Discover the Top 9 Fascinating Fun Facts About the Iroquois Tribe!

1. Seneca Tribe Democracy

Before there was Seneca the Philosopher, there was Seneca the Tribe: The Iroquois Confederacy, or the Six Nations, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth, its constitution serving as a model for global democratic institutions and including concepts such as the Vesting Clauses and the War Powers Clause.
Source => pbs.org

2. Hardcore Iroquois Lacrosse

Before the term "weekend warrior" was even a thing, the Iroquois people took their sports seriously - so seriously, in fact, that their games might still be going on today if they didn't occasionally break for a meal or two (or fifty): Lacrosse, as originated by the Haudenosaunee, spanned miles of borderless fields, took days to complete, and had 100 to 1,000 men or more hustling after small, deer hide-wrapped balls using wooden sticks with netted baskets attached, all held together by deer sinew as nets.
Source => history.com

Did you know that ancestral Pueblo tribes, like the Hopi, Zuni, and Rio Grande Pueblos, had a clever way of staying warm and stylish? They created blankets and robes from sustainably harvested turkey feathers! One blanket required up to 10 turkeys' worth of feathers. 🦃🌿

=> Fun Facts about The-Pueblo-Tribe

3. Plant BFFs: The Three Sisters

Who says plants can't be BFFs? The Iroquois had their own green dream team called The Three Sisters: Corn, beans, and squash grew together, watching each other's backs like celebrities with their entourage, and living that good plant life: The Three Sisters served as an essential intercropping strategy that boosted agricultural yield, inspired Iroquois tales and ceremonies, and nourished their culture for over five centuries.
Source => nal.usda.gov

4. Tree-Inspired Leadership

Who said leadership and cooperation don't grow on trees? Well, the Iroquois Confederacy begs to differ: In fact, they've been rocking the world's oldest living participatory democracy since long before Uncle Sam strutted onto the scene, inspired by The Great Peacemaker and Chief Hiawatha's Great Law of Peace, which united five nations into one legendary League with a constitution chock full of concepts that later found their way into the U.S. Constitution. We're talking about checks, balances, and multiple offices before it was cool!
Source => pbs.org

5. Iroquois Girl Power

Move over, girl power! The Iroquois ladies were embracing women's rights way before it was mainstream: These badass women owned the land, tended the crops, and had significant influence in political leadership, even monitoring the sachems (chiefs) - and all this while rocking their traditional attire!
Source => web.pdx.edu

6. Nature's Original Candy Store

Who said sweet stuff is just for desserts? The Iroquois knew how to tap into nature's candy store way before it was cool: They invented maple syrup and the method to turn it into a sweetener, recognizing "leader" trees like maples and reshaping ecosystems with, say, black walnut and chestnut trees. Legend has it they got a little carried away with the sugary goodness, so the Creator made them put in some elbow grease – tapping and heating sap for hours on end. These days, they celebrate this sweet heritage (and the Creator's lessons) with 13 maple-syrup-themed ceremonies every lunar year.
Source => indianz.com

7. The Art of Repurposing Coins

Who says money doesn't grow on trees? Well, the Iroquois certainly knew how to make it blossom into stunning accessories: The Native American tribe in New York State skillfully repurposed European coins into eye-catching pendants, earrings, and even intricately carved bone combs with zoomorphic handles in a brilliant display of functional art.
Source => myjewelryrepair.com

8. Peace-Loving Pine Trees

Whoever said money doesn't grow on trees must not have known about the Iroquois and their penchant for peace-loving pines: Their constitution, known as "the great law of peace," was symbolized by the White Pine, which even caught the notice of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. Mohawk Chief Jake Swamp later planted one such tree in Independence National Historical Park, as a little reminder that peace and protection make the world a greener place.
Source => nps.gov

9. The Original Mohawk Hairstyle

From punk rock to plucked-out locks: The traditional Mohawk hairstyle sported by the Iroquois was actually a carefully plucked square of hair on the crown, accompanied by three short braids, and not shaved sides as popularized by modern interpretations. Today, this ancient 'do lives on in the traditional Mohawk headdresses called Gustoweh, featuring three proud eagle feathers as a nod to those braids of yore.
Source => en.wikipedia.org