Iroquois lacrosse merchandise. The Gift of Lacrosse: Iroquois Nationals at the World Championships

What is the significance of lacrosse to the Iroquois people. How does the Iroquois Nationals team compete on the world stage. Why is lacrosse considered the Creator’s game. How are family ties important in Iroquois lacrosse.

The Origins and Significance of Lacrosse in Iroquois Culture

Lacrosse holds a sacred place in Iroquois culture, deeply rooted in their spiritual beliefs and traditions. The game is often referred to as the “Creator’s game,” with its origins steeped in legend and mythology. According to Iroquois oral tradition, the first lacrosse game was played between animals and birds, with the animals emerging victorious due to the bat’s unique ability to traverse both worlds.

This mythical match is said to have established the natural order, explaining why birds migrate south for winter while mammals remain. The Creator then bestowed this game upon humans as both a source of enjoyment and a powerful medicine for healing the community.

The Spiritual Dimension of Lacrosse

For Iroquois players, lacrosse transcends mere sport. It is a spiritual practice and a way to honor their Creator. Zach Miller, a young player for the Iroquois Nationals, exemplifies this mindset: “Even when I’m having a bad game, I just continue to play hard and keep in mind that I’m playing for the Creator.” This deep-seated belief in the game’s higher purpose infuses Iroquois lacrosse with a unique intensity and reverence.

The Iroquois Nationals: Competing on the World Stage

The Iroquois Nationals team represents the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in international lacrosse competitions. Despite facing significant challenges, including a limited player pool, the team has established itself as a formidable force in world lacrosse.

Overcoming the Odds

Oren Lyons, a respected Iroquois statesman and longtime lacrosse player, highlights the remarkable achievement of the Iroquois Nationals team. When comparing their player pool to that of the United States, Lyons notes: “I asked the U.S. coach, ‘What was your player pool?’ He said ‘380,000 what’s yours?’ I said 100 and that’s where I think we were this year.” This vast disparity in resources makes the team’s success all the more impressive.

The Bronze Medal Victory

At the World Championship Lacrosse games in Denver, the Iroquois Nationals secured a bronze medal, finishing behind only the United States and Canada. This achievement demonstrates the team’s ability to compete at the highest level of international lacrosse, despite their limited resources and player base.

Family Ties and Tradition in Iroquois Lacrosse

Family plays a central role in Iroquois lacrosse, both on and off the field. The close-knit nature of Iroquois communities is reflected in the composition of their national team and the support they receive from family members.

The Thompson Brothers: A Family Legacy

The Thompson family exemplifies the importance of kinship in Iroquois lacrosse. Four Thompson brothers and cousins – Lyle, Jeremy, Miles, and Ty – play for the Iroquois Nationals, with their father, Jerome Thompson Sr., serving as a coach. This family dynamic brings a unique chemistry to the team, as players have often competed together since childhood.

Lyle Thompson speaks to the family’s commitment to preserving the spiritual essence of the game: “I was always taught to play for the Creator. The game is meant to entertain the Creator. I know the game back then was a lot different and played for kind of a different purpose. But I think me and my brothers still carry that sacredness for… the new game that’s being played now.”

Dedication Beyond the Field

The support of family extends far beyond the players on the field. Brian Miller, grandfather of Iroquois Nationals player Zach Miller, demonstrates extraordinary dedication by driving over 1,700 miles from the Allegheny Seneca reservation to Denver multiple times a year to watch his grandson play. This level of commitment underscores the deep connection between family, community, and lacrosse in Iroquois culture.

The Global Growth of Lacrosse and Iroquois Influence

While deeply rooted in Iroquois culture, lacrosse has experienced significant global growth in recent years. The World Championship Lacrosse games in Denver featured 32 teams, with new countries joining the competition, including Uganda, Belgium, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Israel, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey.

Sharing the Gift

Chief Oren Lyons eloquently expresses the Iroquois perspective on the global spread of lacrosse: “Lacrosse is our gift to the world. The game is a microcosm of the big game of life. We are in that arena right now.” This sentiment reflects the Iroquois people’s willingness to share their sacred game with others while maintaining its deep cultural significance.

Resurgence of Indigenous Lacrosse

Beyond the Iroquois Nationals, there is a growing resurgence of lacrosse among other Indigenous communities. For example, intertribal teams composed of players from four reservations – Ihanktonwan/Yankton, Cansa’yapi/Lower Sioux, Sicangu/Rosebud, and Winnebago – have recently competed against non-Native teams, showcasing the sport’s enduring appeal and cultural importance.

Challenges and Triumphs of the Iroquois Nationals

The Iroquois Nationals face unique challenges in competing at the international level, yet their success is a testament to their skill, determination, and cultural strength.

Limited Resources and Player Pool

With a player pool of only about 100 individuals, compared to hundreds of thousands for teams like the United States, the Iroquois Nationals must make the most of their limited resources. This disparity in numbers makes their consistent performance at world championships even more remarkable.

Team Chemistry and Intuition

Despite having limited practice time together as a team, the Iroquois Nationals players often display a seamless connection on the field. Goalie Marty Ward explains: “Most of the guys, I have actually played with before in Six Nations box lacrosse… For some of these guys you don’t even have to look over there, you just put it there.” This intuitive understanding among players is a key factor in the team’s success.

Recognition and Achievements in Modern Lacrosse

The contributions of Iroquois players to the sport of lacrosse are increasingly recognized in the broader lacrosse community.

The Tewaaraton Trophy

In a historic first, the Thompson brothers, Lyle and Miles, jointly received the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy, recognizing the best college lacrosse players. This marked the first time the award was given to Native players and the first time it was awarded jointly. The trophy’s name itself, “Tewaaraton,” is the Mohawk word for lacrosse, further acknowledging the sport’s Indigenous roots.

Growing Influence in College Lacrosse

Iroquois players are making significant impacts at the collegiate level. Zach Miller, for instance, plays for Denver University and has represented the Iroquois Nationals in international competitions from a young age. The success of these players is helping to raise the profile of Indigenous lacrosse and inspire future generations.

The Future of Iroquois Lacrosse: Preserving Tradition in a Changing World

As lacrosse continues to grow globally, the Iroquois community faces the challenge of preserving the sacred and traditional aspects of their game while participating in its modern evolution.

Balancing Tradition and Innovation

Iroquois players and leaders are working to maintain the spiritual core of lacrosse while adapting to the sport’s changing landscape. This involves educating younger players about the game’s cultural significance while also embracing opportunities to compete at the highest levels of international play.

Inspiring Future Generations

The success of the Iroquois Nationals and individual Iroquois players on the world stage serves as inspiration for young Indigenous athletes. By demonstrating that it’s possible to honor tradition while excelling in the modern sport, these players are paving the way for future generations to carry on the legacy of Iroquois lacrosse.

In conclusion, the story of Iroquois lacrosse is one of resilience, cultural pride, and athletic excellence. From its mythical origins to its current status as a globally recognized sport, lacrosse remains an integral part of Iroquois identity. The Iroquois Nationals team, with its limited resources but boundless spirit, continues to compete at the highest levels, sharing their gift with the world while preserving its sacred essence. As the sport evolves and grows, the Iroquois community’s dedication to lacrosse ensures that the Creator’s game will continue to thrive, bridging ancient traditions with the modern world.

The Gift: Iroquois Nationals at the World Lacrosse Championships

“Lacrosse is our gift to the world.

The game is a microcosm of the big game of life. We are in that arena

right now.”

Chief Oren Lyons

He has never given up faith. Oren

Lyons is a statesman and a 48-year member of the Iroquois Council of

Chiefs. He is also a lacrosse player, of world renown. I found him

with the Iroquois National Team in the World Championship Lacrosse

games in Denver, the sixth of such world championships. Here, the

Iroquois would end up with a Bronze Medal, after the U.S. and Canada.

The sport has grown exponentially and this year, 32 teams came with

new countries joining such as Uganda, Belgium, China, Colombia, Costa

Rica, Israel, Russia, Thailand and Turkey just to name a few.

I have driven 1,200 miles with two 14

year-old boys for these games, something which puzzles many. But this

is not just a game, this is epic.

It is told that the first game of

lacrosse was played between the animals and the birds. This game was

won by the animals since it has been called the “Creator’s game.”

Because of the bat, that creature who spans two worlds: mammal and

bird, who won the game for the mammals. Because of this, the birds

now fly south in the winter and the mammals do not travel. The game

was gifted to the two-legged from Creator for enjoyment and as a

medicine game for the healing of the people.

It is a preeminent Indigenous sport,

most known for the Iroquois continuity and commitment and now it’s

resurgence nationally and internationally. In June, for instance, two

intertribal teams composed of players from four reservations

Ihanktonwan/Yankton, Cansa’yapi/Lower Sioux, Sicangu/Rosebud and

Winnebago defeated the Rapid City Shock in a three-game series in

early June. There is a growing force, it is young and increasingly

gifted.

Relations

They seem seamless on the field. That

I notice. As if they are communicating with a long history. This is

fortunate, because there are very few players from which to pick –

and the team itself – has only practiced five times together before

the beginning of the tournament. Oren Lyons tells me exactly how

select the Iroquois team is. “ I asked the U.S. coach, ‘What was

your player pool?’ He said ‘380,000 what’s yours?’ I said 100

and that’s where I think we were this year,” he pauses, “With

Indians the odds have always been out there.”

Iroquois Nationals goalie Marty Ward

(Onondaga) tells me, “ …most of the guys, I have actually played

with before in Six Nations box lacrosse … For some of these guys

you don’t even have to look over there, you just put it there.”

And there are families. There are a

lot of cousins on the field and a lot of family in the stands. My new

friend is Brian Miller, who is the grandfather of Zach Miller, a 19

year-old freshman at Denver University, who is in his second major

international game for the Iroquois Nationals, his last one was at 17

at the U-19 World Games in Finland. “Even when I’m having a bad

game, I just continue to play hard and keep in mind that I’m

playing for the Creator … love to play the game.”

At my first Lacrosse game, I came to

watch Zach play at Denver University, finding Brian in the stands

almost immediately. Brian Miller has done something pretty

remarkable. This past year, he’s traversed the country more than a

dozen times. That is, in his F-150 pickup to see his grandson play

home games in Denver. That would be more than a 1,700-mile trek, from

the Allegheny Seneca reservation in upstate New York to Denver.

“Nobody’s counted it up, but if you look at a the teams schedule

and take out a map, you could probably figure out how many miles I’ve

driven.”

“It’s crazy to think about. It

shows how proud he is. It shows how much family matters,” Zach

Miller says. “My grandfather tells me he prefers driving over

flying. But all the way across the country and back! Now that’s

crazy.”

Then there are the Thompsons, four of

them on the field for the Iroquois National Team, Lyle, Jeremy, Miles

and Ty; cousins and brothers.“I was always taught to play for the

Creator. The game is meant to entertain the Creator,” Lyle Thompson

tells a reporter. “I know the game back then was a lot different

and played for kind of a different purpose. But I think me and my

brothers still carry that sacredness for … the new game that’s

being played now… ” Their father, Jerome Thompson, Sr. is on the

field too, coaching the Iroquois Nationals. The Thompson brothers

this spring won the coveted Teewaraton Trophy, recognizing the best

college lacrosse players. Teewaraton is the Mohawk word for lacrosse

(that would be a French word, apparently donned in 1638). It is the

first time the award was given to Native people and the first time in

history the esteemed award was given jointly, in this case to

brothers.

The Ojibwe word for lacrosse is

Baga’adowewag, referring to playing a game with sticks. I am not a

sports writer, yet I remain avidly fascinated with the game and the

story. “Lacrosse was traditionally used as a means of healing

between parties when hurtful conflicts were eminent. History tells of

a Yankton chief, Wa anatan, who oversaw a game that last several

days, eventually leading to the settling of a conflict between camps.

Many of our communities plagued by violence would benefit from this

ancient way of resolving conflicts and pursuing healing,” Faith

Spotted Eagle, Yankton, explains.

“In the sports earliest days,

players would only step on the field if the clan mothers deemed they

were pure in spirit enough to earn the honor,” Sid Jamieson

(Mohawk), the former Bucknell University lacrosse coach, explained.

“The game was played, I don’t want to say ferociously, but it was

in the old days … There wasn’t any ill feeling about that because

the game was meant to be played rigorously with fairness and all out

effort.”

The Game Grows

Oren Lyons thinks very much that the

game is representative of life and at least Iroquois history. Two

centuries after treaties were made between the Iroquois and the

English, the game had spread voraciously. The Iroquois remained

strong players in the northeast, so much so, that Canada tried to

keep the Iroquois out of the competition.

“We taught them … played them in

the 1890s and all and when it was gaining strength, Canada said we

were professionals and refused to let us in to the world games that

was in 1890. That was because what was happening was that our guys –

in order to raise funds – were doing exhibition matches, sort of

like the Jim Thorpe thing. At that time it was all the field game and

of course it was our game. Our leagues went right on and we tangled

with them now and then,” Lyons says.

It is a parallel path, in many ways to

the political path of the Iroquois Nation. While the Iroquois

represent the longest standing democracy in North America, they were

denied participation in their own game and denied political

participation at the U.N. or many years, but they remained present,

using their own Haudenasaunee passports for international travel. In

l977, they joined the first formal meetings at the United Nations of

Indigenous nations of the western hemisphere, led by many chiefs

including the Iroquois chiefs.

Oren tells me, “we took the team to

Baltimore in l983, took the team to the grand council and asked if

they would sanction the team: thus was born the Iroquois Nationals.

Then we decided that we should go to LA for the Olympics. Well, we

called the LA Indians and at that time Dennis Banks was at Onondaga,

we were giving him some quiet time. (This was also known a time of

political sanctuary offered by the Onondaga from the multiple charges

arising from Banks’ AIM political work.)

“We said, ‘Why don’t we run out

there to the games? Let’s go get Jim Thorpe’s medals.’That’s

what we did. We ran the whole way, it was called the Longest Run,

from Onondaga to LA. They ended up with six teams to play: England,

Australia, the U.S., Canada and a local team from Orange County. At

the end of the tournament England comes up and says, ‘how would you

like to tour England?’ Sure we said, if we can take our passports.

