Post by blackcrowheart on Jun 13, 2007 14:50:09 GMT -5
De-Ka-Nah-Wi-Da and Hiawatha - Haudenosaunee
The Hiawatha in this story is the historic person of the late fourteenth
century. He should not be confused with the character in Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow's poem. The Song of Hiawatha. In the late nineteenth century, the
Iroquois Six Nations Council asked their six hereditary Chiefs to write in
English for the first time the traditional oral history of the formation of
the League of Five nations. It was formed about 1390, 100 years before
Columbus discovered America. (The Tuscaroras joined the League conditionally
in 1715.)
The traditional history was dictated by the six ceremonial Chiefs, one from
each of these tribes: the Mohawks, Oneidas, Cayugas, Senecas, Onondagas, and
the Tuscaroras. Two subchiefs were appointed secretaries, and the
typewritten report was prepared by an Indian. On July 3,1900, the completed
history was approved by the Council of the Confederacy.
About 1390, an Iroquois mother living near the Bay of Quinte had a very
special dream: A messenger came to her and revealed that her maiden
daughter, who lived at home, would soon give birth to a son. She would call
him De-ka-nah-wi-da (De-kah-a-wee-da). When a grown man, he would bring to
all people the good Tidings of Peace and Power from the Chief of the Sky
Spirits.
De-ka-nah-wi-da was bom, as the dream foretold. He grew rapidly. One day he
said to his mother and grandmother, "The time has come for me to perform my
duty in the world. I will now build my canoe."
When it was completed, and with the help of his mother and grandmother, he
dragged the canoe to the edge of the water. The canoe was made of white
stone. He got into it, waved good-bye, and paddled swiftly away to the East.
A group of Seneca hunters on the far side of the bay saw the canoe coming
toward them. De- ka-nah-wi-da stepped ashore and asked, "Why are you here?"
The first man replied, "We are hunting game for our living."
A second man said, "There is strife in our village."
"When you go back," De-ka-nah-wi-da told them, "you will find that peace
prevails, because the good Tidings of Peace and Power have come to the
people. You will find strife removed. Tell your Chief that De-ka-nah-wi-da
has brought the good news. I am now going eastward."
The men on the lakeshore wondered, because the swift canoe was made of white
stone. When they returned to their village and reported to their Chief, they
found that peace prevailed.
After leaving his canoe on the east shore, De-ka-nah-wi-da traveled overland
to another tribal settlement and asked the Chief, "Have you heard that Peace
and Power have come to earth?"
"Yes, I have heard," answered the Chief. "I have been thinking about it so
much that I have been unable to sleep."
De-ka-nah-wi-da then explained, "That which caused your wakefulness is now
before you. Henceforth, you will be called Chief Hiawatha. You shall help me
promote peace among all the tribes, so that the shedding of blood may cease
among your people."
"Wait," said Hiawatha. "I will summon my people to hear you speak." All
assembled quickly.
"I have brought the good tidings of Peace and Power from the Chief of the
Sky Spirits to all people on earth. Bloodshed must cease in the land. The
Good Spirit never intended that blood should flow between human beings."
Chief Hiawatha asked his tribe for their answer. One man asked, "What will
happened to us if hostile tribes are on either side of us?"
"Those nations have already accepted the good news that I have brought
them," replied De-ka-nah-wi-da. Hiawatha's tribe then also accepted the new
plan of peace.
When the Messenger departed, Hiawatha walked with him for a short distance.
"There is one I wish to warn you about because he may do evil to you,"
confided De-ka-nah-wi-da. "He is a wizard and lives high above Lake
Onondaga. He causes storms to capsize boats and is a mischief-maker. I go on
to the East."
Hiawatha had three daughters. The eldest became ill and died. Not long
afterward, the second daughter died. All of the tribe gathered to console
Hiawatha and to help him forget his great sorrow. One of the warriors
suggested a game of lacrosse.
During the game, the last of Hiawatha's daughters went to the spring for
water. Halfway there, she saw a beautiful high-flying bird of many bright
colors. She called for the people to look at the bird. Then the huge
creature swooped down toward her. In fear, she started to run back to her
lodge. At the same time, the people came running to see the bird.
