Haudenosaunee’s Legendary Founding | Native America | Sacred Stories | PBS

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The Hiawatha wampum belt tells the story of the Haudenosaunee’s legendary founding and wampum’s power to heal. It tells of a warrior named Hiawatha who meets a prophet known as the Peacemaker. Together, with the help of Jigonsaseh, the first Clan Mother, they bring an end to war and create America’s first democracy. Watch the full series now: to.pbs.org/2Dd...
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Native America explores the world created by America’s First Peoples. The four-part series reaches back 15,000 years to reveal massive cities aligned to the stars, unique systems of science and spirituality, and 100 million people connected by social networks spanning two continents. Watch extended interviews, digital-exclusive video & more at to.pbs.org/2Dd...

[@quarter13indian]

It’s such an honor to be apart of this heritage 💜

[@christophm860]

I feel the save way. I want to learn or language!

[@BrownGirlsThink]

This was so beautifully composed. Thank you for including their voices. That's who I want to hear this story from. This is where we got democracy from.

[@sarco64]

I grew up in a town in New York bordering an Indian reservation, and many of my classmates were Iroquois (Haudenosaunee), mainly Seneca. New York State history was an important part of the junior high school curriculum, but we were taught almost nothing about the history of the Iroquois or other American Indians. Sadly, this is the first time that I've heard this story. I hope that things have changed since I was in school, and that the official New York State history curriculum no longer starts with the arrival of Europeans, as if nothing of importance happened before they showed up.

[@sarco64]

@Justin Read The reservation near where I grew up is a territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians. That is how they refer to themselves, Seneca Nation of Indians, NOT Seneca Nation of Native Americans. As one of them explained to me, they were fine with being known as American Indians until some politically correct white people, without even asking them, decided that henceforth they should be referred to as Native Americans. Until they change their official name from Seneca Nation of Indians to Seneca Nation of Native Americans, I will continue to refer to them as Indians. Nya:weh.

[@DarkFoxV]

@@sarco64 exactly this^

[@DarkFoxV]

where was your school? I presume WNY? in CNY my school covered quite a bit, it's a big part of our regional history and town history

[@sarco64]

@@DarkFoxV Gowanda

[@elizabethriggs3406]

@@sarco64 In fact, the term Native American is derived from American, which is from Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian merchant and explorer. So American is as much a European-influenced term as Indian. To be as precise as possible in referencing the Iroquois League, one would have to say Iroquois or, perhaps, the people of the long house. -- grig035

[@brittanywetherill472]

This story is amazing! Why does this not have as many movie versions of it as King Arthur or Moses? This has all the elements needed for a great quest movie- the kind that you don’t realize just took three hours in the theater to watch. I love the visuals in this five minute version, and the incorporation of original language was absolutely beautiful, but MAN! What could be done with a huge screen and a budget! Also- extremely happy to see all these comments that are like- “my teacher made me watch this.” Props to those teachers. Students, do you have any idea how lucky you are? Do you know how many great stories I missed out on as a kid because public school didn’t want to bring up the drama (read atrocities) of Native American history? And here you are, with all this great stuff at your finger tips. So freaking jealous.

[@vinista256]

I agree completely-this legend, in the hands of a great scriptwriter and director, would make for an EPIC film!

[@charlynegezze8536]

I'm 73 and only learning all this now. 😢

[@esorealismmegin1923]

Thank you for telling our story. History matters as it tells of family.

[@marshhen]

This is amazing. I am so thankful to find this. I was trying to understand what wampum was. I am really blown away by the final statement that the Haudenosaunee's confederacy is the world's longest lasting democracy. That is incredible information, and is not at all what is taught.

[@srich49]

I learned so much while working at Ganondagan. I will always be grateful.

[@brendaduffey]

Thank you for bringing this powerful story to life.

