Kaianereh'ko:wa
III
79. Skanawatih shall be vested with a double office, duty and with double
authority. One-half of his being shall hold the Lordship title and the
other half shall hold the title of War Chief. In the event of war he shall
notify the five War Chiefs of the Confederacy and command them to prepare
for war and have their men ready at the appointed time and place for
engagement with the enemy of the Great Peace.
80. When the Confederate Council of the Five Nations has for its object
the establishment of the Great Peace among the people of an outside nation
and that nation refuses to accept the Great Peace, then by such refusal
they bring a declaration of war upon themselves from the Five Nations. Then
shall the Five Nations seek to establish the Great Peace by a conquest of
the rebellious nation.
81. When the men of the Five Nations, now called forth to become warriors,
are ready for battle with an obstinate opposing nation that has refused to
accept the Great Peace, then one of the five War Chiefs shall be chosen by
the warriors of the Five Nations to lead the army into battle. It shall be
the duty of the War Chief so chosen to come before his warriors and address
them. His aim shall be to impress upon them the necessity of good behavior
and strict obedience to all the commands of the War Chiefs. He shall
deliver an oration exhorting them with great zeal to be brave and
courageous and never to be guilty of cowardice. At the conclusion of his
oration he shall march forward and commence the War Song and he shall sing:
"Now I am greatly surprised
"And, therefore I shall use it --
"The power of my War Song.
"I am of the Five Nations
"And I shall make supplication To the Almighty Creator. He has furnished
this army. My warriors shall be mighty In the strength of the Creator.
Between him and my song they are
"For it was he who gave the song
"This war song that I sing!
82. When the warriors of the Five Nations are on an expedition against an
enemy, the War Chief shall sing the War Song as he approaches the country
of the enemy and not cease until his scouts have reported that the army is
near the enemies' lines when the War Chief shall approach with great
caution and prepare for the attack.
83. When peace shall have been established by the termination of the war
against a foreign nation, then the War Chief shall cause all the weapons of
war to be taken from the nation. Then shall the Great Peace be established
and that nation shall observe all the rules of the Great Peace for all time
to come.
84. Whenever a foreign nation is conquered or has by their own will
accepted the Great Peace their own system of internal government may
continue, but they must cease all warfare against other nations.
85. Whenever a war against a foreign nation is pushed until that nation is
about exterminated because of its refusal to accept the Great Peace and if
that nation shall by its obstinacy become exterminated, all their rights,
property and territory shall become the property of the Five Nations.
86. Whenever a foreign nation is conquered and the survivors are brought
into the territory of the Five Nations' Confederacy and placed under the
Great Peace the two shall be known as the Conqueror and the Conquered. A
symbolic relationship shall be devised and be placed in some symbolic
position. The conquered nation shall have no voice in the councils of the
Confederacy in the body of the Lords.
87. When the War of the Five Nations on a foreign rebellious nation is
ended, peace shall be restored to that nation by a withdrawal of all their
weapons of war by the War Chief of the Five Nations. When all the terms of
peace shall have been agreed upon a state of friendship shall be
established.
88. When the proposition to establish the Great Peace is made to a foreign
nation it shall be done in mutual council. The foreign nation is to be
persuaded by reason and urged to come into the Great Peace. If the Five
Nations fail to obtain the consent of the nation at the first council a
second council shall be held and upon a second failure a third council
shall be held and this third council shall end the peaceful methods of
persuasion. At the third council the War Chief of the Five nations shall
address the Chief of the foreign nation and request him three times to
accept the Great Peace. If refusal steadfastly follows the War Chief shall
let the bunch of white lake shells drop from his outstretched hand to the
ground and shall bound quickly forward and club the offending chief to
death. War shall thereby be declared and the War Chief shall have his
warriors at his back to meet any emergency. War must continue until the
contest is won by the Five Nations.
89. When the Lords of the Five Nations propose to meet in conference with
a foreign nation with proposals for an acceptance of the Great Peace, a
large band of warriors shall conceal themselves in a secure place safe from
the espionage of the foreign nation but as near at hand as possible. Two
warriors shall accompany the Union Lord who carries the proposals and these
warriors shall be especially cunning. Should the Lord be attacked, these
warriors shall hasten back to the army of warriors with the news of the
calamity which fell through the treachery of the foreign nation.
90. When the Five Nations' Council declares war any Lord of the
Confederacy may enlist with the warriors by temporarily renouncing his
sacred Lordship title which he holds through the election of his women
relatives. The title then reverts to them and they may bestow it upon
another temporarily until the war is over when the Lord, if living, may
resume his title and seat in the Council.
91. A certain wampum belt of black beads shall be the emblem of the
authority of the Five War Chiefs to take up the weapons of war and with
their men to resist invasion. This shall be called a war in defense of the
territory.
