■ What lesson could the countries in the UN learnfrom this speech?

■ Compare Haudenosaunee ideas about laws andsociety with those at the beginning of Chapter 1.

The IroquoisConfederacy4

CHAPTER

76

Marcine Quenzer painted this picture in2002. One version of the Peacemaker’s storysays that he travelled among the nations in awhite stone canoe. Why might a stone canoeconvince people to accept his message?

Haudenosaunee is the namethat the people of the Six Nationscall themselves. French settlerscalled them “Iroquois,” andhistorical documents also use“Iroquois.”

The United Nations is anorganization that works for worldpeace. It builds cooperationamong countries and protectsthe rights of people. Mostcountries, including Canada,belong to the United Nations.

words matter ! The Haudenosaunee [how-den-o-SHOW-nee] feel thatthey have a message about peace and the environment,just as their ancestors did. In 1977, they made a speech tothe United Nations (UN). This is part of it.

“Haudenosaunee” is a word which means “people whobuild” and is the proper [traditional] name of the peopleof the Longhouse. The early history, before the Indo-Europeans came, explains that there was a time whenthe peoples of the North American forest experiencedwar and strife. It was during such a time that there cameinto this land one who carried words of peace. That onewould come to be called the Peacemaker.

The Peacemaker came to the people with a messagethat human beings should cease abusing [hurting] oneanother. He stated that humans are capable of reason[thinking things through logically], that through thatpower of reason all men desire peace, and that it isnecessary that the people organize to ensure that peacewill be possible among the people who walk about onthe earth. That was the original word about laws—lawswere originally made to prevent the abuse [harming] ofhumans by other humans.

Coming of the Peacemaker

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 76

Inquiring Minds

The Iroquois Confederacy way of making decisions was different from that of theancient Greeks. As you read this chapter, think about the following questions:

1. How are democratic ideas about equality, equity, and participation part ofthe Iroquois Confederacy?

2. To what extent was the Iroquois Confederacy a representative democracy?

?

77

A confederacy is apartnership that is agreed onby nations or groups ofpeople.

words matter !

The Peacemaker travelled among the people, going fromnation to nation, seeking those who would take up this way ofpeace, offering with it a way of reason and power. He journeyedfirst among the Ganienkegaga [Gah–nee–en–gah–HAH–geh]— the People of the Flint Stone (Mohawk)—where he sought to speak to the most dangerous of these people, offering them hismessage.

He travelled for a long time among the Mohawk, the People of Standing Stone (the Oneida), the People of the Hills(Onondaga), the People of the Swamp (Cayuga), and the People of the Great Hills (Seneca). Eventually, those five nations were the initial ones to take up the offer of peace. These nations gathered together in council, and there they setdown the principles of what is called the Gayaneshakgowa[Guy–ya–na–lay–GO–wa], or the Great Law of Peace.

The Peacemaker gathered the nations under the Tree of Peace and recited the Great Law of Peace that they were to live by. Then their weapons were buried under the Tree. Aconfederacy of five nations had been created. Eventually, in the early 1700s, a sixth nation, the Tuscarora, accepted thePeacemaker’s message and the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy was complete.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 77

78

An Iroquois clan is a largegroup of families who arerelated to one another. Eachclan is associated with adifferent animal.

words matter !

What Was Iroquois SocietyLike?

Today, most Haudenosaunee live in thenortheastern United States and southeasternCanada. Some of them still follow the ways ofgoverning set by the Peacemaker. However,their way of life is much different than it was inthe past.

Before the coming of the Peacemaker, thenations that formed the Confederacy had beenat war with one another for a long time.However, the five Iroquois nations actually hadmuch in common with one another. Theirhomes, their social structure, and daily life intheir villages were very similar.

The Longhouse

Longhouses were at the centre of Iroquois society. Theirnations were divided into nine clans, which were led by clanmothers. All the people living in a longhouse weredescendants of the same clan mother.

Clans are identified by animals. These include the Bear,Wolf, Turtle, Snipe, Eel, Heron, Hawk, Beaver, and Deer.Animal clans are related. A Mohawk of the Turtle clan, forexample, is a relative of the Seneca Turtle clan.

As the families grew larger, they would extend thelonghouse by building onto the end. Some longhouses werealmost as long as a football field! Small Iroquois villages had four or five longhouses; there could be 50 or more longhouses in a large village.

