1482 lines
78 KiB
Plaintext
1482 lines
78 KiB
Plaintext
<<< THE IROQUOIS CONSTITUTION >>>
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ABOUT THE IROQUOIS CONSTITUTION
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During the bi-centennial year of The Constitution of the United States,
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a number of books were written concerning the origin of that long-re-
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vered document. One of these, The Genius of the People, alleged that
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after the many weeks of debate a committee sat to combine the many
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agreements into one formal document. The chairman of the committee
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was John Rutledge of South Carolina. He had served in an earlier time,
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along with Ben Franklin and others, at the Stamp Act Congress, held in
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Albany, New York. This Committee of Detail was having trouble deciding
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just how to formalize the many items of discussion into one document
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that would satisfy one and all. Rutledge proposed they model the new
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government they were forming into something along the lines of the
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Iroquois League of Nations, which had been functioning as a democratic
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government for hundreds of years, and which he had observed in Albany.
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While there were many desirable, as well as undesirable, models from
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ancient and modern histories in Europe and what we know now as the
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Middle East, only the Iroquois had a system that seemed to meet most of
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the demands espoused by the many parties to the debates. The Genius of
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the People alleged that the Iroquois had a Constitution which began:
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"We the people, to form a union. . ."
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That one sentence was enough to light a fire under me, and cause me to
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do some deep research into ancient Iroquoian lore. I never did find
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that one sentence backed up in what writings there are concerning the
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ancient Iroquois. But I DID find sufficient data and evidence to
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convince me that the Iroquois most certainly did have a considerable
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influence on the drafting of our own Constitution, and we present-day
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Americans owe them a very large debt. At the time of the founding of
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the Iroquois League of Nations, no written language existed; we have
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only the early stories which were passed down from generation to
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generation, until such time as there was a written language, and
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interpreters available, to record that early history. One such
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document is listed below.
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There are several other documents now available in various places which
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refer to the original founding of the Iroquois, and they seem to
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substantiate this document as probably truthful and accurate. This
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version was prepared by Arthur C. Parker, Archeologist of the State
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Museum in New York in 1915, and published by the University of the
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State of New York as Bulletin 184 on April 1, 1916. It is entitled:
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The Constitution of the Five Nations - or - The Iroquois Book of the
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Great Law. In it, you will find close parallels to our Executive,
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Legislative and Judiciary branches of government as originally des-
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cribed in our U. S. Constitution.
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You will find it very difficult to keep in mind that it survives after
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some 500 or 600 years, and was originated by people that our ancestors
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mistakenly considered as "savages". Some sources place the origin of
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the Five Nation Confederacy as early as 1390 AD, but others insist it
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was prepared about 1450-1500 AD; in any case, it was well before any
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possible contamination by European invaders. Early explorers and
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colonists found the Iroquois well established, as they had been for
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many generations: with a democratic government; with a form of religion
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that acknowledged a Creator in heaven; with a strong sense of family
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which was based on, and controlled by, their women; and many other
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surprises you will soon discover.
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It must also be pointed out that this document refers to to the "Five"
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Nations, while other references to the Confederacy speak of the "Six"
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nations. From the inception, there were the Five Nations discussed in
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this Constitution. In about 1715, the Tuscarora Nation, once part of
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the Iroquois peoples in a much earlier period of their history, moved
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up from North Carolina to avoid warfare with the invading white
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settlers, and were adopted into the Confederacy. At this point in
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time, the Iroquois controlled many parts of our now eastern states from
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their homelands in what is now New York state. The original Five
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Nations were:
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Mohawk: People Possessors of the Flint
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Onondaga: People on the Hills
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Seneca: Great Hill People
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Oneida: Granite People
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Cayuga: People at the Mucky Land
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Tuscarora: Shirt Wearing People became the Sixth Nation.
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The founder of the Confederacy of the Five Nations is generally ack-
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nowledged to be Dekanawida, born near the Bay of Quinte, in south-
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eastern Ontario, Canada. During his travels, he associated himself
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with a Mohawk tribal lord in what is now New York, and named him
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Hahyonhwatha (Hiawatha) (He who has misplaced something, but knows
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where to find it). Hiawatha left his family and friends, and joined
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Dekanawida in his travels, becoming his chief spokesman. One legend
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has it that Dekanawida, while brilliant, had a speech impediment, and
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depended on Hiawatha to do his public speaking for him. Together, they
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traveled the length and breadth of the lands on the south shores of
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Lakes Erie and Ontario, as well as the river to the sea, now known as
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the St. Lawrence. These were the homelands of tribes with a common
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heritage, but who had been warring with one another for many years.
