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

[sarco]

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.

[quarterindian]

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

[brittanywetherill]

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.

[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.

[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.

[RABART]

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! "

[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.

[esorealismmegin]

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

[srich]

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

[tec-jones]

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.

[vwqzkxh]

My teacher made me watch this during online schooling

[brendaduffey]

Thank you for bringing this powerful story to life.

[ethanstang]

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.

[hilariagonzalez]

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

[othnielalamluwi]

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.

[snaketooth]

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

[allrock]

"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.

[allrock]

The level of root primal human understanding and 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..

[cgd_]

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

[alexvamco]

Que hermosa historia. Saludos desde Venezuela.