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IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY |
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 Hiawatha Belt, 2006
by Ken Maracle, Cayuga |
The Hiawatha Wampum Belt symbolizes the
founding of the Iroquois Confederacy. Each square represents an Iroquois Nation.
On the far right is the Mohawk Nation - The Keepers of the Eastern Door. On
the far left is the Seneca Nation - The Keepers of the Western Door.
The two younger brothers, the Oneida and Cayuga are in between. The
central fire, represented by a tree is the Onondaga Nation. The
Tuscarora Nation joined the Iroquois Confederacy in the early 1700's so
they are not represented in the earlier Hiawatha belt.
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 Click on each of the squares and the tree
in the wampum belt to the left to learn more about each of
the original five nations. Click on the Gustoweh to the right to learn more about the
Tuscarora Nation. |
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Going from east to west in what is today New York State, the original
five nations were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.
The Tuscarora Nation applied for and gained entrance to the
League in the early 1700s.
Now there are six Iroquois Nations.
Some Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) continue to live on their original territory.
After the American Revolution many moved to communities outside
their original territory, but maintain sovereign lands in these new
areas.
Although
the Haudenosaunee
live in 17 communities, some great distances from
each other, and while these 17 communities have their own political
structure and governing bodies, most
Haudenosaunee
still consider themselves
part of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Forty-nine chiefs from each of the five original nations make up
the governing body. The Peacekeeper is the fiftieth chief, and his
chief’s title remains vacant. The Tuscarora are represented in councils
by the Oneida.
Sub-Chiefs,
Pine Tree Chiefs, Clan Mothers, and Faithkeepers are all part of the
political structure of the Confederacy.
The Confederacy structure is even more complex today because duplicate
chiefs exist in communities in the US and Canada. The
Haudenosaunee, however,
are trying to resolve this situation in order to maintain a united
Confederacy. This body of chiefs, however, is not officially recognized by the United States or Canadian governments. There are some Haudenosaunee who do not recognize their authority either, but the symbol of the Confederacy as established by the Peacemaker, remains a vital aspect of Haudenosaunee identity. |
 "Tadodaho, Past & Present", 1977 by Rick Hill, Tuscarora |
Tadodaho symbolized all those negative forces working against the
establishment of the Iroquois Confederacy. It was said that his body was
crooked in seven places and snakes writhed about his head. He was
transformed into a man of peace when the Peacemaker and Hiawatha
convinced him that power also resided in peace. Tadodaho is now a
chief's title held by the Onondaga Nation. The man who occupies the
position calls the confederacy meetings and presides over those councils
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