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Dekanawida united them into a League of Nations that we now call the
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Iroquois League. Centuries later, Longfellow "borrowed" the name of
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Hiawatha to be his hero in a fictional legend; there is no other
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connection between the two Hiawathas nor their stories.
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Here is their original Constitution, as best it can be recontructed
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from legend and spoken history. Read it and be amazed...keep in mind
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it is over 500 years old!
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------------------------------------
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Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
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------------------------------------
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONS
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THE GREAT BINDING LAW, GAYANASHAGOWA
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1. I am Dekanawidah and with the Five Nations' Confederate Lords I
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plant the Tree of Great Peace. I plant it in your territory, Adodar-
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hoh, and the Onondaga Nation, in the territory of you who are Fire-
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keepers.
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I name the tree the Tree of the Great Long Leaves. Under the shade of
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this Tree of the Great Peace we spread the soft white feathery down of
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the globe thistle as seats for you, Adodarhoh, and your cousin Lords.
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We place you upon those seats, spread soft with the feathery down of
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the globe thistle, there beneath the shade of the spreading branches of
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the Tree of Peace. There shall you sit and watch the Council Fire of
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the Confederacy of the Five Nations, and all the affairs of the Five
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Nations shall be transacted at this place before you, Adodarhoh, and
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your cousin Lords, by the Confederate Lords of the Five Nations.
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2. Roots have spread out from the Tree of the Great Peace, one to
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the north, one to the east, one to the south and one to the west. The
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name of these roots is The Great White Roots and their nature is Peace
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and Strength.
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If any man or any nation outside the Five Nations shall obey the laws
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of the Great Peace and make known their disposition to the Lords of the
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Confederacy, they may trace the Roots to the Tree and if their minds
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are clean and they are obedient and promise to obey the wishes of the
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Confederate Council, they shall be welcomed to take shelter beneath the
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Tree of the Long Leaves.
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We place at the top of the Tree of the Long Leaves an Eagle who is able
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to see afar. If he sees in the distance any evil approaching or any
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danger threatening he will at once warn the people of the Confederacy.
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3. To you Adodarhoh, the Onondaga cousin Lords, I and the other
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Confederate Lords have entrusted the caretaking and the watching of the
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Five Nations Council Fire.
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When there is any business to be transacted and the Confederate Council
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is not in session, a messenger shall be dispatched either to Adodarhoh,
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Hononwirehtonh or Skanawatih, Fire Keepers, or to their War Chiefs with
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a full statement of the case desired to be considered. Then shall
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Adodarhoh call his cousin (associate) Lords together and consider
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whether or not the case is of sufficient importance to demand the
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attention of the Confederate Council. If so, Adodarhoh shall dispatch
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messengers to summon all the Confederate Lords to assemble beneath the
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Tree of the Long Leaves.
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When the Lords are assembled the Council Fire shall be kindled, but not
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with chestnut wood, and Adodarhoh shall formally open the Council.
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[ed note: chestnut wood throws out sparks in burning, thereby creating
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a disturbance in the council ]
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Then shall Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords, the Fire Keepers, announce
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the subject for discussion.
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The Smoke of the Confederate Council Fire shall ever ascend and pierce
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the sky so that other nations who may be allies may see the Council
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Fire of the Great Peace.
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Adodarhoh and his cousin Lords are entrusted with the Keeping of the
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Council Fire.
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4. You, Adodarhoh, and your thirteen cousin Lords, shall faithfully
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keep the space about the Council Fire clean and you shall allow neither
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dust nor dirt to accumulate. I lay a Long Wing before you as a broom.
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As a weapon against a crawling creature I lay a staff with you so that
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you may thrust it away from the Council Fire. If you fail to cast it
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out then call the rest of the United Lords to your aid.