So the next year (1985) we toured England with our Iroquois

passports, accepted the passports and all. We won every game except

for one. We took 40 guys.”

Oren continues the story. “That year

we got a call that we were invited into the International Federation

of Lacrosse – as a nation – none of this affiliate stuff. Those

are my terms. [We] played in Perth Australia in 1990 but from that

time to now it’s just been a progression. [We] played in London,

Manchester, Baltimore; in 2002 in the Australia games, in 2006 we

were in London, Ontario. In 2010 and 2012 we were in London, U.K. and

that’s when they wouldn’t accept our passports.”

That was the last big controversy. In

2012, England did not allow the Iroquois to travel to the

international lacrosse games, it was heartbreaking for many,

particularly since the Iroquois had already traveled numerous times –

using their passports – to these games.

Denise Waterman, board member and

mother of General Manager for Iroquois Nationals, Gewas Schindler,

takes a long view, not unlike that of Chief Lyons. “There’s

always different milestones. When we were in New York City planning

to take our trip to the England games and we didn’t give up. I

remember thinking as soon as we got to the point, where we have

forfeited two games and we would never make the championship round.

And I remember having a moment, thinking, ‘What will the little

children – who are holding sticks – what will they think of us.

Now like all these dreams, for the people, for sovereignty for

identity … I wonder if kids will still believe in us. Maybe they

will think this is a group or a tribe but they didn’t make it. As

soon as I went home, it was the total opposite, it was like they were

heroes. You saw little kids who were like, I want to be a Iroquois

National.” (This is where Denise and I both get sort of teary).

So there it is. An epic story that

represents far more than a game for Indian country. It is a sport

that disciplines you, while nourishing traditions and in many cases,

education and leadership. It is inspiring our youth.

Concerning the academics component,

Lyle Thompson explains, “When I talk to the kids, that’s the

first thing I ask when I go back to the rez. How are you grades? I

try and tell them to get [their] grades up no matter how hard it is.”

He continued, “Second keep loving the game. If you love the game

and its fun, it’s easy to put the work.” There are more and more

Native lacrosse players being recruited for colleges with

scholarships.

“It’s a big deal for the community

back home because there have been plenty of guys who had the

potential talent to do something but got caught up in drugs and all

that stuff,” Zach Miller tells a reporter who is watching him at

Denver University, “being the first one coming out of my

reservation, all little kids and even adults, look up to me for that.

They are all wearing Denver shirts and are really supportive.”

Goalie Marty Ward talks about doing a

lacrosse workshop at Tuba City on the Navajo reservation. “This kid

had a holey shirt and no shoes, another one had holey shoes. I said

where are your good shoes. And the kid said, I have no good shoes.

Those kids deserve to play. The workshop was humbling for Marty.

“It’s almost a spiritual happening,

these games today.” Thomas Vennum, tells me. He is the author of

“Indian Lacrosse” and a highly-regarded historian. “It’s

important that they are so recognized as having really putting

together what was originally their sport and they’ve gotten good

people with them. Oren Lyons as a coach, he’s first class. Until

now the game was restricted mostly to the white bread. It’s

expanding very rapidly now, particularly in the West and Midwest.”

Community

Medicine Game Continues

With the growth of college and high

school lacrosse worldwide, the original game still remains with the

Iroquois, including the traditional wooden sticks. Kevin Bucktooth, a

middle fielder tells me, “We do a community medicine game. Word

is spread throughout the community for a medicine game, its usually

before the rest of the games are played, maybe early April. Onondaga

does it, they say there’s gonna be a medicine game and by noon, we

go,” he pauses. “That game is only wooden sticks. And it’s

usually divided up into men and boys.” Kevin is in his late

twenties, by the looks of him. “Well you are considered a man if

you have kids and the others are the boys. And so I’m still

considered a boy, I think I’m one of the oldest.”

Oren looks to the traditions of the

past to see what may come. “There is the reemergence of the game.

Everyone has this game. That was the way we celebrated, that’s the

way we do our reverence we make our commitments. We used to settle

wars that way, with a game. [There have] never been seven billion

people in the world and if you do not have discipline among the most

intelligent creatures in the world, you are dangerous. You’ve got

to have leaders, principles and faith. What happens in this

generation and next generation will determine if there is going to be

a seventh generation. Those principles equity and peace, about the

good mind. The game is a place to represent that. The ball is a

medicine it will go where it will go. Somebody always loses but we’ve

lost a lot of games we won’t be defeated. We won’t ever be.”

Like Oren, I have faith.

The Empathy that Brought the Iroquois and Irish Together as One

Each morning, Lyle Thompson jogs around his home in the Six Nations reserve south of Toronto. Four laps around his property equal a mile. He mixes up his routine with sprints and longer runs. Next, he stretches and lifts kettlebells. Finally, he grabs his lacrosse stick and fires on a goal in his yard for up to an hour, sometimes longer. Home-cooked meals with lots of vegetables are in. Fast foods and sodas are out. It helps that he keeps so busy homeschooling his five children. He doesn’t have time to become bored and turn to junk food for comfort.

One of the top lacrosse athletes in the world, Thompson is striving to stay fit amid the isolation and uncertainty stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. The two-time Tewaaraton Award recipient wants to be ready for when professional lacrosse resumes play.

At the same time, Thompson, who plays for the National Lacrosse League’s Georgia Swarm and is expected to join the Premier Lacrosse League following its merger with Major League Lacrosse, is peering deeper into the future, all the way to 2022 when he plans to compete in the World Games in Alabama. Featuring 3,600 international athletes who will compete in 34 sports across 11 days, the event will represent a big step for getting men’s lacrosse back into the Olympics. Thompson is eager to don the golden eagle emblem of his team, the Iroquois Nationals, step onto that big stage in Birmingham and represent fellow Native Americans, who originated lacrosse.

“This is more than just a sports thing. It is really a fight for our people so that we can be recognized for who we are. It is a fight for our sovereignty at the same time,” said Thompson, a citizen of the Onondaga Nation, one of the six Native American nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. “And lacrosse is really our vehicle.”

There is something else on Thompson’s mind. He is weighing how he will publicly show gratitude in Birmingham for a remarkable act of sportsmanship that helped the Iroquois get invited to the event, a decision reflecting the empathy that has endured for generations between two historically oppressed people.

“This is more than just a sports thing. It is really a fight for our people so that we can be recognized for who we are.” — Lyle Thompson

PHOTO BY DEIDRE ELROD/CHOCTAW NATION

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton, left, leads a traditional Choctaw Snake Dance at the 2017 dedication of Kindred Spirits monument in Midleton, Ireland. 

Kindred Spirits

Nine giant eagle feathers built of stainless steel rise in the middle of a verdant park in Midleton, Ireland, forming the shape of an empty bowl. Ethereal when lit from below at night, the monument represents the delicate feathers prized by the people of the Choctaw Nation and the humanity they showed toward Ireland. The creator, Alex Pentek, says the tribute —  consisting of more than 20,000 welds — is meant to signify the Choctaw and Irish are forever kindred spirits.

The story behind the monument stretches back to the 19^th century, when Ireland endured one of the world’s worst catastrophes. Many refer to it as the Irish famine. In Irish, it is called An Gorta Mór, or the Great Hunger. Between 1845 and 1852, more than a million Irish men, women and children died as blight destroyed their potato crops. A greater number left during the disaster for America, Canada and elsewhere. In all, Ireland lost about a quarter of its population.

Much of what caused Ireland’s calamity had been developing for generations under British rule, said Christine Kinealy, the founding director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University. Irish Catholics, Kinealy said, were denied civil rights and access to good quality land. Some British considered Ireland lazy and overpopulated, Kinealy added, while others oversaw parsimonious and inadequate relief efforts that exacerbated the suffering, including public works projects in the middle of a brutal winter. Meanwhile, massive amounts of food were exported from Ireland to England.

Struck by Ireland’s plight, people all over the world donated money to help the starving nation. Among them were Native Americans, including the Cherokee and Choctaw. In 1847, the Choctaw donated $170, which is worth nearly $5,400 today.

“It is just a remarkable example of compassion and kindness,” said Kinealy, who documented the Choctaw donation in her book, “Charity and the Great Hunger in Ireland: The Kindness of Strangers.” “What a sacrifice it must have been.”

Click the information icon for photo captions and credits.

At the time, the Choctaw were still reeling from their own calamity, one driven by white supremacy, greed and an insatiable demand for their land. After President Andrew Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the U.S. government forcibly removed the Choctaw from their lands in the South. In all, 15,000 of them traveled the Trail of Tears between 1831 and 1833, according to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and up to a third died from disease, starvation, exposure and murder. Their removal to Oklahoma continued into the 20^thcentury. 

In 1847, the Arkansas Intelligencer reported on a meeting in Skullyville, Oklahoma, where the Choctaw heard a plea to help the Irish. The list of people who agreed to donate, the newspaper reported, included “many full-blooded Choctaw Indians, who knew nothing more, cared for nothing more, than the fact that across the Big Water, there were thousands of human beings starving to death.” The following month, the chairman of the General Irish Relief Committee of New York, wrote a letter to the Society of Friends, highlighting $144,000 in donations collected for Ireland. That money, he wrote, included $170 “of which the largest part was contributed by the children of the forest, our red brethren of the Choctaw Nation.”

“They knew what it was like to starve,” said Judy Allen, a historic projects officer for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. “They knew what it was like to have a stronger, larger government oppress them.”

The Irish and Choctaw have remained close since, at times demonstrating together against famine. In 1992, a plaque commemorating the Choctaw donation was unveiled in the Dublin lord mayor’s residence. Three years later, Irish President Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw in Oklahoma, thanking them for their generosity. In 2017, some Choctaw visited Ireland for the dedication of Pentek’s Kindred Spirits monument. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar traveled to the Choctaw Nation in 2018 and announced an annual scholarship allowing Choctaw students to study in Ireland. 

This year, Native Americans issued a desperate plea for help. And the Irish responded. In a big way.

Shandiin Herrera, a Lead for America fellow with the Yee Ha’ólníi Doo nonprofit humanitarian organization, distributes COVID-19 relief aid in Kayenta, Arizona.

Ireland Remembers

The origin of the messages is unmistakable. Short and sweet, they declare: “Love from Ireland” and “Ireland Remembers.” Some are written in Irish. One was posted along with a photo of the Kindred Spirits monument. All of them accompany COVID-19 relief donations to a GoFundMe campaign for Navajo and Hopi families.

American Indians are experiencing disproportionately higher rates of infection and death during the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Dec. 17, COVID-19 had infected nearly 20,400 Navajo and killed 732, Navajo Department of Health figures show. The Hopi Tribe, meanwhile, recorded 671 positive cases of the disease by Dec. 7.

Thomas Joyce donated to the campaign, thanking the Choctaw for their help during the Irish famine and declaring: “I might not be around today without it.” Elizabeth McNulty also gave, writing: “This is my fifth donation in thanks to the Choctaw Nation for help given to my ancestors in Ireland.” David O’Hanlon contributed as well, posting: “We will never forget your kindness in our darkest hour. Thank you from Ireland.”

Donations from Ireland picked up substantially in May after Naomi O’Leary, a Europe correspondent for The Irish Times, tweeted about the GoFundMe campaign, saying: “Native Americans raised a huge amount in famine relief for Ireland at a time when they had very little. It’s time for [us] to come through for them now.”

Since it began March 15, the campaign has raised more than $6.8 million for food, water, masks, cleaning supplies and other aid. By Oct. 21, $1 million had come from 26,800 donors in Ireland, according to one of the campaign’s founders, Ethel Branch, a former Navajo Nation attorney general. Even more was donated from people who live elsewhere but who have Irish ancestry.

“It is such a beautiful, beautiful thing. We have seen so much incredible generosity for our community,” said Branch, the founder and interim executive director of Yee Ha’ólníi Doo, a nonprofit humanitarian organization.

Ireland’s charity is particularly gratifying for Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

“It is a wonderful story,” he said. “I just see it as a good deed that continues to be carried forward today and hopefully into the future.”

As the world grappled with the pandemic this year, Native Americans and the Irish encountered another challenge, one that would draw them even closer.

Not Invited to the Games

Randy Staats boiled with anger this year and let it show in a column he wrote for Lacrosse All Stars. In his piece, he recalled how the Iroquois Nationals could not compete in the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship in England because the British government rejected his team’s Haudenosaunee passports. Eight years later, he added, his team finished third in the men’s championship in Israel, despite facing delays in arriving for the games because of passport issues. Staats referred to the worldwide movement for racial justice as he vented about how the Iroquois, the “life-bringers” of lacrosse, were not invited to the 2022 World Games in Alabama.

“I thought it was a mistake, honestly,” said Staats, a member of the Mohawk Turtle Clan, which is part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. “I got pretty angry with it. And I was just trying to figure out what was going on.”

The controversy spread rapidly across social media. Staats, who plays alongside Thompson for the Georgia Swarm, joined more than 54,000 other people in signing a change.org petition calling for including the Iroquois.

“I don’t like how there was no accountability,” he said. “It was just an apology and people moved on with their lives. What are we supposed to do? Just run into this every year? Who is owning up to these mistakes?”

Randy Staats wore athletic tape on his helmet with “2022?” inked in black marker during the Major League Lacrosse season in response to the initial exclusion of the Iroquois Nationals from the 2022 World Games.

The reasons behind the original decision not to invite the Iroquois are complex, according to World Lacrosse, the international governing body for the sport, which said it had to abide by criteria established by the International World Games Association. Because the association adopts the principles of the Olympic charter for the event, World Lacrosse hewed to the language in it that defines a participating “country” as “an independent state recognized by the international community.” Typically, that is the United Nations. The charter also requires that a participating country have a national Olympic committee.

The Haudenosaunee do not have a national Olympic committee, though they are planning to create one with the help of World Lacrosse. And they are not a member state of the United Nations. Still, they maintain they have sovereignty, pointing out their six nations entered into treaties with the U.S. government in the 18^th century, they govern themselves and they issue their own passports, which have been recognized by many other nations.

Other teams were affected by the same invitation process. England, Scotland and Wales, for example, will combine as Great Britain as they have historically done in the World Games and the Olympics, though England ranked fifth in the 2018 championship; Scotland, 11^th; and Wales, 14th. Puerto Rico and the Philippines placed in the top 10 in 2018 but were not full members of World Lacrosse, so they did not receive invites to the games in Alabama.

