The Iroquois Or Haudenosaunee

The Iroquois, or Haudenosaunee, which means “people of the longhouse”, were a great nation that was made up of six smaller nations, the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, and the Tuscarora (The Canadian Encyclopedia). The Iroquois was formed when five nations, the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and Mohawk signed a Great Law of Peace, which is considered to be both a political foundation and the root for the Iroquois society in general (The Canadian Encyclopedia). It was not until 1722, when the Tuscarora moved north from Virginia and North Carolina that they joined the confederacy as well (The Canadian Encyclopedia). This nation is located south of the Great lakes in modern day New York State (The Canadian Encyclopedia). They spoke
Unlike most other Aboriginal nations, they were sedentary instead of nomadic (The Canadian Encyclopedia). This meant that they lived year-round in enclosed settlement with several hundred people (The Canadian Encyclopedia). Their social structure was built upon matrilineal principles, which means that the basic unit consisted of the descendants of a single woman (The Canadian Encyclopedia). Multiple matrilineages created a matrilineal clan, which was not only important for ceremonial and symbolic importance, but also served to regulate marriage patterns (The Canadian Encyclopedia). A person was not allowed to marry another person in his or her own clan (The Canadian
It was believed that their power of spirit flowed through all nature called otennota glossed orenda (Johnson, 51). Their principal religious festivals were conformed to the agricultural cycle (Johnson, 51). The first festival is the Midwinter or New Year Festival. This was held in late January or February, and started five days after the new moon of midwinter. The festivals purpose was to recommence the ceremonial associations, to give thanks to the Creator and to all the spirit forces on earth, above, and universal (Johnson, 51). The second festival was the Maple Festival. This was celebrated in March, and its purpose was to give thanks to the spirits of the maple after the sap is collected (Johnson, 51). The third festival was the Sun Shooting. This was celebrated in spring, and its purpose was to give thanks to the sun and to free from the sun a frog that postpones the beginning of spring (Johnson, 51). The fourth festival was the Planting Festival. This was celebrated in May to ask the Creator to bless the seeds before they were planted (Johnson, 51). The fifth festival was the Strawberry Festival. This was celebrated in June to give thanks for the ripening of the first fruits (Johnson, 51). The fifth festival was the Thunder Ceremony. This was celebrated to help bring rain (Johnson, 51). The sixth festival