Long before the arrival of the Europeans to Anowara:kowa (Turtle Island or "America") the Iroquois had established rituals to welcome individuals and groups to their territory.
These rituals were to form the basis for diplomatic relations which in turn could lead to formal agreements and treaties with foreign nations. It was vital to the Iroquois to define their home territory by asserting sovereignty as they extended hospitality through the sharing of resources and the alleviation of physical, intellectual and spiritual burdens.
Through these rituals the Iroquois made it clear as to their position as hosts to their guests and that this distinction would endure. By taking part in the rituals and accepting the attendant benefits the visitor acknowledged that the Iroquois were nations with exclusive jurisdiction over a set area with control over the land and all of its resources.
The one ritual of welcome is called the Edge of the Woods and was created by Skennenrahowi, the Peacemaker, at the edge of Kahon:ios (Cohoes Falls) when he met the Mohawk people and forged them into a nation. It was extended in duration and composition when Skennenrahowi was joined by Hiawatha, Jikonsasay and the leaders of the other newly formed nations as they converted the Onondaga despot Atodaho to embrace the Great Law of Peace and by doing so help establish the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, one of the most significant events in human history.
It was then, some 871 years ago, on the southeastern shores of Onondaga Lake where the Edge of the Woods ceremony took hold and has been repeated to the current day. It hours long recitation, by purely oral means, represents one of the most remarkable instances of intellectual memory as well as the veracity of the Confederacy itself.
In summation, the Edge of Woods was designed to respond to those who were not of the Confederacy, the "other ones" who entered Iroquois territory. Rather than respond with suspicion and hostility the Iroquois sought to determine their intent while welcoming the migrant to their lands. They did so through music, the sharing of food, the giving of shelter and by relieving the fears of the visitor.
As a preliminary to the formal ceremony the visitor-delegation is expected to wait "at the edge of the woods" until the Iroquois go to meet them to be escorted before an assembly of the people. It is the first sign of trust as the visitors symbolically and physically emerge from the shadows of the forest to the sunlight of the fields which surrounded each Iroquois community. Ideally, the visitor would have set a small fire with the rising smoke a signal that they were near. As they were guided to the assembly the Iroquois would sing songs of welcome to allay suspicions and elevate the spirit.
At the gathering a speaker would express the collective gratitude of the people for the visitors having arrived in safety. The speaker would also recognize the burdens of the journey, extend words of condolence for any losses or suffering, then restore their "good minds" so that they could meet in council and begin to understand each other. The Iroquois would cleanse the visitor through bathing, mend their torn clothing, provide them with shelter and have food ready for their nourishment. Only after the visitor was comfortable and physically stable would formal discussions as to the reason for their presence commence.
The first written record of the Edge of the Woods was composed by the French sailor Jacques Cartier when he visited the Iroquois town he called Hochelaga (Montreal) on October 3, 1535. Cartier's delegation was met at the clearing of the woods by a camp fire, a formal speech was given by the Iroquois before he was escorted to the centre of the town and there welcomed to the territory. As is customary, gifts were exchanged and a grand feast ensued.
So too, the Dutch. When Henry Hudson entered Iroquois territory in 1609 he was met by a Native delegation on September 22. His journalist Robert Juet described how the Native group arrived with wampum beads and tobacco, clearly stating that this was their territory. They indicated their willingness to share its resources by bringing food to the Dutch and thereby reviving their bodies and spirits. Even then, the Iroquois made it very clear that this was their land and there was a distinctness between the two peoples, that the status of the Europeans was as visitors, not claimants to vacant lands. As both Cartier and Juet noted, the St. Lawrence and Hudson rivers flowed through areas which were heavily cultivated with an abundance of wildlife not found in Europe.
Later, treaties would be signed but the basis for all relations with the Europeans has been this understanding that the Iroquois were, and are, of their own being, self defining with all the elements of a nation state. In time, the Iroquois would insist on the Europeans recognizing the Two Row Wampum and the Silver Convenant Chain as not only applicable but essential elements of diplomacy and law. The use of the Edge of Woods ceremony , given its enormous historical importance, is a necessary component of the Two Row Wampum.
By way of definition, the Two Row Wampum is called Kaswentha in Mohawk. It literally means "a woman brushing away ashes" referring to the political powers of women as they prepare the Iroquois national councils for any and all formal assemblies. It also is indicative of Iroquois women as the custodians of the earth itself.
Doug George-Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the former editor of the journal Akwesasne Notes. A co-founder of the Native American Journalists Association he was a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian. He is the author of "Iroquois on Fire" among other books. He may be reached via e-mail: Kanentiio@aol.com or by calling 315-363-1655. Kanentiio resides in Oneida Castle NY.
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