Nicely Woven Belts

While it is true that the Indians didn't have a written language, they did have some really nicely woven belts that they used to help them remember things. In article 62. When the Confederate Council has a disagreement about the rules, they can declare a reading of the "belts of shell". Someone who could remember what the belts were formerly supposed to mean, would be provided with a specially made mat woven from wild hemp and would recite to the assembly. The mat was not allowed to be used for a second reading, and so, we may speculate that the mat was smoked following a successful interpretation.

The rest of the Constitution sets up the requirements for the festivals and funerals and the the duties of the various occasions.

The recognized festivals were: The Midwinter Thanksgiving, the Maple Thanksgiving, the Raspberry and the Strawberry Thanksgiving, the Cornplanting, the Corn Hoeing, the Green Corn, the Ripe Corn and the complete Thanksgiving for the Harvest.

The rest of the Iroquois Constitution clearly defines the responsibilities of those who are to keep the fires burning, and who is responsible for the three strings of shell which are one span in length that shall be employed in addressing the assemblage at the burial of the dead.

Other constitutional matters include the song that must be sung at the installation of any chief:

"Haiti, haii Agwah wi-yoh
Haii, haii A-kon-he-watha
Haii, haii Ska-we-ye-se-go-wah
Haii, haii Yon-gwa-wih
Haii, haii Ya-kon-he-wa-tha
Haii, haii It is good indeed"

"(That) someone gave me a A bird's wing,
To sweep the dirt around the council fire"

Whenever a person wants to learn this Song he is allowed to do so but only if he prepares a feast at which his teachers sit with him and sing.

Sorry... but that's about it for the Constitutional connection between the United States and the Indian Nations. I wish that it were otherwise... It sounds sooo good, and make me all warm and fuzzy inside when I think of Franklin and Jefferson sitting around saying to themselves,

"Hey, the hell with the Magna Carta, Parliament, and English Common Law, let's get a Indigenous Inhabitant in here to show us how this country should really be run !"

~Jere Hudson - February, 1998~