Hiawatha's daughter was knocked down in the confusion. They did not see her
and she was trampled to death.
"Has the wizard sent that bird and caused the death of my daughter?"
wondered Hiawatha. Deeper in sorrow, he decided to leave his tribe and go
away.
A few days later, he met De-ka-nah-wi-da, who commissioned him a Peacemaker
Henceforth, Hiawatha would spend his time going from village to village and
spread the good ^"S8 of peace and Power, so that the children of the future
would live in peace.
The Mohawk Nation was the first to accept the peace plan, and they invited
Hiawatha to make his home with them. One night De-ka-nah-wi-da appeared
outside Hiawatha's sleeping room. "It is now urgent" he said softly, 'that
you come with me. We must go at once to another settlement. I have been
there before and I promised to return."
On their way, they came to a large lake. De-ka-nah-wi-da asked Hiawatha to
choose between paddling across the rough water and flying over it.
Remembering the warning about the wizard, he chose to flyover the lake.
De-ka-nah-wi-da used his supernatural power and turned both of them into
high-flying birds.
When they reached the opposite shore, they resumed their natural bodies.
Then they journeyed to the top of a very high hill to see the one chief, the
great wizard, who had not yet accepted the good news of peace. Upon seeing
him, Hiawatha was startled-the wizard's head was a mass of writhing snakes.
His hands and feet were claw like and twisted He used his power to persecute
others.
After a long time of discussion and gentle persuasion, Hiawatha noticed that
the wizard began to smile! He exclaimed, "I do want to accept your plan of
Peace and Power."
At once the wizard began to change. His hands and feet straightened Hiawatha
combed the snakes from his hair. Soon other chiefs arrived to help in the
wizard's regeneration.
De-ka-nah-wi-da then asked all the chiefs and their chief warriors and
assistants to meet on the shores of Lake Onondaga for a Council
Hiawatha/Chief of the Mohawks, asked the Oneida, Seneca, and Cayugachiefs to
bow their heads with him before the reformed wizard, who was the Onondaga
Chief Atotarho (A-ta-tar'-ho). This was their way of showing their
acceptance of him and their willingness to follow his leadership when called
upon.
The Messenger stood before the Council and explained a plan for the
Constitution of the Iroquois League of Peace:
"Let us now give thanks to the Great Chief of the Sky Spirits, for our power
is now complete. 'Yo-Hen, Yo-Hen,'" he said, meaning praise and
thanksgiving.
The Great Spirit created man, the animals, earth, and all the growing
things. I appoint you, Atotarho, Chief of the Onondagas, to be Fire-Keeper
of your new Confederacy Council of the Five United Iroquois Nations.
"Chief Warrior and Chief Mother will now place upon your head the horns of a
buck deer, a sign of your authority.
"Hiawatha shall be the Chief Spokesman for the Council. He will be the first
to consider a subject and to give his opinion. He shall then ask the
Senecas, Oneidas, and the Cayugas for their opinions, in that order If not
unanimous, Atotarho's opinion will be considered next. Hiawatha shall
continue the debate until a unanimous decision is reached. If not
accomplished within a reasonable time, the subject shall be dropped.
"Let us now make a great white Wampum of shell beads strung on deer sinews.
Each bead will signify an event and create a design of memory. We shall
place it on the ground before the Fire-Keeper Beside it we shall lay a large
White Wing. With it, he can brush away any dust or spot-symbolic of
destroying any evil that might cause trouble.
"We shall give the Fire-Keeper a rod to remove any creeping thing that might
appear to harm the White Wampum or your grandchildren If he should ever need
help, he shall call out in his thunderous voice for the other Nations of the
Confederacy to come to his aid.
"Each Chief shall organize his own tribe in the same way for the peace
happiness, and contentment of all his people. Each Chief shall sit at the
head of his own Council and matters shall be referred to him for final
decision.
"In the future, your Annual Confederacy Council Fire shall be held here at
the Onondaga village of Chief Atotarho. It will be your Seat of Government.
