for anyone. At one time, a five-day period of isolation was prescribed and in actuality few women today obey even this curtailed prohibition. It is believed that if a child is kissed by a menstruating or pregnant woman or drinks from the same cup, the child will become a "cry baby". Male babies in particular, who drink from the same container as a menstruating woman are in danger of developing bloody diarrhea or bleeding piles. The type of piles induced through contact with catamenial women is called in native language: Wa`thowákwa` (Onondaga language), Atonwákwa` (Cayuga language) and it is distinguished from Hohetjíht:g,hs (Onondaga language), which is a naturally caused disease. These symptoms may occur years after the transgression has been committed regardless of whether the contact was accidental or intentional. Also, food prepared by the catamenial woman could supposedly produce cramps in the more sensitive males’ digestive systems. These are the reasons why menstruating women are encouraged to provide their own drinking vessels when they do attend the Longhouse ceremonies. When the pregnant woman gives birth, the eldest member of the clan will speak to the child and welcome him to the clan and to Mother Earth. When the child becomes old enough then he is weaned from his mother. Native people never weaned the child any sooner than two years of age. Discipline is encouraged and practiced after the child is able to speak. Children were liked and desired. Parents always protected, attended and displayed affection toward their children. Children are and were allowed a good deal of independence as they grew up. Their supervision was often handled by the older siblings. The "Code of Handsome Lake" is very specific concerning the sinfulness of punishing children which suggest methods of chastisement, the use of cold water and is even today the culturally accepted method. When a child misbehaves, he is sprinkled with cold water. Temper tantrums are dealt with similarly. When he or she fails to improve, then the child is doused in cold water. When the child remains obstinate, the child is then taken to a running stream or creek and there he is threatened with immersion or is actually dipped. In each case, the "water" is considered to be the medicine. If, however, the water methods fail to bring the desired results, and as a last resort the child should be whipped four times with a red whip. A red willow whip is considered to be the appropriate medicine. The older women always encouraged the young woman to continue breast-feeding for a period of two years. With continued nursing it reduces another immediate pregnancy. Spacing childbirth of up to three years is considered desirable. Whereas, abortion is strictly forbidden for traditional people and they never ever had illegitimate children. A child is born on "Mother Earth" already has been granted his or her birthright by the Creator which no man-made law can give anyone. A child has right to be here on earth. Everyone is equal to each other, no one is better than another person, the Creator made everyone in the image of himself and he gave the Native People to live in this world that created. © Jake Thomas, Iroquois Culture, History and Traditions, October 19, 1991. |