What are the clans in the Haudenosaunee?

The clans are represented by birds and animals and are divided into the three elements: water, land and air. The bear, wolf and deer represent the land element, the turtle, eel and beaver represent the water element and the snipe, hawk and heron represent the air element.

What is a Clan Mother Mohawk?

Clan Mother is a traditional role of wise matriarch women within certain Native American clans, who was typically in charge of appointing tribal chiefs and Faithkeepers. This title would be held by elderly women or Young women that the tribe saw as wise.

What is the role of the Clan Mothers in the Haudenosaunee government?

The Clan Mother holds much weight in the Haudenosaunee. The Clan Mother is a leader not only of her clan, but of the nation as well. The Clan Mother selects their spokesman (Hoyane or Chief) to represent them in council.

What does the Haudenosaunee flag mean?

The Haudenosaunee (People of the Long House, aka Iroquois Confederacy) flag represents the original Five Nations that were united in peace by the Peacemaker. The Five Nations includes: Shotinontowane’ha:ka (People of the Great Hill, aka Seneca) Kayonkwe’ha:ka (People of the Great Swamp, aka Cayuga)

Is Mohawk a Haudenosaunee?

The Mohawk people (Mohawk: Kanienʼkehá꞉ka) are the most easterly section of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy. They are an Iroquoian-speaking Indigenous people of North America, with communities in southeastern Canada and northern New York State, primarily around Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

How many clans do the Haudenosaunee have?

There are nine clans, divided into animals from three earth elements: Land, Air & Water. The land creatures are Deer, Wolf and Bear. The water creatures are Turtle, Beaver & Eel.

What does a Clan Mother do?

Historically, clan mothers were decision makers in the community. They represented the will of the people in selecting chiefs and other important decisions.

What does Haudenosaunee mean in English?

Haudenosaunee (hoe-dee-no-SHOW-nee) means “people who build a. house.” The name refers to a CONFEDERATION or ALLIANCE among six Native American nations who are more commonly known as the Iroquois Confederacy.

Why is the Haudenosaunee flag purple?

Purple is considered “the color of the Iroquois,” as it is the color derived from the mollusk shells used in making the wampum. The four squares and one tree each represent one of the original five nations of the Haudenosaunee.

Is Haudenosaunee Mohawk?

The Mohawk Nation is a member of the Haudenosaunee or People of the Longhouse. The Haudenosaunee are a sovereign people composed of five (and later six) Indigenous nations; often referred to as the Six Nation Iroquois Confederacy.

Do the Haudenosaunee still exist?

The Onondaga Nation is a member of what is now commonly referred to as the Haudenosaunee (a name translated as the “People of the Long House”), an alliance of native nations united for the past several hundred years by complementary traditions, beliefs and cultural values.

Are Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee the same?

The Haudenosaunee. Today the indigenous population of the Lake Simcoe/Georgian Bay area is overwhelmingly Anishinaabe although there is a small Mohawk reserve in Gibson Township, near Bala in the District of Parry Sound.

What did the Haudenosaunee believe in?

The nations of the Haudenosaunee believe that we borrow the earth from our children’s children and it is our duty to protect it and the culture for future generations. All decisions made now are made with the future generations, who will inherit the earth, in mind.