"Let us now plant a symbolic tree of long leaves destined to grow tall and
strong. It will represent your unity and strength. When other nations wish
to accept the good Tidings of Peace and Power, they shall be seated within
the Confederacy Council. Atop the tall tree will proudly sit an all-seeing
eagle to watch and warn you of any danger.
"Let each Chief now bring one arrow to form a bundle of arrows. Tie them
together so tightly that they cannot be bent or broken apart. Place the
bundle of arrows beside the Council Fire as another symbol of your unity and
strength.
"Let us join hands firmly, binding ourselves together in a circle If a tree
should fall upon the circle, your circle cannot be broken. Your people can
thus be assured of your unity and peace.
"If a Council Chief should ever want to remove himself as Chief then his
Horns of Authority shall be placed upon the head of his hereditary
successor.
"You Chiefs must now decide what you will do with your war weapons," said
De-ka-nah-wi-da.
Hiawatha then led the thoughtful discussion of the subject. The men agreed
to dig a deep chasm where there was a rushing river beneath. Into this river
the chiefs and their chief warriors threw all of their armaments of war.
Then they closed the chasm forever.
De-ka-nah-wi-da reconvened the Council and stated:
"I charge you never to disagree seriously among yourselves. If you do, you
might cause the loss of any rights of your grandchildren, or reduce them to
poverty and shame. Your skin must be seven hands thick to stand for what is
right in your heart. Exercise great patience and goodwill toward each other
in your deliberations. Never, never disgrace yourselves by becoming angry.
Let the good Tidings of Peace and Power and righteousness be your guide in
all your Council Fires. Cultivate good feelings of friendship, love, and
honor for each other always.
"In the future, vacancies shall be filled from the same hereditary tribes
and clans from which the first Chiefs were chosen. The Chief Mother will
control the chiefship titles and appoint hereditary successors. New Chiefs
shall be confirmed by the Confederacy Council before the Condolence
Ceremony. At that time, the Horns of Authority shall be placed upon the head
of the new Chief.
"All hunting grounds are to be in common. All tribes shall have co-equal
rights within your common boundaries. I now proclaim the formation of the
League of the Five Iroquois Nations completed. I leave in your hands these
principles I have received from the Chief of the Sky Spirits. In the future
you will have the power to add any necessary rules for the safety and
well-being of the Confederacy.
"My mission is now fulfilled. May your Confederacy continue from generation
to generation-as long as the sun will shine, the grass will grow, the water
will run. I go to cover myself with bark. I will have no successor and no
one shall be called by my name." De-ka-nah-wi-da departed from the Council
Fire.
Chief Spokesman and Lawgiver Hiawatha arose before the Council and stated,
"Hereafter, when opening and closing the Council Fire, the Fire-Keeper shall
pick up the White Wampum strings and hold them high to honor all that has
gone before. He will offer praise and thanksgiving to the Great Spirit. In
Annual Council, the Chiefs will smoke the Pipe of Great Peace.
"If a chief stubbornly opposes matters of decision before the Council,
displaying disrespect for his brother Chiefs, he shall be admonished by the
Chief Mother to stop such behavior and to act in harmony. If he continues to
refuse, he shall be deposed.
"If a family or clan should become extinct, the Chief's title shall be given
to another chosen family within his Nation, and the hereditary title will
remain within that family."
All of the Chiefs of that first Council Fire agreed with Hiawatha's plan as
a part of their new Constitution.
Chief Fire-Keeper Atotarho arose before the Council with his arms
outstretched, holding the White Wampum strings high in praise and
thanksgiving to the Holder of the Heavens. Herewith, he closed the historic
first Confederacy Council Fire of the Iroquois League of Five Nations.
"Yo-Hen, Yo-Hen!" he solemnly concluded, "thank you."
The Five Chiefs then smoked the Pipe of Great Peace!
Taken from Duncan C. Scott, Royal Academy of Canada, Proceedings and
Transactions, vol 5, Section 2, 1911: 194-246.and Paul A.W. Wallace, White
Roots of Peace. Philadelphia: University of Penn. Press, 1946.
