Iroquois/Haudenosaunee and the Six Nations

Listen to a reading of Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson

Hiawatha was a strong and articulate Mohawk who was chosen to translate the Peacemaker's message of unity for the five warring Iroquois nations during the 14th century. This message not only succeeded in uniting the tribes but also forever changed how the Iroquois governed themselves - a blueprint for democracy that would later inspire the authors of the U.S. Constitution.

Born of Mohawk and Cayuga descent, musical icon Robbie Robertson learned the story of Hiawatha and his spiritual guide, the Peacemaker, as part of the Iroquois oral tradition. Now he shares the same gift of storytelling with a new generation.

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Activity: Make a Canoe Like the Peacemaker's

Click for printable template.

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Resources to Learn More

Here are some great library books and materials for learning about the Iroquois, the Six Nations, and Native American History Month!

Giving thanks : a Native American good morning message by Chief Jake Swamp

Fry bread : a Native American family story by Kevin Noble Maillard

Hiawatha : messenger of peace by Dennis Brindell Fradin

The maid of the mist by Tanya Anderson

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The Iroquois of the Northeast by Kaa Vonia Hinton

Life in a longhouse village by Bobbie Kalman

The Iroquois : the Six Nations Confederacy by Mary Englar

The Iroquois by Petra Press

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Here are some great YouTube videos about the Iroquois, the Six Nations, and Native American History Month!

The New York State Museum also has several other great videos -- Daily Life at Onondaga, Recording History through Oral Tradition, What is Wampum?, and Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address.

These are videos taken locally in Lewiston at the Tuscarora Picnic and Field Games held in Lewiston, NY on July 14, 2018. The regalia they are wearing is beautiful!