[@Silhouex]

This should be a movie

[@Topher-o2f]

My teacher made me watch this during online schooling

[@ChaoticCrimsonX]

Same lol

[@23aboy]

Kanien’keha:ka 👋🏾

[@idek9707]

Me eathir

[@shanezenmusic]

Great teacher

[@justinongfuel522]

SAMEE

[@RABART54]

Benjamin Franklin the architect of the American Constitution took his frame work from the Iroquois Confederacy Articles but when he drafted it he omitted one Principle Construct "Respect for the Mother Earth" -- "The true creators of the constitution were the indigenous Iroquois people of America! The constitution was originally known as the Iroquois Confederacy Articles. Time to start telling the whole truth! "

[@snaketooth0943]

Don't they address that later on in the documentary?

[@blackcitroenlove]

The contract is left open, for any nation to declare its intention to join in the Great Peace. Any individual can do that as well, it is open to all.

[@Dani-n6y7m]

May the grandmothers bring peace to sacred turtle island..the waters Are coming

[@rebeccaelle135]

astounding. An honor to witness.

[@eppsurbanhomesteadfarm]

Aww my people❤️

[@alexvamco9658]

Que hermosa historia. Saludos desde Venezuela.

[@benknown1420]

Beautiful video. Love this story!! I’m a proud Mohawk! Our language is so beautiful!! I see why the Europeans were jealous of our way of life and tried to erase it!!

[@allrock1238]

"Preamble to the Republic: Condolence, Wampum, and the Language of Peace" a talk given at the National Museum of the American Indian in 2010 Former Chief Jake Swamp of the Mohawk Nation co-director of the Tree Of Peace society is introduced at the 46 min mark (Jake Swamp is no longer living) And number of family speakers, reflect upon the roots and structures of the great law of peace, and aspects of The condolence ceremony in deeper detail , as well as some of the historical roots as to the influence of Haudenosaunee government examples upon founding of our nation.

[@ethanstang9941]

A family friend who is a member of the Seneca nation shared with me the knowledge on how the warriors would make the war clubs called ga jih wah. They were and still are very effective. They are made by unearthing a hardwood sapling that grows in creek beds and steep hills. It would be shaved and carved to the desired shape and size. The root ball would be the business end of the club and would be polished smooth and at times would be fitted with a deer tine for extra effectiveness in battle.

[@quarter13indian]

Love hearing of my people

[@othnielalamluwi3390]

amazing history lesson. I can relate this story with our history in Borneo island where tribes became hostiles towards each other which lead into headhunting era 💀. But in the end our ancestors managed to declare peace in 1924, where they promise not to practice headhunting anymore.

[@tec-jones5445]

I remember reading that governor DeWitt Clinton of New York once called the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois the "Romans of the Western World" for their unique representative system of governance, Great Law of Peace, and their Moiety based houses of legislation. These influences would help shape that of the United States, from an amenable constitution, to bicameral legislative branch, to our national seal of an eagle clutching arrows in it's talons, and an olive branch of Peace opposite to it. Thank you Haudenosaunee, for it was your influences combined with those of republics such as Rome and Athens, that gave birth to my nation's republic. I only wish you were taught more than just as a footnote in history. I hope whatever living Haudenosaunee that sees this knows that their nation made one of the most important contributions to the founding of the United States.

[@danachos]

My favourite part about Haudenosaunee's influence on the States is when right after the revolt, Washington's first act as an independent State (of states) is to raze neighbouring State Haudenosauneega to ashes and cadavres in a scorched earth campaign. It truly shows the American spirit: Taking what they think is Right™©® and destroying anyone who they perceive as standing in the way Wasn't it **right** after the signing of several peace treaties? Stanwix was it? Followed by ironclad, land-grab negotiations that saw the near total collapse of their State of five (and counting) countries?

[@alexn.2901]

The Romans..... Please don't insult the Haudenosaunee

[@DynamicDreamer2785]

There's many many living haudenosaunee living like myself, we're the largest nation in Canada right now. Just so you don't think we're extinct or something lol

[@michaelwilliams6431]

They can't get to deep cause the ones you see now are mixed breed the original was said to have copper color unlike the ones you see today but at least they got the story mostly right lol

[@TraceyIRL]

✊🏼Oneida from Syracuse ny here, this is common knowledge among our people, but not world wide knowledge as it should be.Also my 5th great grandfather Han Yerry Doxtador was Mohawk/ German , he was a very important scout for George Washington. The colonizers of New York relied on the natives for survival especially during winter George Washington and his troops almost died from sickness and starvation.