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5. The Council of the Mohawk shall be divided into three parties as
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follows: Tekarihoken, Ayonhwhathah and Shadekariwade are the first
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party; Sharenhowaneh, Deyoenhegwenh and Oghrenghrehgowah are the second
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party, and Dehennakrineh, Aghstawenserenthah and Shoskoharowaneh are
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the third party. The third party is to listen only to the discussion
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of the first and second parties and if an error is made or the proceed-
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ing is irregular they are to call attention to it, and when the case is
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right and properly decided by the two parties they shall confirm the
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decision of the two parties and refer the case to the Seneca Lords for
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their decision. When the Seneca Lords have decided in accord with the
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Mohawk Lords, the case or question shall be referred to the Cayuga and
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Oneida Lords on the opposite side of the house.
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6. I, Dekanawidah, appoint the Mohawk Lords the heads and the leaders
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of the Five Nations Confederacy. The Mohawk Lords are the foundation
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of the Great Peace and it shall, therefore, be against the Great
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Binding Law to pass measures in the Confederate Council after the
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Mohawk Lords have protested against them.
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No council of the Confederate Lords shall be legal unless all the
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Mohawk Lords are present.
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7. Whenever the Confederate Lords shall assemble for the purpose of
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holding a council, the Onondaga Lords shall open it by expressing their
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gratitude to their cousin Lords and greeting them, and they shall make
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an address and offer thanks to the earth where men dwell, to the
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streams of water, the pools, the springs and the lakes, to the maize
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and the fruits, to the medicinal herbs and trees, to the forest trees
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for their usefulness, to the animals that serve as food and give their
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pelts for clothing, to the great winds and the lesser winds, to the
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Thunderers, to the Sun, the mighty warrior, to the moon, to the
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messengers of the Creator who reveal his wishes and to the Great
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Creator who dwells in the heavens above, who gives all the things
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useful to men, and who is the source and the ruler of health and life.
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Then shall the Onondaga Lords declare the council open.
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The council shall not sit after darkness has set in.
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8. The Firekeepers shall formally open and close all councils of the
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Confederate Lords, and they shall pass upon all matters deliberated
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upon by the two sides and render their decision.
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Every Onondaga Lord (or his deputy) must be present at every Con-
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federate Council and must agree with the majority without unwarrantable
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dissent, so that a unanimous decision may be rendered.
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If Adodarhoh or any of his cousin Lords are absent from a Confederate
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Council, any other Firekeeper may open and close the Council, but the
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Firekeepers present may not give any decisions, unless the matter is of
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small importance.
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9. All the business of the Five Nations Confederate Council shall be
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conducted by the two combined bodies of Confederate Lords. First the
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question shall be passed upon by the Mohawk and Seneca Lords, then it
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shall be discussed and passed by the Oneida and Cayuga Lords. Their
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decisions shall then be referred to the Onondaga Lords, (Fire Keepers)
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for final judgement.
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The same process shall obtain when a question is brought before the
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council by an individual or a War Chief.
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10. In all cases the procedure must be as follows: when the Mohawk and
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Seneca Lords have unanimously agreed upon a question, they shall report
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their decision to the Cayuga and Oneida Lords who shall deliberate upon
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the question and report a unanimous decision to the Mohawk Lords. The
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Mohawk Lords will then report the standing of the case to the Fire-
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keepers, who shall render a decision as they see fit in case of a
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disagreement by the two bodies, or confirm the decisions of the two
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bodies if they are identical. The Fire Keepers shall then report their
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decision to the Mohawk Lords who shall announce it to the open council.
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11. If through any misunderstanding or obstinacy on the part of the
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Fire Keepers, they render a decision at variance with that of the Two
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Sides, the Two Sides shall reconsider the matter and if their decisions
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are jointly the same as before they shall report to the Fire Keepers
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who are then compelled to confirm their joint decision.
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12. When a case comes before the Onondaga Lords (Fire Keepers) for
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discussion and decsion, Adodarho shall introduce the matter to his
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comrade Lords who shall then discuss it in their two bodies. Every
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Onondaga Lord except Hononwiretonh shall deliberate and he shall listen
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only. When a unanimous decision shall have been reached by the two
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bodies of Fire Keepers, Adodarho shall notify Hononwiretonh of the fact
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when he shall confirm it. He shall refuse to confirm a decision if it
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is not unanimously agreed upon by both sides of the Fire Keepers.