92. If a nation, part of a nation, or more than one nation within the Five
Nations should in any way endeavor to destroy the Great Peace by neglect or
violating its laws and resolve to dissolve the Confederacy, such a nation
or such nations shall be deemed guilty of treason and called enemies of the
Confederacy and the Great Peace.
It shall then be the duty of the Lords of the Confederacy who remain
faithful to resolve to warn the offending people. They shall be warned
once and if a second warning is necessary they shall be driven from the
territory of the Confederacy by the War Chiefs and his men.
93. Whenever a specially important matter or a great emergency is
presented before the Confederate Council and the nature of the matter
affects the entire body of the Five Nations, threatening their utter ruin,
then the Lords of the Confederacy must submit the matter to the decision of
their people and the decision of the people shall affect the decision of
the Confederate Council. This decision shall be a confirmation of the
voice of the people.
94. The men of every clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fire
ever burning in readiness for a council of the clan. When it seems
necessary for a council to be held to discuss the welfare of the clans,
then the men may gather about the fire. This council shall have the same
rights as the council of the women.
95. The women of every clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fire
ever burning in readiness for a council of the clan. When in their opinion
it seems necessary for the interest of the people they shall hold a council
and their decisions and recommendations shall be introduced before the
Council of the Lords by the War Chief for its consideration.
96. All the Clan council fires of a nation or of the Five Nations may
unite into one general council fire, or delegates from all the council
fires may be appointeed to unite in a general council for discussing the
interests of the people. The people shall have the right to make
appointments and to delegate their power to others of their number. When
their council shall have come to a conclusion on any matter, their decision
shall be reported to the Council of the Nation or to the Confederate
Council (as the case may require) by the War Chief or the War Chiefs.
97. Before the real people united their nations, each nation had its
council fires. Before the Great Peace their councils were held. The five
Council Fires shall continue to burn as before and they are not quenched.
The Lords of each nation in future shall settle their nation's affairs at
this council fire governed always by the laws and rules of the council of
the Confederacy and by the Great Peace.
98. If either a nephew or a niece see an irregularity in the performance
of the functions of the Great Peace and its laws, in the Confederate
Council or in the conferring of Lordship titles in an improper way, through
their War Chief they may demand that such actions become subject to
correction and that the matter conform to the ways prescribed by the laws
of the Great Peace.
99. The rites and festivals of each nation shall remain undisturbed and
shall continue as before because they were given by the people of old times
as useful and necessary for the good of men.
100. It shall be the duty of the Lords of each brotherhood to confer at
the approach of the time of the Midwinter Thanksgiving and to notify their
people of the approaching festival. They shall hold a council over the
matter and arrange its details and begin the Thanksgiving five days after
the moon of Dis-ko-nah is new. The people shall
assemble at the appointed place and the nephews shall notify the people of
the time and place. From the beginning to the end the Lords shall preside
over the Thanksgiving and address the people from time to time.
101. It shall be the duty of the appointed managers of the Thanksgiving
festivals to do all that is needed for carrying out the duties of the
occasions.
The recognized festivals of Thanksgiving shall be the Midwinter
Thanksgiving, the Maple or Sugar-making Thanksgiving, the Raspberry
Thanksgiving, the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting Thanksgiving,
the Corn Hoeing Thanksgiving, the Little Festival of Green Corn, the Great
Festival of Ripe Corn and the complete Thanksgiving for the Harvest.
Each nation's festivals shall be held in their Long Houses.
102. When the Thanksgiving for the Green Corn comes the special managers,
both the men and women, shall give it careful attention and do their duties
properly.
103. When the Ripe Corn Thanksgiving is celebrated the Lords of the Nation
must give it the same attention as they give to the Midwinter Thanksgiving.
104. Whenever any man proves himself by his good life and his knowledge of
good things, naturally fitted as a teacher of good things, he shall be
recognized by the Lords as a teacher of peace and religion and the people
shall hear him.
105. The song used in installing the new Lord of the Confederacy shall be
sung by Adodarhoh and it shall be:
"Haii, haii Agwah wi-yoh " " A-kon-he-watha " " Ska-we-ye-se-go-wah " "
Yon-gwa-wih " " Ya-kon-he-wa-tha
Haii, haii It is good indeed " " (That) a broom, -- " " A great wing, " "
It is given me " " For a sweeping instrument."
106. Whenever a person properly entitled desires to learn the Pacification
Song he is privileged to do so but he must prepare a feast at which his
teachers may sit with him and sing. The feast is provided that no
misfortune may befall them for singing the song on an occasion when no
chief is installed.