[@janvafa4253]

Impressive! I never knew this and I love it!!!

[@allrock1238]

The level of root primal human understanding and internal insight demonstrated by the circle of Peacemakers that formed the Haudenosaunee confederacy and how they where able to core address the root underlying issues "running under" of such an epic conflict is so above anything I have ever seen within the "structures represented within the " halls of our leadership circles, it sure brings up a lot of questions as to the perception influences within ones "source code" that issue is very hard put in words or express within the limits of this expression venue..

[@snaketooth0943]

Saw this on a democracy and had to find the full video. Amazing story and beautifully told.

[@johnnyqi5616]

Who's here because of school? :)

[@ukiyawn]

Me, Lol

[@Nageek1117]

I got native studies assignment lol

[@commandercody442]

me

[@commandercody442]

@@Nageek1117 same

[@flowers4jenny_]

Me😂can’t believe we have to learn about Iroquois

[@cherokeestormchaser3259]

Although I'm southern and part Cherokee, I just found out that I also have Haudenosaunee in my DNA So cool! Cannot wait to learn all about it!

[@TraceyIRL]

How does haudenosaunee show up in your dna?

[@tworandy]

There will be an amazing movie made about this. Peace ☮️💚❤️💚

[@cgd_1477]

1:55 dont mind me just a timestamp so i can go back later

[@mxxniegrayson]

kk

[@TraceyIRL]

Oneida from the 315✊🏼

[@theravenmagick]

This was so well done!!!

[@KGchannel01]

Beautiful!

[@gltch3dm0usy62]

Plot Twist: You came here from online school Social Studies or Science

[@80swizard71]

Yep

[@mxxniegrayson]

Yea

[@glendalizlamberty4538]

yeah

[@isabellagereda5878]

In my case it was english...

[@watchmerollingwatchmego]

Yup.

[@neoyan2555]

Found this because I got an atlas about lost languages and thought haudenonausee was really intriguing^^

[@kimberlyallen-sherrill]

Beautiful

[@j121212100]

same sentiment as sarco64. Learned very little in junior high or high school about them. The curriculum certainly did not use the proper name Haudenosaunee.

[@cristiandr8467]

Where can I find the music? Make my heart beat so fast always I listen this sound.

[@lorenzodandrea1793]

"My teacher made me watch this during online schooling."

[@ethanstang9941]

That is pretty interesting. When I was in school, we didn't get to do that much. Would you believe me if I tild you that we were told in public schooling that Gulags were not that bad.

[@tomy.1846]

@@ethanstang9941 Which state did you go to school in?

[@Pung1N]

RIP me too bro😭

[@justinongfuel522]

Who else just reads the comments or scrolls through videos when we have to watch this

[@iramatif4884]

Me

[@TheGreatOutdoorZ]

I had no idea that the flag I see in tyendinaga meant that. That's pretty cool

[@personx1646]

The peacemaker was literally Jesus Christ

[@benknown1420]

No!!! Jesus followers committed atrocities on us!! Worse than the pilgrims and other Europeans!! That religion tried to erase ours in residential schools and boarding schools

[@corbinfisher3246]

When your here for school: ◉_◉

[@Pung1N]

ikr

[@AllanAngusADA]

Why don't they say Deganawida? This is the name I learned for the Peacemaker.

[@greyeyeswolf]

It means messenger.

[@letsu..wandahoi]

POV: your watching this for school and scrolling through the comments not paying attention to what the video is saying

[@Pung1N]

yess broo!

[@Y.A142]

yeet i have to do this for school btw great story

[@Liaml12v]

POV: you’re scrolling through the comment section

[@letsu..wandahoi]

yes

[@artechok48_gacha27]

i go inperson but my teacher made me watch this

[@artechok48_gacha27]

this was a great video

[@artechok48_gacha27]

my favorite part of social studies. I go to HCES btw

[@nothing-b2n]

Yes

[@anikagautam7286]

I recognize Robbie Robertson’s voice as narrator

[@ukiyawn]

Our class is learning about the Iroquois Nation lol

[@flowers4jenny_]

Yea same!

