10 Interesting Facts about the Iroquois

This following article will give you more facts about the Iroquois. The Iroquois or the Haudenosaunee are a historically powerful and important northeast Native American confederacy. During the colonial years, they were known with the name “Iroquois League” and later as the “Iroquois Confederacy” to the French. Before 1722, the English called them the “Five Nations” and later as the “Six Nations”. Let’s read the details fact about the Iroquois below.

Facts about the Iroquois 1: Six Nations

The Iroquois consists of six nations; those are the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations.

Facts about the Iroquois 2:  Mohawk

The most easterly tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy filled bu the Mohawk people. They set their name as Kahniakenhaka, “People which lived in the Flint Place.” They are speak Iroquoian which indigenous people on the North of America. Find more facts about the Harbour Bridge here

Facts 2 (Mohawk)

Facts 2 (Mohawk)

Facts about the Iroquois 3: Orenda

The Iroquois have the concept of”Orenda”, meaning “spiritual force”, which historically meant the adoption of other peoples, including war captives, to replace the loss of spiritual force by death.

Facts about the Iroquois 4: The Iroquois and American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the Iroquois first tried to stay neutral. Pressed to join one side or the other, the Tuscarora and the Oneida sided with the colonists, while the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, and Cayuga remained loyal to Great Britain, with whom they had stronger relationships. It was the first political split among the Six Nations.

Facts 4 (The Iroquois and American Revolution)

Facts 4 (The Iroquois and American Revolution)

Facts about the Iroquois 5: Iroquois League 

In the 15th century or earlier, the Peacemaker bringing together five distinct nations in the southern Great Lakes area into “The Great League of Peace”. The League is governed by a Grand Council, an assembly of fifty chiefs or sachems, each representing one of the clans of one of the nations.

Facts about the Iroquois 6: The Difference between the Irish League and the Irish Confederacy

According to the interpretation of the modern scholars, the Iroquois League refers to the ceremonial and cultural institution embodied in the Grand Council, while the Iroquois Confederacy is the decentralized political and diplomatic entity that emerged in response to European colonization.

Facts 6 (The Difference between the Irish League and the Irish Confederacy)

Facts 6 (The Difference between the Irish League and the Irish Confederacy)

Facts about the Iroquois 7: Medicine

The Iroquois used the plants to treat several diseases. For example: Interrupted fern used for blood and venereal diseases and conditions, Cone flower used as an immune system booster and treatment for respiratory disease.

Facts about the Iroquois 8: Matrilineal Kinship System

The Iroquois and most Iroquoian peoples have a matrilineal kinship system; with descent and inheritance passing through the maternal lines, and children were followed born into their mother’s clan. They had the clan mothers, or also from the elder women of each clan, are highly respected. The chief for their life can be depended by the elder mothers as a clan nominate, and became the owner of the office’s symbols. Find more facts about the Harp here

Facts 8 (Matrilineal Kinship System)

Facts 8 (Matrilineal Kinship System)

Facts about the Iroquois 9: Crops

The main crops the Iroquois cultivated are corn, beans and squash, which were called the three sisters and are considered special gifts from the Creator. These crops are grown strategically.

Facts about the Iroquois 10: Cannibalism

The Iroquois are sometimes mentioned as examples of groups who practiced cannibalism. However, the evidence is mixed as to whether such a practice could be said to be widespread among the Six Nations, and to whether it was a notable cultural feature. Modern anthropologists believe the probability that cannibalism did exist among the Iroquois, but urge scholars to remember the context for a practice that now shocks the modern man.

Facts 10 (Cannibalism)

Facts 10 (Cannibalism)

If you find those facts about the Iroquois is interesting, you can leave us comment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*