For other events run by World Lacrosse, such as world championships, World Lacrosse alone determines the eligibility criteria and allows the Haudenosaunee men’s and women’s teams to compete independently.

As the firestorm surrounding the Iroquois intensified, World Lacrosse said it asked the International World Games Association to reconsider its criteria. Meanwhile, Nick Sellers, CEO of the World Games 2022 Birmingham organization, reached out to the Iroquois Nationals. World Lacrosse obtained letters of “no objections” from the Canadian and U.S. Olympic committees and national lacrosse governing bodies, the Canadian Lacrosse Association and US Lacrosse. (Steve Stenersen, vice president of World Lacrosse, serves as president and CEO of US Lacrosse, which publishes US Lacrosse Magazine.)

A spokeswoman for the International World Games Association said her organization followed its principles and did not interfere with World Lacrosse’s selection process. The association ultimately confirmed the Iroquois’ eligibility to compete in Birmingham.

The rules cap the number of lacrosse teams invited to the World Games at eight. So one more thing had to happen before the Iroquois could receive and accept their invitation.

Iroquois lacrosse invited onto world stage

Craig Point (middle) celebrates with Randy Staats (right) and Iroquois teammates after a goal against Canada at the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in Onondaga Nation. Iroquois took third place at the 2018 World Championships in Netanya, Isreal. (COURTESY IROQUOIS NATIONALS)

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The Irish national lacrosse team announced that they would voluntarily withdraw from the 2022 World Games last week.

The opening allowed the Iroquois Nationals to take their spot in the eight-team tournament, in Birmingham, Alabama in July 2022. They will compete against Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Japan and the United States.

“It’s simply the right thing to do,” said Michael Kennedy, Ireland coach in a World Games press release. “We are a proud member of World Lacrosse and we recognize the importance of The World Games to the continued growth of our sport. As much as our players would have been honoured to compete, we know the right thing is for the Iroquois Nationals to represent our sport on this international stage.”

The team plans to attend the 2021 World Lacrosse Men’s U20 World Championship at the University of Limerick in Ireland, on June 17-26. The Iroquois will have special plans for Ireland upon their arrival to show their gratitude.

Ireland’s act of sportsmanship has strengthened the already-strong bond between the two nations, expressed Leo Nolan, Nationals executive director.

“One of our board members, Rex Lyons, sent Michael Kennedy a really gracious thank you note,” he said. “We also plan on giving special recognition for Ireland before 2022, have some celebratory events and appreciate their understanding.”

The controversy to omit the Iroquois announced in late July sparked backlash from several Indigenous and allied communities. They were initially not invited since the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations did not recognize Haudenosaunee as a sovereign nation. They also did not have an Olympic committee. Nolan stated that having independence is something Indigenous people pride themselves upon.

“Certainly our brand is one of the most recognized brands. Our product, our jerseys and shorts typically sell out,” said Nolan. “We have our own passports, land and we govern ourselves. That whole revitalization of our culture is really important.”

A petition was created by Mi’kmaq Nation lacrosse player, Aidan Fearn, to include the Nationals, and it received over 50,000 signatures. The overwhelming support helped send a message to the governing bodies to allow the inventors of lacrosse to be involved in the Creator’s game.

“The support was not only from the world lacrosse community. but the Indigenous communities and everyone around the world,” said David Bray, Nationals board member. “It’s a spiritual game and our medicine game. We’re so honoured to be continuing the game to be spread across the world.”

Being eligible for the World Games is just another step for Haudenosaunee lacrosse on a global stage. They are aiming for eligibility at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, if lacrosse gets added as an event.

“We want to keep this interest going across the world. It’s important to all of our communities, not just us,” said Nolan. “We want to keep this momentum going. It’s good for the sport, the fans and the casual observer.”

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Lacrosse’s native traditions collide with the game’s commercialization at the world championships – Onondaga Redhawks Lacrosse

Toronto Star
Jim Byers
Jul. 22, 2006

LONDON, Ont.—The words “Tradition — The Creator’s Game” sit beneath a stylized image of an Iroquois with a  wooden lacrosse stick resting on his shoulder on a print for sale at the world lacrosse championships.

At another booth inside the University of Western Ontario stadium, a Nike rep hands over a glossy press kit with a DVD on Team Iroquois.

This is where the distant, mystic past collides with the hard-drive, hard-sell future of lacrosse. It’s where Iroquois faith-keepers waving long staffs covered with eagle feathers mix with Japanese team members videotaping opponents in search of a winning edge, and where a dot.com company based in Gibraltar has a play-by-play broadcaster in the steamy press box because the company is taking bets on games.

The origins of field lacrosse are wrapped in mystery, but the people we call the Iroquois were playing similar games called baggataway or tewaarathon when the first Europeans hit the shores of North America five centuries ago.

The games were played to settle territorial disputes and as entertainment and often involved hundreds or even 1,000 warriors at a time on fields up to 25 kilometres long.

“The origins of the game are with the Creator,” explained Ed Martin of Oakville, who was born on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford and who was cheering on the Iroquois team in London this week. “The Creator asked the people to play the game for his pleasure.”

“There’s usually a pipe with tobacco passed around by players before a game,” said Leo Nolan, executive director of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Federation. “We say a special prayer to say thanks to the Creator for us being here and for our good health and good minds, and to say thanks for the game.”

French missionary Jean de Brébeuf was the first to chronicle the mysterious game. The natives had other names for it, but Brébeuf thought the sticks used to hurl the deerskin ball looked like a bishop’s crozier, or “acrosse,” and called the game lacrosse.

Deerskin balls are a thing of the past, replaced long ago by India rubber. A few of the Iroquois players use old-style wooden sticks but most have switched over to plastic.

Nike has provided the team with uniforms that include jerseys with “four-way stretch Darlington mesh” and boots with detachable cleats so they can be used on both grass and artificial turf. At the same time, the purple-and-yellow uniforms also pay homage to the past. There’s an eagle head on the back and elements of the Iroquois flag on the sleeves.

On the back of the shorts is embroidered the phrase “Dey Hon Tshi Gwa’ehs,” which means “to bump with hips” — the name given to the original sport by the Creator.

Hip bumping, as anyone who’s seen a lacrosse game, is the least of a player’s physical concerns. It’s a brutal game that features violent whacks with the stick. Cross-checking is legal, although not on the neck or head.

“I think people like the fast pace of the game,” said Colin Doyle, a Canadian team member who also plays for the Toronto Rock. “It’s athletic like soccer, there are pick-and-roll plays like basketball and it’s up and down the floor (in box lacrosse) like hockey. There’s a lot of history, too, and it’s pretty cool when you look into it.

“When you see how much the game has grown across the U.S. and rest of the world, it’s pretty amazing,” said Doyle, alluding to the 21 teams that converged in London for the world championship, including entries from Latvia, New Zealand and even Bermuda.

Box lacrosse, which has its own world championships, is the game most Canadians know. But the version played in London this past week is the traditional field version, which has different rules. Some players find it difficult to make the adjustment. The Americans have traditionally stuck to field lacrosse, which helps explain how they have won 32 straight games in international competition and captured the last six world championships.

The Canadians almost ended that streak last Sunday but lost 13-12 when the U.S. team scored with three seconds to play.

The two teams will meet again in today’s final (3:30 p.m., CBC). Canada crushed the Iroquois Nationals 16-6 in one semifinal on Thursday, while the U.S. beat Australia 13-10 in the other.

In recognition of their role in inventing the game, the International Lacrosse Federation in 1990 voted to accept the Iroquois as a full-member nation. The Iroquois have a population pool of only about 80,000 people, mostly from the Six Nations Reserve and in upstate New York. But they play in the top division with the U.S., Canada, Australia, England and Japan.

The Aussies finished third in the world championships in Perth four years ago, and there was a huge group of green-and-yellow clad Australians chanting the traditional “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi” cheer at games this week.

“We all play back home,” said Eben Lok of Adelaide. “There are eight teams in Adelaide alone, and every team has a league squad, a reserve team and junior teams of all ages.”

Tohru Hayashi, dressed in a University of Tokyo Blue Bullets lacrosse shirt, travelled to the championships in North America with 25 other Japanese lacrosse fans.

“I think people like the speed and the contact,” said England player Will Stelfox. “They (fellow Britons) don’t always know what it is when you mention it, but you show them the game and they love it.”

Delby Powless, an Iroquois Nationals player who hails from one of the most famous lacrosse families, said his people are thrilled that the world is finally paying attention to their game.

“They say when you play lacrosse the Creator smiles,” Powless said. “It’s our pleasure to share the game with the world.”

Iroquois Lacrosse Arena – Six Nations Chiefs

The Home of Lacrosse

It is difficult to fully describe the relationship between the Indigenous People of Canada and the game of lacrosse. It is more than sport. It is not quite religion, but there are definitely religious aspects to the game. It is entertainment. It is culture. It is really beyond description.

Sports fans who are looking for the purest form of the sport and are interested in lacrosse must consider catching a game at one of the most unique facilities to watch the sport. In most cases lacrosse is the second, third or even fourth in the pecking order at a given venue. At the home of the Six Nations Chiefs, lacrosse is not only at the top of the pecking order, but there are no other sports even on the list. On the Six Nations Reserve, south of Brantford, Ontario, near the towns of Ohsweken and Hagersville, is a temple for lacrosse. The Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is not lacrosse first, it is lacrosse only.

Built with no ice making plant, the ILA only houses the various indoor lacrosse teams of the Six Nations, and there are a ton. The top semi-pro team that calls the ILA home is the Six Nations Chiefs of Major Series Lacrosse. The MSL is a semi-pro, Senior A lacrosse league where many of its players spend the winter months playing for various National Lacrosse League teams. Some players also double down in the summer months playing in both MSL and Major League Lacrosse. The Chiefs have been a part of MSL since 1993.

Built in 2004 and owned by lacrosse magnate and owner of the Halifax Thunderbirds, Curt Styres along with Delby Powless, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is not only a temple for lacrosse and its connections to Indigenous culture, it is a hub of the Six Nations Reserve and important part of the community. The Six Nations include the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora.

Food & Beverage 3

Concessions options at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena centre around the Bowhunter Brothers Convenience. The store and cafe is attached to ILA and there is access from the inside. A food counter that serves fries and other larger items is available. Soft drinks and ice cream are also available for purchase along with other confections.

Atmosphere 4

From the outside, the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is not overly aesthetically pleasing. White siding dominates the exterior and there is not much to differentiate the ILA from a warehouse. Fans should not get hung up on the outside of the building, however, as the interior is a much different story.

Entering the ILA brings fans to a small desk where an employee will collect money for tickets. No fancy box office or physical tickets here. Just a stamp and a cash box and lacrosse fans are good to go. A portable table sells 50/50 tickets and some Chiefs merchandise to the left. Once past these spots, into the main concourse, is when fans get to start exploring. Although the displays are simple, there is plenty to educate the fan on the connection between lacrosse and the Indigenous People. One important display, explains the history of the sport and its connections to the peoples that first called Canada home. A “gift from the Creator, lacrosse is played for his enjoyment.” Not even college football in the southern United States, or hockey in rural Canada can claim these kinds of roots. The display fully acknowledges that we have no idea when lacrosse was first played, but the first recorded mention of the sport came in the 1630s. Further down the hall there are a number of pictures and displays for various lacrosse clubs.

Curt Styres owns the former Rochester Knighthawks. The ILA has been used as a practice facility by the Knighthawks in the past. There are a number of displays honouring the Knighthawks and their Champions’ Cup years. There are also displays for Styres’ former teams, the Toronto Nationals and Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. The junior teams are also well represented with photos of the Junior A, Six Nations Arrows, Junior B, Six Nations Rebels and Junior C, Six Nations Warriors. The ILA is also the home to the Iroquois Nation teams, which play in International Competitions. Display cases house various trophies and artifacts. For fans interested in lacrosse, there is so much to explore, just in the halls, that the game could be of secondary interest.

The seating bowl in the ILA is fairly simple. Immediately the dominant orange seats in the east-west oriented arena take command. Purple highlights add to the orange and although it may not seem like a big deal, the Iroquois Nation’s colours are purple and orange and those colours are found on many Six Nations, Iroquois or other teams with Idigenous ties. The south side and east side of the arena feature traditional plastic, stadium seats. The corners and west end have wooden risers as seating. The north wall of the arena is littered with championship banners from all levels of Six Nations teams including a couple banners for the Mann Cup winning Chiefs of 2013. Simple score clocks can be found at the east and west with the clock on the east side guarded neatly by both the Canadian and Iroquois flag.

The game day production is very simple at a Chiefs game. There is not much in the way of extras, which is a refreshing change from some other sports where other entertainment and advertising overshadows the sport. One of the main features of the ILA which shows that it is a mecca for lacrosse is the turf that is found on the floor. Common for NLL games, turf is not usually found at this level of lacrosse and a polished concrete floor is what is found in most off-season hockey rinks. During intermissions, which are similar to hockey with three periods, kids bring their sticks and balls on to the floor and play around while the pros are taking a break.

Neighbourhood 3

For many, the Six Nations Reserve is a bit of a mystery. The Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is located on the reserve, between the villages of Hagersville and Ohsweken. The reserve is just south of Brantford. Driving through the reserve, although not announced with a large, grand sign suggesting entrance to the reserve, does feel very different. Like entering a cultural neighbourhood in a large city, signage changes, buildings look a little different and being immersed in a new culture becomes evident. It is definitely something that needs to be experienced. The ILA is, however, located in a fairly rural area. For fans making the trek, there is not too much within walking distance of the arena. That is not to say that there is nothing of interest on Six Nations. For fans who are looking for something to eat or drink before the game, the famous Burger Barn in Ohsweken is definitely a stop that needs to be made. It was featured on the Canadian program “You Gotta Eat Here” and a very popular place. Dinger’s Taps & Grill in Hagersville is also a spot to consider.