This sculpture, Clan Animals on the Turtle’s Back, was done byWayne Skye, a member of theCayuga Wolf clan, in 1996.Which animals can you find?

Iroquois homes or longhouseswere wood frames covered in elmbark. This longhouse built around1640 was reconstructed in the1960s. It is located at Ste-MarieAmong the Hurons near Midland,Ontario.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 78

The Role of Iroquois Women

Women had positions of respect in Iroquois society. CarolJacobs, Cayuga Bear clan mother, describes women’sstanding this way: “In our traditions, it is women whocarry the seeds, both of our own future generations and ofthe plant life. It is women who plant and tend thegardens, and women who bear and raise the children.”Women also owned the property and homes.

When a woman got married, her husband wouldcome to live in her family’s longhouse. Their childrenbelonged to the mother’s clan.

The women raised corn, beans, and squash, whichwere the main food supply of the Iroquois. These crops areknown as the “Three Sisters.”

79

Carson Waterman of the Seneca Nation did this painting in 1992. It showsthree clan mothers, each holding one of the “Three Sisters.” Tobacco, whichwas smoked on ceremonial occasions, was the “brother” crop of the sisters.

[4-11]

The Importance of the Clan Mothers

Clan mothers were the leaders of the clan. The title of clanmother was usually passed on to her female relatives: hersisters or her daughters. The Great Law of Peace gave the clanmother ownership of the chieftainship title. This means thatclan mothers had the responsibility of selecting the chiefs fortheir own clan. Clan mothers today have as much importanceand respect as they did in the past.

This drawing represents how theIroquois see their identity.

The Union of Nations You are Part of—

the Ir

oquo

is

Your N

ationality—the nations that you b

elon

g to

Your Fireside Family—your

mother, father, sisters, and

brothers Your Extended Family—your cla

n

Use a Venn diagram tocompare the status ofIroquois and Athenianwomen. Consider suchaspects as daily activities,status in society, andpolitical power.

Skill Smart

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 79

80

In choosing a chief, the clan mother would look forcharacteristics such as:• honesty and kind-heartedness• ability to think clearly• knowledge of traditional ceremonies• loyalty to family• ability to uphold the Great Law• ability to represent the people fairly• ability to withstand criticism

The Role of Iroquois Men

Although women headed the clans, men served as the chiefson the Grand Council, which was the government of theIroquois. The men organized cooperative hunting and fishingparties to provide meat for the village. They cut trees to makelonghouses and canoes. They organized team sports such aslacrosse that were part of many seasonal celebrations.Lacrosse was a sport played for fun, but it also trained men fortheir other tasks in life. It built leadership skills as well asendurance, strength, and speed for hunting and warfare.Games would sometimes last for days.

Wars were fought exclusively by men, although thewomen often decided whether or not war was to be declared.Once the Confederacy was formed, fighting among theIroquois stopped. However, warfare continued with nationsthat did not want to be part of the Great Peace.

ThinkingIt Through

1. What do you thinkthese leadershipcharacteristics suggestabout the values ofHaudenosauneesociety?

2. What othercharacteristics do you consider importantin a leader?

Lacrosse is still played in Canada.This First Nations sport has becomeCanada’s national sport. How doyou think this sport preparesplayers for other tasks in life?

Emergence of the Chief wascast by artist Dave McGary in2005. It shows a clan motherof the Turtle Clan instructinga new head chief of theMohawk Nation in his dutiesand responsibilities. Thesculpture was created forConcordia University inMontréal when it wasdiscovered that part of theuniversity had been built onMohawk land. Why do youthink the university decidedto put up the sculpture?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 80

In Chapter 1, you read that Canada has a writtenConstitution that sets out the rules of Canadian society. TheGreat Law of Peace is the constitution of the Iroquois. Itdescribes principles of good living and tells how theConfederacy should be organized and run. The Great Law ofPeace is so long that it would take days to recite thewhole thing. In order to help them remember theGreat Law, the Iroquois used wampum belts.

A wampum keeper was responsible for caringfor the wampum and reading it. The reader wouldpass his hands along the belt, bead by bead, usingtheir texture to remind him of the events or treatiesit recorded. Wampum keepers were chosen by theclan and trained from a young age—younger thanyou are now—to remember the information on thebelt and tell it in a dramatic and poetic way.Iroquois women made the wampum belts.