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13. No Lord shall ask a question of the body of Confederate Lords when
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they are discussing a case, question or proposition. He may only
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deliberate in a low tone with the separate body of which he is a
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member.
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14. When the Council of the Five Nation Lords shall convene they shall
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appoint a speaker for the day. He shall be a Lord of either the
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Mohawk, Onondaga or Seneca Nation.
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The next day the Council shall appoint another speaker, but the first
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speaker may be reappointed if there is no objection, but a speaker's
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term shall not be regarded more than for the day.
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15. No individual or foreign nation interested in a case, question or
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proposition shall have any voice in the Confederate Council except to
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answer a question put to him or them by the speaker for the Lords.
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16. If the conditions which shall arise at any future time call for an
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addition to or change of this law, the case shall be carefully con-
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sidered and if a new beam seems necessary or beneficial, the proposed
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change shall be voted upon and if adopted it shall be called, "Added to
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the Rafters".
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RIGHTS, DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF LORDS
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17. A bunch of a certain number of shell (wampum) strings each two
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spans in length shall be given to each of the female families in which
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the Lordship titles are vested. The right of bestowing the title shall
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be hereditary in the family of the females legally possessing the bunch
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of shell strings and the strings shall be the token that the females of
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the family have the proprietary right to the Lordship title for all
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time to come, subject to certain restrictions hereinafter mentioned.
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18. If any Confederate Lord neglects or refuses to attend the Con-
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federate Council, the other Lords of the Nation of which he is a member
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shall require their War Chief to request the female sponsors of the
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Lord so guilty of defection to demand his attendance of the Council.
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If he refuses, the women holding the title shall immediately select
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another candidate for the title.
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No Lord shall be asked more than once to attend the Confederate
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Council.
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19. If at any time it shall be manifest that a Confederate Lord has
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not in mind the welfare of the people or disobeys the rules of this
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Great Law, the men or women of the Confederacy, or both jointly, shall
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come to the Council and upbraid the erring Lord through his War Chief.
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If the complaint of the people through the War Chief is not heeded the
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first time it shall be uttered again and then if no attention is given
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a third complaint and warning shall be given. If the Lord is contuma-
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cious the matter shall go to the council of War Chiefs. The War Chiefs
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shall then divest the erring Lord of his title by order of the women in
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whom the titleship is vested. When the Lord is deposed the women shall
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notify the Confederate Lords through their War Chief, and the Con-
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federate Lords shall sanction the act. The women will then select
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another of their sons as a candidate and the Lords shall elect him.
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Then shall the chosen one be installed by the Installation Ceremony.
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When a Lord is to be deposed, his War Chief shall address him as
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follows:
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"So you, __________, disregard and set at naught the warnings
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of your women relatives. So you fling the warnings over your
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shoulder to cast them behind you.
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"Behold the brightness of the Sun and in the brightness of
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the Sun's light I depose you of your title and remove the
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sacred emblem of your Lordship title. I remove from your
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brow the deer's antlers, which was the emblem of your
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position and token of your nobility. I now depose you and
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return the antlers to the women whose heritage they are."
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The War Chief shall now address the women of the deposed Lord and say:
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"Mothers, as I have now deposed your Lord, I now return to
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you the emblem and the title of Lordship, therefore repossess
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them."
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Again addressing himself to the deposed Lord he shall say:
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"As I have now deposed and discharged you so you are now no
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longer Lord. You shall now go your way alone, the rest of
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the people of the Confederacy will not go with you, for we
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know not the kind of mind that possesses you. As the Creator
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has nothing to do with wrong so he will not come to rescue
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you from the precipice of destruction in which you have cast
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yourself. You shall never be restored to the position which
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you once occupied."
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Then shall the War Chief address himself to the Lords of the Nation to
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which the deposed Lord belongs and say:
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"Know you, my Lords, that I have taken the deer's antlers
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from the brow of ___________, the emblem of his position and
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token of his greatness."
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The Lords of the Confederacy shall then have no other alternative than
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to sanction the discharge of the offending Lord.
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20. If a Lord of the Confederacy of the Five Nations should commit
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murder the other Lords of the Nation shall assemble at the place where
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the corpse lies and prepare to depose the criminal Lord. If it is
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impossible to meet at the scene of the crime the Lords shall discuss
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the matter at the next Council of their Nation and request their War
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Chief to depose the Lord guilty of crime, to "bury" his women relatives
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and to transfer the Lordship title to a sister family.