107. A certain sign shall be known to all the people of the Five Nations
which shall denote that the owner or occupant of a house is absent. A
stick or pole in a slanting or leaning position shall indicate this and be
the sign. Every person not entitled to enter the house by right of living
within it upon seeing such a sign shall not approach the house either by
day or by night but shall keep as far away as his business will permit.
108. At the funeral of a Lord of the Confederacy, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a Lord of the
Five Nations' Confederacy and the United People trusted you. Now we
release you for it is true that it is no longer possible for us to walk
about together on the earth. Now, therefore, we lay it (the body) here.
Here we lay it away. Now then we say to you, 'Persevere onward to the place
where the Creator dwells in peace. Let not the things of the earth hinder
you. Let nothing that transpired while yet you lived hinder you. In
hunting you once took delight; in the game of Lacrosse you once took
delight and in the feasts and pleasant occasions your mind was amused, but
now do not allow thoughts of these things to give you trouble. Let not
your relatives hinder you and also let not your friends and associates
trouble your mind. Regard none of these things.'
"Now then, in turn, you here present who were related to this man and you
who were his friends and associates, behold the path that is yours also!
Soon we ourselves will be left in that place. For this reason hold
yourselves in restraint as you go from place to place. In your actions and
in your conversation do no idle thing. Speak not idle talk neither gossip.
Be careful of this and speak not and do not give way to evil behavior. One
year is the time that you must abstain from unseemly levity but if you can
not do this for ceremony, ten days is the time to regard these things for
respect."
109. At the funeral of a War Chief, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a War Chief of
the Five Nations' Confederacy and the United People trusted you as their
guard from the enemy." (The remainder is the same as the address at the
funeral of a Lord).
110. At the funeral of a Warrior, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. Once you were a devoted
provider and protector of your family and you were ever ready to take part
in battles for the Five Nations' Confederacy. The United People trusted
you." (The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
111. At the funeral of a young man, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. In the beginning of your
career you are taken away and the flower of your life is withered away."
(The remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
112. At the funeral of a chief woman, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a chief woman
in the Five Nations' Confederacy. You once were a mother of the nations.
Now we release you for it is true that it is no longer possible for us to
walk about together on the earth. Now, therefore, we lay it (the body)
here. Here we lay it away. Now then we say to you, 'Persevere onward to
the place where the Creator dwells in peace. Let not the things of the
earth hinder you. Let nothing that transpired while you lived hinder you.
Looking after your family was a sacred duty and you were faithful. You
were one of the many joint heirs of the Lordship titles. Feastings were
yours and you had pleasant occasions. . ." (The remainder is the same as
the address at the funeral of a Lord).
113. At the funeral of a woman of the people, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were once a woman in the
flower of life and the bloom is now withered away. You once held a sacred
position as a mother of the nation. (etc.) Looking after your family was
a sacred duty and you were faithful. Feastings . . . (etc.)" (The
remainder is the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
114. At the funeral of an infant or young woman, say:
"Now we become reconciled as you start away. You were a tender bud and
gladdened our hearts for only a few days. Now the bloom has withered away
. . . (etc.) Let none of the things that transpired on earth hinder you.
Let nothing that happened while you lived hinder you." (The remainder is
the same as the address at the funeral of a Lord).
115. When an infant dies within three days, mourning shall continue only
five days. Then shall you gather the little boys and girls at the house of
mourning and at the funeral feast a speaker shall address the children and
bid them be happy once more, though by a death, gloom has been cast over
them. Then shall the black clouds roll away and the sky shall show blue
once more. Then shall the children be again in sunshine.
116. When a dead person is brought to the burial place, the speaker on the
opposite side of the Council Fire shall bid the bereaved family cheer their
minds once again and rekindle their hearth fires in peace, to put their
house in order and once again be in brightness for darkness has covered
them. He shall say that the black clouds shall roll away and that the
bright blue sky is visible once more. Therefore shall they be in peace in
the sunshine again.
117. Three strings of shell one span in length shall be employed in
addressing the assemblage at the burial of the dead. The speaker shall
say:
"Hearken you who are here, this body is to be covered. Assemble in this
place again ten days hence for it is the decree of the Creator that
mourning shall cease when ten days have expired. Then shall a feast be
made."
Then at the expiration of ten days the speaker shall say:
"Continue to listen you who are here. The ten days of mourning have
expired and your minds must now be freed of sorrow as before the loss of a
relative. The relatives have decided to make a little compensation to
those who have assisted at the funeral. It is a mere expression of thanks.
This is to the one who did the cooking while the body was lying in the
house. Let her come forward and receive this gift and be dismissed from
the task."
In substance this shall be repeated for every one who assisted in any way
until all have been remembered.
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Dis-ko-nah the moon after the Winter
Solstice, usually the January New Moon.