81

ThinkingIt Through

In what other ways dosocieties record theirhistory and laws?

What Was Wampum UsedFor?Wampum is strings or belts made up of white and purple beadsthat were cut from certain kinds of shells. Each string or beltheld a different message. The use of wampum suggested theseriousness of the message and the sincerity of whoever made it.

This drawing, First Grand Council,was done by John KahionhesFadden of the Mohawk Nation in1980. It shows the Peacemakerpresenting the Great Law ofPeace. The figure under the Treeof Peace is holding a wampumbelt. According to Iroquoistradition, Hiawatha introducedwampum to his people.

This photo taken in the 1870s shows Iroquoischiefs from the Six Nations Reserve readingWampum belts.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 81

82

This belt is known as the HiawathaWampum. It is a primary source ofinformation about the Iroquois.How does the Hiawatha Wampumshow the relationship among thenations of the Confederacy?

A collective identity is ashared belief system thatoften includes the samelanguage, culture, values,and attitudes.

words matter !

The Hiawatha Wampum

Today the Great Law of Peace exists as a written document. Itwas first recorded in English in about 1880. Now, there areseveral versions of it. The Hiawatha wampum is one of manybelts and strings that describe the Great Law.

Here are the meanings of the symbols on the HiawathaWampum:• From left to right, the five images represent the Mohawk,

Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca Nations andtheir territories. The Onondaga symbol in the centre alsorepresents the Tree of Peace.

• The lines joining the five images show the connection ofthe five nations to one another.

• The two lines extending out from the squares at the twoends of the belt are the Path of Peace by which othernations are welcomed to join the Confederacy.

• The Great Law explains the white colour on the HiawathaBelt this way: “White here symbolizes that no evil orjealous thought shall creep into the minds of the chiefswhile in Council under the Great Peace. White, theemblem of peace, love, charity and equity surrounds andguards the Five Nations.”

Wampum TreatyWampum often represented treaties among two groups of people. Thewampum are primary sources that tell us about Iroquois history. TheTwo Row Wampum Treaty symbolized the relationship between theIroquois and the European nations that settled in North America.One purple row of beads represented the path of the Iroquois canoethat carried their culture, laws, and beliefs. This shows that thenations of the Iroquois Confederacy shared a collective identity.The other purple row represented the path of a sailing ship carryingthe Europeans’ culture, laws, and beliefs. The parallel paths showthat that neither group will try to interfere with the other. The threewhite background rows symbolize peace, friendship, and respectbetween the two groups.

More About. . .

This is a replica of the Two Row Wampum Treaty.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 82

MAKING A

DIFFERENCE

Hiawatha, whose name is sometimesalso spelled Hayehwatha, travelled withthe Peacemaker and helped him spreadhis message of peace among theHaudenosaunee. What we know abouthim comes through the oral storiesthat have been passed down throughthe generations. These stories havenow been written down.

One of the stories tells about Hiawatha’s great sorrow. Tadodaho,the chief of the Onondaga, was not interested in peace. He was anevil man who caused the death of Hiawatha’s three daughters. In hissadness, Hiawatha went to live alone in the forest. He put shells on astring as he thought about his daughters. This was the firstwampum.

The Peacemaker found Hiawatha in the forest. Hiawatha was sosad that he could not see, hear, or speak, so the Peacemakercomforted him. He wiped the tears flowing from Hiawatha’s eyeswith soft deerskin. Peacemaker removed the obstruction inHiawatha’s ears with a feather. Finally, he gave Hiawatha cool waterto drink, which cleared the obstruction in his throat.

Now that Hiawatha could see, hear, and speak again, he was ableto leave the forest to spread the good word of peace. Hiawatha andthe Peacekeeper eventually cleared the evil from the mind ofTadodaho. This allowed the Onondaga Nation to join theConfederacy.

The ceremony that thePeacemaker performedon Hiawatha becamethe basis of a ceremonythat the Iroquois usedto ease sadness whensomeone died.Wampum strings wereexchanged during theceremony. How mighta ceremony like thishelp to strengthen thebonds of people in asociety?

Over to You

This painting of the firstwampum string was done in1980 by John Kahionhes Faddenof the Mohawk Nation.