The Hiawatha in this story is the historic person of the late fourteenth
century. He should not be confused with the character in Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow's poem. The Song of Hiawatha. In the late nineteenth century, the
Iroquois Six Nations Council asked their six hereditary Chiefs to write in
English for the first time the traditional oral history of the formation of
the League of Five nations. It was formed about 1390, 100 years before
Columbus discovered America. (The Tuscaroras joined the League conditionally
in 1715.)
The traditional history was dictated by the six ceremonial Chiefs, one from
each of these tribes: the Mohawks, Oneidas, Cayugas, Senecas, Onondagas, and
the Tuscaroras. Two subchiefs were appointed secretaries, and the
typewritten report was prepared by an Indian. On July 3,1900, the completed
history was approved by the Council of the Confederacy.
About 1390, an Iroquois mother living near the Bay of Quinte had a very
special dream: A messenger came to her and revealed that her maiden
daughter, who lived at home, would soon give birth to a son. She would call
him De-ka-nah-wi-da (De-kah-a-wee-da). When a grown man, he would bring to
all people the good Tidings of Peace and Power from the Chief of the Sky
Spirits.
De-ka-nah-wi-da was bom, as the dream foretold. He grew rapidly. One day he
said to his mother and grandmother, "The time has come for me to perform my
duty in the world. I will now build my canoe."
When it was completed, and with the help of his mother and grandmother, he
dragged the canoe to the edge of the water. The canoe was made of white
stone. He got into it, waved good-bye, and paddled swiftly away to the East.
A group of Seneca hunters on the far side of the bay saw the canoe coming
toward them. De- ka-nah-wi-da stepped ashore and asked, "Why are you here?"
The first man replied, "We are hunting game for our living."
A second man said, "There is strife in our village."
"When you go back," De-ka-nah-wi-da told them, "you will find that peace
prevails, because the good Tidings of Peace and Power have come to the
people. You will find strife removed. Tell your Chief that De-ka-nah-wi-da
has brought the good news. I am now going eastward."
The men on the lakeshore wondered, because the swift canoe was made of white
stone. When they returned to their village and reported to their Chief, they
found that peace prevailed.
After leaving his canoe on the east shore, De-ka-nah-wi-da traveled overland
to another tribal settlement and asked the Chief, "Have you heard that Peace
and Power have come to earth?"
"Yes, I have heard," answered the Chief. "I have been thinking about it so
much that I have been unable to sleep."
De-ka-nah-wi-da then explained, "That which caused your wakefulness is now
before you. Henceforth, you will be called Chief Hiawatha. You shall help me
promote peace among all the tribes, so that the shedding of blood may cease
among your people."
"Wait," said Hiawatha. "I will summon my people to hear you speak." All
assembled quickly.
"I have brought the good tidings of Peace and Power from the Chief of the
Sky Spirits to all people on earth. Bloodshed must cease in the land. The
Good Spirit never intended that blood should flow between human beings."
Chief Hiawatha asked his tribe for their answer. One man asked, "What will
happened to us if hostile tribes are on either side of us?"
"Those nations have already accepted the good news that I have brought
them," replied De-ka-nah-wi-da. Hiawatha's tribe then also accepted the new
plan of peace.
When the Messenger departed, Hiawatha walked with him for a short distance.
"There is one I wish to warn you about because he may do evil to you,"
confided De-ka-nah-wi-da. "He is a wizard and lives high above Lake
Onondaga. He causes storms to capsize boats and is a mischief-maker. I go on
to the East."
Hiawatha had three daughters. The eldest became ill and died. Not long
afterward, the second daughter died. All of the tribe gathered to console
Hiawatha and to help him forget his great sorrow. One of the warriors
suggested a game of lacrosse.
During the game, the last of Hiawatha's daughters went to the spring for
water. Halfway there, she saw a beautiful high-flying bird of many bright
colors. She called for the people to look at the bird. Then the huge
creature swooped down toward her. In fear, she started to run back to her
lodge. At the same time, the people came running to see the bird.
