The Iroquois

     Have you ever imagined living in a longhouse with the Iroquois?  The Iroquois were made up of 5 nations. These five tribes were called the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, and the Cayuga. The five tribes were not always at peace.  Deganqweida  brought them together, and was then named the “peacemaker”.  One can learn about The Iroquois tribe by looking at where they lived, how they met their basic needs, and their beliefs and culture.

     The Iroquois lived in the Appalachian Mountains in what is now New York. The land had grasslands, mixed forests, and mountains.  Some of their local water sources were Lake Ontario, the  Niagara Falls, and the  Finger Lakes. These  were also their food source because of the fish.  All of  these lakes were not  at one place. When the tribe  moved they would have one to two  lakes where they were staying.

       The Iroquois lived in a village that was often on high ground. Their  village was surrounded by a stockade that was twenty feet tall. They moved every ten to twenty years. They did that for a number of reasons, such as no more animals to hunt, no more berries, the  land became bad for farming, and they ran out of firewood.  Iroquois houses were called longhouses.     

      These were made out of upright logs and cross poles, covered in elm bark. They had no windows and there was a hole at the top to let out smoke from their fires.

The Iroquois met their basic needs in interesting ways. The Iroquois ate corn, beans, and squash that they farmed. Corn was made into bread like tacos. Polenta was cooked  by boiling it in hot water.     

       The Iroquois made wampum belts for part of their clothing. The belts were made out of seashell beads. The beads were woven into different picture patterns.  Other clothing was made of the  deerskin that the woman tanned, cut, and sewed. Women wore long skirts decorated with beads or porcupine quills.The porcupine quills were dyed red, blue, and yellow. They also wore a deerskin blouse or vest. Men wore kilt-like skirts over leggings. They wore the same tops as woman.

      Iroquois beliefs were very different from ours.The Iroquois believed that the Great Spirit was responsible for the creation of humans. They also believed that the Great Spirit was responsible for the forces of nature. Such as wind, rain, and fire. They also believed that it was appropriate to say “naho”at the end of a story. They also believed that when you killed an animal you would have to set its spirit free.

     The Iroquois were a very strong and influential tribe. This can be seen through where they lived , the meeting , of their basic needs, and their culture. The Iroquois are a very enjoyable tribe to learn about.

Bibliography

Native Americans Iroquois Tribe Read more at: http://www.d." Ducksters . Ed. Technological Solutions, Inc. Web. 21 Sept. 2017. <http://www.ducksters.com/history/native_american_iroquois.php>.ce