83

[4-27]

It is believed that Hiawathalived sometime between 1100and 1450.

Who Was Hiawatha?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 83

84

Interpreting MapsWhat kind of information do maps give? • Political maps tell you about the location of countries

and cities. • Historical maps tell you what an area was like in the

past.• Physical maps provide information about features of the

land like rivers, mountains, and land elevation. Thephysical map on the next page shows rivers and lakes.

Take a look at the map below and identify the followingfeatures: title, compass rose, legend, and scale. These featuresare described in the Skill Smart on page 56. Use informationon the map to answer these geographic questions:• Why were the Seneca given the title “Keepers of the Western

Door”? Who were the “Keepers of the Eastern Door”?• What geographic feature do you think influenced the

location of European settlements? Explain why.

SKILLPOWER

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

ATLANTIC OCEAN

SENECA

CAYUGA

ONONDAGA

ONEIDA

TUSCARORA

MOHAWK

CANADA

0 75 150

kilometres

Legend

European settlement

S

N

W E

THE

SIX

N

ATI

ON

S

Locations of the Six Iroquois Nations, 1768

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 84

85

Practise the SkillThis physical map shows the names of the rivers and lakes in NewYork State. Study the map carefully and identify its features.

1. Historical maps can sometimes add to our understanding ofpresent-day maps. How did the past influence the choice ofnames of rivers on the modern map?

2. Make up five geographic questions that can be answered byusing the maps on these two pages. Exchange questions with apartner.

3. Today, there are a number of Haudenosaunee communities onreserves in Canada and on reservations in the United States.On a map of North America, locate Kanesatake and the SixNations reserve. Document the sources you looked at to findthis information.

Rivers and Lakes of New York State

ErieCanal

Canandaigua Lake

CayugaLake

LakeGeorgeGreat

SacandagaLake

Skaneateles Lake

SenecaLake

Keuka Lake

Cranberry Lake

OneidaLake

BlackLake

Chatauqua Lake

Tonawanda Cr

Gen

esee

Rive

r

Cohocton R.Canisteo R.

Cattaraugus C

r

SusquehannaRive

r

Chen

ango

Rive

r

Wal

lkill

Riv

er

Black River

Mohawk River

Hud

son

Rive

r

Scho

hane

Cr

Hudson R.

Sara

nac R

iver

St. Regis

Raquette

R.

R.St

. Law

rence

River

Delaware River

Chemung R.

LakeChamplain

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

0 75 150

kilometres

ATLANTIC OCEAN

S

N

W E

CANADA

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 85

86

How Was the ConfederacyStructured?For the Irquois, their Confederacy could be compared to ahuge longhouse that stretched over the whole territory wherethey lived. The Six Nations—Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida,Seneca, Onondaga, and Tuscarora—lived together under itsroof as a family. This longhouse sheltered their bond witheach other and protected them from their enemies.

The Chiefs

The leaders in Irquois society were the chiefs. The Great Law ofPeace stated that it was their duty to be teachers and spiritualguides and to remind their people that the Creator wants themto live together forever in peace.

The chiefs were treated with great respect because of theirwisdom and other special qualities. However, they wereconsidered the same as everyone else in society—not better orabove others. They were the caretakers of the Great Law ofPeace and had responsibilities in many areas.

Create a web to recordwhat you learn about theresponsibilities ofHaudenosaunee chiefs.Compare your web witha classmate’s and lookfor similarities anddifferences.

Skill Smart

Speaking Out

[The Council of the SixNations] is still alive andintends, as best it can, todefend the rights of theIroquois to live under theirown laws in their own littlecountries left to them, toworship their Great Spiritin their own way, and toenjoy the rights which areas surely theirs as the whiteman’s rights are his own.

Chief Dekaheh, Cayuga Nation,1925

Chief Oren Lyons (left), Faithkeeper ofthe Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation.The Faithkeeper’s job is to maintainthe customs, traditions, values, andhistory of the clan and to uphold theGreat Law of Peace and represent itsmessage to the world community.Chief Leon Shenandoah (right), FireKeeper for Haudenosaunee. Thisphotograph was taken at the EarthSummit in 1992.

