The role of the Iroquois women was very important because of their labor. As the cultivators within the tribe, they were involved in many extra tribal conflicts. The women also owned the maize or Indian corn or seeds; this gave them power within Iroquoian society. If the women were against a conflict or raiding activity, they withheld maize from the warriors, which meant the men could not go to war. Since the Iroquois is a matrilineal group, the eldest female of the family makes all final decisions on resources and property.
In other words, Iroquois are not allowed to marry their dad’s brother’s children and are not allowed to marry their mother’s sister’s children. So, as metioned earlier, it is acceptable to marry your cross cousins. This simply means the opposite of parallel cousins. If your dad has a sister, or your mom has a brother, their children are considered your cross cousins. It is not only acceptable that you marry your cross cousins, in this culture, but it is also encouraged.
The Kinship System of the Native American Iroquois According to a 1990 census, there are 49,038 Iroquois living in the United States today. This makes them the eighth largest tribe. (Hall, 2011) The kinship system of the Iroquois was an important part of how they lived as a horticultural society. Their kinship consisted of their matrilineal descent groups, marriage to keep their kinship closely together, and the way they used reciprocity in sharing their food. They used matrilineal descent groups to trace their ancestors and select marital partners.
Patrilineal lineage is used primarily in male dominated cultures, such as the Yanomamo, through this technique ancestry is traced through the one’s father’s side and all of his primary relatives. In contrast to this there is matrilineal kinship which is essentially exactly like patrilineal kinship, however this is traced through one’s mother’s family. The view this chart in terms of patrilineal kinship the people represented by numbers 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 would all be members of ego’s family. Viewing this chart from a matrilineal standpoint the people represented by numbers 3, 4, 10, 11, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 would all be a member of ego’s family. 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, and 24 would not be a member of ego’s patrilineal kinship because they are not directly related to ego’s father.
The structure of some kinship groups within this band show a bias toward relationships between men. However, the organization of this structure would not quite be patrilineal, due to the inclusion of the extended family that reaches also to the matrilineal side (Kemp, W., 2012) The Inuit have some very interesting kinship patterns. There are some strong traditions or definitions involved with this band regarding marriage, relationships and practices that are performed in order to ensure the highest possibility of survival. Inuit families cannot necessarily be grouped into small families that include parents, brothers and sisters as the typical American family can. This difference should not be over-dramaticized,
For the next 175 to 200 years, the Iroquois managed to dominate other Native American groups and to remain free of both British and French rule. did you know? • Both the U.S. Constitution and the founding charter of the United Nations are based on ideas found in the Iroquois constitution, known as “The Great Binding Law.” • Iroquois women had many more rights than colonial American women. • More than 50,000 Iroquois live in the United States today. The Iroquois Way of Life The league’s The totem, or tribal symbol, of the Iroquois “The World on the Turtle’s Back” is an Iroquois (GrPE-kwoiQ) creation story filled with conflict and compelling characters.
The Kinship System of the Iroquois Culture C. Hart ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Professor Christina Winn November 28, 2011 The Kinship System of the Iroquois Culture As one of the first known cultures in North America, the Iroquois Indians were located in the northeastern part of what is now called the United States of America, predominantly in New York, but were also found throughout the Finger Lakes Region, and along the St. Lawrence River. Today, they primarily live in New York, Quebec, and Ontario. Lewis Henry Morgan, a prosperous attorney living in Rochester, New York, who has been noted by many as one of the pioneers of Cultural Anthropology, took great interest in the Iroquois Indians of New York. After years of research, he published his book, Ancient Society, in 1877 depicting the cultural lifestyles and kinship of the Iroquois Indians which are comprised of five different nations: Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca. Through his research and the research of others, we understand the lifestyles and beliefs of the Iroquois Indians.
Kinship and the Iroquois Tribes Unlike most North American cultures, the women in the Iroquois nations have an elevated position within their society. This paper will briefly describe the Iroquois culture and look at their kinship system. Then I will show how this kinship system affects their religion/beliefs, marriage and leadership within the Iroquois culture. I will also compare the Iroquois kinship to my own, to determine the similarities and differences. The word “Iroquois” really refers to the language of this collection of five tribes and not a name for an individual tribe (U.S. Histroy, n.d., para.2).
IROQUOIS 1 Iroquois Kinship Christine Hernandez Ant 101 Prof Leslie Ruff April 11, 2011 IROQUOIS 2 It is evident, according to archeologist, that the Iroquois have lived in the upstate New York area for a long period of time before the Europeans had arrived. They were known as the five nations before European contact, and then later became the six nations after European contact. The Iroquois lived in longhouses, which
This means the power and possessions are passed down the female side of the family line. While the men hunted, fished, gathered fuel, and cleared fields for planting while the women tended to the crops. This way of life put an enormous amount of authority on the women Native Americans also were very political people too. One of the main groups of Native Americans that were political was the Iroquois in northeastern woodlands. They were led by their legendary leader Hiawatha.