For fans looking for other entertainment in the area, there are definitely things worth seeing. At the very least, fans of lacrosse will be able to find plenty of other teams that play at the ILA. The Juniors are well represented at the ILA, with the Six Nations Arrows, Six Nations Rebels and Six Nations Warriors all calling the ILA home. Another sporting event to consider would be a Friday Night at nearby Ohsweken Speedway. Short track auto racing is on the menu and may be worth checking out. The Ruthven Park National Historic Site may be of interest to check out also. For those looking for more Six Nations culture, but not really knowing where to start, a good place would be the Six Nations Tourism website. Lots of great ideas can be found here.

Fans looking for a place to stay near the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena could consider The Bear’s Inn in Ohsweken or head to Brantford to the Best Western or other known chain hotels.

Fans 3

It is difficult to assess fans of Major Series Lacrosse. For most teams and games, there is not sufficient attendance statistics recorded and made public. That being said, it is clear that the Six Nations Chiefs are a solid franchise with a solid fan base. The game which was reviewed was a weeknight game, as many Chiefs games are, and there was a solid crowd of probably between 400 and 800 fans. Fans in attendance are extremely knowledgeable of lacrosse and the players on the floor. The fans are quite reserved and even goals are not met with a huge ovation.

Access 4

The rural nature of the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena makes getting to the arena by car not very difficult at all. The Six Nations Reserve is just south of the Grand River and highway 54. It is west of highway 6. For those looking to take public transit, this is not the spot to be. Getting around the ILA is not difficult at all and washrooms are more than adequate for the crowd in attendance. There is plenty of parking at ILA and it is free.

Return on Investment 5

The return on investment for a Six Nations Chiefs game is significant. First, the investment in a Chiefs game is very low. Tickets are $10 or $5 or free depending on the age of fans and there is no cost to park. Concession prices are not an issue either. For an investment of a couple of dollars, the return is immense. Getting immersed in a different culture and experiencing an arena where lacrosse is king is unlike anywhere else. Taking in all of the artifacts in the ILA and the education in lacrosse that can be gained is an experience onto itself. Finally, the ability to see top notch lacrosse players such as Lyle Thompson and Cody Jamieson and a lacrosse legend like John Tavares behind the bench puts the return over the top.

Extras 4

An extra mark for the education that fans can receive on lacrosse or Tewaarathon from the Idigenous Peoples perspective. More information can be found on the Iroquois Nationals website.

An extra mark for a facility that is lacrosse first and a hub to the Six Nations community.

An extra mark for the ability to experience a new culture on the Six Nations Reserve.

An extra mark for lacrosse magnate and Six Nations member Curt Styres. He has been a huge proponent of lacrosse at all levels, former owner of the Toronto and Hamilton Nationals of MLL and Rochester Knighthawks of NLL. He also owned the Rochester Americans and is going to be the owner of the Halifax Thunderbirds of the NLL. He is also, of course, a Mohawk and Six Nations native.

Final Thoughts

A trip to see the Six Nations Chiefs is no doubt off the beaten path for most sports fans. However, it is absolutely a worthwhile experience where fans can learn more about lacrosse and the people who shared the game with the settlers over 400 years ago. When in Southern Ontario, it is worth the drive to check out the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena and the treasures that it holds.

Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

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Windspeaker.com

Updated: July 29, 2020 at 1:10 p.m.

The lacrosse community worldwide, especially the Indigenous one, is livid.

But Leo Nolan, the executive director of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse program, is preaching calm and patience.

He is confident the decision to exclude the Iroquois Nationals from the 2022 World Games, scheduled to be held in the Alabama city of Birmingham, will be reversed.

“If I was using your money I’d say 100 per cent we’ll be there,” Nolan said. “If I was using my money, I’d still say 100 per cent. I’d go all in.”

It was recently revealed that eight countries were invited to send their national men’s field lacrosse teams to the Birmingham Games.

But the Iroquois Nationals, who represent the Haudenosaunee Confederacy at international events, were not among those invited.

That’s even though Indigenous people created the sport and the Iroquois Nationals are consistently one of the top three finishers, along with Canada and the United States, at international men’s tournaments.

The Iroquois Nationals are a member of World Lacrosse, the global governing body for the sport.

But World Games’ officials were following criteria established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when they determined which squads to invite to the multi-sport 2022 Games.

The IOC does not currently recognize the Haudenosaunee Confederacy as a nation.

“We are trying to take a very positive approach and a very diplomatic approach to this,” Nolan said.

To that end, Nolan confirmed that an Iroquois Nationals National Olympic Committee has been launched, with the goal of getting the Haudenosaunee Confederacy recognized as its own country. That would allow the six First Nations in its confederacy – Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and Tuscarora – to eventually compete at all international competitions, including the Olympics.

Nolan said it will be awhile before an application is submitted to the IOC. That’s because officials want to ensure all eligibility requirements and criteria are being met.

“I can’t really give you a hard and fast date,” Nolan said. “I would guess we could do it within the year.”

If successful, the Iroquois Nationals would be allowed to send athletes in other sports as well to international competitions.

“Our intent would not be to exclude anyone, whether that be a canoeist or a marathon runner or a track and field athlete,” Nolan said. “It wouldn’t be exclusive for lacrosse.

Nolan said a long-term goal is to have the Iroquois Nationals be one of the participating squads when men’s lacrosse will be reintroduced to the Olympic program at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“It’s not like we’re on a tomorrow deadline,” he said.

Nolan added it would be extremely beneficial for organizers of the World Games to include the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse squad.

“We are typically the biggest draw (at international events),” he said. “Our merchandise flies off the shelves.”

Nolan is upset World Games organizers did not consult with any Iroquois Nationals officials before announcing the eight lacrosse clubs it was inviting to its competition.

“This happened without any sort of communication with us,” he said.

And it’s not just those associated with the Iroquois Nationals who were discouraged by the announcement.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 42,000 people had signed a petition, started by a Nova Scotia teen last week, demanding the Iroquois Nationals be extended an invitation to take part in the 2022 World Games. See petition

Nolan said the Iroquois Nationals are not simply trying to make a statement for those involved with its program.

“We believe we represent all the hopes and dreams of all Indigenous people around the world,” he said.

Both the Canadian and American lacrosse associations have expressed their support for the Iroquois Nationals.

Part of a statement from the Canadian Lacrosse Association reads as follows:

“Our support for the Haudenosaunee is confirmed by the social media postings from our players, coaches and fans, including many players from Team Canada. The Canadian lacrosse community stands strongly united in our support of the Haudenosaunee and their inclusion in all World Lacrosse events.”

The U.S. Lacrosse statement includes the following:

“The exclusion of the Iroquois Nationals from international competition is not merely a loss for the Haudenosaunee; it is a loss for all nations, communities, and individuals who have embraced their game and helped to make lacrosse into what it is today.”

One of the top Indigenous players in the world, Randy Staats, a Mohawk from the Six Nations community of Ohsweken, wrote an opinion piece for an American publication last week offering his thoughts on the Iroquois Nationals’ exclusion.

“Putting on the Iroquois Nationals jersey evokes the same emotion from me every time, and it will never change,” Staats wrote. “To me, it’s the best feeling in the world. To represent my family, the Haudenosaunee and all Native Americans across the United States and Canada is much more than a game. It allows me to impact Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island. I would never trade it for anything.

“Do not take that away from me. Do not take that away from my teammates. Do not take that away from the Haudenosaunee. Do not take that away from all Indigenous people. Do not take that away from human beings.”

Staats and Kyle Jackson, a member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation in southwestern, were two Indigenous players that helped the Boston Cannons win the Major League Lacrosse championship this past Sunday.

Jackson was also disappointed to hear the Iroquois Nationals were not invited to the World Games.

“It’s extremely upsetting,” he said. “There’s no reason why we should be left out of any world championships or international games.”

A joint statement issued July 29 from the International World Games Associations, World Lacrosse and The World Games 2022 Birmingham Organizing Committee, says inclusiveness is a key core value so they are working to explore whether it is necessary to change the format for the lacrosse competition at the World Games.

No timeframe for the discussions has been set to explore “reasonable solutions” and “finding an appropriate balance”.

“The World Games 2022 are still two years away, but all partners are very keen to reach an early agreement.”

What Lacrosse Means to the Iroquois Nation | by Michael LoRé | The Omnivore

Lacrosse is more than a game — it is a ritual, a medicine, a tradition, a culture, and an identity.

The sport is an original Iroquois game, played to honor the Creator. The Iroquois have a deep relationship with the game and much respect for it. Children are given homemade wooden lacrosse sticks when they’re born — they’re taught to respect the stick, learn about its importance, and cherish it.

This relationship and lacrosse’s significance is highlighted in Spirit Game: Pride of a Nation, a new documentary film directed by Academy Award nominated filmmaker Peter Spirer and sports documentarian Peter Baxter.

Baxter and Spirer focus their film on the Thompson Brothers — Lyle, Miles, Jeremy and Hiana — who grew in the Onondaga Nation located near Syracuse in upstate New York. A politically independent Native American reservation that is federally recognized by the United States, the Onondaga Nation, play competitive level lacrosse in order to create awareness for their existence and sovereignty.

“You’re born into the culture and born into the game of lacrosse.” said Lyle Thompson, one of four lacrosse-playing brothers. “It’s easy to build a passion for it when you’re surrounded by it.”

“It was an amazing experience for me in how important other civilizations are to the progress of people around the world,” said Baxter, who is president and co-founder of Slamdance Film Festival and director of Wild in the Streets and I Want To Be An American. “Just because a population is small doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We have so much to learn from the people who have been here before us.”

A focal point of the documentary is centered around the Iroquois Nationals, the Nation’s national lacrosse team. The Iroquois Nationals, which was first admitted to the Federation of International Lacrosse in 1987, has dealt with countless hardships throughout the years while attempting to gain respect and even access to international tournaments. The team was unable to attend and compete in the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship in England because the United Kingdom wouldn’t accept their Iroquois passports.

90,000 cross is … What is La-cross?

The brutal sport of Indians for real warriors | Historical Battles

It is very difficult to find a good fighter.And they themselves are not born that way. Thoughtful preparation is required, which is carried out according to a certain scheme. And often such military pedagogical developments were kept secret no less carefully than the latest technologies.

Monotonous learning is boring. Even if they teach an exciting business. That is why very often the warrior education course included a playful, competitive element. This, on the one hand, made it possible to motivate students, provoking a spirit of competition. On the other hand, it made it possible to see the product with its face.Moreover, this phenomenon has survived since antiquity to the present day, and outwardly often does not look like a useless archaic. Suppose, almost all steppe peoples have horse races on holidays according to special rules, which largely simulate the actions of a horseman in battle. But the Iranian national gymnastics with a weighted club is easily read as an echo of the previous training system for a hand-to-hand fighter. Even among athletes-wrestlers, coaches from time to time arrange a kind of mini-rugby in the hall, which perfectly helps athletes to develop fighting qualities.

Interestingly, there is a sports discipline in the world known as lyacrosse . It’s such a tough mixture of bandy and American football. Now it is a showcase species, in many countries considered a national summer sport (mainly in Canada, USA, France and England), and once this ball game was considered by the North American Indians an obligatory discipline, allowing you to train young warriors.

Artist: Robert Griffing

Artist: Robert Griffing

It is believed that Lacrosse was invented by the Indians of Mexico and South America.But this is most likely a poorly grounded myth. The first description of the game was made by Europeans on the territory of modern Canada in the 16th century. And archeology shows that it spread at least a century before the first evidence of the conquerors. The tribes could have different rules in details, which did not prevent sometimes from starting intertribal fights – synchronizing the canons of the game is not difficult for such cases.

The game is pretty simple. Two teams, armed with clubs with woven nets, are trying to throw a ball into the enemy gate (their role could be played by a conditional zone or just a large stone) a specified number of times a ball (at that time it was made of charred wood).Well, the enemy interferes with that in every possible way and also tries to take possession of the ball. It was allowed to push the opponent or knock the ball out of the opponent’s stick with his stick (almost fencing). Everything seems to be simple. But only at first glance.

It was not allowed to take the ball with your hands. Some tribes did not allow the use of hands when pushing an opponent. But there are as many clubs as you like. By the way, they played with two clubs at the same time in semi -ols or shouts. So we cut with two hands as it should.

Sioux playing lacrosse. Artist: Charles Deas

Sioux playing lacrosse.Artist: Charles Deas

We are used to flat sports fields and well-defined staff of rival teams. But in the days of the Indians, such standards did not exist. For the game, they could have picked up both the likeness of our football field, and a huge territory with crossed sections with an area of ​​several kilometers. And in this open space, two teams of several dozen or even several hundred people competed – there are so many young warriors (the old people did not play it).

Interestingly, many participants in large games did not even see the ball. It wasn’t necessary. They were assigned the role of countering enemy attacks. And therefore, the warriors were required not only dexterity and strength, but also the skills of strategic thinking – on such fields, schemes were worked out, which would be the envy of modern football coaches.
By the way, a lot of endurance was also required – they often played from dawn to dusk without a break. And even for several days in a row. So the weaklings would definitely not be able to withstand such a load.The Iroquois were considered especially skillful players. Those in general during the harvest season, when they did not need to hunt hard, and women were busy collecting, played lyacrosse all day long. And they were reputed, among other things, among other Indians as very honest and noble rivals, who fundamentally did not allow an incorrect, “dirty” game. And the Cherokee were revered for the most passionate, gambling adherents. From their language, by the way, the name of the original game is translated as “war of little brothers” .That is, they took the event extremely seriously.

Artist: Robert Griffing

Artist: Robert Griffing

The ball game could have been started to celebrate the victory or death of someone. We could build competitions as a result of the year. Or to resolve some disputes between tribes – this also happened. And there is also a known case when lyacrosse was used as a military trick when capturing a fort. They just started a game at the gates of the fort, which interested the white garrison. And, waiting for the defenders to lose their vigilance, they casually rolled the ball into the unlocked goal, and set off after it in a crowd, at the same time neutralizing the sentries.Such is the North American variant of the Trojan horse.

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Europeans have been spectators for a long time – then the colonists had little entertainment, and they willingly adopted the experience of the aborigines. But once the Canadian settlers created their own team and challenged the Indians to battle. True, most authors report that the pale-faced sulked with a bang, but it was from that time that lyacrosse became an international sport.And yes, hockey grew out of lyacross – as its winter variety.