Chief Dekaheh of the CayugaNation travelled to Geneva in 1923to defend the rights of his peoplebefore the League of Nations. Hewas not allowed to speak.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 86

The chiefs looked after the welfare of their people and ranthe affairs of the clan, the nation, and the Confederacy. Theyalso upheld the rule of law in their society. (You read aboutthe rule of law in Chapter 2, on page 46.)

There were also:• war chiefs, who were selected by each of the nations to sit

on the Grand Council. In wartime, these chiefs had togather warriors for fighting.

• pine tree chiefs, who showed special abilities or had aninterest in public affairs. They were selected to join theGrand Council by its chiefs.

The Grand Council

The Great Law of Peace established a Grand Council made upof 50 chiefs who represented the nations of the Confederacy.Nations with large populations had more chiefs than smallernations, but they were all equal to one another. • The Mohawk Nation had nine chiefs.• The Oneida Nation had nine chiefs.• The Onondaga Nation had fourteen chiefs.• The Cayuga Nation had ten chiefs.• The Seneca Nation had eight chiefs.

The Tuscarora, who were not part of the original fivenations named in the Great Law of Peace, were represented bythe Chiefs of the Oneida.

The clan mother could remove a chief who was not doinghis job properly. A chief might lose his position for• committing a serious crime such as murder• refusing to attend meetings of the Grand Council• not listening to and representing the views of the people• disobeying the Great Law• not acting with the welfare of the people in mind

New chiefs were chosen by the clan mothers. The clanmothers also ensured that all decisions made by the GrandCouncil agreed with the Great Law of Peace. They carefullywatched over discussions and made sure that all voices wereheard and treated respectfully. They pointed out any mistakesthey saw to the chiefs.

87

ThinkingIt Through

How does the image ofthe chiefs on the sealsuggest unity andequality?

Thayendanegea, whoseEnglish name was JosephBrant, was a famous warchief of the Mohawk Nation.Brantford, Ontario, wasnamed after him.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 87

88

The Seventh Generation

One important responsibility of the Grand Council was toconsider the seventh generation. The chiefs had to alwayskeep in mind how the decisions they made would affect thelives of their people for seven generations—more than 200years in the future. This encouraged the chiefs to actcautiously so that the welfare of their descendants would beprotected.

In Canada today we also expect our politicians to try tomake decisions that will have positive effects on futuregenerations. Do you think that governments are passingstrong enough laws to protect the environment? Health care?Human rights?

words matter !

Successive descendants in afamily make up generations.For example, grandparents,parents, and children arethree generations of a family.

The Tree of PeaceThe Tree of Peace is an importantsymbol of the Iroquois. The roots of theTree spread out to the north, south,east, and west so that other nationscould find the pathways to the GreatLaw. If any person or nation wishes tofollow the Great Law of Peace, they arewelcome to join the Iroquois under theTree. The eagle sits at the top of theTree to spot any approaching dangerand warn the Iroquois. Before theplanting, the Peacemaker asked thenations to throw their articles of warinto the pit. He then planted the Treeof Peace over the weapons.

More About. . .

This Tree of Peace wasdrawn by John Fadden. The war club under the treesymbolizes the weaponsburied by the Iroquois.

Speaking Out

In making any law, ourchiefs must always considerthree things: the effect oftheir decision on peace, theeffect on the natural world,and the effect on sevengenerations in the future.We believe that alllawmakers should berequired to think this way,that all constitutionsshould contain these rules.

Carol Jacobs, Cayuga Bear clanmother

Thinking It Through

1. In Chapter 2, you saw that in a democracy people canparticipate to work for the common good. How doesthinking about the seventh generation contribute to thecommon good?

2. What other kinds of decisions could politicians make todaythat would affect the seventh generation?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 88

How Were Decisions Madein the Confederacy?In Chapters 2 and 3, you looked at rights and freedoms,representation, and justice in Canada and ancientAthens. One of the ways these values are achieved in ademocracy is by involving people in making decisions.How do people participate in decision making inCanada? How did they participate in ancient Athens?

The Great Law was written to ensure that theIroquois could live together in peace and harmony. Here aresome ways that democratic principles are built into decisionmaking under the Great Law:• Although different nations had different numbers of chiefs

in the Grand Council, there was equality among them.They all had the same level of authority.

• Authority was shared between men and women.Although only men were members of the Grand Council, itwas the women who nominated the chiefs and could takeaway their title. The fact that people belonged to theirmother’s clan also gave authority to the women.