Hiawatha's daughter was knocked down in the confusion. They did not see her
and she was trampled to death.
"Has the wizard sent that bird and caused the death of my daughter?"
wondered Hiawatha. Deeper in sorrow, he decided to leave his tribe and go
away.
A few days later, he met De-ka-nah-wi-da, who commissioned him a Peacemaker
Henceforth, Hiawatha would spend his time going from village to village and
spread the good ^"S8 of peace and Power, so that the children of the future
would live in peace.
The Mohawk Nation was the first to accept the peace plan, and they invited
Hiawatha to make his home with them. One night De-ka-nah-wi-da appeared
outside Hiawatha's sleeping room. "It is now urgent" he said softly, 'that
you come with me. We must go at once to another settlement. I have been
there before and I promised to return."
On their way, they came to a large lake. De-ka-nah-wi-da asked Hiawatha to
choose between paddling across the rough water and flying over it.
Remembering the warning about the wizard, he chose to flyover the lake.
De-ka-nah-wi-da used his supernatural power and turned both of them into
high-flying birds.
When they reached the opposite shore, they resumed their natural bodies.
Then they journeyed to the top of a very high hill to see the one chief, the
great wizard, who had not yet accepted the good news of peace. Upon seeing
him, Hiawatha was startled-the wizard's head was a mass of writhing snakes.
His hands and feet were claw like and twisted He used his power to persecute
others.
After a long time of discussion and gentle persuasion, Hiawatha noticed that
the wizard began to smile! He exclaimed, "I do want to accept your plan of
Peace and Power."
At once the wizard began to change. His hands and feet straightened Hiawatha
combed the snakes from his hair. Soon other chiefs arrived to help in the
wizard's regeneration.
De-ka-nah-wi-da then asked all the chiefs and their chief warriors and
assistants to meet on the shores of Lake Onondaga for a Council
Hiawatha/Chief of the Mohawks, asked the Oneida, Seneca, and Cayugachiefs to
bow their heads with him before the reformed wizard, who was the Onondaga
Chief Atotarho (A-ta-tar'-ho). This was their way of showing their
acceptance of him and their willingness to follow his leadership when called
upon.
The Messenger stood before the Council and explained a plan for the
Constitution of the Iroquois League of Peace:
"Let us now give thanks to the Great Chief of the Sky Spirits, for our power
is now complete. 'Yo-Hen, Yo-Hen,'" he said, meaning praise and
thanksgiving.
The Great Spirit created man, the animals, earth, and all the growing
things. I appoint you, Atotarho, Chief of the Onondagas, to be Fire-Keeper
of your new Confederacy Council of the Five United Iroquois Nations.
"Chief Warrior and Chief Mother will now place upon your head the horns of a
buck deer, a sign of your authority.
"Hiawatha shall be the Chief Spokesman for the Council. He will be the first
to consider a subject and to give his opinion. He shall then ask the
Senecas, Oneidas, and the Cayugas for their opinions, in that order If not
unanimous, Atotarho's opinion will be considered next. Hiawatha shall
continue the debate until a unanimous decision is reached. If not
accomplished within a reasonable time, the subject shall be dropped.
"Let us now make a great white Wampum of shell beads strung on deer sinews.
Each bead will signify an event and create a design of memory. We shall
place it on the ground before the Fire-Keeper Beside it we shall lay a large
White Wing. With it, he can brush away any dust or spot-symbolic of
destroying any evil that might cause trouble.
"We shall give the Fire-Keeper a rod to remove any creeping thing that might
appear to harm the White Wampum or your grandchildren If he should ever need
help, he shall call out in his thunderous voice for the other Nations of the
Confederacy to come to his aid.
"Each Chief shall organize his own tribe in the same way for the peace
happiness, and contentment of all his people. Each Chief shall sit at the
head of his own Council and matters shall be referred to him for final
decision.
"In the future, your Annual Confederacy Council Fire shall be held here at
the Onondaga village of Chief Atotarho. It will be your Seat of Government.
