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The Role of Iroquois Chiefs The common name of the male leaders of the clans that serve as representatives of the clan in council are referred to as 'chiefs' in English, but the the Haudenosaunee call the male leaders 'Hoyaneh', meaning 'Caretakers of the Peace'. Each nation has a different number of Chiefs, but all of the Hoyaneh have the same power and authority. The chief is the voice of the family clan. Some clans have more than one chief. There is no 'head' chief. They were also called "sachems" in some documents. There are other traditional leaders, appointed because of their special skills and are referred to as 'Pine Tree Chiefs'. Each chief would also have a sub-chief to help him with his duties. The chief's title's rest within the clan and the Clan Mother can remove a delinquent Chief from his position as a fail safe mechanism, but generally a Chief is installed for life. In looking for man to become the chief of the clan, a Clan Mother would look for some one who could be trusted to look after the welfare of the people. It is said that the Chief holds the law, the people and the religion in the palm of their hand. It is a sacred trust and duty to assure the safety of all of that for the generations to come. The following qualities make for a good candidate to become a chief: pleasant personality honesty not committed any crimes must have ability to reason, not acting foolishly knowledge of the Confederacy laws represent knowledge of the ceremonies must have never left his family must be able to uphold the Great Law must be able to represent the people fairly must be kind hearted must be able to withstand criticism Source: Six Nations

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The Role Of the Clan Mother The Peace Maker selected Chiefs and Clan Mothers to represent the clans. The oldest woman of the clan is called the Clan Mother. The clan mother, whose position is hereditary, is responsible for the welfare of the clan. She names all the people of the clan; she holds a position in nominating, installing and removing the male chief, called Hoyaneh, meaning Caretakers of the Peace. She also monitors his actions and counsels the people of her clan. Her job in the past was to arrange marriages, counsel members, select the male candidate for chief, monitor his actions and remove him from office if necessary. The Clan Mother's title rests within the clan and it is usually passed on to her female relatives, looking first at her eldest sisters, other sisters, then her eldest daughter and other daughters to find the one deemed most appropriate to become the next Clan Mother. The rights of the women within a clan include the following: Descent of blood that determines citizenship Possession of official titles for clan mothers, chiefs, faithkeepers, pine tree chiefs and war chiefs Own the home and all of the furnishings Children belong to her family Use of clan lands Food distribution Right to nominate, confirm, and depose male chiefs Right to adopt foreigners or prisoners Power to forbid brothers and sons from going to war Power to grant life or death of prisoners Power to maintain the national resources Right to burial grounds for sons, brothers, daughters and sons Source: Six Nations

'The SHELTER' by Les Tate I stand silently beneath the pale sky overlooking the widening valley before me. A footpath anchored in the roots of trees leads downward along the gray sandstone hillside. The path follows the wall a short distance winding gently past tall old trees. In the rock ahead is a tall vaulted opening falling gently away to the back and sides. Spirits of ages past call to me. The bluff shelter stands at the head of the valley, a natural cathedral echoing the sounds of the forest. I enter in awe, wander quietly across the shadowed soil exploring places where my ancestors worked and slept, laughed and loved. Near the center stands a large block of stone, a silent sentinel guarding the entrance, its surface inscribed with symbols of the sun, the snake, and the four directions. Nearby I sit on a rock, its surface pitted from the breaking of nuts and the drip of water from the ceiling's edge. The firepit shows evidence of recent use perhaps by someone like me, a wanderer returning home. I close my eyes and imagine I can hear the sounds of old ones talking about the past and the future. The men and women working at the day's chores while they watch their children and grandchildren playing and laughing. Later sitting quietly and listening, passing the history of our people from generation to generation. The old and the young together as a family, as a people; their stories and songs now held in the creviced wall. I feel that I have been here before, that I belong. Part of the past, part of the present. A tear rolls down my cheek joining the spring rains which have begun to fall.