• The clan system introduced by the Peacemaker helped tomake sure that no one nation would ever be able to takeover the Confederacy. Because people in each nationbelonged to various clans, their loyalty was split betweentheir clan and their nation. This balancing of loyaltyworked to maintain democracy and unity within theConfederacy.

ThinkingIt Through

How are the ideas offairness and equalityexpressed on theHiawatha Wampum belton page 82?

89

The Tuscarora NationWhen Europeans came to North America, the Tuscarora livedin what is now the state of North Carolina. Like other FirstNations people, many Tuscarora fell sick and died fromdiseases brought by Europeans. Settlers fought the Tuscarorawanting to take over their traditional lands. In the early1700s, many Tuscarora moved north to New York State wherethey lived near the Oneida and later joined the IroquoisConfederacy as the sixth nation.

More About. . .

How are the students in this classmaking a decision? What otherways are there of makingdecisions?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 89

Making Decisions by Consensus

Can you imagine how hard it would be to get all of thestudents in your class to agree on an issue? How would you goabout it? Getting five different nations and the many clanswithin them to agree on issues was a challenge that thePeacemaker faced. The Great Law sets out a system of decisionmaking that allows everyone a voice and requires theagreement of all. This way of making decisions is calledconsensus. It was another way that fairness and equalitywere maintained in Iroquois society.

Consensus requires people to be open-minded. They mustbe willing to think deeply about the issue and to listen to theideas of others. The decision may not be their first choice, butthey must be willing to support it in the best interest of thegroup.

90

Thinking It Through

1. Consider how the social structure of the IroquoisConfederacy encouraged consensus decision making.

2. Consensus requires people to be open-minded. Why is itimportant for members of any society to be open-minded?

3. In a country as big as Canada, it is unlikely that everybodywill agree on all issues. In what ways do people show thatthey disagree with government decisions?

Decision Making in theGrand Council

The process of Grand Council decisionmaking is laid out in the Great Law of Peace.The chiefs were divided by nation for thediscussions and each nation had a role. TheMohawk and Seneca, who were the first tojoin the Confederacy, were known as the ElderBrothers. The Onondaga had the position ofFire Keepers. The Oneida and Cayuga wereknown as the Younger Brothers.

The Onondagakindled theCouncil fire at thebeginning of theGrand Councilmeeting. Fire wasthought to purifythe words of thechiefs and makesure they spokethe truth.

When a decision is made byconsensus, all the peopleaffected by the decision havean equal voice. There isdiscussion and the finalagreement represents aprocess that everyone agrees to.

words matter !

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 90

The Onondaga were responsible for opening the GrandCouncil. They began by thanking the representatives of theother nations for attending and announcing the subject thatwould be discussed.

The Grand Council chose a speaker from among theMohawk, Onondaga, or Seneca Nations to conduct themeeting. The speaker held this position for one day. The nextday a new speaker would be chosen or the first speaker couldbe reappointed by the Council.

During a Grand Council meeting, a chief’s twofaithkeepers and his clan mother sat behind him to advisehim and, if necessary, remind him of his responsibility to hispeople.

91

Mohawk and Seneca discuss issue and make a decision by consensus

Oneida and Cayuga discuss same issue and make a decision by consensus

If Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga come to the same decision...

If Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, and Cayuga come to a different decision...

Onondaga confirm the decision

Issue set aside until chiefs get advice from their communities

Onondaga refer issue back to Mohawk and Seneca, and the process starts again

Mohawk announce the decision

Action taken on the decision

An issue arises

This chart shows the process of decision making among the original five nationsof the Iroquois Confederacy.

ThinkingIt Through

What similiarities canyou find betweenIroquois and Atheniandecision making?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 91

Consulting the Clans

You have seen that the Grand Council was the governing bodyof the Iroquois. However, the Great Law gave all the Iroquoisthe right to participate in decision making. It describes oneoccasion in which the people were consulted this way:

Whenever a specially important matter or a great emergency ispresented before the Confederate [Grand] Council and the natureof the matter affects the entire body of the Five Nations,threatening their utter ruin, then the Lords [chiefs] of theConfederacy must submit the matter to the decision of theirpeople and the decision of the people shall affect the decision ofthe Confederate [Grand] Council. This decision shall be aconfirmation of the voice of the people.

