A Woman's Place in Iroquois Culture
Created | Updated Jan 13, 2003
A woman's place in ancient Indian culture was very much different than in European cultures, at least among the Iroquois Nations in the north-eastern U.S.A. In the Iroquois Nations the women 'owned' the land they farmed. They also 'owned' the long houses that the family groups lived in, and all the normal things of everyday life such as; blankets (skins), cooking utensils, farming implements, and so forth. All the men owned was their clothes, weapons, and any personal things such as a pipe ( usually ceremonial). Women had many responsibilities, but probably the most important one was having children to ensure the future of their tribe. Any children born into the family belonged to their mother's clan, not their father's, and were educated by their mother's relatives. Each of the long houses that they lived in were generally occupied by one clan, with the eldest and/or most respected woman of that clan ruling it as Clan Mother.
The men were hunters, warriors, and statesmen. Men were usually the ones who spoke in tribal council, but from time to time a respected woman might also speak. However it was the women who decided which men should be speakers. If the chosen representative stated views that clashed with those of the Womens Council, they (the womens council) could, and sometimes did, replace him with another speaker who more closely represented their views. In the event that the Tribal Council (the men) decided on a course of action, such as a raid or war-party, that the women disagreed with, the women might simply refuse to give them any food for the journey. This usually put an end to activities that the women didn't approve of. When the women agreed with the chosen course of action, they spread the news to the whole camp (village), and made sure that the idea was carried out.
Modern Iroquois women still have their own council, and choose the men to fill ancient tribal positions. Now, however, most Tribes or Nations also have a seperate and much more modernistic form of elected tribal government, in which the women have much less say, unless they are elected into it themselves.
Iroquois women have always occupied a position much superior to that of the 'squaw' of popular fiction. In fact they occupied a position far superior to their European sisters of the same time period, and some would say that they still do!