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Marina Borisovna Nikolaeva

Under the guidance of the author, his students at the festival of research and creative work of students “Student Portfolio” presented the following works:

90,000 Awareness. The secret of the “moon-eyed people” from the legends of the Cherokee Indians Cherokee tribe Indians life culture

Cherokee settlement

Initial
: Southern Appalachian Mountains, including North and South Carolina, northern Georgia and Alabama, southwestern Virginia, and the River Valley.Cumberland in Tennessee, Kentucky and northern Alabama.

Present
: The bulk of the Cherokee lives in eastern Oklahoma. The eastern Cherokee have their own reservation in western North Carolina. There is a group known as the “North Cherokee of Old Louisiana” in Missouri; it has almost 12 thousand people and is recognized by the state authorities. Cherokee also live in Arkansas, Georgia and Alabama (notably 2,500 North Alabama Cherokee), but they do not have federal recognition.

Number

Members of the expedition Hernando de Soto (1540 BC)) brought previously unknown diseases to the Southeast United States, from which at least 75% of the original Indian population became extinct. How the Cherokee suffered is unknown. In 1674 they numbered about 50 thousand people. Subsequent smallpox epidemics (1729, 1738 and 1753) cut this figure by more than half. Until the end of the 1830s, when the tribe was evicted beyond the Mississippi, its number remained stable – about 20 thousand.

Several thousand people died on the Road of Tears. The next blow was the War of the North and the South of 1861-65., which claimed the lives of 25% of the members of the tribe. No one else – white, black, or red-skinned – suffered such losses in the war.

Another hundred years passed, and the 1990 census identified 308,132 people who identified themselves as Cherokee. Of these, only 15 thousand are purebred Indians. The data collected showed that 95,435 Cherokee lived in eastern Oklahoma and 10 114 in North Carolina. The Cherokee governments have established fairly liberal laws on admission to the tribe, therefore, according to one source, the Cherokee population currently exceeds 370 thousand people.If so, then the Cherokee can be called the most numerous Indian tribe in the United States.

Ethnonyms

The most famous name of the tribe, “Cherokee”, comes from the word “cheloki”: in the language of shouts it means “Speakers not our way.” The Cherokee themselves used to call themselves “Aniyunwiyya” (or “Anniyaya”) – “The Highest People” – or “Kituwa” (anikituvagi – “People of Kituwa”). Many people now prefer the name Chlagi (First among the Warriors), although they do not mind being called Cherokee.

Other Known Names:

Allegheny (Alleghevi, Tallighevi) / Delaware /
Baniato / Arapaho /
Kayaki / Osage and Kansa /
Chalaku / Spaniards /
Chilukku (“Dog People”) / Choctaw and Chicaronen (Enta “Highlanders”) / Hurons /
Kittuwa / Algonquins /
Matera (mantheran, “Out of the Earth”) / catawba /
Nacion du Cheyenne / French /
Ochietarironnen / Wyandot /
Oyatageronon (oyoda, uvatayoronon – “Cavemen ”) / Iroquois /
Shanaki / Caddo /
Shanakiak / Fox /
Cheike / Tonkawa /
Cherokieko / Wichita /

Language

Belongs to the Iroquois group, but differs significantly from other Iroquois languages.

Tribal divisions

The British divided the Cherokee tribe into three groups depending on the place of residence and dialect (from east to west) – “lower”, “middle” and “mountain” (Lower, Middle, Overhill Cherokee). Separate groups were the Atali, Chikamoga, Ethali, Onnontiog, and Cuolia.

Three groups are recognized at the federal level: Oklahoma Cherokee, Kituwa (also Oklahoma), and Eastern Cherokee (North Carolina).

Culture

It is believed that the Cherokee once lived in the Great Lakes and were driven south by the Iroquois and Delaware.There is indeed something similar in the traditions of the Delaware, but the Iroquois, for their part, do not remember anything about this. Of course, the Delaware legends may have a real basis. However, it is rather difficult to imagine such a large and powerful tribe as the Cherokee in the unenviable role of refugees. Although it is possible that they really lost part of their ancestral possessions in the north during the wars with their neighbors – the Susquehannoks, Eri, the same Delawares. Given the isolation of the Cherokee language from other Iroquois languages, it can be assumed that their break with the Iroquois occurred a long time ago.The Cherokee probably settled in their mountains long before the arrival of the Europeans.

The first white travelers found the Cherokee a sedentary, agricultural people. The Indians had about 200 large and comfortable settlements. A typical Cherokee town consisted of 30 to 60 houses and a council building. Houses (semi-dugouts) were usually built according to the “basket principle”: a rounded frame was braided with rods and cemented with clay. The finished design really looked like an inverted basket. Subsequently, the traditional dwellings were replaced by log huts – covered with bark, with one entrance and a smoke hole.Large council buildings were often erected on mounds (mounds) left over from the Mississippi archaeological culture. There is no evidence that the Cherokee themselves built the munds. A sacred fire burned in the council house, which the Cherokee have maintained since time immemorial. In addition to meetings, there were also religious rituals.

Like other Iroquois-speaking tribes, the Cherokee kept account of maternal kinship and were divided into seven matrilineal clans. True, in Cherokee society, a woman did not achieve such a high status as in the Iroquois League.In many ways, the Cherokee were similar to the screams and other tribes of the Indian Southeast. In particular, they (like the screams) celebrated the Green Corn Festival. The Indians grew corn, beans and pumpkin (“Three Sisters”), supplemented by hunting and gathering.

In everyday life, the individual Cherokee cities were practically independent from each other. The entire tribe gathered only for religious festivals or in case of war. The Cherokee used the principle of separation of powers: military power was in the hands of the “red” leaders, civilian power was in the hands of the “whites”.

Of the “Five Civilized Tribes” of the Southeast, the Cherokee were the only Iroquois-speaking. Although what privileges the “civilized” Indians received from the American government, in contrast to all others, it is difficult to say. Nonetheless, the Cherokee have undoubtedly made remarkable strides in the White Man’s Way – and on their own. At the beginning of the XIX century. they created their own government, the activities of which were regulated by the constitution. They built their own courts and schools, and their standard of living was the envy of even their white neighbors.One of the greatest achievements of the Cherokee was the creation of their own written language. This honor belongs to the Sequoia Indian (George Gist). In 1821, he developed an 86-letter Cherokee alphabet, and soon almost the entire tribe learned to read and write. In February 1828, the Phoenix tribal newspaper began to appear. Many ethnic Cherokee found their place in the “white” world – for example, Senator Robert Owen and Will Rogers. Despite everything that the Cherokee have experienced, in terms of education and general standard of living, they now occupy one of the first places among the American Indian tribes in the United States.

History

Most likely, the first meeting of the Cherokee with whites took place in 1540. Then, on the river. Tennessee, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto first saw the Chalaka Indians. In 1566, the Spaniards visited these places again (the Pardo expedition), and small mines and fishing bases kept here for another century and a half. However, the Cherokee remained in comparative isolation in their mountainous country for a time.

This was ended with the foundation in 1609 of the British colony of Virginia.In twenty years, British pioneers and merchants have pushed far west into the Appalachians. There they found the Cherokee, and with the founding of the colonies in Carolina, mutual contacts became permanent. In 1673, Virginia merchant Abraham Wood sent two of his men – James Needham and Gabriel Arthur – to Echota, the capital of the mountain Cherokee. He intended to achieve the sole right to do business with the Indians, but a year later a group of Cherokee met on the river. Savannah with merchants from Carolina. In 1684, the South Carolina government entered into a treaty with the Cherokee, which marked the beginning of a brisk trade in deerskin and native slaves.These events caused serious changes in the tribe: power passed from the priests to the warriors, and the warriors themselves became profit hunters.

The dependence of the Cherokee on European goods grew over the years, and the Cherokee went on closer rapprochement with the British. From 1689 to 1763 they acted as staunch allies of the “red coats” in the struggle against the French and the Spaniards. It is worth noting that the Cherokee did not always get along with their neighbors even before that time – communication with the British only exacerbated the previous disagreements and finally destabilized the situation in the region.For example, in 1673, the Cherokee staged a series of raids on Spanish possessions in Florida and on the settlements of the Indians of the Caroline coast. But after a few years, most of the local tribes acquired firearms, and the Cherokee had to think about defense themselves. In the east, they now and then faced the katawba, in the south – with the Choctaw, in the west – with the Chickasaw (also, by the way, the allies of the British). And in the north, the Beaver Wars raged, and the powerful League of Iroquois began to quickly spread its influence in all directions from the Great Lakes.

In 1660, the Iroquois forced a large part of the Shawnee tribe to flee south. The Cherokee tried to capitalize on this: they invited one group of Shawnee to settle in South Carolina (as a barrier against the Catawba), another in Tennessee, in the valley of the river. Cumberland (vs. Chickasaw). The result, however, was “worse than nothing.” The Iroquois rushed to pursue the Shawnee and took up arms against both the fugitives and those who sheltered them. And the Shawnees themselves turned out to be too restless neighbors for the Cherokee. After all, the slave owners of South Carolina paid for “living goods” to all “suppliers”, regardless of who brought whom and.The demon of easy money also seized the Shawnee, and for the slaves they went straight to their “benefactors”. In 1692, their squad suddenly attacked a large Cherokee city. The moment was well chosen – all the men had just gone on a winter hunt, and the city was left defenseless. Both tribes had common enemies, but after such a betrayal, a joint struggle with them was out of the question.

A year later, in 1693, a Cherokee delegation visited Charleston and demanded more guns for self-defense. In 1705, the situation became so explosive that the authorities of North Carolina tried to reason with their “southern” neighbors: for their reasons, continuing the slave trade in the same volume meant risking a massive Indian uprising.

In fact, the British were simply unprofitable from the war between their allies and trading partners. Therefore, they first tried to reconcile the Cherokee with the Iroquois. In 1706, a peace agreement was reached, and after it the British authorities could safely count on the gratitude of the Cherokee. True, the agreement turned out to be short-lived – the League did not abandon its attempts to subdue the Cherokee, however, this time it used diplomacy. When the Iroquois demands were rejected, border clashes resumed.

In 1708, the Cherokee, together with the alibamu and katawba, took part in a campaign against the mobile tribe – the guide of French interests in the southern Mississippi. In 1713, 300 Cherokee soldiers in the army of Colonel James Moore participated in the suppression of the Tuscarora uprising. At the same time, part of the “lower” Cherokee joined the uprising against the Carolinians of the Yamassi tribe (1715). After that, peace negotiations resumed. The Cherokee promised to remain loyal to the British in exchange for a large number of guns and ammunition.

Having not forgiven the Shawnee of betrayal, the Cherokee decided to teach a lesson to their presumptuous neighbor. According to the principle “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” they entered into an alliance with the Chickasaw, whom the Shawnee slavers, still attacking everyone in a row, also managed to annoy. In 1715, the combined forces of the Cherokee and Chickasaw inflicted a crushing defeat on the Shawnee in the valley of the river. Cumberland. These events drew the attention of the French and their Algonquin allies to the Cherokee north of the r. Ohio, and a stream of troops from the French bloc poured into the south.The Cherokee found themselves in a delicate position: they waged war both with the Iroquois, the allies of the British, and with the Algonquins, who supported the French. However, despite this and two devastating smallpox epidemics (1738 and 1753), which wiped out about half of the tribe, the Cherokee survived. A national calamity in itself, smallpox also undermined the prestige of the Indian priests. Their magic was powerless here, and they lost the remnants of their influence.

The second alliance with the Chickasaw in 1745 allowed the Cherokee to finally throw the Shawnee over the river.Ohio, and then (in 1750) defeat the valuable French ally, the Choctaw.

In 1721 the Cherokee signed an important treaty with the British. Historians believe that it was then that they ceded the first piece of tribal land to their “friends”. The agreement streamlined trade operations and delineated the border between Indian and English possessions. However, the Caroline settlers were not at all moved by this: squatters in whole detachments invaded the possessions of the “lower” Cherokee east of the Appalachian Mountains, and the surprise of the Indians was quickly replaced by indignation and open discontent.On this basis, they could generally break with the British and find another ally. It was then that the French settled their differences with the Alibamu tribe (remember the events of 1708?), And in 1717 founded a trading post and fort Toulouse near present-day Montgomery (Alabama). French merchants also traveled along the river. Cumberland and reached the Cherokee mountain possessions.

However, the friendship with the French had no future from the very beginning. The French were weaker than the British, not only militarily, but also economically.The goods they could offer the Cherokee were more expensive and of inferior quality than the English ones. In addition, they had to be imported from Canada, and during the War of King George 1744-48. the British easily blocked the Canadian coast from the sea and cut off French communications. In the south, in addition to the “red coats”, the French were opposed by the numerous and heavily armed Indian allies of the British. They found a particularly dangerous enemy in the face of the Chickasaw tribe, and it was this that prevented the French from gaining a foothold in the region.

But most importantly, the British themselves valued the Cherokee’s disposition too highly to be safely deprived of it. In 1725, the British government sent Colonel George Chicken to the Indians with a special mission – by any means to “appease” the Cherokee, to prevent French-Indian rapprochement. The Chicken business was continued by Sir Alexander Cuming. He traveled to the main Cherokee cities and persuaded the Indians to elect a single leader to represent their interests in negotiations with the British. Cuming even accompanied the Cherokee delegation to London to meet with the “Great Father” – King George II.Under a treaty signed in Charleston in 1743, the British managed to achieve reconciliation between the Cherokee and their eternal enemies, the Catawba; moreover, the Cherokee promised henceforth to trade only with the British.

Two years later, the Cherokee entered into a peace agreement with the Wyandot, an important ally of the French north of the r. Ohio. Then they found out that not everything was going well in the French bloc: a number of its members were very dissatisfied with their masters (primarily because the French obliged their allies to trade only with them), and even more, they were preparing a conspiracy against them.Probably, then the Cherokee finally decided that they would only lose from an alliance with the French. True, they still allowed to build a French trading post, but that’s all. Nevertheless, the British still had doubts about the loyalty of the Cherokee.

Seeking compensation for the lands captured by white settlers, the Cherokee entered the screaming war (1752-55) The stumbling block between the two “titans” of the Indian Southeast became the hunting grounds in northern Georgia. After defeating the screams in the decisive battle at Taliv (1755 g.), the Cherokee emerged victorious. Apparently, on a moral upsurge, they agreed to support the British in the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War with France (in America it was fought in 1754-63).