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The War Chief shall address the Lord guilty of murder and say:
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"So you, __________ (giving his name) did kill __________
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(naming the slain man), with your own hands! You have
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comitted a grave sin in the eyes of the Creator. Behold the
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bright light of the Sun, and in the brightness of the Sun's
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light I depose you of your title and remove the horns, the
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sacred emblems of your Lordship title. I remove from your
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brow the deer's antlers, which was the emblem of your
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position and token of your nobility. I now depose you and
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expel you and you shall depart at once from the territory of
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the Five Nations Confederacy and nevermore return again. We,
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the Five Nations Confederacy, moreover, bury your women
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relatives because the ancient Lordship title was never
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intended to have any union with bloodshed. Henceforth it
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shall not be their heritage.
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By the evil deed that you have done they have forfeited it forever.."
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The War Chief shall then hand the title to a sister family and he shall
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address it and say:
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"Our mothers, ____________, listen attentively while I
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address you on a solemn and important subject. I hereby
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transfer to you an ancient Lordship title for a great
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calamity has befallen it in the hands of the family of a
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former Lord. We trust that you, our mothers, will always
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guard it, and that you will warn your Lord always to be
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dutiful and to advise his people to ever live in love, poeace
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and harmony that a great calamity may never happen again."
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21. Certain physical defects in a Confederate Lord make him ineligible
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to sit in the Confederate Council. Such defects are infancy, idiocy,
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blindness, deafness, dumbness and impotency. When a Confederate Lord
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is restricted by any of these condition, a deputy shall be appointed by
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his sponsors to act for him, but in case of extreme necessity the
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restricted Lord may exercise his rights.
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22. If a Confederate Lord desires to resign his title he shall notify
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the Lords of the Nation of which he is a member of his intention. If
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his coactive Lords refuse to accept his resignation he may not resign
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his title.
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A Lord in proposing to resign may recommend any proper candidate which
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recommendation shall be received by the Lords, but unless confirmed and
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nominated by the women who hold the title the candidate so named shall
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not be considered.
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23. Any Lord of the Five Nations Confederacy may construct shell
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strings (or wampum belts) of any size or length as pledges or records
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of matters of national or international importance.
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When it is necessary to dispatch a shell string by a War Chief or other
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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 there has been a sumons 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 lodgement in their
|
||
minds and all their words and actions shall be marked by calm delibera-
|
||
tion.
|
||
|
||
25. If a Lord of the Confederacy should seek to establish any author-
|
||
ity 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 Con-
|
||
federate 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 oposite 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 criti-
|
||
cism. 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 lodgement 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 ofthe 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 proceed-
|
||
ings 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 wilfully
|
||
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 oftheir titles. Those
|
||
only who attend the Council may do thisand those who do not shall not
|
||
object to what has been said norstrive 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 andthe people shall
|
||
assemble together and shall ask one another iftheir 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 Con-
|
||
federate 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 concil 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
|
||
individualy 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 bewteen them wherever possible. When this is ac-
|
||
complished 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 brethern. 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 despatch 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 anneat 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 oposite 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 comliness, 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 belong-
|
||
ing 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. Hence-
|
||
forth 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 offence 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 annuled 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
|
||
pursuade 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 powerr 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 stead-
|
||
fastly 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 appointeed 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 perfor-
|
||
mance of the functions of the Great Peace and its laws, in the Con-
|
||
federate 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 pre-
|
||
scribed 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 Thanks-
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||
giving, the Maple or Sugar-making Thanksgiving, the Raspberry Thanks-
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||
giving, the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting Thanksgiving, the
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||
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.
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||
|
||
102. When the Thansgiving for the Green Corn comes the special man-
|
||
agers, 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 Pacifica-
|
||
tion 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 Nat-
|
||
ions which shall denote that the owner or occupant of a house is absent
|
||
absent. A stick or pole in a slanting or leaning position shall indi-
|
||
cate 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 beginn-
|
||
ing 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 remain-
|
||
der 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 remain-
|
||
der 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 ellipses 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 everyone who assisted in any
|
||
way until all have been remembered.
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
|
||
|