"Let us now plant a symbolic tree of long leaves destined to grow tall and
strong. It will represent your unity and strength. When other nations wish
to accept the good Tidings of Peace and Power, they shall be seated within
the Confederacy Council. Atop the tall tree will proudly sit an all-seeing
eagle to watch and warn you of any danger.
"Let each Chief now bring one arrow to form a bundle of arrows. Tie them
together so tightly that they cannot be bent or broken apart. Place the
bundle of arrows beside the Council Fire as another symbol of your unity and
strength.
"Let us join hands firmly, binding ourselves together in a circle If a tree
should fall upon the circle, your circle cannot be broken. Your people can
thus be assured of your unity and peace.
"If a Council Chief should ever want to remove himself as Chief then his
Horns of Authority shall be placed upon the head of his hereditary
successor.
"You Chiefs must now decide what you will do with your war weapons," said
De-ka-nah-wi-da.
Hiawatha then led the thoughtful discussion of the subject. The men agreed
to dig a deep chasm where there was a rushing river beneath. Into this river
the chiefs and their chief warriors threw all of their armaments of war.
Then they closed the chasm forever.
De-ka-nah-wi-da reconvened the Council and stated:
"I charge you never to disagree seriously among yourselves. If you do, you
might cause the loss of any rights of your grandchildren, or reduce them to
poverty and shame. Your skin must be seven hands thick to stand for what is
right in your heart. Exercise great patience and goodwill toward each other
in your deliberations. Never, never disgrace yourselves by becoming angry.
Let the good Tidings of Peace and Power and righteousness be your guide in
all your Council Fires. Cultivate good feelings of friendship, love, and
honor for each other always.
"In the future, vacancies shall be filled from the same hereditary tribes
and clans from which the first Chiefs were chosen. The Chief Mother will
control the chiefship titles and appoint hereditary successors. New Chiefs
shall be confirmed by the Confederacy Council before the Condolence
Ceremony. At that time, the Horns of Authority shall be placed upon the head
of the new Chief.
"All hunting grounds are to be in common. All tribes shall have co-equal
rights within your common boundaries. I now proclaim the formation of the
League of the Five Iroquois Nations completed. I leave in your hands these
principles I have received from the Chief of the Sky Spirits. In the future
you will have the power to add any necessary rules for the safety and
well-being of the Confederacy.
"My mission is now fulfilled. May your Confederacy continue from generation
to generation-as long as the sun will shine, the grass will grow, the water
will run. I go to cover myself with bark. I will have no successor and no
one shall be called by my name." De-ka-nah-wi-da departed from the Council
Fire.
Chief Spokesman and Lawgiver Hiawatha arose before the Council and stated,
"Hereafter, when opening and closing the Council Fire, the Fire-Keeper shall
pick up the White Wampum strings and hold them high to honor all that has
gone before. He will offer praise and thanksgiving to the Great Spirit. In
Annual Council, the Chiefs will smoke the Pipe of Great Peace.
"If a chief stubbornly opposes matters of decision before the Council,
displaying disrespect for his brother Chiefs, he shall be admonished by the
Chief Mother to stop such behavior and to act in harmony. If he continues to
refuse, he shall be deposed.
"If a family or clan should become extinct, the Chief's title shall be given
to another chosen family within his Nation, and the hereditary title will
remain within that family."
All of the Chiefs of that first Council Fire agreed with Hiawatha's plan as
a part of their new Constitution.
Chief Fire-Keeper Atotarho arose before the Council with his arms
outstretched, holding the White Wampum strings high in praise and
thanksgiving to the Holder of the Heavens. Herewith, he closed the historic
first Confederacy Council Fire of the Iroquois League of Five Nations.
"Yo-Hen, Yo-Hen!" he solemnly concluded, "thank you."
The Five Chiefs then smoked the Pipe of Great Peace!
Taken from Duncan C. Scott, Royal Academy of Canada, Proceedings and
Transactions, vol 5, Section 2, 1911: 194-246.and Paul A.W. Wallace, White
Roots of Peace. Philadelphia: University of Penn. Press, 1946.