[@ethanstang9941]

The Seneca nation Native Americans would make a war club called a ga jih wah. It is made by digging up a hardwood sapling that grew into a steep hillside or a creek bed. The root ball would be the club head and would be shaped and polished to a perfect sphere shape. It was and still is very effective in close quarters fighting.

[@arjenvandoorne9321]

Ever heard of the auricle which points to the attention of hearing so the honesty of the spoken word and the importance to find peace ? The woman is no solution to the lies of the world and the claim of democracy is a lie, it's a Greek word and implicates more than one common decision.

[@antihipsterboho]

Literally burying the hatchets :)

[@falsettogwen]

But who did the music?

[@evropakhan1137]

What language is being spoken?

[@rampantmutt9119]

Kanien'keha, I think.

[@aukua5512]

I just wondering what song is playing towards the end of the video?

[@redefiningmyself8598]

Joanne Shenandoah, "The Peacemakers journey"

[@aukua5512]

Redefining Myself Thank you.

[@allrock1238]

The wording "The Peacemaker "strikes a deal" with Jigonsaseh the first clan mother (Her name is represented in several different spellings) giving her the power to chose the Chiefs ,, its it more more like they formed a shared collective bond to core address and enable the healing of the patriarchal "imbalance"(words our culture uses to represent these internal societal leadership structures, native languages do not have them I am told) within the roots of the male lead leadership circles and structures that brought Tadadaho to power in the first place. Am I on the right path in saying this ? (These source examples are also held within the essence roots of many other first peoples story's) the importance and Ballence Values of "Matriarchal recognition" within the source code of the Society's and its leadership "structures" of most of Turtle islands peoples. " What we call North America but in recognition thats not the original name for what they called the lands there peoples walked upon. " This strongly speaks upon the innate values of these structures on many levels, (and I hope this reflected throughout this series ) The deeper examples of this story hold powerful perspectives upon the innate value of this over all the other "imposed values" we often struggle with today internally within the insight voice of our core humanity and empathy to recognize and to source address the underlying Issues that where behind the root seeding some of our deepest long running conflicts, allowing one to "recognize" with concern find the place of expression to "voice" and address these issues "internally" instead of topically. humble recognition and respect in such examples and a very important life's lesson for us all.

[@katharinaordner2565]

Thank you for sharing this powerful story

[@DarkFoxV]

Can anyone tell which language this is? There is no credit. (My guess would be Mohawk, but...)

[@galacticgabe2276]

From my understanding, North American tribes come from a similar language and culture family referred to as the Algonquian language family. www.britannica.com/topic/Macro-Algonquian-languages

[@danielbrien6937]

It sounds like Mohawk

[@KaikanoSei]

@@galacticgabe2276 Iroquois languages include Huron, Mohawk, Seneca, Cherokee and others of the Iroquoian family of languages and are separate from the Algonquian language family.

[@hayleyr.4800]

yeah it's definitely kanien'keha

[@samanthagutierrezgomez8215]

whos here because of school native americans 4th grade for me ;-;

[@commandercody442]

7th grade 4 me

[@Pung1N]

im here from school but im from Canada

[@TeresaKing-y4e]

Maybe this same story is going on today in onondaga?? Money ruined thier minds.

[@thelaststoplight]

Does anyone know what language is being spoken in the video?

[@karoniesthompson4355]

Kanien’kehá also known as Mohawk language.

[@thelaststoplight]

@@karoniesthompson4355 thanks so much!

[@falcon-wg2lw]

Whats the song playing in the background?

[@aukua5512]

falcon000 0 I'm wondering too. I don't know the name of the song but it sounds like a song from pow wows.

[@odilkhemkhat2899]

WHATS THE THEME😊

[@qtxorpsfn9850]

Roxbury Prep?

[@JAY22_]

This is handsome lake (Christian influenced) this is not the traditional story

[@afsarahmed6365]

I am here because I want to learn how to pronounce Haudenosaunee. So all you native dudes/dudets why did they pronounce it like if there is an h after the s?