The diagram below shows the process through which thevoice of the people was heard. It ensured that everyone—men,women, children, and Elders—had a say in the decision-making process.

Minority Rights

Along with giving people the right to contribute to thedecision-making process, the Great Law also acknowledges theunique identity of each nation. It states that the nations willkeep their own festivals and laws, and that the chiefs of thenations continue to have the right to settle the affairs of theirnations.

Taking the rights of minorities into consideration indecision making is an important way of keeping a society fair.What document protects minority rights in Canada?

92

Clan meeting gives everyone in the clan— women, men, children, and Elders—a chance to speak.

Clan mother informs clan chief of the decision the clan reached by consensus.

Clan chief carries decision to the Council of Chiefs of the nation.

Council of Chiefs of the nation comes to a consensus and brings that decision to the Grand Council.

ThinkingIt Through

How is the right ofIroquois nations to keeptheir own laws similar tothe protection ofcollective rights in theCanadian Charter that youread about in Chapter 2?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 92

93

Roberta Jamieson is a member of theMohawk Nation of the Grand River insouthern Ontario. She was the first FirstNations woman in Canada to earn a lawdegree. She was also the first woman tobecome a chief of the Six Nations of theGrand River, the reserve in Canada thathas the most people living on it.

In 1989, Roberta Jamieson wasappointed to a 10-year term as theombudsman of Ontario. An ombudsmanis a person who investigates people’scomplaints about the government. Theombudsman can suggest changes togovernment policies or change unfair decisions.

In this chapter you have seen the importance of participation andconsensus in Iroquois society. Roberta Jamieson feels that her culturehas had a great affect on her job as ombudsman. She says:

First, Iroquois people have always placed a lot of importance ondiplomacy [talking things over]. We’ve placed a lot of influence onprocess, on reaching a consensus, knowing that if you spend thetime to come to a genuine consensus it will be long-lasting.

She has used these traditional strategies to help people to reachagreement and solve problems. She tries to bring opposing sidestogether with the goal of reaching a solution that both can agree on.She encourages them to work together to find a solution, rather thanfocusing on the ways they disagree.

1. Do you agree with Roberta Jamieson’s idea that “...if youspend the time to come to a genuine consensus it will belong-lasting”? Explain your thinking.

2. Roberta Jamieson has said that in Iroquois culture “womenare the conscience of the council, of the chiefs.” What doyou think she means by this?

3. Why is the job of ombudsman important in a democracy?

Over to You

Roberta Jamieson is thewinner of the NationalAboriginal AchievementAward.

Roberta JamiesonMAKING A

DIFFERENCE

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 93

ViewpointsViewpointsWhat Is the Best Way to Make aDecision?

The Iroquois thought they had an effective way of makingdecisions—they used consensus. Ancient Athenians also thoughtthey had a good way to make decisions—they used majorityrule.

Both of these ways of making decisions have survived to thepresent day. The Assembly of First Nations and the Nunavutlegislature continue to use the consensus model. Majority rule isused in elections across Canada. What are the advantages ofeach of these ways of making decisions?

94

Viewpoint 3

Viewpoint 2

Viewpoint 1

Voting is competitive—it createswinners and losers. Consensus iscooperative and tries to reach a decisionthat is best for all members of a group.

One person, onevote—that’s thebasis of ourdemocracy. It’s theonly fair way in myopinion.

Consensus decision making is

inclusive. The Iroquois

Confederacy included

everybody who would be

affected when making

decisions. With consensus,

participants can put forward

ideas or recommend changes.

That’s why the Charter of the

Assembly of First Nations says

that consensus will be used to

make decisions.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:42 PM Page 94

95

1. Which of the opinions best represent your own ideas? Explain.

2. What are some other benefits and drawbacks of consensus and majority ruledecision making?

3. Name classroom situations when using consensus would work best. In whatsituations would majority rule work best?

Over to You

95

Viewpoint 4

Viewpoint 5 Viewpoint 6

Let’s be practical. How could youuse consensus decision making torun a country? Consensus is finefor a small group, but when youare dealing with many thousands,or even millions of people,consensus just isn’t an option.

