Nation Iroquoise

Nation Iroquoise presents an intriguing mystery. Found in the Bibliotheque Mazarine in Paris and in the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa, the unsigned and undated manuscript Nation Iroquoise is an absorbing and informative eyewitness account of the daily life and societal structure of the Oneida Iroquois in the seventeenth century. ø The Nation Iroquoise manuscript is arguably one of the earliest known comprehensive descriptions of an Iroquois group. Rich in ethnographic detail, the work is replete with valuable information about the traditional Oneidas: the role of women in tribal councils; mortuary customs; religious beliefs and rituals; warfare; the function of the clan system in tribal governance; the impact of alcohol; and the topography, flora, and fauna of the Oneida territory. It also offers important information about the famed Iroquois Confederacy during the 1600s. ø Drawing on multiple strands of evidence and following a trail of clues within the Nation Iroquoise manuscript and elsewhere, Josä Ant¢nio Brand?o presents the results of a fascinating and convincing piece of detective work. He explains who might have written the manuscript as well as its contribution to our understanding of the Iroquois and their culture. ø The book includes the original French transcription and its English translation. Brand?o also provides an illuminating overview of Iroquois culture and of Iroquois-French relations during the period in which the Nation Iroquoise manuscript was likely written.

In Seven Generations of Iroquois Leadership, Laurence M. Hauptman traces the past 200 years of the Six Nations’ history through the lens of the remarkable leaders who shaped it. Focusing on the distinct qualities of Iroquois leadership, Hauptman reveals how the Six Nations have survived in the face of overwhelming pressure. Celebrated figures such as Governor Blacksnake, Cornelius Cusick, and Deskaheh are juxtaposed with less well-known but nonetheless influential champions of Iroquoian culture and sovereignty such as Dinah John. Hauptman’s survey includes over thirty contemporary women, highlighting the important role female leaders have played in Iroquois survival throughout history to the present day. The book offers historical and contemporary portraits of leaders from all six Iroquois nations and all regions of modern-day Iroquoia.

Looks at the customs, family life, history, government, culture, and daily life of the Iroquois nations of New York and Ontario.

In their homelands in what is now New York state, Iroquois and their issues have come to dominate public debate as the residents of the region seek ways to resolve the multibillion dollar land claims against the state. This initial dispute over territorial title has grown to encompass gambling, treaties, taxation, and what it means to claim Native sovereignty in a world experiencing fantastic technological change. New York's influence is such that the experiences of Iroquois interaction with the state will surely affect how Natives and other states deal with similar issues. This is an essential volume for those wishing to better understand these issues, written from an Iroquois perspective by someone who has taken an active role in tribal affairs and who is dedicated to preserving the philosophies of his people. Douglas George-Kanentiio, a member of the Mohawk Nation and an activist for Native American claims, details the history of his Nation from initial contact with the Europeans through to the casino crises. As a key figure in events of the last two decades, George-Kanentiio uses aspects of his personal story to highlight issues of public interest: the land, family and community, geography, federal interference in tribal affairs, religion, political activism, land use/claims, and connections to organized crime.

"Iroquois treaty-making has had enormous significance in American history, even to the present day. But until now, we have not had a comprehensive collection of treaty documents and systematic study of the Iroquois treaty procedure. This book brings the research of negotiations carried on by the Dutch, English, French, and Americans with the Iroquois to a new level of sophistication. Since September 1978, the D'Arcy McNickle Center for the History of the American at Chicago's Newberry Library has directed a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to compile and publish a documentary history of the Iroquois. The results of this undertaking are: (1) a comprehensive microform corpus of Iroquois treaties and related documents, (2) a printed calendar and index to the treaties, and (3) this reference guide to the treaties and their meanings. In addition to summary essays by Francis Jennings on history and background, William N. Fenton on Culture, Mary A. Drake on structure, Robert J. Surtees on Canada, and Michael K. Foster on linguistics, the editors have included a sample treaty with analytical commentary. They have drawn together a list of participants in Iroquois treaties, figures of speech in political rhetoric, a gazetteer of place names and their modern equivalents, maps of areas important to treaty-making, a descriptive treaty calendar listing negotiations involving Iroquois Indians 1613-1913, and a select bibliography. This books makes the rich array of treaty documents accessible to the informed lay reader. Its publication is a landmark in Iroquois studies." -- Publisher's description

Chronicles the origin and ideals of the Iroquois Confederacy and their impact on history.

In Native American history, the Iroquois have earned their place as one of the most democratic alliances with some of the most formidable warriors. United by a language and a desire to improve their lifestyles, the Iroquois Nations helped shape United States history. This book details the story of the Five, and later Six, Iroquois Nations—the Cayuga, the Seneca, the Onondaga, the Oneida, the Mohawk, and the Tuscarora: who they were, how the Iroquois Confederacy was formed, and the struggles the Iroquois faced with the arrival of European settlers. Likewise, it describes what these tribes are like today and what new experiences they face in modern society.

This fascinating work gives a complete background on the formation of the Iroquois League and Hiawatha and other's efforts to establish the Five Nations.