[@AshleyLebedev]

Haw-dee-no-shonee

[@hayleyr.4800]

because its a Seneca word - Hodinöhšö:nih the "š" pronounced as "sh". although idk why they would anglicize it as 'haudenosaunee'. it would probably make more sense for it to be spelled Hodenoshonee in english

[@rhymirdudley7035]

Yo I’m in school

[@akalaska458]

Native Americans are not from India (Brütish Raj)!

[@gregrobinette8620]

Amen. But people will call you a phony for using the apropiate name native American, not understanding how dehumanizing the synonymous term "indigenous" is. The only reason I see official "American Indian" use as fine is cuz they can betray again if we change it, legal loopholes.

[@SAWCYTVonlypage]

Oneida tribe

[@nbakay3429]

What’s A Wampum

[@lynnkey3700]

a symbol and article of friendship and peace. Kind of like a sacred contract

[@CJ-jp3zw]

Voldemort in Indian version

[@brianperkins6121]

There is a strange coincidence I would call it a "refection" take a look at Clan mother "Jigonsaseh" The mother of nations who has roots from the "Erie" nation , or the cat nation,, there is also woman in her lineage tree known of as "The Blue Jigonsaseh" as well. in Haudenosaunee history there is a deeply respected leader named "Jake Swamp" among with other historical figures named "Jake". its kind of unusual coincidence Who is the lead charter in the film "Avatar" By James cameron ? look at word structure of his name in comparison to Jake Swamp as well as some of the films mirrored symbolic examples ... a layer of sublime "reflective" recognition ? , Why this drove such a strong internal reaction to dig deep into the roots of the living examples of this vital living history in contrast to our own .. The content of story of the recent game also touches upon this this reflective likeness, (This story example contains a "reflective likeness of" the native boarding schools and may be trigering to people with first peoples ancestry) kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3-VhJefprGeesU

[@armandoenriquez1104]

After encore on CBS.

[@Pung1N]

This isnt english o_o

[@ifellonconcrete]

P.O.V youre here for school

[@positivelybonnie5862]

My teacher is making me watch this during online school while he’s absent,I’m in 4th grade. He’s probably enjoying himself while I’m watching this. This is kinda creepy,seriously I thought we were doing history,this seems more like fantasy and magic By the way,how do people know all this history?

[@rachelschultz3923]

I'm Iroquois. We know this the same way you know how to speak language; you learn from your parents and grandparents. Native American languages are not written, but that doesn't mean we don't have a history. Everything in this story has meaning. For instance, the evil man Tadodaho is represented as having snakes in his hair because he took pleasure in evil until Hiawatha and the Peacemaker overcame him. Without this story, we wouldn't have the United States.

[@ethanstang9941]

@@rachelschultz3923 I never thought about that and the snakes.

[@KaikanoSei]

It was pretty close to what my Great Grandmother taught me about the founding of the Iroquois League, except the Iroquois are/were not a "Democracy" we were are a Aristocratic Republic (our leaders are selected from certain lineages or clans men by the elder respected clan mothers. and the entire League was bound by the Law of Peace Hiawatha gave us.) I learned it from my great grandmother and my grandmother who were Mohawk of the Wolf Clan. Hiawatha was a Mohawk of the Deer Clan.

[@blakelee111]

some how this was me

[@REDVRHAVEFUN]

aliens!

[@Christen420]

A'HO

[@88Blazehaze]

Maybe the so-called leaders of the world can use some IROQUOIS wisdom. And get out of our way so we can finally have peace.

[@80swizard71]

School

[@liquidoxygen819]

They forgot all their pretensions of peace when they came to butcher their cousins who also spoke Iroquoian languages in the lands of the Huron, Petun, Neutrals and Erie, not to mention they had a long-standing feud with the various Algonquin tribes.

[@KaikanoSei]

The League had a long standing feud with the French in Canada as well. The League was meant for peace within the Five Nations and those who joined the League later (like the Tuscorora), not for general peace with everyone.

[@yuwihehunahereh-mt3hd]

Oh yeah like champlain is not record stating "i came here to start a war" its not like the gov has a history of causing problems. If you learn about your neighbours issues its easy to stir things up

[@hilariagonzalez5908]

An amazing story of the history of native america very impressive!!!! I didn't know about this part in the history.... Wow!!!!