Although in 1754 the Cherokee reaffirmed their loyalty to King George and even allowed British military bases to be built on their land, the white “allies” continued to gnaw at doubts about Indian sincerity. Moreover, the British authorities still suspected the Cherokee of sympathy for the French. The Indians were getting on their nerves by the growing greed of the settlers.Clashes between the Cherokee and the squatters in 1758 brought about a new treaty of alliance, but a year later the collaboration ended. In 1759, a detachment of 100 Cherokee accompanied the Virginia expedition against the Shawnee. The river crossing was so poorly organized that the Indians lost all their supplies, and their white “friends” did not lift a finger to help them. The annoyed Indians decided to “borrow” several horses from the Virginians; a scuffle ensued in which more than twenty Cherokee died.The Virginians scalped and mutilated the bodies, and then bailed out the scalps – as if they were the scalps of hostile Indians.

Usually such incidents on the Border were resolved diplomatically – the perpetrators paid compensation to the families of the victims. However, while the Cherokee leaders tried to hush up the matter “legally”, the furious warriors took up tomahawks and staged several raids on nearby English settlements. For the British authorities, the Virginians were above suspicion. The Indian raids were declared an “act of treachery” provoked by French spies.The Governor of South Carolina Littleton gathered an army of 1,100 and marched into the cities of the “lower” Cherokee. The stunned leaders of the “lower” quickly went to peace, two soldiers were executed on charges of “killing civilians”, and 29 leaders were taken hostage and imprisoned in the Prince George fort. Littleton was pleased, but the Cherokee went into an indescribable rage. No sooner had the Caroline army returned to Charleston than the Cherokee War of 1760-61 broke out.

The Indians massacred the colonists at Long Caines, defeated a militia detachment on Broad River, and in February 1760.laid siege to Fort Prince George, hoping to free the hostages. They lay in wait and killed the commandant of the fort, but the new chief immediately executed all the captive leaders and was able to organize a defense. The Fort 96 garrison also repulsed the attack, but other Carolinian outposts were less fortunate, and Littleton was in a desperate situation.

He turned for help to Lord Jeffrey Amherst himself, the commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America. For Amherst, all the Indians were the same – both enemies and friends.After the capture of Quebec and the actual defeat of France, the British could throw at least the entire North American contingent against the Cherokee. Amherst to begin with limited himself to small. In May 1760, a detachment of 1200 colonist soldiers and Scottish highlanders under the command of Colonel Montgomery set out on a campaign. He walked with the intention of not sparing anyone except women and small children, but the war went differently. Having burned down several cities of the “lower” Cherokee (the population had disappeared in advance), Montgomery was unable to develop an offensive and in the end ordered a withdrawal.Then, in August 1760, the Cherokee, after a long siege, captured Fort Loudon in east Tennessee and massacred the entire garrison. Then in early 1761 Amherst deposed Montgomery and appointed Colonel James Grant in his place.

By that time, the Indians had already satisfied their thirst for revenge and expressed their willingness to negotiate, but Grant ignored this. In June 1761, his army of 2,600 (including Catawba scouts) captured 15 cities of the “middle” Cherokee and destroyed all food reserves stored by the Indians for the winter.Threatened by starvation, the Cherokee signed a peace treaty in September, giving up their possessions in the eastern Caroline. The Indians concluded the second peace treaty with Virginia in November 1761

True to this word, the Cherokee refrained from participating in the Pontiac uprising of 1763. As it turned out, this did not save the tribe from human losses (that year there was another smallpox epidemic), but together with this, for a while, made the Cherokee almost the only ones who even benefited from the uprising. It exhausted both Pontiac’s warriors and the British, so a compromise was reached in the form of the Proclamation of 1763: the settlers were forbidden to settle outside the Appalachians.However, pressure from the colonists quickly forced the government to reconsider its decision. Negotiations with the Iroquois League at Fort Stenwix (1768) again opened up vast areas west of the Appalachian Mountains for colonization. The Iroquois generously granted the British rights to lands they did not own – in particular, lands in West Virginia, East Tennessee and Kentucky. The Cherokee considered them to be their own, and they had to negotiate borders with the British again (Hard Labore Treaty, 1768).

The offensive of white settlers again led the Cherokee to the idea of ​​compensation at the expense of “blood brothers”.At one time they did it with screams, but this time they encroached on the Chickasaw. And they made a fatal mistake – as, indeed, everyone who has ever raised a hand against the “Spartans of the Indian South.” Eleven years of local fighting ended in a crushing defeat for the Cherokee at Chickasaw Oldfields (1769). They learned the lesson and chose to do something else – looking for potential allies to defend against a common enemy, squatters. Cherokee and Shout delegations attended two Ohio Valley Tribal Councils on the Shyoto River, in 1770 and 1771.- but they did not participate in the conflict between their northern neighbors and the Virginians (the Dunmore War of 1773-74) – they had no interests of their own in the disputed region.

The tension between the colonists and the British authorities was growing. The real threat of rebellion was ripe, and representatives of the royal administration, in order to calm down the colonists, tried to “legitimize” their rights to the land taken from the Indians in a secret manner. In negotiations with the Indians, no means were chosen – up to direct bribery and blackmail.Two new agreements were signed with the Cherokee – the “Lokaber purchase” of 1770 and the Augusta treaty of 1773 “For debts to white traders” 2 million acres of land from Indian possessions in Georgia were alienated in favor of the colonists.

Every now and then there are people in the world who consider themselves descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel.
James Tissot. Flight of the captives. 1896-1902. Jewish Museum. New York

Everyone knows that the North American Indians are Mongoloids. Among them, only the Cherokee tribe stands out – they do not look like traditional Indians in either appearance, clothing or beliefs.

I decided to talk about this with a connoisseur of Cherokee mythology, Israel Oren. Oren is well versed in the culture of the Indians, since he himself is an ethnic Cherokee who converted to Judaism. His real name is James Ray Feddis. Having passed the ceremony of converting to Judaism, Feddis traded California with its paradise climate for sultry Israel. Previously, the Feddis family lived in Oklahoma, on an Indian reservation.

– At the age of eight, I learned that the Jews, whose ancient ancestors we heard in Sunday School, still exist, and I decided to convert to Judaism.When I grew up, I managed to fulfill my childhood dream, – Oren-Feddis told me.

When he was 21 years old, he applied to a Reform synagogue for conversion. It did not work – for a hundred dollars he was given a certificate stating that he was a Jew from such and such a date. James was not satisfied with the conversion procedure, considering it purely formal. When he got home, he simply put the certificate in the closet.

After a while, James decided to move to Israel. Since in those days repatriated from the United States were extremely rare and American immigrants were valued worth their weight in gold, a certificate from a reformist synagogue was quite passed off as proof of the Jewish origin of the Indian.

In Israel, James (who took the name Israel Oren) began to seriously prepare for the orthodox conversion, studying at a yeshiva – a spiritual educational institution. After completing the conversion, he went to the ruins of the synagogue of Yehuda Hasid in Jerusalem and burned all his belongings there, leaving only what was on it.

This is how a former Cherokee Indian became an Orthodox Jew. He joined Lubavitcher Hasidism (known as the Chabad movement) and began to study Kabbalah. Israel moved to the city of Kiryat Malakhi, where the Lubavitcher Hasidic community is strong.Soon he got married. He has 12 children, so you won’t be bored. Israel visits the Hasidic synagogue every day. Since the Cherokee Indians have a European appearance, he does not stand out among the visitors of the synagogue.

– Israel, why are Cherokees different from other North American Indians? – I ask him, having met him once during a divine service.

– According to legend, the Cherokee arrived in the New World 4500 years ago. Where they came from – the legend does not specify. Unlike the rest of the Cherokee Indians, they wear beards, while the rest of the tribes simply do not grow hair on the chin.

Oren is convinced that the Cherokee have much in common with the ancient Jews. Firstly, unlike other Indians, the Cherokee completely cover the body with clothes even in summer. Among the Cherokee, there are concepts of ritual purity of family life, as among the Jews, incest is prohibited. The tribe is divided into seven “families”, which resembles the twelve tribes of Israel. The Cherokee has a concept of “seventh day sanctity” – they rest every seventh day. Long before the arrival of Christians in America, this people had monotheism – they believed in the Great Spirit.

The Bible describes the custom of blood feud for the murdered. However, if one person killed another by accident – on a hunt or during construction work – then such a killer could take refuge from revenge in the “city of refuge”. There were three such cities of refuge in the Holy Land and three more in the Transjordan. The most interesting thing is that a similar custom existed among the Cherokee! For “murderers by mistake”, three special settlements were allocated on the territory of the tribe.

From all this, Oren concludes that his fellow tribesmen represent some of the ten Jewish tribes lost during the Babylonian captivity, that is, tribes.

In general, there are many ethnic and religious groups in Israel who, for whatever reason, consider themselves the descendants of these mythical Jews. I must say that the search for the ten lost tribes is a popular hobby in Israel. Every now and then one of the adventurous researchers finds the “descendants” of these ancient Israelites lost in time, without even thinking that Judaism of the 6th century BC should have been very different from the modern one.

One of these impostor communities is the “black Jews” living in the city of Dimona in the south of the country.A group of African Americans, numbering up to one and a half thousand people in the 70s and 80s of the last century, moved from New York to Israel, having absolutely no right to do so. Except, of course, the reason that the sect leader believed that blacks were the very biblical Israelites. Some of this group was still expelled from the country, but the majority remained, gradually mingling with Ethiopian Jews.

On the border of India and Burma, there is a Mongoloid tribe that calls itself the Menase.In Israel, he is persistently called “bnei Menashe” (the sons of Menashe, in the Christian tradition of Manasseh, the ancestor of one of the lost tribes) and is considered the descendants of the ancient Jews driven to Babylon. Their rituals bear a very distant resemblance to the traditions of Judaism, but this was enough to declare the “menas” the offspring of the sons of Menashe.

Since the “Menas” in India live very poorly, some of them were enthusiastic about the idea of ​​emigration to a relatively prosperous Jewish state.Initially, the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs strongly opposed their immigration, but a few years ago, when the repatriation of real Jews to their historical homeland for various reasons came to naught, they agreed to move the Menas to the country – on the condition that they undergo an orthodox conversion. The tribe itself is very small – about 7-8 thousand people, of which two hundred people came to Israel, and, as reported, the same number of Indian subcontinent natives are preparing to emigrate.

So it is quite possible that the “last of the Cherokee” will one day decide to move from their American reservation to the Holy Land.They have only to imagine themselves as the descendants of those who, ahead of Columbus, once inhabited the New World. Israel Oren, aka James Ray Feddis, has long chosen this path for himself.

In ancient times, striving to maintain order in the world, the Cherokee developed a simple, but at the same time complex for the uninitiated system of beliefs. Many elements of this system
survived to this day. Although some of these elements have evolved or been modified, Cherokee traditionalists recognize this belief system as an integral part.
Everyday life.
Certain numbers play an important role in Cherokee rites. The numbers 4 and 7 appear in myths, stories and sacred ceremonies.

The number 4 symbolizes the main elements – Fire, Water, Wind and Earth, and four cardinal directions – East, West, North and South. Certain colors are associated with these directions.
– respectively red (Success and Triumph), black (Death), blue (Defeat and Sorrow) and white (Peace and Happiness).

The number 7 personifies the seven Cherokee clans – Ani-Vaya (Wolf), Ani-Kawi (Deer), Ani-Ji-skua (Birds), Ani-Vodi (Paints, or Red Paint), Ani-Saoni (Blue), Ani -Gategevi (Potatoes) and
Ani-Giloi (Long, or Twisted Hair), and is also associated with directions – in addition to the four main directions of the world, these are the Upper World, the Lower World and the Center (where we live and always
abide).
The number 7 also represents the height of purity and holiness – a difficult level to achieve. In the old days, it was believed that only Owl and Puma reached this level, and since then they have a special meaning.
for the Cherokee.

Pine, Cedar, Spruce, Holly and Laurel have also reached this level, so they play an important role in Cherokee rites. The cedar is considered the most sacred tree, and the red and white varieties
cedars distinguish it from all other trees. It is believed that cedar wood has a special power, and in ancient times it was used to carry especially revered dead.
For a long time, adherents of traditional Cherokee beliefs have a special relationship with the Owl and the Puma – the heroes of some versions of the story of the Creation of the World. Only they were able to stay awake for seven
nights of Creation. The rest fell asleep. To this day, Owl and Puma are nocturnal and have acute night vision.

The owl looks different from other birds and resembles a wandering old man. Sometimes at dusk, the Owl can be mistaken for a cat – due to the feather tufts and the shape of the head. This similarity is related
An owl with her nocturnal brother, Puma.Owl’s eyes are quite large and set directly in front, like in humans; she can close one eye independently of the other.

The cougar is an animal whose screams are reminiscent of the moans of a woman. Cougar’s habits are very mysterious and unpredictable.

Cedar, Pine, Spruce, Laurel and Holly are evergreen trees. They also stayed awake during the seven nights of Creation. For this, they were endowed with special strength and are the most important plants.
in medicine and rituals.

According to ancient Cherokee beliefs, plants were the first to appear on earth, then – birds and animals, the last appeared the spirits of people who desired to incarnate on Mother Earth in physical
form to become its custodians.Consequently, people are much younger than other spirits. It also means that we can learn a lot from plants about healing ailments; in animals – about survival; and at
birds – about the freedom of our spirit.

© Singing Among the Roots. Translation: Live-Fish Ensemble.

THE WAY OF THE CIRCLE is passed down from generation to generation and is represented in all traditions, myths, legends and other types of teachings of the Cherokee Indians.

