Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora IndiansJohnson, Elias
History
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
Johnson, Elias
Iroquois Indians; Tuscarora Indians
"Counselors, warriors, mother sand children--Listen to good instruction.
Consider it well. Lay it up in your hearts, and forget it not. Our
Creator when He made us designed that we should live by hunting. It
sometimes happens that a man goes out for to hunt, leaving his wife with
his friends. After a long absence he returns and finds that his wife has
taken another husband. The Great Spirit says this is a great sin, and
must be put from among us.
"The four messengers further said that it was wrong for a mother to
punish a child with a rod. It is not right to punish much, and our
Creator never intended that children should be punished with a whip or be
used with much violence. In punishing a refractory child water only is
necessary, and it is sufficient. Plunge them under. This is not wrong.
Whenever a child promises to do better the punishment must cease. It is
wrong to continue it after promises of amendment are made. Thus they
said.
"It is right and proper always to look upon the dead. Let your face be
brought near to theirs, and address them. Let the dead know that their
absence is regretted by their friends, and that they grieve for their
death. Let the dead know, too, how their surviving friends intend to
live. Let them know whether they will so conduct themselves that they
will meet them again in the future world. The dead will hear and
remember. Thus they said.
"Continue to listen while I proceed to relate what further they said. Our
Creator made the earth. Upon it He placed man, and gave him certain rules
of conduct. It pleased Him also to give them many kinds of amusement. He
also ordered that the earth should produce all that is good for man. So
long as he remains, it will not cease to yield. Upon the surface of the
ground berries of various kinds are produced. It is the will of the Great
Spirit that when they ripen we should return our thanks to Him, and have
a public rejoicing for the continuance of these blessings. He made
everything which we live upon, and requires us to be thankful at all
times for the continuance of His favors. When our life (corn, &c,), has
again appeared, it is the will of the Great Spirit that we assemble for a
general thanksgiving. It is His will also that His children be brought
and to participate in the feather dance. Your feast must consist of the
new production. It is proper at these times, should any present not have
their names published, or any changes have been made, to announce them
then.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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