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Native American Ten Commandments Treat the earth and all that dwell thereon with respect Show great respect for your fellow beings Work together for the benefit of all mankind Give assistance and kindness wherever needed Look after the well being of mind and body Remain close to the great spirit Do what you know to be right Dedicate and share your efforts to the greater good Be truthful and honest at all times Take full responsibility for your actions

campfire stories

The Wisdom Of Alligator Isabi could not kill the deer. For three days and in the cold of winter he had stalked the quarry. For three days he had let the arrows fly, and yet none struck the deer. On the eve of the third day, as the eye of Hashtahli was high overhead, Isabi saw an alligator resting in a dry sandy spot. Alligator was dying from lack of water and asked Isabi where water might be found. Isabi answered, "In yonder forest is a pool of the deepest water." Alligator said, "I am weak; you must carry me." To this Isabi replied, "I am afraid to carry you because you may be planning to kill me." Alligator said, "I am surely not planning such a thing; you may bind my mouth and legs as a sign of my good faith. Only hurry, for I am weak and will soon die. So Isabi bound Alligator's mouth and legs and carried him into the forest dark and let him loose into the pool. Alligator swam and swam, and was soon fully recovered. Then he came to the surface and spoke the wisdom of the animals. Said he: I know that you are Isabi and that the arrows of Isabi do not kill the deer. Heed my words, though, and you will be a hunter among hunters." Take up your bow and go into the forest, the dark forest, and this is what you will see: First you will see a small doe, but you must not harm her. Next you will see a large doe, but you must not shoot her either. And then you will see a small buck, but he must likewise be left unscathed. After this, you will come upon a large, old buck, and this is the one that you will be able to kill. Once you have done this, you will be forever successful as a hunter. Isabi followed the counsel of Alligator and killed the old buck. And forever after he was a great hunter and his iksa was never in want of venison.

The Legend of the Dream Catcher Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand. As he spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web. He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life and how we begin our lives as infants and we move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle. Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, "But in each time of life there are many forces- some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But if you listen to the bad forces, they will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction." He continued, "There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature, and also with the great spirit and-all of his wonderful teachings." All the while the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web starting from the outside and working toward the center. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web and said, "See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a hole in the center of the circle." He said, "Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your people's ideas, dreams and visions. "If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole." The Lakota elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Sioux Indians use the dream catcher as the web of their life. It is hung above their beds or in their home to sift their dreams and visions. The good in their dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them, but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center of the web and are no longer a part of them. They believe that the dream catcher holds the destiny of their future.

The Legend of Wountie This one is from the Squamish Nation, Coast Salish, on the west coast of Canada. The Cheakamus River is north of the town of Squamish and flows into Howe Sound. ~*~ A long time ago, even before the time of the flood, the Cheakamus River provided food for the Squamish people. Each year at the end of summer when the salmon came home to spawn, the people would cast their cedar root nets into the water and get enough fish for the winter to come. One day a man came to fish for food for his family for the winter. He looked into the river and found that many fish were coming home this year. He said thanks to the spirit of the fish for giving themselves as food for his family, and cast his net into the river and waited. In time, he drew his nets in and they were full of fish, enough for his family for the whole year. He packed these away into cedar bark baskets and prepared to go home. But he looked into the river and saw all those fish and decided to cast his net again. And he did so, and it again filled with fish, which he threw onto the shore. A third time, he cast his net into the water and waited. This time when he pulled his net in, it was torn beyond repair by sticks, stumps and branches which filled the net. To his dismay, the fish on the shore and the fish in the cedar bark baskets were also sticks and branches. He had no fish, his nets were ruined. It was then he looked up at the mountain, and saw Wountie, the spirit protecting the Cheakamus. Wountie told him that he had broken the faith with the river and with nature, by taking more than he needed for himself and his family and this was the consequence. And to this day, high on the mountain overlooking the Cheakamus and Paradise Valley, is the image of Wountie, protecting the Cheakamus.

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