Majority rulemeans that theminority maynot becommitted tothe decision that

is made. One time my classvoted on whether to go to thezoo or the museum for a fieldtrip. The zoo got the most votes.The kids who voted to go to themuseum didn’t help plan the zootrip. Consensus decision makingwould have made that situationmuch better.

Consensus takes a long time. If

you have to make a decision in a

hurry, voting is the most efficient

way. You just give people the

choices then you do what the

majority believes is best.

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 95

96

Contributing to

CommunityOne morning when Mr. Kahn was taking attendance, the classtold him that Matthew was in the office. He and another boyargued over a soccer ball in the schoolyard. The two boysended up pushing each other and a teacher had to separatethem. Matthew and the other boy had to go to the principal totalk to her about what had happened.

Mr. Kahn thought this might be a good time to talk aboutschool rules.

MARIA: The Peacemaker encouraged the nations in the IroquoisConfederacy to use reason. I think that means you need to consider theconsequences of your actions before you act. He also talked about peaceand unity.

RICHARD: I think one important thing he said is that we need to thinkabout how our actions affect the group, both now and in the future.

IAN: I wonder how the Great Law of Peace can be applied to ourclassroom or our school?

ANGELITA: Maybe we can use the Great Law to help us come up withclassroom rules for problem solving.

What rules does your school haveto make sure everyone is safe andhealthy?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 96

The students spent time researching how people canstrengthen a community. There were historic ideas from theIroquois as well as ideas from other cultures. They found thatmany sources said that if people were actively involved withothers they could build a strong, supportive communitywhere people are willing to help each other without beingasked.

IAN: We need to make everybody feel like they are an important partof the school. I read that in an area of San Juan, Costa Rica, the peopleagreed to El Ley del Saludo—the Law of the Greeting. They would leavefor work earlier than usual and when they saw a neighbour they wouldstop and talk. This way everybody got to know everybody else. Maybeour school could try this.

MARIA: Listening to each other is important. We need to hear andunderstand what problems or concerns everybody has.

ANGELITA: Listening is important, but what we say is important too.We should show respect to each other by not gossiping or sayinghurtful things about others. That is a big part of respecting others. Idon’t know if we always have to think about seven generations ahead,but we should think about the consequences of our actions.

RICHARD: Maybe we could write up some guidelines so that studentsin our school could live more peacefully with one another. I wonder ifwe can get the other classes to accept our guidelines?

1. What rules and guidelines do you think would help improve thewell-being of your school community?

2. How could you get the other classes to agree on yourguidelines? Would you use consensus or majority rules? Are youwilling to compromise on your guidelines?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a set ofguidelines that all classes agree on? How would you deal withstudents who choose not to follow your guidelines?

Over to You

Besides books, what other researchmethods could Mr. Kahn’s studentshave used?

97

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 97

98

Explore More!

1. Put yourself in the place of a member of the Iroquois Confederacy whohas been asked to speak for your people and explain your system ofgovernment.

a. How would you describe the democratic principles of the IroquoisConfederacy? Use the organizer below to record your ideas.

b. Identify items on your completed organizer or other informationfrom the chapter that you think shows that the Iroquois Confederacyhad representative government.

2. Look at the map on page 84 to see where the six Iroquois Nations livedin 1768. Find this area on a present-day map of the United States. Referto maps that show temperature, precipitation, and land use of this areato explain how the geographical features supported the Haudenosauneeway of life.

3. Another important wampum is the Two Row Wampum that you readabout on page 82. From what you know about the history of FirstNations in North America, tell whether you think the ideas on this belthave been honoured.

Equa

lity

Equi

ty

Part

icipa

tion

Democratic Principles of Iroquois Confederacy

Inquiring Minds?

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 98

Suppose, like the Peacemaker, you had the opportunity toinfluence a great number of people. Look back at theHaudenosaunee speech at the start of this chapter anddevelop a short speech to spread your own message aboutpeace and the environment to one of the following:

- your classmates

- your school

- your community

a. Consider how your speech would be different for eachgroup. Why would it be different for each group?

b. Present your speech to your classmates, your school, orsome leaders of your community. At the end of yourspeech invite your audience to propose ways how yourideas might be put into practice.

Democracy In Action JournalWith a partner or group, discuss what values are most importantin your classroom. Create a series of symbols in your journal thatexpress these values.

99

Your Turn

76_ALB6SS_Ch4_F 2/13/08 3:37 PM Page 99