Waking up every morning, bring gratitude to the Creator, the four sacred directions, Mother Earth, Father Heaven and all your relatives.
Remember that everything in the world is interconnected.
Everything in the world has a specific purpose.
Treat other people with kindness; if your guest is tired, cold, or hungry, give them the best you can offer.
If you have more than you need, give the surplus to someone who needs it.
Your word is your honor; do not break your word if there is no permission from those to whom you have promised something.
Always strive for harmony and balance in everything.
Share with others.
Practice calmness and patience.
Practice humility in everything; bragging and cheeky behavior is unacceptable.
Always ask permission and give thanks for everything you got.
Always show respect and concern for everything around you.
Do not stare at others, lower your eyes as a sign of respect, especially in the presence of old people, mentors and respected people.
Always greet a friend passing by.
Never judge or slander others.
Never touch anything that belongs to others without permission.
Always respect the privacy of others.
Never interrupt the speaker: this shows impatience, incontinence and disrespect.
Listen with your heart.
Always remember that smiling is sacred.
Live life to the fullest every day.
Do not kill or keep evil in your heart.
Do what you need to do today without delay.

Translation: Live-Fish Ensemble.

[“She Speaks For Her Clan” painting by Dorothy Sullivan, Cherokee. The painting became the cover of the book Cherokee Women: Gender and Cultural Change, 1700-1835 (Indians of the Southeast), by Ted
Pedyu]

In February 1757, the great Cherokee leader Attakullakulla arrived in South Carolina to negotiate trade agreements with the governor and was shocked when
learned that there was not a single white woman in the negotiations. “Since the white man, like the red man, was born a woman, why does the white man not allow women to attend the meeting?”
Governor Attakulakul.Carolyn Johnston, professor at Eckert College and author of Cherokee Women in Crisis; Trail of Tears, Civil War and Land Rent, 1838-1907, ”says in his book,
that the governor was so overwhelmed by the question that it took him two or three days to return with a timid answer: “White men trust their women and admit them to counsel when they
we are confident that the hearts of women are kind ”.

Europeans were amazed that Cherokee women were equal to men politically, economically and theologically.“Women were independent and sexually free, could easily get divorced,
were rarely abused or raped, worked on farms, maintained their own homes and fields, possessed a cosmology that included female supernatural figurines, and
had significant political and economic power, ”writes Carolyn. – “Cherokee women were associated with nature itself, as mothers and lifespan, this served as the basis for
endowing them with power in the tribe, not the basis for their oppression.And, since their status was designated as “other”, this contributed to the formation of gender equality, and not subordination
hierarchy “.

One of the hardest things the colonists tried to understand was the Cherokee kinship system. It was based on a matrilineal structure, the oldest social organization known
a person where the lineage is traced to the mother and her ancestors from the maternal side. The most important male relative of a Cherokee child’s childhood was the mother’s brother, not the father. In fact, father
was not officially a relative of his offspring.According to the book “Cherokee Women: Gender and Cultural Change, 1700-1835” by Teda Pedew, Professor at the University of Northern
The Carolins, white men who married Native American women, were shocked to learn that Cherokee people do not regard them as relatives to their children, and that mothers, not fathers, control children and
all property.

Women owned houses in which a large family lived, and daughters inherited property from their mothers. Since the land of the Cherokee was desired by white colonists, in order to
prevent white men from marrying Indian women for profit; if the husband decided to leave the tribe, his Cherokee citizenship was revoked.“If a white man left his Cherokee wife without
for good reason, he was losing Cherokee citizenship and had to pay a marriage violation fee determined by the committee and local Cherokee council, ”writes Fay Yabro, associate professor at the University.
Oklahoma in Race and Nation Cherokee: Nineteenth Century Sovereignty.

Carolyn Johnston notes that in traditional Cherokee culture, men and women had different roles, places for rituals and ceremonies. The men were hunters, while
women are farmers who control the entire life.Both were responsible for obtaining food. In winter, when men traveled hundreds of miles to hunt bears, moose, ducks and other game, women
stayed at home. They kept fires in winter houses, weaved baskets, made pottery, sewed clothes, and did many other things that the family needed, caring for children and doing
housework. “Perhaps it was precisely because women were so important to the family and the economy that they had a say in government,” writes Pedew in Tar Heel Junior
Historian, ”a magazine published by the Museum of North Carolina History (spring 1984 issue).“The Cherokee made decisions only after a long
discussing the issue and reaching full agreement on what they should do. The meetings of the council at which decisions were made were open to everyone,
including women. Women actively participated. Sometimes they called on men to go to war first in order to prevent early attacks from enemies. On other occasions, they advised keeping the peace. Time from
time, women even fought behind the men. The Cherokee called such women “Women of War,” and all people respected and praised them for their bravery. “

Johnston says that women, like men, were sexually free, and alliances were usually made by mutual sympathy. The concept of shame on someone’s body or physical desire was foreign
for the Cherokee consciousness. And if married men and women are expected to be loyal to each other, Cherokee cheating was not considered a major crime, but divorce based on loss
attraction, were not uncommon: “Sometimes they lived with each other until they had five or six children, and then carelessly dispersed, as if they had never known each other, the man kept
boys, a woman – girls, so that they can then marry on the opposite side. “Divorce for Cherokee couples did not mean the same emotional and financial blow as it does now.
expected for contemporary Euro-American couples dealing with breakups and divorces. According to Johnston, traditional Cherokee “bachelor meetings” were charged with sexual energy, although
they were strictly regulated according to the ceremony. A ritual dance performed in public by young Cherokee at such meetings ended with movements that simulate intercourse – this is what
horrified prim Americans (Elvis was not yet born and was not “crowned”).In general terms, physical relationships between consenting adults were seen as natural and even
sacred, and did not cause confusion, fear, or the fall.

The Cherokee strictly adhered to individual taboos regarding food and sex, but these taboos were specific, contingent, and usually temporary. And it is not at all surprising that joyless,
The inflexible, sexually negative, and guilt-reinforcing missionary outlook on life of the 18th century was greeted by the Cherokee with little or no enthusiasm.”Since the Cherokee did not believe in depravity
human nature, most of the nation continued to resist this new view of itself, ”writes Johnston. In 1840, Daniel Bitrick, a missionary to Cherokee land, wrote in a letter: “… that
concerns the morality of Cherokee women: Mrs. Safford uses swearing in her speech, Mrs. Glass attends dances, and Mrs. Broken Canoe, I’m sure, has never attended our meetings since she was
baptized in May 1836 “. Years earlier, Bitrick had noted with horror that the ball players (a traditional Cherokee game similar to lacrosse) he observed were completely naked.By
According to Johnston, Bitrick “banned his students from attending ball games and night dances. He noted with despair that “young women who were trained in a missionary school and who
taught to read and understand the Bible with great difficulty, are the first victims of these emissaries of darkness. ” Sophia Sawyer, a Christian missionary in a Native American country, reportedly persecuted
a local woman to her place by the fire, trying to convince her to send her child to a mission school. To which the native woman replied that she “would rather see her child in hell than in
missionary class “.

Unfortunately, the words “hell” and “missionary school” have become almost identical. This was facilitated by the introduction of Native American boarding schools, where children “born to savages”
In the words of Richard Henry Pratt, they were trained in “civilized language and customs” (part of his infamous “Kill an Indian – Save Man” campaign). In 1825, the white girl Mary,
maid, had “a criminal connection with a young Cherokee, Robert Sanders, at the Carmelite Mission in Georgia. This is how Moody Hall, a missionary for the American College of Commissioners, describes the incident.
overseas missions: “We burned their bed and their hut.The Cherokee do not take such “unholy crimes” seriously. Johnston notes that the incident “shed light on the war in the Indian
earth against their minds and bodies. For the Cherokee themselves, becoming “civilized” increasingly meant a radical change in their gender roles. ”

“The US government and missionaries have worked together to transform the gender roles of the Cherokee and their habits with regards to body and sexuality,” says Johnson. “They strove to instill
Euro-American values ​​of true femininity and limited Cherokee women to the sphere of the household.They met with opposition from traditional Cherokee, but, in continuation of contact, more
the wealthy members of this society, often of mixed blood, readily embraced both Christianity and the ideals of a real woman. This gender distinction intersected with class distinction,
because the richer women were freed from most household chores, hiring servants, and they could afford to get educated and behave like aristocrats. Late 18th century
Cherokee women were no longer united in their understanding of what it meant to be a woman.”Wife! What a sacred name, what a responsible position! ”- wrote missionary Alice Baudino in the article,
entitled “A Beautiful Woman – Who Is She?” “It should be an unsullied sanctuary, to which people come trying to escape the crimes of the world, wanting to feel that not a single sin
cannot get there. Wife! She should be the guardian angel of his steps on earth, and guide him to heaven. ”None of this description will remind the reader of the once strong, uninhibited
the breadwinner of the family – a Cherokee woman.

In the mid-18th century, many Cherokee began to realize that their sovereignty, and perhaps their survival, depended on how civilized they looked. To be civilized meant
wear European clothes, condemn their age-old religious practices and arts, embrace Christianity and adapt to a patriarchal, agrarian lifestyle. Men shouldn’t have anymore
to hunt, and women to farm. “The civilized world program, loss of hunting grounds, missionary work and slavery have disrupted the gender relations of the Cherokee nation,” says
Johnston.“The role of men was even more destroyed than that of women, because men lost their
the opportunity to be hunters and
warriors. Because farming has always been viewed as a “women’s work”. Men would have to radically change their views on masculinity if they decided to become farmers. ”

Professor of Sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, author of Rethinking Cherokee Acculturation; agrarian capitalism and women’s resistance to the cult of domestic
farms, 1800-1838 “, Emma Dunaway says:” … not long before the resettlement, the Cherokee discovered new strategies for survival in the world of the national economy; their agricultural products were equal to or exceeded
products of white neighbors. “Dunaway points out that “historically, agrarian capitalism had shifted control over households, land, and the means of production for men; he stimulated
national interests that deprive women of power; and encouraged a “family cult” to justify unfair treatment of wives … Because the Cherokee elite believed that tribal sovereignty
depends on the degree of “civilization”, they selectively adopted some aspects of patriarchal roles. ” “At the beginning of the 19th century, many legislative changes concerning the Cherokee nation ruled out
women from formal political processes, weakening the power of the clans and diminishing the independence of women, ”says Johnston.“According to the article of the Cherokee Constitution in 1827, Cherokee women
became politically powerless and could no longer vote or hold public office. The loss of formal political power was dramatic. Cherokee constitution created after
The US Constitution established three branches of government: the Supreme Court, the Legislature, and the Chief Leader as the executive branch. ”

The Cherokee hoped that a demonstration of sovereignty would prevent them from being forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands.“In the 1800s, the Cherokee lost their independence and fell under the rule of the whites.
Americans, ”says Johnston. “At the time, white Americans did not believe that it was common for women to wage wars, have the right to vote, speak out publicly, work outside their borders.
at home and even supervise their own children. Cherokee began to imitate whites, and Cherokee women lost much of their strength and prestige. And in the 20th century they had to fight alongside others
women in order to obtain many of those rights that were once freely exercised. “

Translation for the site “Indigenous peoples of the Turtle Island”: Lyra Dolgikh. When using the material, a link to the site is required.

“The crown consists of a cap and a diadem, topped with large feathers. The hat is made of a mesh material that holds the tiara; texture
– 2 inches wide, tied back as tightly as necessary. The hat is woven of black threads, and the diadem is red, and is decorated with small beads or small white seeds, according to the weight
equal to beads.The feathers that crown the tiara are white. They are 8 “long at the front and 4″ at the back. These feathers are arranged in a curved line. The tip of each feather
topped with a tuft of hair with a small brush of hair – only one and a half inches long, and dyed a bright red. ” (Le Page du Praz, 18th century)

“… A very curious diadem, or headband, about four inches wide, very skillfully crafted or woven and curiously decorated with stones, beads, shells,
porcupine needles, etc., frames their whiskey; the front part is decorated with a high fluttering plume of crane or heron feathers ”. (W. Burtram, late 18th century)

Translation: Victor Belyaev.

“As elsewhere in the world, the Indians of the Southeast tried to improve nature. Men in particular liked to paint bodies and faces, and
both sexes intensively tattooed their bodies. This was especially practiced by the warriors of the Creek and Cherokee tribes, who tattooed patterns on their bodies in the form of curls, flowers, animals,
stars, crescents and the sun – the latter was usually placed in the center of the chest.Often a snake was depicted in the form of a pattern … Some … made tattoos by pricking the flesh with the teeth of a garfish (the type of fish on
Southeast. – Transl.), Dipped in soot from red pine, thus giving the tattoos a black or dark blue color. For red patterns, they used mineral cinnabar (sulfide
mercury). In some places, tattoos were applied with five or six needles tied to a small piece of wood in such a way that all the ends coincided, like the teeth of a comb; the pattern was painted first
on the body with charcoal, and then the pigment was injected with this tool.

… The designs were both geometric and figurative, and adorned the face, chest, arms and legs … Burtram says that tattoo designs have always been excellent and resembled
to him a manual way of engraving a copper gravure form. ” (C. Hudson)

“The best descriptions of tattoos in early works are given by Burtram, with particular reference to the scream and Cherokee. In his Travels, he notes the following: “Some warriors have skinned chests and muscular
parts of the body are very curiously painted or decorated with hieroglyphic curls, flowers, animal figures, stars, crescents and the sun in the center of the chest.This flesh painting like me
I understand it is done in adolescence by pricking the skin with a needle until blood appears, and rubbing in a bluish dye that is as durable as their life. ” (J.R. Swanton)

Translation: Victor Belyaev.

“Body painting was used, in particular, during the preparation for war or playing ball, but it was an element of the external environment at all
formal or semi-formal events. The color red is most often mentioned, and red paint was usually obtained by heating ocher earth. “(J.R. Swanton)

“For coloring their face, they use a huge amount of cinnabar, which is pounded to a powdery state; this mineral has a more violet than scarlet hue, and is especially prized
among physicians, being the first component of mercury ”. (C.W. Elward)

“Women decorate their arms, breasts, thighs, shoulders and faces with various designs, pricking or burning their flesh with a certain instrument heated on a fire. They depict on her a vivid view
flowers and fruits, as well as all kinds of snakes, salamanders, etc., and then impregnate the wounds with multi-colored paints, which, once in the brand, are no longer erased, because not only the flesh heals, but also becomes
brighter. ” (William Strachey, 1612)

“Much attention was paid to the decoration of the body, and the flesh was painted or tattooed by impaling with gunpowder in various patterns. Ears stretched to incredible
sizes of silver pendants and rings, labret earrings were in use, necks were decorated with wampum necklaces,
silver bibs.All the hair on the heads of the men was plucked, with the exception of a small area from which a scalp strand grew, which was later decorated with wampum from shells and beads,
with feathers and hair of a sika deer ”. (W. Gilbert)

“Cherokee clothing is made from European fabrics and goods. The rich among them wear wide robes with bright prints or similar fabrics. Some wear hats, most
preserves traditional haircuts. They shave off everything except the skull and the back of the head, and look what Capuchin monks would look like if they let go of their hair inside their halos.The edges of their hair they
usually decorated with several hanging tokens or braids, like the heir to the throne, which are fastened with a piece of tin or a horse skin painted in red. Sometimes the hair itself is dyed.
cinnabar red, which looks terrible and makes them look bloody. In general, cinnabar is very fashionable among them and is always applied where you least expect to see it: then
it is a thick smear under one eye and nowhere else, then – in front of the ear, then – at the roots of the hair.Some dress up by weaving wild turkey or other bird feathers into their hair and attaching trinkets to them.
pieces of glass or red-colored goose down. ” (Prince Louis-Philippe, 1797)

Translation: Victor Belyaev.

Equipment. – Ritual clubs, painted in red (symbolizing blood, “beating from the head of the enemy”) and black (symbolizing
anger and fearlessness) colors. On the side of the squad of warriors is a singer with a drum.

First movement.- The warriors stand in a row one by one, facing east, with clubs in their hands. Leaning forward, they dance with slow, low steps, moving back and forth. At the signal of Hee-ha-li
the dancers utter a drawn-out war cry …

Second movement. – The tempo of the song accelerates, and the dancers use their movements to imitate striking the enemy with clubs.

Third movement. – The dancers move with a fast gait and end the dance with four exclamations.

The dance represents the attack on the enemy and the subsequent battle.The last serious and vivid performance of this dance, about which there is evidence, took place during the time of Janalaska,
the famous leader who fought against the Indians shouted on the side of General Jackson (in 1813-14) and died in 1858. The Dance of the Warriors has become a traditional stereotype. Naturally, preliminarily
the soldiers underwent obligatory ceremonies to strengthen their strength – physical and spiritual. They say that representatives of the caste of dedicated warriors did not take any other weapon, except for a club, on a campaign –
it was enough just one magic power of the club, consecrated with special rites.Initially, heavy clubs were made of oak or hickory; now ritual clubs for dancing are made of horse chestnut
(Aesculus octandra).

“Clay pipes were quite numerous [during the excavation] … At Warren Wilson’s site – in the burial and adjacent places – as many as 20 pipes were found, preserved
in whole or in part. These were small elbow pipes, the shanks on which were usually slightly shorter than the bowls, and the bowls were expanded or crowned with a rim and, as a rule, were decorated with patterns in
mountains, cut lines or nodes.Some of the pipes had a highly polished surface, while others were only lightly sanded. Most of the intact cups have survived
a dense layer of burnt organic matter ”. (Roy S. Dickens, Jr., “Cherokee Prehistory”, Univ. Of Tennessee Press. 1972)

“The stone pipes … were special. They were skillfully carved in the form of animals and birds, and sometimes in the form of a person. Many of them, massive objects weighing several pounds, were pipes
ceremonial, used only during councils.The Smoky Mountains provided the Indians with a pipestone, a greenish steatite that was easy to cut with flint knives. ” (Thomas M.N.
Lewis & Madeline Kneberg, “Tribes that Slumber: Indians of the Tennessee Region”; Univ. of Tennessee Press. 1966) Note: This excellent material for making sacred pipes,
found in Cherokee lands, was a valuable and important commodity of exchange in the old days.

“They make fine stone pipes; and the Cherokee is more skilled at this than all the others…. for in their mountainous country there are many soils of various types and colors suitable for such
use. They easily trim them with their tomahawks, and then shape them into any desired shape with knives; tubes are very soft, as long as they are not burnt at the stake, after which they become
pretty hard. They are often quite long, and the bowls are again about half the size of our English pipes. The anterior part of each tube usually ends in a sharp peak of two to three
fingers wide and a quarter of an inch thick – on both sides of the bowl, along its length, they very skillfully and painstakingly carve several images, for example, a bison and a puma on opposite sides
bowls, rabbit and fox, and very often the man and woman puris naturalibus.Their sculptures are not particularly modest. The savages work so slowly that one of their carvers
a pipe with a knife before the work is completed; and indeed, as noted earlier, they are quite dislike to bother themselves and never rush into making a good thing. Chubuki usually
made of softwood about two feet long and an inch thick: four rectangular blocks are cut, which are then drilled inside and fitted very closely together,
connecting in a hollow shank; cavaliers always drill wooden blocks, leaving a little space in each corner for a stronger connection; a handful of copper buttons of various
kinds of graceful feathers and a few small flattened pieces from a copper bowler hat, round deerskin laces and a red-dyed scalp are boastful, valuable and excellent
decoration.By their standard, such a pipe represents the owner, the great gentleman. They cut out or draw hieroglyphic symbols on the shank so precisely that they completely
it is possible to precisely determine the military achievements and the tribe of the owner of the pipe, along with many circumstances of his life. ” (James Adair, “The History of the American Indians”, London, reprint: Watauga
Press, Johnson City, Tennessee. 1930)

“… The Pipe of Peace was prepared: its bowl was of red stone, curiously decorated with a knife carving; it was quite soft, although quite beautiful, when polished.One bowls
made of black stone, and others from the same soil from which the pots are made, but they are remarkably varied. The shank is about three feet long and is luxuriously decorated with porcupine quills,
dyed feathers, reindeer hair and other colorful trinkets. ” (Lt. Henry Timberlake, “The Memoirs of Lt. Henry Timberlake”: Williams, ed. 1927)

“North Carolina is a great tobacco land and Native American pipes form an extensive series. Clay tubes range in shape from straight cylindrical to L-shaped.Fragments
tubes or whole samples are found in all parts of the state. ” (Douglas L. Rights, “The American Indian in North Carolina”, Blair, Winston-Salem, 1957)

“They use two types of tubing. One of them is at the end of the hatchet, while the handle serves as a shank. This is what they call a tomahawk. Another type is made from soft stone, which they
they process themselves, while the stem of a shrub that grows only in this region serves as a shank. Some of the pipes are carved with scenes of all kinds of unimaginable debauchery.They brought me one with
figurines of a bear and a wolf, and they named me Atota, which means ‘father.’ (Louis Philippe (King of the French), “Diary of my travels in America,” Delacorte Press, New York. 1977)

“They also had a great Peace Pipe, carved from white stone, with seven shanks, so that seven people could smoke it together, sitting on their peaceful councils.” (James Mooney, “Myths of the
Cherokee ”, 19th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology) Note: Apparently this pipe had shanks for each of the seven Cherokee clans, and the chiefs of those clans smoked it at the same time.A true ceremonial symbol of solidarity and harmony!

“In the 16th century, ambassadors sent on a peacekeeping mission carried flutes with them, but by the end of the 17th century, when the French were already swimming up and down the Mississippi, the calumet ceremony
spread along the entire course of the river … It should be remembered that the calumet is not just a pipe, but an extremely sacred and symbolic object. Chubuk used in the imprisonment ceremony
peace, stayed with the leader who received the embassy, ​​while the guests took the bowl of the pipe and carried it away. “(John R. Swanton, “The Indians of the Southeastern United States”, Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 137; Smithsonian Institute. 1979)

Cylindrical stone pipes are still found during excavations of antiquities. “This, however, does not mean that tobacco was smoked in these pipes. Homeland of tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.),
used by the Indians of the Southeast, the central Andes, and we do not know when it first appeared in the eastern United States. But we know for sure that the Indians of the upper Great Lakes smoked
twenty-seven different local plant substances … ”.(Charles Hudson, “The Southern Indians,” Univ. Of Tennessee Press. 1976).

Translation: Victor Belyaev.

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According to official data, the number of the former reaches 300 thousand people, the latter – up to 250 thousand. Let’s try to get to know them better, understand how they live today, what are their main difficulties and achievements.

Cherokee Indians

The bulk of the Cherokee lives in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as in the state of Oklahoma.They themselves call themselves the word “tsalaga”, meaning “principled people” or “real people.” Once upon a time, the names of this tribe “living in the mountains (or in the country of caves)” were in use, but only strangers called them so, the Cherokee themselves did not use these expressions.

Although few Cherokee speak their native language, they carefully preserve other features of their subculture. On the territory of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park there is a large reservation with the administrative center in the city of Cherokee.Here all the signs and signs are made in the language of this tribe, and duplicated in English. The population of the reservation (which, by the way, looks not at all like some terrible ghetto, but is just a large territorial unit) lives on income from tourism (here you can visit the Cherokee Tribe Museum and the local arts and crafts center), and since 1995 a considerable part the tribe’s budget is made up of casino profits.

Modern Cherokee owns six of the largest gambling houses and are exempt from state taxes.This allows them to live well without need. However, the Cherokee have always had a high level of development. Perhaps this is what helped them to withstand difficult conditions and adapt to the new government when it appeared on their native land. Already by the middle of the XIX century. they developed their own code of laws, had their own Constitution, and an elected government.

The Dalai Lama with the Cherokee Indians. Virginia, USA

In 1999, the Cherokee revised the Constitution and adopted a new one, which has since become the fundamental document that guarantees the rights and freedoms of all members of the tribe.
Modern Cherokee are trying to revive their language, teach it to young people. Recently, they have become very interested in Islam and have created a section on Wikipedia dedicated to Islam and its history.

Navajo

The Navajo tribe occupies a huge area – 7 million hectares, which is located in the southwestern United States. These are the states of Arizona and New Mexico. The well-being of the residents of the reservation is growing – after all, they continue to buy more and more land, increasing the area of ​​their villages and towns. A specially created Trust Fund is engaged in this.

The Navajo Indians obtained through the courts the largest compensation in American history for one Indian tribe, the amount of compensation is 554 million dollars. For more than 50 years, Indians have been suing the US government for the treacherous use of their land, for genocide and all past sins. The Navajo have littered the courts with thousands of lawsuits and won as a result.

In general, the tribal management system is well established: it is managed by the President, assisted by the Vice President. All important issues are discussed collectively by the Tribal Council.Controversial issues are resolved in the Supreme Court.

In addition to the tourism industry, coal and gas mining has developed quite well here. A power plant was recently built, which has created many additional jobs. Do not forget the Navajo traditional occupations – weaving and sheep breeding.

The President is committed to working with youth, recognizing the importance of a modern education for growing Navajo. New schools are being opened, and some of the subjects are taught in their native language.The government remembers: the people who have forgotten their history and their roots have no future. Many Navajo youths study in tertiary education such as Dine College. Clubs for teenagers are opening everywhere, where children increase their level of physical fitness, go in for hobby groups.

Navajo Indians in national costumes

In the early years of the XXI century. The Navajo successfully created a large wireless Internet network, after which distance learning was established, the ability to quickly connect the government with the people was gained.The Navajo try to establish and maintain friendly ties with representatives of other tribes, realizing that together it is easier to withstand difficulties. And there are still enough difficulties.

Difficulties and perspectives of Indian life

The heads of Indian tribes are so far compelled to state with regret that drug addiction and alcoholism remain a real scourge of modern Indians, especially young ones. This is not surprising: long decades of life in a state of constant oppression, lack of opportunity to learn and all kinds of humiliation could not help but affect the way of thinking and lifestyle of the native population of America.

However, today the Indians are catching up at an accelerated pace, trying to participate on equal terms in the life of society and at the same time preserve their own traditions. By the way, did you know that the native grandfather of the beloved by all women of the planet Jonia Depp is a purebred Cherokee Indian? Let’s go further: we will trace the pedigree of the current President of America. Among the ancestors of Barack Obama are the Cherokee Indians.

The life of the Indians has never been covered with roses. But they know how to cope with any difficulties – after all, they are “tsalaga”, that is, real people.

The discovery of America by Europeans marked the beginning of the most brutal wars and attempts to enslave local tribes. Aborigines were expelled from their native habitats, considered second-class people, driven into reservations, killed and sold into slavery. Not many Indian peoples managed to survive persecution, deprivation and open genocide, while maintaining their identity, traditions, culture and national identity. Among these few, the Cherokee and Navajo tribes are the most numerous.
Today we will tell you more about the people of the Cherokee people. How are they adapted in the modern world, what they are doing, what difficulties they have to deal with and what they have managed to achieve.

How Cherokee Indians Live Now

Historic Cherokee habitat was the Appalachian Mountains. Therefore, the bulk of the representatives of this people still live in the states of Tennessee, North Carolina and Oklahoma. 90,091 Currently, the Cherokee population is about 300 thousand.human. Of these, only 15 thousand are purebred. In total, the descendants of the Cherokee, including mestizo and sambo, number about 730 thousand.
The Cherokee themselves call themselves Tsalaga, which means honest people. However, the etymology of the word most likely goes back to “chalaka” – “living in the mountains”, as they were called by their neighbors from the Choctaw tribe.

Cherokee is a people related to the Iroquois. Their language is the only one still spoken of the South Korean languages. It uses a syllabic writing of 85 characters, which was invented in 1826 by a Cherokee chief named Sequoia.
Nowadays, few Cherokee can speak their native language, but they keep other components of their culture very reverently.
The largest Indian reservation of this tribe is located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in the Appalachian Mountains. Its administrative center is the city of Cheroke. All signs and signs in it are written in Cherokee and duplicated in English. The reservation itself is more like a village. The main income of its local residents is tourism.90,091 Since 1995, the Cherokee have owned six gambling houses that are tax-exempt and represent a significant portion of the tribe’s budget.

Cherokee has always been distinguished by a high level of development. Perhaps this helped them adapt to new conditions and survive in the neighborhood with the conquerors. In addition to their own writing, in the first half of the 19th century, they approved their constitution and code of laws, an elected government and a president. Then they created a network of free schools with Cherokee teachers.
In 1999, the Cherokee adopted a new constitution. They also had the opportunity to exercise their right to have a representative in the US Congress.
Cherokee continue to preserve the traditions of their ancestors and teach young people their native language.
Religiously, most Cherokee adopted Christianity as a result of active missionary work in the past. Recently, however, they have become increasingly interested in Islam.

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